《Reject Humanity, Return To Monke》


 Chapter 1 - Reincarnation

    [Do you wish to reincarnate?]


    Y/N


    I saw a holographic window appear in front of me within the infinite darkness. I tilted my head left and right, in an attempt to make some popping noise, only to be rewarded with nothing. To be fair though, I kind of had that coming, seeing that I had no more body. Even the concept of seeing is somewhat lost on me right now.


    Anyway, moving on from that internal debate of the physical manifestation of my body, I looked at the window and pondered the life choices I made before dying due to some stabby stab action. Lemme see, played games, went to school, settled my grades somewhere in the middle, made some friends, lost some friends, had no girlfriend, eat, sleep, repeat¡­ Yeah, I have no idea why I got some stabby stab action warranted.


    It hurt like hell though, so if I ever see him again, you bet I''d have my revenge.


    Back on topic, seeing as I didn''t want to wander through the void for eternity, I hovered my non-existent finger over Y and pressed on it. Some blinding light shows later and the previously infinite darkness was replaced by¡­


    "AGH! MY EYES!!! TOO BRIGHT!!!" I screamed out loud. As a somewhat nocturnal person back in my old world, having some bright light filter into my eyes hurt like hell. This is why I never did like waking up in my room where the window was facing east. The sun always gets my eyes stinging!


    After a brief episode of complaining about bright light and whatnot, I focused on the holographic screen in front of me. Written on it were some words describing my situation.


    [Hello, and welcome to the Character Selection Screen. I''m the tutorial menu and I''ll be here guiding you into what you''ll need to know in order to customize your appearance and stats!]


    So¡­ Game like world then? I''ve read novels and fanfictions about people getting isekai''d or reincarnated into other parallel worlds with game systems as their main power, and it looks like I''ll be sharing the same privilege as them as well. Sweet.


    I tapped on the arrow pointing to the right on the screen, and the writings altered itself on the dot. Also, I found that I have my arms back.


    [To get started, I''ll be guiding you through the one place where most reincarnators (players) spend most of their time on. The Character Customization Screen]


    Ah yes¡­ The whole, ''1 hour in and I still haven''t finished my character!'' schtick¡­ Cool, anyways¡­ The screen then shifted and lo and behold, the holographic window now featured a genderless body in a T-pose with everything blank, on the left was a toolbar with a bunch of options.


    And what I mean bunch, I meant 10,000 tools bunch¡­ It would take ages to skim through the options, so I opted to change the character model using basic tools.


    Basically, I just made myself above-average in looks, not fairy-tale prince charming good looking, but more, ''I''m more handsome than Jeff!'' good looking. I then made myself about 6"3'' tall since I had a minor complex about my previous 5"3'' stature of height.


    Then my body composition. I made it slim and toned like that of a swimmer''s body as opposed to a bodybuilder or just plain chubby. I''ve already led a life of a chubby/chunky boy, let me try being a slim one this time.


    Then¡­ Here comes the most important part of all¡­ my dong size¡­ Yes¡­ All the way up to 9 inches¡­ What? It''s every man''s dream to have a dong size this big without any external care.


    Now that''s all done, I made my eyes heterochromatic, with red and blue on separate sides, and last but not least, hair. Made my hair a bit shaggy, without much pubic hair, and the last is my skin tone, long story short, I ramped it up to pure white, with my hair color being pure white as well.


    [Already done with Character Customization? You''re fast, some would take years to finish theirs, so congrats. You''ll be given a prize later on, but for now, the next part of the tutorial.]


    The window closed itself, and my body shifted and transformed. I didn''t feel anything, but the subtle changed made me feel a bit uneasy. A few seconds of uncomfortableness later, my new body was now being used by yours truly, and also naked as the day I was born, my huge dong hanging out freely for anybody else to see.


    The window then reappeared but this time, it showed something any RPG player, a filthy casul or veteran would know.


    A damned status screen.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: N/A


    Class: N/A


    Level: 1


    Exp: 0/ 100


    HP: 110/ 110


    MP: 110/ 110


    Str: 1 = 1


    Vit: 1 = 1


    End: 1 = 1


    Agi: 1 = 1


    Dex: 1 = 1


    Int: 1 = 1


    Wis: 1 = 1


    Cha: 1 = 1


    Luc: 1 = 1


    [This is your Status Sheet. This window will display your current status represented by numbers. For a quick explanation, an average adult male will have 20-30 in most stat attributes. For more in-depth clarification, discover it for yourself.]


    Gee¡­ Thanks for giving me the tutorial Dark Souls style¡­ You''re basically giving me the bare minimum of what to go on with this thing, not that I''m one to complain. After all, you''re giving me a 2nd chance at life.


    [You''re one of the normal souls. Most of them would scream about how unfair I''m treating them with just telling them the bare essentials, self-entitled idiots are what I call them. Fun fact, 80% of them died within the first 5 years of their second life.]


    ¡­ Oookkaayy¡­. Didn''t need to know that information¡­ Anyway, after briefly analyzing my status sheet, I could clearly see that there are no status points to spend, so either that I have none, or that it doesn''t exist at all. My stats would probably go up after leveling up, which is probably better in my opinion. I don''t want to die extremely early because I forgot to spend my points due to thinking I might need them in the future rather than the present.


    [Done with the status sheet? Good, the next thing is picking a world, which is automatic during the first jump, so we can skip that. Your status will update once you transfer, giving you the bare minimum to survive. It is by your strength will you conquer impossible odds and rise to the top of the food chain. Good luck, and may you have a fun 2nd life!]


    [Transfer Beginning shortly¡­ Brace for dimension hopping in 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ Dimension hopping commencing]


    I felt the white space distort and contract, while my vision swirl through nauseating lengths. I nearly vomited, once the transfer was done, but thanks to too much nausea and vomiting in my past life, I was able to hold it off and swallow the bile back.


    "Ugh¡­ They could''ve at least told me it would be like being thrown into a blender at max speed¡­" I grumbled under my breath. I looked around, seeing that I was in some kind of cave, with a neat crystal gem at the center. I reached forward, only to see that my previously white arm was covered in black fur and was thick as a log.


    Uh¡­ Et tu¡­ Nani the fuck? I did not customize my body to be a hairy alpha¡­ I looked down and what I saw horrified me. I quickly brought up my status by saying the universal command [Status] and saw the holographic function come to life.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Juggernaut


    Level: 1


    Exp: 0/ 100


    HP: 280/ 280


    MP: 190/ 190


    Str: 12 = 16


    Vit: 16 = 18


    End: 11 = 13


    Agi: 8 = 8


    Dex: 9 = 9


    Int: 9 = 9


    Wis: 8 = 8


    Cha: 5 = 5


    Luc: 1 = 1


    ¡­ The system screwed me over¡­ They fucking screwed me over¡­


    [I did not. I did tell you that you would be given the bare minimum to survive in this world, and being human will ultimately get you killed in less than a few hours. Also, congrats, on your new life.. Touch the gem in the middle to get started on your dungeon.]

 Chapter 2 - Introductions

    I stood there staring at the screen of blue text hovering in front of me with a blank expression. What do you mean being a human will get me killed in under a few hours? Is this world really that dangerous? At least lemme have that childish delusion of, ''Get isekai''d, become too OP'' thing. Actually, I''d rather have that, thank you very much.


    [Stop being whiny, and for your question about the world being dangerous, yes, this world is incredibly dangerous, but I won''t spoil that for you, no. I''m just a guide to help you get started, and once I''m done, you''ll never see me again, well, that is unless you climb to the top of the food chain in this world which I''m sure your chances are under 1%.]


    Gee¡­ Thanks for the encouraging words, oh mysterious system entity in which I have no fucking clue who it is. I scratched my head with my big, meaty hands, and immediately got off balance and tumbled down to the floor.


    "Note to self, being a gorilla requires use of arms as front legs to maintain balance properly¡­" I muttered while I got back up using my logs (read arms) to push me back upright. I tested shifting my center of gravity left and right by tilting my whole body, and once I''m done with that brief exercise, I was getting used to standing using my four limbs.


    [Anyway, time is of the essence, so please, enough dawdling and touch the gem in the middle to get started on your dungeon. I would advise you to hurry since unlike those in the stories that you read, there is no safety buffer when you were transferred. The moment you landed here you were already in great danger.]


    Well shit¡­ Dark Souls style it is¡­ I walked (read crawled) my way towards the shiny, blue gem floating in the middle of the cave room. Lemme tell you, walking on all fours with arms twice as long as your legs is very¡­ uncomfortable¡­ That''s probably my human mind telling me that everything with my body is wrong. I''ll just get used to it in a few days¡­ Probably¡­


    I reached the gem and held out my giant arm towards it. Touching the blue gem, it immediately glowed and began rotating, blue wisps of mist emerging from my hairy body and into the gem. I felt myself getting weaker and this prompted my fight or flight responses.


    [Calm down. That''s just your mana getting sucked into the gem for the ritual to transfer the dungeon rights to you.]


    Wait a second¡­ Dungeon rights, there''s laws about dungeons here?


    [I''ll supply you with this information since this is something no other person asked from me. Not in the legal sense, no. Dungeon rights is something like a symbol of you owning a dungeon, so other Dungeon Masters will know that you are one of them. You too will have a sense for something like sensing other Dungeon Masters once you get your Dungeon rights.]


    Ah, alright, understood. I nodded my head in understanding, and while I was nodding off, the ritual was finished and I felt myself no longer getting weaker.


    Initialization complete¡­ Welcome, Dungeon Master Jionni¡­


    I stared at the gem emitting another floating window with text different from the system I was with.


    Summon


    Market


    Customize


    [Alright, I''ll give you the gist and nothing more. For you to survive, you''ll need to learn. Anyway, in that window lies the three tabs to help you maintain your dungeon. All of those tabs are self-explanatory. Summon for monsters, Market for items, and Customize for building your dungeon. Now before I leave, I have one last thing to give you. Remember something about a prize? It''s in your inventory. Well then, good luck, and have fun suffering!]


    The system window then disappeared entirely once I finished reading them. I facepalmed.


    "That system sure does have its sense of humor¡­"


    Now, how to open inventory. If it''s like anything in the novels, then just yelling or thinking of it will make it appear, and it really did appear after just thinking about it really hard. Good, I don''t like it to have a verbal command, too conspicuous.


    Inside my inventory, I saw a red gift icon. I tried pressing it, but instead, my hand went through the window and into a black abyss. I tried feeling around without getting too uneasy about having my hand is someplace I can''t see, and I finally felt something. I pulled on it, and from the black abyss comes a red gift box that wouldn''t look too out of place during Christmas.


    Not wasting anytime, I opened the box and inside, found three things. One was a scroll, another a book, and the last, a giant club. Okay, as rules of the gamer and isekai dictates, scroll is like a skillbook, the book is a literal skillbook, and giant club equals giant club.


    I grabbed the book first and yes, the book really is a skill book.


    Would you like to learn [Earth Manipulation]? Y/N


    Oh, hell yes. Manipulating earth while living in a cave, of course I would use it. I pressed yes and the skillbook turned into motes of light before my body absorbed it all. I then focused my attention on the scroll.


    "Please be something good¡­" I grabbed it and another holographic window of text greeted me from the front.


    Would you like to learn [Gorilla Fighting Techniques]? Y/N


    ¡­ Jokes aside, this scroll is incredibly practical for my current situation. I''m a gorilla, and I need to learn how to fight like one, so yes, I do like to learn this please. I pressed yes and the scroll unrolled itself, the text written on it glowing a bright gold before turning into wisps of light and flowing inside me.


    When the light subsided, I felt a little more used to my big hairy body. I could move better, shift my center of gravity easier, and I can now walk on my two legs without falling to the ground and making myself look like a fool.


    Next, I inspected the club. I narrowed my eyes on it, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing. All I saw was an ordinary, giant club that I could use to whack trespassers.


    "Better this than nothing, I guess¡­" I scratched my chin, then checked the Skills tab if ever had one. It appeared, and on it, 5 were listed on it¡­ Wait, 5?


    Skills


    [Gorilla Body] lv 1


    [Inhumane Endurance] lv 1


    [Gorilla Go Smash!] lv 1


    [Gorilla Fighting Tech] lv 1


    [Earth Manipulation] lv 1


    Gorilla Body ¨C You have a body of a gorilla. Increase STR, END, VIT by 5%. Bonus increases per skill level.


    Inhumane Endurance ¨C You have endurance in the not human standard. Increase VIT, END by 10%. Bonus increases per skill level.


    Gorilla Go Smash! ¨C You are a gorilla. Go smash things with your logs you call arms. Increase STR by 30%. Bonus increases per skill level. Consume mana to imbue next attack with double your STR. Cost 10 MP per cast.


    Gorilla Fighting Technique ¨C Who said flinging poop was just a joke. No, it''s just a deadly a weapon like any other. Increase STR by 25%, and all other stats except LUC by 15%. Bonus increases per skill level.


    Earth Manipulation ¨C Earth is around you, go use it. Consume mana to move the earth around you to do your bidding. The options are limitless, provided you are good enough and have enough mana. Increases STR, VIT, END, INT, WIS by 25%. Cost varies per cast.


    Hm¡­ I''ll need to level this up when I have the time. The bonuses to the stats are just too good to pass up.. Anyway, enough of that, time to ready my dungeon.

 Chapter 3 - Introductions (2)

    I looked at the holographic window with the dungeon options. For simplicity and convenience sake, I''ll call it the Dungeon Menu.


    Summon


    Market


    Customize


    So, first things first, before I put in some mobs to defend the dungeon (read: me), I''ll need to know the layout, so into the Customize tab we go!


    New Dungeon Master detected. Initiating Tutorial mode¡­


    (Welcome, Dungeon Master Jionni. I am the entity created by dungeons to help guide new blood. Call me Turial.)


    ¡­ I blinked, then I blinked again¡­ Did it just¡­


    (Yes, I did. Me being a reference to one of the games you played in your past life is just a coincidence, nothing more, nothing less. As for how I know your past life, reading the Dungeon Master''s memories is one of the protocols given to me to help better familiarize the new blood with the option for managing his dungeon.)


    I shrugged my shoulders in acceptance. After all, coincidences sometimes happen, and since I was reincarnated into a gorilla in another world as a dungeon master, a reference to Toriel is not that unbelievable.


    (Anyway, going into the Customize tab before the Summon tab is actually a good decision on your part, so it looks like you''ll be able to survive for a long time. Anyway, in the Customize tab, here you can customize your dungeon in as many ways as you can imagine. Although you''ll have to buy a room first before you can customize it. As of now, your dungeon has 2 room and 1 entrance, the core room included.)


    The window then automated itself and the Market tab came into view.


    (Now, the Market here is the most interesting part of the tabs. Here, you can exchange points to buy items or treasures. Anything you can imagine, the Market will have it, although it will come at an equal price. Take for example the sword Excalibur in the legend of your world, it would probably cost more than billions of points.)


    ¡­ Anything, right? I can buy anything?


    (Yes, even gender altering potions, race change potions, and some other unsavory things you may need when the situation calls for it.)


    I quickly searched for it, and saw it come up. Yes! I can return back into huma- WHAT THE FUCK!? Why is it greyed out!


    [Ah right, forgot to mention this, you can''t change your race. Something a higher up decided, so yeah, you''re stuck as a monkey. Bye now for real!]


    ¡­ So I''m stuck like this¡­ forever¡­? Well.. Yeah¡­ I¡­ Hehe¡­ Hahaha¡­ HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!


    I laughed hysterically while looking at the air that once had the system text message. Eyes tearing up by either insanity, sadness, rage, and just plain bewilderment.


    "YOU MOTHERFUCKING SYSTEM! GIVE ME BACK MY HUMAN BODY!"


    A few curses and venting later, I calmed down and looked around the room. The cave room was a mess, dents, cracks, and some debris lying around haphazardly as a result from my rampage. I turned my eyes back into the Dungeon Core.


    (You done venting? Alright, let''s continue.)


    The window once again automated itself and opened up the Summon tab all by itself.


    (Now this here is the main defense unit for your dungeon. Now, as for expanding the monster type you can use, it is decided by either what you, or your summoned monsters kill. Currently, you are only able to summon fellow monkey species. All of them will 100% follow your will. You can summon anything you kill, but do note that some other species are impossible to summon, such as Humans, Elves, and others.)


    (To summon them, however, is more complex than spending points. In fact, you do not use points to summon monsters. Instead, you can summon monsters until the limit of the room is reached. The limit of the room is decided by how you customize it. You can exceed the limit though, but not through summoning, but by breeding. For other stuff, I''ll let you discover.)


    (Good day, and wish you luck in your endeavors of Dungeon Management.)


    After reading through the text, the window vanished, never to be seen again. I scratched my head and sighed in response. So, I can''t overpopulate my dungeon via summoning, and breeding is the only way. Looking at Summon tab, there is only one monster type summonable by me.


    Monkey


    Yeah, that''s basically it. Checking up the Customize tab, the other room can only house 5 of them, not a lot, but enough for defending. I checked the summonable monkeys and saw that I can only summon 3 variants, Gorilla, Chimpanzee, and¡­ Holy god almighty, a fuckin'' Mandrill.


    Yeah, I know what to put in then. 1 Mandrill, 1 Gorilla, and 3 Chimpanzees. The gorilla as the tank, Mandrill as hybrid, and Chimpanzees as the supports. Now, I just hope those chimps will mate with each other to increase the numbers.


    I then changed the layout of the room, planting trees, some grass and fruits. Now, it looked like a mini garden. The room wasn''t that large, about the size of two basketball courts together, and as tall as a third floor.


    Apparently, to get more rooms, I''ll have to reach certain milestones, such as the first dungeon defense against trespassers, or even just reaching a certain number of inhabitants within the dungeon. It''s like an achievement system. Adding floors are also connected to the achievement system.


    Now then, adding traps in a floor is not in the Customize tab, but the Market tab. Well shit, seeing that I have exactly 0 points, and I have no idea where to get them, I''ll have to bench that idea for the moment.


    Seeing that I have nothing else to do with my dungeon, I customized the core room and made another miniature garden, and a hammock in between two trees. Beside it grew some fruits and beside those fruits, a pond of clear water that is always clean, even if I poop in it, the Dungeon would see to it that it would be clean.


    I would really like to add a computer with wi-fi in here, but those sat in the Market tab with a cost just as high. I''ll have to save then if I want to get it then.


    "Ah right, forgot the entrance," I pressed the Customize tab again and checked how the entrance looked. It looked just like any ordinary cave entrance, but it was surrounded by some shrubbery, trees, and grass. I customized how it looked, and now it blended with the surroundings pretty well.


    Well then, job well done, time to grind my skills.

 Chapter 4 - Intruder Alert! Trespassers In The Monke Base!

    So, how am I gonna approach grinding my skills? I checked the Customize tab and saw that I can''t put any target dummies, I''ll have to go to the Market tab for that. I also can''t just spar with the monsters, since if I did that, any random trespasser could end them if they were recovering.


    Some physical exercise maybe? But, how am I supposed to do that? I don''t have a human''s body anymore, and I''m not that familiar with the body of a gorilla. Sure, they may be similar to the body of a human, but you have to admit, being stronger than a human will net you completely different ways to bulk up your strength.


    Should I work out? Like, do push-ups and sit-ups work out? I mean, an average gorilla is stronger than a strong human adult male, then if I worked out, will I stronger than most humans in the physical category?


    Decisions, decisions¡­ So for now, I''ll settle with doing some push-ups and hope it works.


    150 push-ups later¡­


    Holy lord¡­ 150 push-ups and I''m just half-tired. My arms don''t feel that heavy, but I''m beginning to feel the strain, so how about I do some sit-ups next?


    75 sit-ups later¡­


    Okay¡­ I''m beginning to feel the burn in my body, but my legs are still good to go. How about some squats?


    30 squats later¡­


    Holy lord¡­ Having short, stubby legs with a huge upper body and arms makes it incredibly hard to do squats¡­ I''ll have to find another work out for my lower body, maybe walking and jogging since these legs are already hampering my lower body enough as it is.


    [Gorilla Body] and [Inhumane Endurance] increased a level!


    Huh¡­ I checked the my [Skill] window and saw that my two skills increased the effects of their passives, with [Gorilla Body] giving 10% instead of the usual 5% and [Inhumane Endurance] to 20% instead of its initial 10%. I then checked my status to see any difference.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Juggernaut


    Level: 1


    Exp: 0/ 100


    HP: 370/ 370


    MP: 230/ 230


    Str: 12 = 23


    Vit: 16 = 27


    End: 11 = 19


    Agi: 8 = 9


    Dex: 9 = 10


    Int: 9 = 13


    Wis: 8 = 11


    Cha: 5 = 6


    Luc: 1 = 1


    Okay, I''m beginning to understand my status a little bit. For my stat attributes, the left corner are the base stats, while the right corner are the modified stats after being processed by my skills, and doing some quick math led to the revelation of 1 VIT = 10 HP, and 1 INT = 10 MP, rather simple calculations if you think about it. I wonder if I''ll get a skill that increases its multiplier though, that would be useful.


    Now then, time to test my strength. A good workout increased my two skills related to my body, how about the other skill related to my strength. If I recall correctly, it has both an active effect, and a passive effect.


    I directed my gaze at a nearby tree. Concluding that this tree will be fixed in about a few hours thanks to the dungeon, I settled it as my target dummy for the moment, until I can get a real one that can simulate an actual battle without any threat of death.


    For now, I''ll check my natural strength. I cocked my fist back, and fired my log of an arm towards the trunk of the tree. Let me tell you, I did not think this through¡­


    Imagine this, your body is currently in a relaxed state, and you tried punching something hard without actually readying your body for the feedback to come back. So based on my idiocy and short-sightedness, with a hint of delusion that nothing bad would happen, the feedback was something I was half-expecting, but did not expect to happen just yet.


    "ARGH!! FUCK THAT HURTS!!!"


    And that, is what happened. My hand burned, and I felt a very sharp, stinging pain from the knuckled and fingers of my hand. Sure, I did make a sizeable dent to the trunk, but it still hurt like a bitch.


    Shaking of the pain by waving my right hand back and forth like a man obsessed, I rushed towards the lake and submerged it into the cold water.


    "Note to self, before punching, ready body¡­" I muttered as I mentally kicked myself in the head for thinking that I had high pain tolerance.


    Once the pain was gone, I looked for another tree so I could test the active part of the skill. Something about doubling the strength value of my next attack. I found a similar looking tree, which was not similar as it was instead, the actual tree I punched earlier. This time, ready for the pain about to come, I cocked my fist back, and tried imbuing mana into my hand.


    I felt the muscles contort and compact, and I let my punch fly into the trunk. Once my hand met bark, the tree was literally blown away, its roots still clinging on the soil. The upper half however, was seen flying through the miniature garden and smacking against the wall a few meters away.


    "¡­ Holy shit¡­"


    Holy shit indeed. My punch could literally uproot a tree, and suddenly, I was not so excited trying to test it against a live person or animal. Don''t get me wrong, if there was ever a threat to my life, I would eliminate the threat with extreme prejudice. I would not like to die twice, thank you very much.


    But if I did use my punch against a human or person¡­ Cleaning up the mess would be horrific¡­ Eugh¡­ Just imagining the blood spatters, organs scattered everywhere, and I''d have to clean it up¡­ No, just, no¡­ I came here to live my 2nd life the way I like it, not a fucking janitor to clean up messy and graphic situations, even if I was the cause of it¡­


    While I was busy contemplating about life and death in this world, the Dungeon Core shined brightly, red text floating above within a holographic window.


    Warning! Trespassers detected!


    ¡­ Welp¡­ looks like I''ll have to defend¡­ Damn it¡­ I so do not want to clean up blood stains¡­


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    ~ Third Person POV ~


    It was just like any other day. Get a job from the Association, fulfill the job requirements, get paid. At least, that was what Jake was thinking when he and his team ripped off a job request from the board about investigating a strange cave found a few miles East from the town of Kazanpan.


    As an F-ranker, the most he and his team did were some gathering jobs, and some investigations about new unexplored places in low-ranked designated areas.


    Currently however, they were having the fight of their lives.


    "Shit! Clayton! Some healing would be appreciated!" Jake yelled while he hefted his large shield against the incoming onslaught of these¡­ humanoid beasts¡­


    "Can''t! Those childlike monsters keep on getting in the way of my incantations!" Clayton, their healer dressed in a loose-fitting robe yelled back while dodging some stones thrown by the hairy, childlike beast standing atop the branches. When stones aren''t enough, they try to get in close and grapple their target and kick and bite at them to cause injury.


    "Damn it! Fuckin'' beasts won''t gimme da time of day!" another one of their members, Jaxon, screamed as he barely got out of the assault of two chimpanzees, blood pouring out from his wounds. It was even harder because of the vines and trees surrounding them, leaving them at a disadvantage.


    "Support incoming!" the last member, a woman named Flora in her mid-20''s exclaimed while firing a barrage of arrows towards the childlike beasts at the back. One of the arrows struck a leg of an unfortunate beast, felling one of them to the ground, blood pooling around the pierced leg.


    "Fucking hell!" Jake screamed from the top of his lungs as he tried to shove off the huge beast bearing down on him with its huge log arms. His strength wasn''t enough, and he was crushed into the ground, his head crushed beyond recognition.


    "Fuck! Dey got Jake!" Jaxon yelled while fighting off the two aggressive childlike beasts that won''t stop coming for him. "Clayton! Healing now!"


    "On it!" Clayton responded as he chanted an incantation as green mist surrounded Jaxon. His wounds closed up, but the dried blood caked on his skin was still there, clinging like body paint.


    "We need to run! Quick!" Flora screamed as she fired more arrows to deter the aggressive childlike beasts. The huge one however, spared no time and went forward towards Clayton, who was visibly out of breath from continuous casting. That was the 5th time he''d casted Heal in the span of 5 minutes, and as an F-ranking adventurer with a laughable amount of Mana pool, 5 heals were enough to leave him ragged.


    "Clayton, run!" Jaxon screamed as he was able to decapitate one childlike beast and went running. Clayton, tired and exhausted, moved too late and was tackled by the huge beast and crashed into a tree, coughing up blood along the way. It wasn''t long before a chunk of his throat was cut out by a ravenous bite from the huge beast.


    "Shit! Flora, run!" Jaxon yelled as he and Flora, the only two surviving members of the team, ran for the exit like men possessed. They weren''t able to reach them however, as another beast, this time with a colorful face, met them during their retreat. The colorful faced beast yelled at them while smashing the grounds with its hands and lunged for Flora. Jaxon tried to block the attack, but was deterred when another childlike beast grabbed his leg and began biting at it through the leather.


    Flora, too scared to move, was tackled to the ground and mauled to death, blood and gore scattering around the place while her screams echoed around the forest within the cave. Jaxon pried off the childlike beast and impaled it with his sword, effectively killing it in one fell swoop, but the huge beast came running after him next. The last thing he saw was a huge, hairy black arm coming for his face before everything went black.


    [][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ First Person POV (Jionni) ~


    Defense Successful!


    Trespassers killed: 4 = 50 DP each


    First Dungeon Defense Bonus: 500 DP


    You receive a free Dungeon Spin!


    "¡­ Holy fuck with pee icing on shit¡­"


    I stared speechless at the brutal scene on the screen. I gave the monkeys some tactics to go on, like the chimps throwing stones, and the gorilla fighting their tank, while the mandrill waits until they try running¡­ Never did I think that the monkeys would dominate them the way they did. Sure, two chimps died, and one was injured, but I can just replace them.


    Also, some things I found out during the battle, I can''t summon when there is a trespasser inside my dungeon, I can directly control the monsters summoned by me by telling them what to do, as seen by me giving them tactics, and I also gain experience from what my summons defeat. Here is my status now.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Juggernaut


    Level: 2


    Exp: 180/ 200


    HP: 440/ 440


    MP: 250/ 250


    Str: 16 = 30


    Vit: 20 = 34


    End: 15 = 26


    Agi: 11 = 13


    Dex: 12 = 14


    Int: 11 = 15


    Wis: 10 = 14


    Cha: 7 = 8


    Luc: 1 = 1


    I gained 65 exp from the tank, 90 exp from the healer, 45 from the¡­ I think he was a thief, and 80 from their archer. I gained a level, and my base stats increases, so that''s a good thing that came from this brutal encounter. Seriously, I did not need to see brain matter spilling out of the tanks head, or even the archer pleading mercy as she got eaten alive.


    I can say for sure, that I would be traumatized by this event, and I know for certain, that future encounters would end up giving me more traumas to come.


    For now, though, I want to sleep. I''ll check the Dungeon Status and that free Dungeon Spin when I wake up.. I''m mentally tired from witnessing something deepweb worthy.

 Chapter 5 - Trouble A Brewin

    I woke up from my nap, getting up from the hammock that was gently swinging left and right from the weight of my body. I yawned, some tears escaping my eyes while I gently rubbed the dust gathering around it.


    I checked the Dungeon Menu for a quick peek at the status of my dungeon. The monkeys were all replenished, and no blood stains, or even corpses were left from the last fight, except for the things they brought along that were lying around where they all died.


    Spoils of war? Probably¡­ I had the monkeys take them and let them use it as weapons. Thankfully, they were intelligent enough to understand my task, and took the weapons as they examined them on how to use them. The gorilla, I had it take the shield and club that their tank used, one of the chimps I had them grab the bow and arrows, while the other one I had him grab the short sword their thief/rogue was carrying.


    I also had one of the chimps grab the staff and robe and had it don them. I checked to see if it was able to use magic, but sadly, it did not know how to do so. I''ll have to learn magic so I can teach the monkeys. The mandrill will have to wait for some gear whenever new trespassers arrive.


    All of this I did within the confines of my Dungeon Core room, relaying commands through the Dungeon Menu. Think of it as some kind of RTS (Real Time Strategy) game like Starcraft, only this time, your orders are limitless in options.


    But since the monkeys have no idea how to use them properly, I had to teach them, so I got up from my lazy ass and went towards the passageway that led to the other room full of monkeys.


    The passageway was like any other cave corridor, stalactites hanging from the cave roof. The passageway was bumpy and rocky, like any ordinary cave, and when I arrived at the end, green fauna greeted my sight as I took in the miniature garden within my vision. I saw the monkeys eagerly awaiting my orders, eyes full of stars as if their idol just descended upon them.


    "Boss!" the gorilla yelled as it showed its respects toward me. The other chimpanzees also greeted me with a fear grin as they looked upon me with respect, while the Mandrill bared its teeth against me.


    "Boss, we fight trespassers, won." the mandrill said towards me, teeth still bared. From what I recalled in the internet, when a Mandrill bares its teeth, it is showing friendliness. I nodded and the mandrill beamed at me.


    I''ll have to think up names for these monkeys¡­


    "Okay, first thing''s first, do you all have any idea how to use the gear I gave you?" I asked them in fluent monkey language, which I think are grunts, groans, and some hand movement.


    All of them shook their heads collectively. Figures¡­ Well, time to show them, after all, monkey see, monkey do.


    I took the shield made of iron and iron club from the gorilla, who I''ll name later, to which it¡­ No, it''s a he¡­ To which he gave respectfully. I showed him how to use the shield by hiding behind him and asking him to strike me. He hesitated, but he did it anyway and struck me, his hand crashing against the shield, causing him to yelp and groan in pain. While he was distracted in pain, I brought the club up and bonked him on the head, eliciting another surprised yelp of pain from the gorilla the same size as me.


    I gave the gear back to him after his pain faded and I immediately did the same to him. He responded like I did, my hand crashed against the shield and the gorilla tried swinging the club at me, which I dodged and bonked him on the head with my hand when he was open.


    I grinned, and the gorilla pouted.


    "Like that, you block with shield, then smash enemy with club. If he dodges, don''t get distracted and try to block the enemy attack again, and try to smash him again," I said while the gorilla nodded with excitement.


    "Got it boss, block attack, smash enemy," the gorilla said back while doing some hand gestures. Next, I head towards the chimp who was looking at the two of us while sometimes staring at the short sword it¡­ No, it''s a she¡­ She was holding.


    "You, however, have a different role to play," I said as I told her to follow me. I stood beside the gorilla and asked him to only block my attacks, and don''t attack.


    "I will attack him, and when he blocks and he can''t attack, you will try to attack the enemy while they are distracted," I hand her a stick in favor of the short sword so there would be no lasting injuries in this practice session.


    I attacked the gorilla while he tried to block, and when I gave an obvious opening, she dived in while poking me with the stick. I grinned in return as she quickly returned to back where she came from.


    "Good, do it with the sword when against trespassers," she nodded with a smile. Weird how the smiles of the monkeys make me happy.


    "Now, you," I looked at the chimp who held the bow and arrows, "You are going to provide support against enemies when they are vulnerable."


    The chimp, whose gender was a male, nodded while he tried to copy what the archer did when he shot one of the chimps¡­ Hey, wait a second¡­


    "The ones who died?"


    "Me and him," the chimp holding the bow said while pointing at the chimp who was holding the staff. I nodded in understanding as I then looked at the other chimp wielding the staff.


    "Sorry, but I need you to give it to me for the moment since you can''t use magic," I said as the chimp looked sad a little bit, but relented and gave me the staff. I then looked at the mandrill who was just observing me do leader things in silence.


    "You, I''ll give you gear next time trespassers come," I said as the mandrill nodded a little bit dejectedly, but understanding.


    "Yes, boss."


    "Now then, before I go, I need to give you names if you don''t have one," I said as all of the monkeys perked up in happiness and glee. Apparently, they didn''t have names, and was probably waiting for me to name them.


    I named them in this order, gorilla as Gong, chimps as Chia, Chip, and Chin with them holding the short sword, bow and arrow, and barehanded respectively, and the mandrill as Manny. All of them were happy to receive names and I left them frolicking in happiness in the miniature garden to celebrate the bestowal of their new names.


    "So, new information, summons that die can be resummoned again¡­ Good, then they can learn through death," I muttered as I made my way back to the Dungeon Core room, which I then prompted to check the Dungeon Menu for the new things that popped up after the defense, such as the free spin, and the DP.


    For now, I''ll do the free spin¡­


    Spinning¡­ Spinning¡­ Spinning¡­ Gold prize rewarded!


    A gold gift box appeared from the air and landed in front of me. So¡­ gacha then? How do I get those free spins anyway¡­ Ugh, its times like these that I wish the tutorial was more thorough in their explanation¡­


    I opened the gift box, and what lied within was a set of threatening armor. What was read on its label was ''Armor of the Primates''.


    ¡­ Monkey armor? Cool, I guess, but I really would like to know its stats¡­ Is their an observe feature in my system?


    I waited for a good moment, only for nothing to come up. Hmm¡­ I probably need to do something¡­ How about injecting mana to my eyes¡­


    I tried to feel the mana within my body, erasing all thought of action. I tried my hardest, but still nothing. I guess I''ll have to get the book from the Market then.


    I opened up the Market tab and searched for an ''Observe Skillbook'' and lo and behold¡­ It was expensive as hell!


    Observe Skillbook ¨C 1,000,000 DP


    No way in hell am I affording that with my measly budget¡­ Hmmm¡­ Anything that can observe the stats of armor¡­ How about¡­


    Equipment Identifier ¨C 5,000 DP


    Still too expensive. Looks like I''ll have to shelve that idea for the moment. The combat dummies are still beyond my grasp, so I''ll save my DP for the moment. Now then, back to grinding my skills¡­


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Within the city of Kazanpan in the country of Arcelon ruled by its monarch, a huge and tall building stood imposingly among the various buildings and architecture that surrounds it. It is also the building with the most traffic of humans going in and out for various other businesses. This is a building known as the Kazanpan branch Hunter''s Association.


    The Hunter''s Association is a large group, consisting of members from all over the continent. They are mostly mercenaries, who would receive jobs for cash, be it dangerous or safe. The jobs ranges from gathering and escorting, to investigations of suspicious places, and even helping garrison a fort during a Monster Surge, or even during a war.


    And in this building, a certain someone was waiting for a report to come in about a cave a few miles East of here. He was the manager of this branch, Nicholas Gallagher was his name. He stood at an imposing height of 175 cm, with a build that would put bodybuilders to shame. His tanned skin coating his body wrapped in a tight suit of leather and cotton.


    "Sir Nicholas, it''s been 3 days and there haven''t been any word from them yet," his assistant, a blonde-haired beauty by the name of Alexa in what looked like formal wear, reported with a stoic gaze. Nicholas sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.


    "Mark them missing until evidence have either found them deserting, or dead," Nicholas said with a stern face. "As for the quest they took, raise it up two ranks and let''s see what would happen."


    "Understood," Alexa replied and bowed, before heading back outside to follow his commands.


    "¡­ This is probably another new dungeon," Nicholas muttered as he opened a cabinet beneath his desk and brought out a bottle of alcohol. Taking a swig, he closed the cap and placed back inside the cabinet lest he got caught on the job. "New dungeon, huh¡­?"


    At the same time, down on the first floor, another party of Hunters came in full of smiles and excitement. Their group consisted of 2 female elf twins, a male dwarf, a human couple, and a male demon.


    "What quest are we gonna take today?" the human female asked as she glanced at her lover, who was busy looking over the quest board with a scrutinizing gaze.


    "I want an easy one for the moment. Nothing too crazy like our last quest," he said this as he glared at the male demon, who was smirking at him in amusement.


    "What? At least it was fun," he said with mock laughter while the human man just glared at him further.


    "It almost got us all killed," he replied with barely repressed anger.


    "Oh, come on, lighten up," the demon responded with a serious face this time, "you chose this path, at least learn to embrace it."


    "He is right you know," one of the elf twins said while looking over the quest board.


    "Becoming a Hunter is dangerous work, the two of us have fully prepared ourselves for when the time comes for us to meet our demise," the other elf twin said somberly. The rest of the party just stared at the two with sympathy.


    After all, all of them were birds of a feather. Kicked out of home, abandoned, left to rot, that kind of stuff. All of them were once labeled useless, and here they were, trying to turn their life around for the better.


    "Aye, ''tis be the time for jolly cooperation!" the dwarf encouraged the party with a bearded smile. "I be drinkin'' them fine alcohol once we get back from our quest, yeah?"


    "¡­ Alright, alright¡­ Come on, we still need to find a job for today''s earning," the female human said while hugging her lover''s arm. It was then they found a quest about investigating a cave a few miles east that was the same tier as their Hunter ranks.


    "D-rank investigation quest? In a cave no less?" the human male said incredulously.


    "Probably a new emerging dungeon," the demon said while his eyes were narrowed.


    "So, what do we do, accept it?'' the female human asked with concerned eyes. The pay was good, better than the pay on their last quest, and they were really stripped for cash right now, so they needed the money.


    "¡­ We''ll accept, but we need to be ready for anything, agreed?"


    All of them nodded in response, and thus, the D-rank Hunter team Last of Abandonment accepted a quest that would lead them towards the monkey cave.

 Chapter 6 - Monke Home In Trouble!

    Okay¡­ It''s been three days since the last attack, and all I''ve been doing was grinding my skills like crazy since I had nothing to do. It was also a means of getting ready for the future, but mostly to quell my boredom. I get skittery when I''m not doing something.


    I checked my skills to see how they looked like now. 3 days of grinding non-stop isn''t minimal after all.


    [Skills]


    [Gorilla Body] lv 6


    [Inhumane Endurance] lv 6


    [Gorilla Go Smash!] lv 3


    [Gorilla Fighting Tech] lv 2


    [Earth Manipulation] lv 3


    And this is my current status page.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Juggernaut


    Level: 2


    Exp: 180/ 200


    HP: 570/ 570


    MP: 260/ 260


    Str: 16 = 40


    Vit: 20 = 47


    End: 15 = 35


    Agi: 11 = 13


    Dex: 12 = 14


    Int: 11 = 16


    Wis: 10 = 15


    Cha: 7 = 8


    Luc: 1 = 1


    A huge increase in my stats in the STR, VIT and END attributes. I can already feel myself becoming stronger, and the last time I punched a tree with my bare hands, the pain was minimal, as well as being able to almost tear it in half.


    FYI, I used my [Gorilla Go Smash!] skill and literally uprooted the whole tree up in the air with a single hand. Yeah, that''s how strong my strength is now, although the same can''t be said for my¡­ slowness, yes, slowness¡­ I ain''t fat damn it¡­


    Anyway, the results of the training were pretty obvious, getting physically stronger was one result. The result of [Gorilla Fighting Tech] and [Earth Manipulation] however got me speechless.


    With [Gorilla Fighting Tech], I can now fight just like a gorilla would. Basically, overpower the enemy while having the gorilla style of fighting, such as biting, smacking, lifting and crushing, or even just dog piling. Hell, even slinging poop at the enemy would count as the gorilla style.


    [Earth Manipulation] however, was the golden skill for me, even if my control isn''t that good yet. The most I could do was manipulate a few meters of earth around me and turn it into a dome. I dubbed it [Earth Dome] for simplicity''s sake. I do not want to call an ability a long-ass name when in the middle of a fight where every second counts.


    I could also fire some bullets made of earth at the enemy, and as usual, dubbed them as simple name called [Stone Bullet]. I can even control their trajectory, their piercing power, and even make them rotate, kind of like a normal bullet, so that would probably be my strongest weapon as of now.


    [Earth Wall] is just that, a literal wall of Earth. I could control its height and width, even control how it curves. One thing I found out that once erected, [Earth Wall] will stay permanently until destroyed or manipulated by me or another [Earth Manipulation] user.


    And last but not the least, my currently personal favorite, [Sinkhole]. What does it do? Well, it creates a hole on the ground, that''s it. What, too plain and simple? Well too bad, but it is also one of the most versatile and powerful skills I have in my arsenal. During fights, I could create holes on the ground to mess up the enemy''s balance, use it to create a gap when running from an enemy, or even just straight out yeet them to the bottom of a very deep pit, provided I have the mana for it.


    And that brings me to another problem, my mana reserves. [Earth Manipulation] is a skill that will eat up my mana like no other if I try to manipulate an entire area, and with my currently meager mana reserves, I could only create about 2-3 big sinkholes before I run out of mana.


    Which led me to my current predicament, browsing through the Market for any INT or MP buffing skillbooks. Mana potions are good and all, but I want something that would grow with me since I am just starting out.


    A browse through many catalogs after searching for INT or mana led me to one book that is within my budget.


    Book of the Apprentice Mage ¨C 150 DP


    Without hesitation, I bought it and quickly consumed it.


    [Skill Apprentice Mana Manipulation created]


    Apprentice Mana Manipulation ¨C Control the Mana within you and within the atmosphere. As an apprentice, your control and efficiency are still below average. Increases INT, WIS, and MP by 25%. Bonus increases with skill level.


    I checked my status again and saw that my MP value increased by a hundred, I also felt smarter for whatever reason, probably the increase in INT.


    Anyway, since I''m tired, I better rest for the moment. When I wake up, I''m going to grind my skills again.


    Warning! Trespassers Detected!


    ¡­ On second thought, I''ll have to defend, and this time, I''m joining in. Donning the Armor of the Primates, which I practiced with in the last three days, I grabbed the huge club and jogged through the passageway heading towards the other miniature garden where the other monkeys were defending.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Hey Lennon, this is the place, right?" the human male, now known as Lennon looked at his lover Kayla with a sharp gaze. A gaze which most of them currently held.


    "Yes, this is the place, everybody gears up, we may be fighting against unknowns," Lennon replied while glancing at his party members, Kayla, his lover, Mariona and Merethyl Yelhana, the twin elves, Grurnuid Opalfeet, the dwarf, and Sogtharoch, the demon.


    Everybody nodded in response and gripped their weapons tightly, Grurnuid hefting a huge shield taller than him and a standard axe, Mariona and Merethyl wielding bow and arrows, and a magic staff respectively, Kayla wielding a saber in one hand, and a gun on the other, Lennon hefting a sword and shield combo, and finally, Sogtharoch holding a halbered with a shortsword hanging from his waist in case his halberd is useless in certain situations.


    Last of Abandonment is a well-equipped party with an all-rounded team composition, with Grurnuid as the main tank of the party, with Lennon switching from harassment and defending his teammates, Kayla as their main damage dealer, Mariona and Merethyl as supports, and Sogtharoch as a hybrid in terms of close combat.


    "Alright, let''s go," Lennon led the party, one hand holding a torch while the other raising his shield slightly in case of any surprise attacks. These Hunters are experienced when it comes to dungeon diving, seeing that they survived reaching D-rank, which are considered average in the Hunter Association.


    The party moved as a unit, not one leaving an angle out in case a surprise attack or trap come barreling towards them. It happened before, they didn''t want it to get caught off guard again.


    "Lennon! Shield up!" Grurnuir yelled as he raised the tall shield and slammed it against the ground, with Lennon doing the same, making himself smaller behind the shield, while the others got behind them in an instant. A clang later, an arrow bounced off of Grurnuir''s shield, and Mariona quickly returned another arrow towards the direction of where the arrow traveled. Another clang was heard a few seconds later after Mariona released her arrow.


    "That sounded like a shield," Sogtharoch surmised as he grabbed the shortsword in his hand as the party reached the end of the passageway and into a miniature forest.


    "A forest type, alright, Merethyl, scan," Lennon commanded and Merethyl obliged. A few verses and a lightshow later, Merethyl opened her eyes, it glowing a bright green.


    "5 monsters ahead of us, two large, 3 small," Merethyl said while gripping her staff. "They also have weapons, probably from the poor Hunters who came here 3 days earlier."


    "Alright, thanks for the info," Lennon responded with a nod. "Grurnuir, we''ll take care of the big ones, while Sogtharoch and Kayla takes care of the small ones. Mariona and Merethyl will be support as usual."


    "Roger," all of them responded in affirmation as the party moved ahead slowly in case there are any traps laid beneath the ground or withing the shrubbery or trees. Once they approached the monsters a certain distance away, the large humanoid, hairy brutes rushed towards them, one of them carrying a shield and club, while the other have its natural weapons, arms and teeth.


    "Grurnuir! Up front!" Lennon and Grurnuir both clashed with the two giants, their shield protecting their bodies from the heavy attacks from the brutes. Lennon dropped a knee, surprised at the strength of the brute wielding a metal club, while Grurnuir grunted against the relentless attacks of the other colorful faced brute that was trying to pry the tall shield away from him.


    The two of them were already losing, but an arrow and some mana bullets from Mariona and Merethyl quickly disengaged them from their losing battle.


    "Shit, they''re strong," Lennon said through breaths as he quickly got up on his feet.


    "Aye, them monsters relentless too," Grurnuir replied as he checked his shield. The shield was still good, albeit a few scratch marks from the earlier attack marred its sheen.


    The hairy brutes then continued with their attack, and all Lennon and Grurnuir could do was hold them off, as the strength of the brutes are beyond most of the monsters they fought. While they were at a deadlock, another support came in in the form of Sogtharoch trying to stab the colorful brute with his halberd. The halberd struck, and blood came gushing out of the wound. The colorful brute now enraged, glared at the demon who wounded it, and began slamming its hands against the ground while screeching, causing the elf twins to cover their ears in pain.


    Meanwhile, Kayla was busy dealing with the three childlike monsters. The reason for dealing with them alone was because their tanks were getting pummeled by the brutes. It was okay if they were mindless monsters like the usual ones, but they were intelligent, and it looks like these childlike ones are intelligent as well, as seen by one of them harassing her with a sword and weaving out just in time for an arrow to come heading towards her, while the other one was busy trying to get past her defenses so it could reach their healer and archer.


    "Shit, Sogtharoch, better hurry up," Kayla cursed under her breath as she aimed her gun towards one of the monsters. ''Make it count, bullets are getting expensive nowadays.''


    She fired, but the monster was able to notice the danger and hid behind a tree before getting hit by the bullet.


    "Shit," Kayla cursed again as she sidestepped a sloppy thrust from one of the monsters wielding the short sword and saw this as an opportunity to cull one of their numbers. She opted for a quick stab, but a whistling arrow grabbed her attention and she quickly dodged. Not a moment later, an arrow struck from where she was standing a second before.


    The twin elves were busy supporting Kayla and the tanks in hoping to better their chances of survival. Luckily, the colorful faced brute was slowing down due to blood loss, but Sogtharoch was injured as well due to a minor slip up. A bitten leg was the last thing they needed, so Merethyl quickly opted for a quick Heal, healing the damage done to Sogtharoch.


    He nodded in gratitude and continued to poke at the colorful faced brute. While that was going on, Lennon was busy redirecting the attention of the other brute by not letting it help its colorful faced comrade.


    The plan was working, and a moment later, the colorful faced brute collapsed on the ground due to blood loss, and Sogtharoch and Grurnuir spared no time and quickly killed it. It heaved one last breath before the life in its eyes dimmed.


    One threat now gone, Sogtharoch quickly ran back to where Kayla was fighting to support her, while Grurnuir went to support Lennon fighting against the remaining brute. The brute was desperately fighting, but when its shield was knocked away, courtesy of Grurnuir''s attack, Lennon quickly grabbed the opportunity to slice at its throat.


    The brute seeing its demise, went for an all-in attack, and used all of its strength to bash in the head of Lennon. Lennon was able to see the attack, but he was so deep in his movement, that he was only able to shift slightly to avoid fatal damage. His sword met the neck of the brute, while the club met his shoulder, breaking it and flinging him away a few couple meters.


    "Lennon!" Grurnuir cried out in concern, but immediately followed up with an attack to kill the large brute. It dropped dead, and Grurnuir rushed towards Lennon and grabbed a healing potion from his pack.


    "Here, drink," Grurnuir offered the potion and Lennon accepted with a pained smile. Drinking it, he felt the pain lessen, but his arm was still damaged.


    "Shit, I''ll be out of commission. Tell them to finish up and retreat. This dungeon is beyond us," Lennon commanded while Grurnuir nodded. Grurnuir then ran up to where Kayla and Sogtharoch were fighting, with Mariona and Merethyl standing beside him, Mariona firing arrows when she has a clear shot, and Merethyl trying to lessen the pain and fix the damage dealt to Lennon.


    It was then, a roar echoed through the forest.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ First Person POV (Jionni) ~


    Damn it! If they breakthrough now, I''ll be screwed! I should''ve paid more attention towards gearing my summons! I''m a fucking idiot!


    I cursed myself at my shortsightedness and naiveness. I didn''t make enough plans, thinking that the next trespassers will only be slightly stronger than the last, but no, what came was a cohesive unit with enough teamwork to kill my two main defenses. Shit!


    I roared loudly, hoping to get their attention, the chimpanzees perking up and screeching as well. I rushed towards their destination and saw a female human and a black-skinned horned human. I didn''t care right now, my life is at stake and I roared again, casting [Sinkhole] beneath the feet of the female human since I saw a gun.


    She slipped at the sudden loss of foundation, and one of the chimps, Chia, rushed towards trying to stab her. She failed though as the black-skinned horned human blocked the strike with his halberd. I focused my gaze on him and commanded the three chimps to focus on the horned human as I bash in the head of the female human wielding a gun.


    I rushed towards the female who was still trying to get up from her downed position. I then felt something bump against my armor, and paid it no heed. I reached the human who was about to get up and raised my club and swung down. She looked above in horror, eyes wide with few tears escaping. I felt pity, but no, it''s either me, or you. I will survive, I''ve been given a second chance, I will not waste my freedom!


    The club crashed down, but was met with resistance. I used the [Gorilla Go Smash!] skill for that, so that was enough to turn any ordinary person into a pile of red, but my club was blocked by a huge shield that towered over a body so short in comparison, a face full of beard adorning his head. A dwarf?


    The dwarf then collapsed, eyes rolled back, foam coming out of his mouth. I didn''t stop, raising my club again, I tried to swing it down. Tried being the keyword.


    I felt a sharp pain below my chest, making me wince in pain. I staggered back and looked at my chest. Blood was dripping down, and I saw red. I looked at the female who held a gun towards me, eyes wide in fear. I roared again, this time using [Stone Bullet] and fired it at her, which hit her stomach, making her scream in pain.


    The black-skinned human was still busy dealing with the chimps, so that was one threat currently busy. I then felt another bump against my armor, and this time looked at the direction where the bump came from. Two female elves greeted my sight, both of them beautiful, and similar looking. Twins probably.


    Roaring once again, I casted [Sinkhole] beneath their feet, causing them to stumble. I rushed towards them, hoping to end their resistance. I will not die today, I will survive!


    "Fuck! Mariona! Merethyl! Use it now!" another human, leaning against a tree behind them screamed at the two. I saw them take out an orb, and all of the trespassers began glowing. What is happening? They''re glowing? A final attack? No! I won''t let that happen!


    I roared out again, hoping to freeze them by intimidation, but my roar was ignored, and suddenly, the light was gone, and in my sight, nothing but air remained. What the fuck?


    Defense Successful!


    ¡­ Mother fucker, a get-out-of-jail free card¡­ Shit, they''re gonna report this, and I''ll be saying goodbye to my peace.

 Chapter 7 - Monke Used Praise, Its Super Effective!

    Defense Successful!


    Trespassers repelled: 6 = 250 DP each, 150 exp each


    Trespassers average level higher than dungeon bonus: 1000 DP, 750 exp


    Milestone reached: Defend against higher leveled average trespasser = Additional Room (5 summons)


    Free Dungeon Spin Granted!


    I looked at the various messages that greeted my sight after the fight. The summons that died, namely Gong and Manny, revived after a light show. Both of them looked disappointed and ashamed of themselves for failing defending the dungeon.


    "Gong, Manny, good job on defending our home," I said while the two of them looked at me in confusion. I sighed and opened my mouth, "If it weren''t for you two exhausting the trespassers, then I wouldn''t have been able to repel them."


    The both of them lit up in understanding and raised their heads high. I also congratulated the chimps, which prompted them to celebrate.


    I''ll have to ramp up security since the difficult defending spiked considerably. If they weren''t intimidated and tired from fighting the monkeys, then 100%, I would''ve died today. I''m not letting that happen. I just got a taste of true freedom ever since my stressful and pathetic past life. I won''t give this up.


    Just remembering plastering fake smiles on my face all day makes me shiver in dread. Never again¡­


    Since I could open the Dungeon Menu anywhere inside my dungeon, as opposed to just using the Dungeon Core as the catalyst, which I have been doing for the past days since I was stupid, I quickly made a decision to roll then and there.


    Spinning¡­ Spinning¡­ Spinning¡­ Silver Prize Awarded!


    A silver colored gift box appeared from thin air, surprising the monkeys and grabbing their curiosity afterwards. I opened it and inside, a huge battle-axe the perfect size for Manny to wield laid. I picked it up, then gifted it to Manny. He looked at me with stars and gratitude in his eyes, before accepting it respectfully. He then bared his teeth at me and grunted.


    "Boss, this weapon perfect," he said while swinging the axe left and right to get used to its weight and balance. I nodded then opened up the Market tab to buy everyone here armor. Heavy Iron Plate Armor for Gong that covered his entire body costing 750 DP, chainmail for Manny to give him some armor while still making him flexible costing 250 DP, and leather armor for the chimps, costing 25 DP each. I also bought another short sword for the other chimp, Chin, costing an additional 20 DP, bringing my total DP to 2055.


    Next, I need to get a new weapon for myself, but DP is valuable, so I should probably make it myself, so I browsed through the Market with the keyword Blacksmith, and tried finding one that suited my tastes. A few catalogs later, and I found it.


    Blacksmithing Skillbook ¨C 1500 DP


    DP may be valuable, but right now, what I need is to make a weapon that can withstand my current strength, since the giant club I had broke in half after my last attack against the ground when all of the trespassers escaped with the get-out-of-jail free card.


    I bought the skillbook and promptly consumed it, another lightshow generating out of my body.


    Blacksmithing Skill learned!


    Blacksmith ¨C a user with this skill will find it easier, and efficient to craft weapons, armor, and all sorts of things through blacksmithing. They will also create better grade items than those without the blacksmith skill. However, even if a user has this skill, experience is still needed to better utilize the materials needed to craft weapons. Passively increases STR, VIT, and END by 50%, DEX by 40%, and INT and WIS by 25%. Bonuses increases with skill level.


    Suddenly, I now know how to use the forge, how to tan leather, even how to hammer weapons into shape, although only theories are stuck in my head. Looks like I''ll have to experience blacksmithing so I can improve.


    Now all I need is a mine¡­


    I checked the Customization tab and saw that I can add one more room with 5 summons adjacent to this room. Apparently, the Dungeon Core room is a room that will always be 100% the last room of the entire dungeon, so I can''t mix up the layouts of the rooms so I can confuse the enemies.


    Meh, whatever, now I need a mine.


    It costs 250 DP to change room theme from Forest to Mines. Are you sure about your decision?


    A prompt greeted me when I wanted create a room and make it into a mine. Weird, maybe it has something to do with what biome I chose first?


    Anyway, I agreed and the adjacent room was turned into a cave with various ores located between the walls, and since this is a mine, I summoned 5 gorillas, and bought them pickaxes and headlights, which cost 100 DP in total, bringing my DP to a measly 205. I then instructed them to mine the ores, in which they all saluted and began mining. I also told them to drop it in the Dungeon Core Room so I can began using the materials to craft weapons¡­ But first, I need a forge, and I have no idea how to make one¡­


    I checked the Market and saw a Blacksmithing set for 1000 DP, and with my meager DP, I won''t be able to buy one¡­ So how do I go about this¡­?


    From what I found, I get DP when I repel trespassers¡­ Let''s test some things shall we¡­?

 Chapter 8 - Im Alpha Monke

    For the first test, I had one of the chimps, namely Chia, to try and leave the dungeon. It worked, and now more options are possible. I asked her to look for any monsters or animals that are weak enough that they can''t pose a threat to the dungeon, and lure them inside here.


    I waited for a few minutes before Chia came back, a raging boar in tow. Needless to say, gorilla threatened, gorilla smash. The boar was smashed to a pulp, leaving behind a nasty corpse, blood and guts spilling out of its body.


    Defense Successful!


    Trespassers repelled: 1 = 20 DP, 10 EXP


    Okay, so the luring method works. How about killing them outside the dungeon?


    I had Gong go out and had him kill the first animal or monster he sees. Waiting for a few moments, Gong returned with a bloodied club, but no DP or EXP was given to me. Okay, this method won''t work, so it is only possible within the dungeon¡­ Shit, this limits my options, as well as make this cave a goddamn hotspot for strong people to come and investigate/subjugate.


    But if I want to survive, I''ll have to risk everything, and since it won''t be long before another party of trespassers comes along, I need to work fast.


    I also need to increase my level, as well as my skills.


    A plan settled, I immediately went to work. I had the three chimps run outside and lure only groups of animals/monsters that they are sure we can defeat. Since this dungeon is still relatively new and unknown, monsters and animals will surely ignore them being lured. Do it a couple of times more though, the luring method will have its chances lowered since most of the targets would be cautious and attentive against the monkeys.


    So strike while the iron is hot, eh? The three chimps nodded and ran out of the cave, off to lure unsuspecting monsters and animals into a slaughter pit. While they were doing so, I began trying to control my mana so that I can increase my control over it.


    I first made a very simple ball of mana. It came instinctively thanks to the skill, but in no means was it easy. It took me the very good half of an hour just to make this tiny sphere the size of a tennis ball. I tried throwing it towards a tree and it just dispersed upon contact.


    I furrowed my brows. Am I doing something wrong? Hmm¡­ maybe¡­


    I concentrated again, gathering the mana within my body. Next, accumulate it in the spot where I want it to gather. After that, imagine that mana changing into something that could harm something¡­ like fire¡­


    Heat began to gather around my stretched right hand. I didn''t open my eyes for the fear of losing control and having it burst or just plain disperse.


    Next, initiate a command, what do I want it to do? What shape should it take? How big should it be?


    I thought all of it through gritted teeth. My mana was beginning to be unstable after every second. I had to hurry up.


    Size, small, shape, 7.62 mm caliber, command, spin at about 300,000 rpm, then fire at a velocity of 2,600 feet per second.


    The moment I finished giving the command, I opened my eyes and the bullet made of flames flew faster than my eyes can see and punctured a tree, piercing through it and piercing through another tree and finally stopping before being dispersed due to the lack of sustaining mana.


    Skill learned, [Fire Manipulation]


    Fire Manipulation ¨C grants the user control over fire. Only applicable to fire the user created or natural fire. Passively increases VIT and END by 15%, and INT and WIS by 45%.


    [Apprentice Mana Manipulation] leveled up!


    ¡­ Holy shit, that was tiring. I almost blew myself for that. My mana was extremely drained just by doing that, and I feel exhausted. Even worse, creating that bullet took me more than a minute, extremely useless in a battle.


    I checked my MP values just to be sure I won''t faint the next time I use magic.


    MP: 254 / 754


    ¡­ One tiny flame bullet costed 500 MP a more than a minute to create¡­ dude, inefficiency at its finest¡­


    I''ll have to practice managing my mana before I think about using it in fights. Thankfully, now that I have Fire Manipulation, I can now cast flame magic instinctually, for the same reason why I was able to use Earth Manipulation like breathing.


    I created another flame bullet, and this time, it formed in 10 seconds and fire not a moment later. Checking my MP, it dropped by 50 points, and now I have another tool to use against enemies, although I had to practice with it more like stone bullet so I can get it to lower its casting speed and mana cost. But also, magic is something way beyond I expected. I mean sure, there are tons of media talking about magic back in my previous world, such like it needed calculation, some others just needed imagination, but since magic wasn''t real back there, they had no idea how magic actually worked.


    Now though, I have magic, and I somewhat know how it works. It runs on calculations, commands, and imagination. When I had [Earth Manipulation], everything was done instinctually, and over the course of three days, I was adept at it, but not fully mastering it. Such is the reason why my efficiency with those spells were damn awful. My stone bullet was slow, it couldn''t pierce through armor or skin, as demonstrated by the earlier fight against those trespassers, and my sinkhole was so mana inefficient, a tiny hole cost me more than a hundred mana.


    But now, with the [Apprentice Mana Manipulation] skill, I now have an idea of how mana really works. Imagine something like being able to do something instinctually, and knowing the theories behind it. That''s how [Apprentice Mana Manipulation] skill works synonymous with other Manipulation skills.


    So, all I need left is practice, and before I know it, I can skillfully and efficiently use any type of spell within my repertoire to repel trespassers coming for me and my dungeon.


    While I was busy with training my magic skills, a window appeared telling me that trespassers have arrived. Since I needed some combat training as well, I had the monkeys stand by and block the exit if they wanted to escape.


    Approaching the screams and yells of combat, I appeared through the groves of trees, and within my sight, I saw about 8 goblins trying to flee the dungeon, which then failed spectacularly against Gong and Manny.


    I roared, catching their attention. The goblins however looked at me and trembled in fear. I can''t blame them though, I am covered in badass armor that looks somewhat reminiscent of what the samurai of the Edo period would wear, although a very bastardized version of it complete with spikes.


    One good look at me greatly increased their motivation to get through Gong and Manny, but I didn''t let them. Focusing my mana again, I fired a flame bullet after 9 seconds of casting. A second lower, good. More practice, then I can get it down to instantaneous.


    The flame bullet pierced through the head of a goblin, and lodged itself in the chest of another goblin before dispersing to air. The goblin that got headshot dropped to the ground like a sack of rice, while the other one who was hit in the chest screamed in agony before meeting the same fate as its companion.


    Seeing the death of their species, the goblins did their best to escape, doing anything and everything, even as far as going to step on their fellow goblins just to jump over Gong and Manny. They did not let them however. With an outstretched hand and a yelp of pain later, a goblin was flung to the ground, ragged and in agony.


    I then proceeded to mash the goblin into paste with my club which was in dire need of repairs. 3 goblins down, 5 more to go. The goblins, seeing that they could not escape, threw all caution to the wind and rushed at me, teeth snarling in anger and fear.


    I responded by roaring back, freezing them for a bit due to the intimidation factor, before pounding another goblin to paste. Another one of them down, they then rushed at me, forgetting their fear, their survival instincts the only thing driving them forward.


    One goblin tried to bash me with a stick of all things against my heavy, metal armor. Long story short, the stick broke, and in some unfortunate event, skewered the eye of the poor goblin, making it shriek in pain. I gave it mercy and quickly ended its suffering by grabbing its head and slamming it against the ground, blood splattering all over¡­ I now regretted my decision of using my bare hands to kill the goblin.


    Ignoring the blood coating my hand and body, I rotated, swinging the club around me, hitting 2 goblins close to me and flinging them away, smashing into some trees. With the force I was giving, the two goblins instantly died due to having their spines broken.


    2 goblins left and the both of them, no longer caring about their life, jump on my back and began pounding at me with their tiny, green fists. I snorted in amusement. As if those frail hands could break metal, at least go for the gaps.


    I shook them off by jumping and running around, one of them releasing its grip, causing it to fly into the air. I grabbed it before it could land and gave it a good slam on the ground, instantly dying due to another broken spine.


    The last goblin furiously held on, but I was pressed for time, so I decided to end its life by slamming my back against the tree. It got squashed in the middled, more bones breaking as audible by the crunching sound. Surprisingly, it was still alive, but not for long.


    I grabbed its head, then twisted it, its body going limp under my hold.


    Defense Successful!


    Trespassers Killed: 8 = 25 DP each, 20 EXP each.


    Level up!


    I checked my status page and¡­ oh? I got bonus EXP?


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Juggernaut


    Level: 7


    Exp: 200/ 700


    HP: 1380/ 1380


    MP: 819/ 819


    Str: 36 119


    Vit: 40 = 128


    End: 35 = 112


    Agi: 26 = 33


    Dex: 27 = 45


    Int: 21 = 53


    Wis: 20 = 50


    Cha: 17 = 21


    Luc: 1 = 1


    Last I check I had 440 EXP out of the 600 I needed to level up. With 160 EXP from the goblins I killed, it was enough to put me at 0 out of 700, but why do I have 200? Quick mental math gave me a theory that the goblins I killed gave me 25 EXP each, but then¡­ Ah, now I get.


    I get EXP for defending the dungeon, and more EXP from directly killing enemies. A good method to gain levels, so all I have to do is land the killing blow and if not the killing blow, then at least fight against the enemies trying to have my head.


    Anyway, with that done, I need to go back to grinding.

 Chapter 9 - Stories Of The World (1)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Lennon woke up, eyes slowly filtering in the light coming from the open window. He looked left and right, taking in the scene of his fellow teammates resting after the brush with death inside that beast dungeon.


    "Len, you awake?"


    Lying on another bed beside his, Kayla looked at him with concern evident in her eyes. Still groggy from just waking up, Lennon shook his head a bit to clear his mind from the dizziness.


    "Yeah, just peachy," Lennon replied while looking at a sling that hung around his arm that got smashed by the black beast in the dungeon.


    "I suggest you don''t move that arm for the next few days," Merethyl, the party''s healer stated while holding a sheet of paper. "That monster nearly made your entire arm permanently useless, and we don''t have the funds to properly treat everyone here."


    One quick look at Grurnuir told Lennon everything about the situation. He was still in the aftereffects of his defense trump card, [Last Line]. It basically negates one incoming attack, no matter what it was, in exchange for feeling triple the pain and impact.


    "I''ll have to treat him to a drink for saving Kayla," Lennon said as he looked at Grurnuir''s passed out body with gratitude lying on the bed a few meters away from his. "Anyway, how''re you doin'' Kay?"


    "Honestly, my stomach still hurts," she replied as she rubbed her stomach, wincing a bit at the sudden pain just from touching it.


    "¡­ How about everyone else?"


    "If we''re talking who took the most damage, it would be Grurnuir, followed by you," Sogtharoch said calmly as he ate in peace at the corner in the room.


    "Technically, he''s wrong, seeing as you''re the one who received that huge blow and nearly lost your arm," Merethyl replied as she glanced at Sogthatoch beneath her glasses before continuing, "while Grurnuir, on the other hand received no physical damage whatsoever. Mentally though, that''s another problem, which unfortunately, is not my forte."


    "That''s why I''m tellin'' ya Grurnuir is the one most damaged," Sogtharoch responded as he bit into a juicy, chicken leg. "All this time, and you still sometimes forget that my main spells revolve around [Mental Magic]."


    "Lennon will be fine, give him a couple ''o days. Grurnuir however¡­" Sogtharoch grimly continued as he slowly dropped the now only bone chicken leg to the plate. "You can''t heal mental wounds, Mereth. The last time I saw someone using [Last Line] was back during the war, poor guy used it against a [Division] class magic. The division survived, he however¡­"


    Merethyl stayed silent upon coming at the conclusion of the horrendous side-effect of one of the strongest defense skills ever to be seen in the entire continent.


    "I don''t blame ya, you''re young," Sogtharoch said as he sipped some water from a cup. "Live long enough like me, then you''ll learn a lot of things about the world¡­ and just how cruel it is¡­"


    Sogtharoch muttered that last bit, not a single soul being able to hear it. He then grabbed the plate and cup and headed outside the room, gently closing the door with his tail.


    "Also, forgot to say this, tell Mariona to stop humping her pillow at night¡­ It''s disturbing," with his piece said, Sogtharoch left, leaving a room full of Hunters stunned into silence. Moments later, Mariona, who was feigning sleep in her bed got up, her face beet red. She then proceeded to march towards the door, ignoring her current state of dress. On the way to the door, she plucked a dagger from the equipment box, then began to chase the demon who left.


    "SOGTHAROCH YOU DRIED UP EXCUSE OF A WAR VETERAN! COME HERE AND TAKE YOUR DEATH LIKE A FUCKING MAN!" she screamed out as she chased after the old demon. Merethyl recovered first and sighed, while the others who were awake, a.k.a. Lennon and Kayla, chuckled to themselves, relieved that the heavy atmosphere surrounding the group was gone.


    "By the way, where''s the pay?"


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    The Kingdom of Arcelon, home to the largest army of knights, homeland of the S-rank Hunter who roams the continent in search of something precious to her, as well as where the headquarters of the International Magic Institution was built at.


    The king of this marvelous kingdom, who was named Macroceaus XV, was an upstanding person, upholding the values of his people, doing his best for the kingdom, and a loving family guy.


    Now however, those admirable traits of his were discarded, and what was left of Macroceaus was a serious, focused, and ruthless being, willing to do anything just to get out of his¡­ unfortunate predicament.


    "Your Majesty, King Arcelon, I assume that you have accepted our terms?" the person sitting in front of him, a man of high standing from a neighboring country, asked politely, a smile plastered on his face. Macroceaus knew that the smile was fake, his cold, calculating gaze the very proof of his hostility. However, Macroceaus could do nothing to apprehend the obvious disrespect towards the crown.


    No, he could not, for if he did, another war would break out, one which he didn''t want happening. That time of the decade was approaching, his lands in the brink of a civil war due to stupid nobles being arrogant asshats, as well as his family, his own flesh and blood, fighting for the throne that he would soon relinquish due to old age.


    It was no wonder why the capital reeks of rot and decay. Too much corruption was within its borders, and Macroceaus could do nothing to stop it, his authority as king useless in the current situation.


    "Indeed, I have," Macroceaus responded without dropping his poker face. He must not show weakness in front of the enemy.


    "Then it''s settled," the noble placed down a roll of high-quality paper, and a fountain pen. "All I need is your signature and this alliance will be well and established."


    The King didn''t hesitate, signing the documents without any expression. Once the signing was done, the noble left the Macroceaus to contemplate on his¡­ incredibly horrible decision¡­


    "Alyssa, forgive your father, for I have failed you."


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    "Big news! Arcelon''s 2nd princess is getting married to the Slakaston Empire''s crown prince! Future possible alliance with the Slakaston Empire?"


    That was the title written on the headlines of all televisions connected to the Kingdom''s broadcast. It depicted an image of a happy, young and beautiful, blonde-haired girl, accompanied by a red-haired teen prince charming with tan skin.


    "¡­ This country''s going to hell," a certain hooded figure muttered as they sipped casually on his drink. "A possible civil war, an incoming monster surge, and now this farce¡­ How the royals have fallen¡­ Idiots, the lot of them¡­"


    The hooded figure then got up and left a generous tip at the table.


    "Now, where the hell was that store again?"

 Chapter 10 - Monkes First Step

    ~ First Person POV (Jionni) ~


    A day of hard grinding and farming has passed. The chimps have lured a total amount of 23 monsters and 12 animals into the dungeon, which we then promptly killed. During the time when monsters weren''t present, I spent the time practicing my magic, as well as improving my skills.


    Since I was basically just a big brute that relies on pure strength against an enemy, I capitalized on that strength and tried to improve said strength, but the next problem rose from training it.


    My speed.


    I''m huge, I have huge body (hitbox), my swings are widely telegraphed, and I have no technique whatsoever. I could get away with having no technique at the moment, but speed is a crucial piece in fighting. What use are my attacks if I can''t even hit the enemy?


    I dodged an attack coming from Manny, a huge silver axe sinking into the ground due to the force it heaved. I barely dodged another attack coming from Gong at my left flank by raising my arm. I jumped back, glancing at the two of my summons'' trying their hardest to land a weapon on me.


    Currently, I was training with the two of them by only dodging their attacks. We used sticks earlier, but I suggested to use their main weapons to get familiar with them, as well as give me a sense of danger to really push me to my limits. A dangerous training scheme I know, but risks must be taken in order to improve and rise through the food chain.


    This is also serves as training for the two of them in teamwork, since they would be paired with each other when defending against trespassers.


    By the way, these were the stats I gained for killing the monsters and animals that were lured into the dungeon.


    Trespassers killed: 35


    13 Goblins = 25 DP, 20 EXP each


    7 Kobolds = 35 DP, 25 EXP each


    3 Orcs = 60 DP, 50 EXP each


    5 Wild Boars = 20 DP, 10 EXP each


    7 Deers = 15 DP, 5 EXP each


    Naturally, I landed the killing blow on all of them for EXP. My skills also increased from a day of continuous grinding, which left me very ragged at the end of the day. Here are the skill levels I gained during the grind.


    [Gorilla Body] + 2


    [Inhumane Endurance] + 3


    [Gorilla Go Smash!] + 2


    [Gorilla Fighting Tech] + 4


    [Earth Manipulation] + 2


    [Apprentice Mana Manipulation] + 1


    [Fire Manipulation] + 3


    Yes, now its hard as hell to level them up¡­ and leveling [Inhumane Endurance] was an incredible pain in the ass. Long story short, I had Gong and Manny beat me up for the remainder of a good 5 hours. Lemme tell you, even with this strong as rock body, it hurts¡­ a lot¡­


    [Gorilla Body] just raised in tandem with [Inhumane Endurance] but fell short due to some unknown reasons. [Gorilla Go Smash!] is self-explanatory, I used it while bashing monsters. [Gorilla Fighting Tech] was how I handled the attacks, by dodging, blocking, I even threw my own poop at a poor goblin, who shrieked at the horrible smell, and died then due to blunt trauma from my club.


    [Earth Manipulation] and [Fire Manipulation] I had to concentrate with, creating different shapes, making different attacks, different defenses, you get the idea. For [Mana Manipulation], I meditated, and it was boring as hell, but I needed to do it, but it seems leveling that skill will be a pain.


    Here''s my current status page by the way¡­


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Juggernaut


    Level: 8


    Exp: 170/ 800


    HP: 1770/ 1770


    MP: 949/ 949


    Str: 40 = 164


    Vit: 44 = 167


    End: 39 = 148


    Agi: 29 = 42


    Dex: 30 = 56


    Int: 23 = 63


    Wis: 22 = 61


    Cha: 19 = 28


    Luc: 1 = 1


    Well then, enough thinking, I better wrap this training session so we can get to rest. The three of us were beginning to get tired.


    I dodged another axe coming at me from the side. I the uprooted a tree with my left hand and used it to block an incoming axe attack from above. I then used said tree to force Gong back a few meters away while I get ready to escape. The winning condition for this practice session was for me to reach the exit of this room heading towards the Dungeon Core Room.


    A few more dodges and blocks here, I reached the passageway and bid farewell towards the two monkeys who were visibly tired. Can''t blame ''em, I''ve been running themselves ragged for a whole day. Anyway, I reached the Dungeon Core Room and laid on my hammock.


    "Oh right, before I forget," I opened the Market and bought the Blacksmithing Set and placed it in a clearing without any trees nearby. I do not want to cause a forest fire inside this dungeon. "I''ll get to forging tomorrow, for now¡­ sleeeeeeepppp¡­"


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    I woke up and got out of the hammock to start the day. I stretched to get the drowsiness off of me. I then checked the Blacksmith set. It consisted of a forge, anvil, hammer, vise, and tongs. The basics of the basics. It appears I''ll have to make the other tool as I go.


    Anyway, next I checked for the ores, and there only a tiny stack if iron and copper waiting at the designated spot I assigned where the miner gorillas would drop the ores. Since I still won''t be able to use said blacksmithing tools, I promptly headed back towards the first room.


    I greeted the monkeys, the chimps having returned before nightfall. I had another idea, and that was to explore the outside. I can''t just stay cooped up within my dungeon for the eternity of my life, that would be a very bad decision. Plus, it''s boring here not doing anything, so I had a chimp follow me, Chia, and searched the Market for something that can instantly teleport me back to the dungeon, just like what those trespassers used yesterday.


    Dungeon Return Stone ¨C 50 DP


    I bought it, but marveled how cheap it was. Anyway, I had the stone in hand, I looked towards the entrance.


    Unknown world, here I come.

 Chapter 11 - Monke Meet Hooman

    Truth be told, I was extremely nervous about leaving the dungeon. I had no idea what was out there, had no idea what it looked like, what it smelt like, but I could take a guess based on what I saw when I customized the entrance, and what monsters and animals were lured here.


    Guessing from there, I would say that the dungeon was within a forest, and probably has a human settlement nearby thanks to the human, and demi-human (I''m calling them demis'' for now since I still had no idea how to refer to them) that trespassed into my dungeon.


    With great hesitation, I took the first step outside the dungeon, bidding a brief farewell to the monkeys I left behind for defending our home.


    "Boss strong, boss beat up monsters fast," Chia exclaimed beside me as she followed. I ignored her for the most part. She kept on praising me, putting in a high pedestal like I was some god. To be fair though, I did create them, so that sentiment could be understood.


    Doesn''t mean I like it though. I like living my life in the middle, thank you very much. I like playing games, I don''t care about money, except if its about buying the latest gaming console or desktop, as well as necessary stuff like food, water, housing, and clothes. I don''t like to be objectified, hence why I somewhat pity idols and celebrities who deal with this crap on a daily basis.


    Anyway, as we traveled along, no set destination in mind, we came across a group of goblins looking distressed and scared. Further investigation showed that they were incredibly thin and struggled to even stand upright. Some of them were even naked, showing their genitalia for all the world to see.


    Getting an idea, I approached the group of goblins which numbered 8. Chia looked at me funny, but seeing that I was the boss, never judged my actions.


    Noticing an approaching presence, the goblins looked at my direction, then trembled in fear as their sights basked upon the hugeness of my black, hairy body within the suit of armor. They tried to move away, but their weak bodies made it difficult and downright impossible to run, so they just stood there, awaiting their demise.


    I sighed, have they never seen a gorilla before? They were considered gentle giants, but judging by their expressions, a gorilla is unknown to them. I gave a gesture towards the goblins that was considered the universal sign of non-violence.


    Raising my hands up in the air, I stopped a few feet away, staring at each of their eyes with no malice. The goblins looked at me confused, before one of them decided to approach. It was a short goblin, but with more scars and wrinkled, an old one probably. It then spoke to me, but their language was lost to me.


    I made a sudden gesture, spooking all of them for a moment before they realized that I was trying to convey that I had no idea what their representative was saying. The old goblin nodded and looked at me perplexed.


    Is there anything I can use to translate languages? Lemme check the Market¡­ Umm, can I even use the Dungeon Menu out of the dungeon?


    After a few seconds of waiting, I gave up. It seems that the Dungeon Menu can only be opened within the dungeon. Since I had an inventory, in which I almost never used since I held so little items, I grabbed a few fruits, surprising the goblin group as they drooled over the food I took out of thin air. Apparently, even Chia looked at me surprised, first time seeing my inventory, probably¡­


    I gave the fruits to the old goblin, who slowly approached and took the fruits with shaking hands, nervous that I may decide to kill it then and there. A few moments later, the goblin group were feasting upon the fruits with great gusto. They were extremely hungry, it seems.


    The old goblin then approached me, its wariness now completely gone, then prostrated itself before me, which even the other goblins followed. Chia looked amused, and joyful that her boss was being given the right respect from other monsters.


    I tapped the prostrating head of the old goblin, which prompted him to look up. I then gestured for him and his group to follow Chia.


    "Chia, guide them to the dungeon," I commanded, in which Chia nodded. "Have them settle in the first room. Make them new defenders."


    Chia grinned and grunted, "Understood, boss. Guide green men to home, make defenders."


    Chia then went back to the dungeon, the goblins following her lead. Once they were out of sight, I continued with my aimless wandering. Since I have the stone to instantly return me to the dungeon, no matter where I go, it won''t matter since I''ll be able to teleport back in an instant.


    Moving through the forest, I have a certain feeling that a lot of animals and monsters are avoiding me. Their instincts probably. I mean, what would you do if you saw a giant in full armor moving through the forest like it owned the place. Sure, some monsters tried to fight me, but I dealt with them instead, blood covering the end of my giant club which was just about to break.


    An hour of wandering later, I found myself in a clearing, a flower field planted dead center. I climbed a tree to get a good view, and within my sights, I saw a pair of children frolicking about. One female, another male. It seems they were having fun. I reminisced the time of my childhood¡­ Ah¡­ good times¡­ Do anything you want to do without repercussions since adults think you were too immature to think.


    Fun fact, children should be taught at an early age as soon as possible, experience taught me this, and lemme tell you, it was not pretty. If you want a child to be responsible the moment he reaches a particular age, for god''s sake, teach them properly.


    I ended my rambling when I saw two figures stalking toward the children. They wore black cloaks, completely hiding their visages. The children still haven''t noticed, and when they did, the both of them cowered in fear, hugging themselves close to one another. The cloaked men did not stop, and instead sprinted towards the fear-stricken children.


    I couldn''t just watch. I may have killed monsters, ordered my summons to kill humans, and killed monsters, but some lines should never be crossed.


    Such as assaulting children.


    I roared, grabbing the attention of all of them within the clearing, the two cloaked men stopping their sprinting and looking at the direction where the roar came from. When they saw me, the both of them stepped back a pace, while the children just cowered even further.


    Birds flew, startled by the sudden booming voice, and I leapt down, landing at the ground with a heavy thud, dust scattering from the heavy impact. I then grabbed the club from my inventory and glared at the two cloaked men.


    They were still frozen in place, and not looking a gift horse in the mouth, proceeded to bury them in a sinkhole. One of them was able to snap out of it early, but the other, not so much. He fell waist deep into the ground. At that moment, I moved, running faster than I have ever done so in my life. I hefted the club and gave one last glare at the stuck cloaked man, looking at me with fear and terror.


    I slammed the club on him hard, head caving in, then proceeded to lodge itself inside his own body, before being smashed into a pulp. Blood scattering all over the place, dying it in its color. The flowers once a beautiful color of rainbow, now stained a bright red due to the blood covering them.


    I looked around, but the other cloaked man left before I could catch him. I sighed, then looked at the two children who were still cowering in fear. I approached them and the two of them crawled away, using whatever strength they had left to get away from me.


    I grabbed fruits from my inventory and walked closer. Once close enough, I offered the fruits, in which the children looked at it apprehensively. They even gave me the stink eye, children, am I right?


    We stayed like that for a few moments, before one of the children, the male one, took my offer and took the fruit, his friend shouting at him with some language I have no idea about. The boy looked at me, and I gave the most friendly smile I could, which creeped the both of them. Understandable.


    He looked at the fruit one more time, before taking a bite hesitantly. His eyes widened and he ate the fruit with gusto. The girl looking at the boy with concerned eyes. The boy shared the fruit, in which the girl took a tiny nibble, then those nibbles became more pronounced bites.


    I flashed a genuine smile. It''s been so long since I could smile at something with genuine feelings behind it¡­ When was the last time I smiled like this¡­ Maybe before high school?


    Anyway, once they finished the fruit, the both of them looked at me. I took more fruits from my inventory and gave it to them. I have a limitless supply anyway, might as well share it. They children were eating the fruits happily, which then made me smile more. I sat on my behind as the two children proceeded to ravage the supply of fruit I had stocked in my inventory.


    It was at that moment a shriek of a woman caught my ears. I then turned my gaze into the direction where I heard the shriek, and what I saw was a woman in maid clothing looking at me with horrified eyes, accompanied by what seemed to be an armored man.


    ¡­ Great, more misunderstandings¡­ Fuck my life¡­

 Chapter 12 - Monke Can Be Gentle Too!

    The armored man yelled at the two children. The children flinched, and looked at each other with anxious gazes. The man then proceeded to speak some language I haven''t heard in my entire life, thus having no idea what the fuck he said.


    I stood up, my huge frame dwarfing the two children that were playing around me just a few moments ago. The armored man unsheathed his sword that was hanging from his waist, then pointed it at me. He yelled at the children one more time, the children still deciding what to do, before he thought fuck it and rushed at me.


    Seeing the hostile threat incoming, I prepared for a fight. What I did not expect, were the two children moving in front of me in an attempt to stop the incoming attack. The man stopped, his gaze looking at the children in confusion, then back at me with a threatening gaze. My response?


    Blink my eyes. That''s it. Sometimes, facial expression can give away information what you were currently feeling, and from what I learned from my past life, blinking slowly, not giving a care in the world, showed what I thought about the situation.


    Uninterested.


    I can pretend to care about the children, but that''s just lying to myself. They made me smile genuinely, but that doesn''t mean I would immediately get attached to them. I won''t get attached to anyone who I just saved at a drop of a hat, unless they actively searched for my affection and trust. These two kids were just in a bad spot, and I happen to coincidentally encounter them, and since I still had my moral compass, leaving them to be prey for those men would leave a bad taste in my mouth.


    It was at that moment the armored man saw the corpse of the man I smashed into a pulp earlier. Funny how the children forgot about that body, not that I could blame them. He was hidden, buried under the garden of flowers after all, but it appears this man managed to see it, as well as the maid, who then promptly shrieked into high heavens about a bloody corpse.


    This prompted the armored man to make his decision. He ignored the children, then dashed straight at me, nimbly avoiding the children despite the heavy armor he wore. The children ducked and moved away from the charging knight yelling something at me. I tensed up in response towards the aggressive response of the armored man, then when he got close, I struck.


    I was empty-handed when he dashed since, before I approached the children to give them fruit, I placed the bloody club back inside my inventory. Approaching children with a bloodied weapon was a bad move anyway. I mean, who in their right minds would trust a stranger with a bloodied weapon in their hand, even if it was used to defend you. Normal people would still be shocked, then link that weapon to a threat, then begin going bonkers trying to escape the stranger who tried to save them.


    Anyway, the armored man was shocked when a huge, bloody club appeared out of thin air and smacked him in the chest. Obviously, STR stat in the 100''s, plus force and shock factor = human ragdoll. The man was sent flying, but I held back so I don''t kill him purposely. The same couldn''t be said for his bones though.


    The man landed on the ground in a crumpled heap, gasping breathes escaping his mouth as he tried to take in air, but was unable to due to the pain. I stared at him, then at the maid, who fainted on the spot. It was probably too much to watch. I sighed, then returned the club back in my inventory.


    I approached the children, who were once again cowering in fear, but some fruits quelled their fear. The armored man, witnessing my weird kindness towards the children paused in thought after getting his breathing in order.


    Let me praise him however. Getting back up after getting a hit like that was a little badass. If was still just a human, I would''ve crumpled on the ground, not getting back up due to the pain. The armored man slowly got up, sword held in hand. I was observing him, spectating whether he would try to attack me again, or finally get the hint that I wasn''t hostile.


    He decided on the latter and then sheathed his sword. I relaxed, then grabbed a fruit from my inventory then offered him one. He looked at the fruit apprehensively, but children would be children. They forced the armored man to take the fruit by shouting, yelling, and squealing with happy faces, all the while the armored man looked at them in shock.


    Reminder, all of this was happening with a corpse nearby¡­ This is one weird day¡­


    The man then surrendered and slowly plucked the fruit out of my hand. He then proceeded to inspect it, over and over again, before he took a bite. Moments later, the fruit laid in his belly, fully consumed. He was spouting some words over in his language, and it all went over my head.


    Language barrier, am I right? For all I knew he could be talking trash about the fruit, or me in general, but judging by his facial expression and body language, I''d say that theory was practically non-existent. He then bowed towards me, still talking in his language before he inspected the corpse of the man who I killed earlier.


    The man hefted the corpse up, lifting him above the hole I put him in with [Sinkhole] with strength no ordinary human could do. He looked all over his bloody body, looking for something. The children who witnessed said inspection vomited the contents of their stomach and into the flowers.


    Naturally, I moved away. I dislike vomit, thank you very much!


    I continued on observing the man, in case he may try to get stabby with me again, but I doubt it would. Seconds later, he picked something from the pocket of the corpse. It looked like a strange emblem, with a grotesque hand as its symbol. It was then the armored man''s face took on a serious appearance.


    He pocketed the emblem then gestured towards the children, who nodded with face as pale as the moon. He then called me, at least I think he was, then spoke. It was few seconds later where he realized I had no idea what he was saying, so instead, he pointed towards the fainted maid and gestured something like carrying.


    ¡­ So, he wants me to carry the maid and follow them? I could refuse, but if I do, it won''t be long before more trespassers come in bulk. That, and I''m still not ready for another attack stronger than the last. Probably making peace with them would be most beneficial to the dungeon, instead of being hostile.


    I sighed, then nodded, giving a sign of understanding towards the armored man. I approached the maid. She looked like someone in her early 20''s, with brown, braided hair styled into a ponytail. She wore the clich¨¦ maid uniform but unlike those in maid cafes, these were more modest and formal. Last but not the least, she had elf ears, but shorter than the ones I saw on one of the trespassers last attack.


    I carried her up, then gently placed her on my back, giving her a somewhat improvised piggyback since I no longer have the posture of a human. I mostly walk on all fours now after all.


    The armored man then took the children in his hands then guided me through a path leading towards somewhere I have no idea about.


    God, I hope this decision won''t bite me in the ass.

 Chapter 13 - Monke Meet More Hoomans!

    The dirt path led us to another dirt path, but this was maintained and was seldomly used. A main road perhaps? The man continued on leading me towards an unknown place, and I was getting nervous by the second. I had the Dungeon Return Stone in case things go south, but I would like to at least reason with them so that they leave me alone.


    During our walk, where the children finally got over the gruesome corpse scene and started taking with each other, I felt movement on my back. I looked behind and saw bright green eyes stare into mine. Then I went deaf.


    If there was ever a high pitch voice that can shatter glass into the void, then this would be it. Not even the children and armored man was spared from the horrifying high-pitched voice of this maid. I slapped my hand on her face - not too hard mind you, she would die from that - as an attempt to silence that awful shriek that belongs to a banshee.


    She looked at me with terrified eyes, tears leaking out of the corners. She struggled to escape my grasp, in which I promptly secured her in my grip. No way in hell am I letting her run, it would just add more work to my time. I just hope the armored man can calm her down so we can get a move on, that, and I think the children are more traumatized of the shriek than the corpse.


    A few minutes later of soothing, calming, and explaining later, which I still had no idea what it was about, the maid finally relaxed, enough to stop that horrifying shriek. That didn''t stop her from being cautious around me however, the same could be said for the armored man. The children though¡­ Yeah, children are still innocent, it seems.


    After that fiasco, we finally had a move on again, this time, the maid walking behind the children, attending to their needs if need be. Me? Well, I stayed a few paces behind all of them, my loud footsteps an indication whether I ran away or stopped.


    It wasn''t that long until we came across another band of humans walking through the path. The moment they saw me, they instantly had their guards up. It took some explaining from the armored man that I was friendly, but the glares coming from the humans still didn''t lessen. We parted, the band of humans went away to who knows where, while we continued on with our short journey.


    About a 30-minute walk later, we came I could finally see something in the distance, it was probably our destination. It was a stone wall, about 5 meters tall, the current dirt path transitioning into cobblestone under a gate guarded under strict watch. Needless to say, the moment they saw me, all of the guards went into defense mode, most of them unsheathing their weapons, while others wielded bows and guns.


    I facepalmed¡­ hard¡­


    It once again took another convincing from the armored man that I was friendly, but before I was allowed entrance to the city, I was to be shackled and chained, as shown by a nameless guard who held before me shackles, and a chain.


    No, no way in hell am I being treated like a caged animal again. Follow our rules, or face the consequences. I''ve had enough of that in my past life. Grabbing the chains, I crushed it under my grip, the carefully structured iron turned into scrap metal.


    The guard in front of me went pale, while the others took that as an immediate threat, causing them to get ready for battle. The armored man yelled again and brought attention to him, not before glaring at me for a slight second.


    I waited while they sorted things out, and finally, they came to a conclusion¡­ probably¡­ Language barrier sucks balls when you''re the one on the receiving end of it. The armored man approached me, and in his hand was an armband, colored blue. Prompting me to wear it, I shrugged and wore it on my arm. The armband then turned white, and remained that color.


    Seeing this, the guards within the station sighed in relief? I don''t know, maybe? Anyway, once that was done, the armband was taken off and I was given entrance, as long as I stuck to the armored man, children, and maid.


    Actually, I had an idea that would make me even more docile looking. I hoisted the children up, the armored man and maid looking at with eyes full of murder if I try anything funny, and I put them on my back. They oohh''d and aahh''d as they began clamoring at my back, playing with each other, or even playing with my fur. They''re small, and I''m big, so it was no big deal.


    Seeing what I did, the armored man and maid relaxed. The guards around in the station did too. Good, using the power of innocent children as buffer is too OP, pls nerf.


    Jokes aside, this would make me look like something harmless, rather than intimidating and scary. I just have to bear with these children who like messing with my silver fur and back so much that I almost tripped and fell face first on the floor.


    We continued on ahead. What greeted my sight next was something I would forever ingrain inside my mind, and if possible, make it a meme. It was like medieval and sci-fi melded together to fit one city, like¡­ what the heck? Behind me were stone walls, then there were some brick houses, wood, then there were modern houses, hotels, and internet cafes all haphazardly placed within the confines of said stone wall. They were even on different elevations!


    But most importantly, there were internet cafes? It seems internet isn''t far from my grasp after all.


    I ignored the mental yelling inside my head that everything here was so damned wrong on so many levels. At least, the common populace was sticking to one theme, and that was modern clothing. Linen, cotton, jeans, until it came towards those dressed like mercenaries.


    Either way, they didn''t bother me, so I didn''t bother them, even if 100% of the population here were looking at me like a stage animal. We continued onward, ignoring the piercing stares of child, man, and woman alike. At least the children on my back were having fun.


    A couple of minutes walking later, we stopped. I looked over them and saw a huge mansion beyond some iron gates guarded by more well-equipped guards. They greeted the armored man with respect, while showed concern towards the children who were busy playing on my back. I then put them down since the armored man gestured for me to do so, which led to them pouting and sticking their tongues out at the man.


    The iron gate opened, and they let us in. As usual, constant vigilance required the guards to check up on me in case I brought anything dangerous. Yeah, good luck looking, I have it stashed in my inventory so, bleh!


    The gate closed behind me and I now stood within one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen in my life. I walked along the pathway made of polished brick, carefully maintained as far as I can see with my meager eye for architecture.


    Some gardeners looked at me funny, while maids were glaring at me like I''m some ticking time bomb ready to explode.


    The armored man stopped in front of the mansion door. He knocked, and a maid answered. Behind her, was a male and female couple looking within their late 20''s. They both hugged the children, and the children hugged them back. They then looked at me, and from what I can see in their eyes¡­


    Yep¡­ One wrong move and I can say bye-bye to peace and hello to war.

 Chapter 14 - Monke Talks With Hoomans!

    The male was dressed in semi-formal clothing. His hair a blonde color swept back, like Draco Malfoy''s hair. His eyes were colored blue, and a stubble decorated his lower face. He gestured towards the armored man and proceeded to converse with him, all the while the female continued on observing me with caution.


    By the way, I removed my armor when I carried the maid, so I''m currently naked as the day I was born, good thing my genitalia was covered with my fur.


    The armored man bowed before the man then ran off to god knows where. He just stayed there, observing me with the female with the same caution. The children however, were busy talking, speaking, and exclaiming while pointing at me with stars in their eyes.


    I stood there waiting, now knowing what I was waiting for. It was tempting to use the stone to go back to the dungeon, but if I left prematurely, it may sour future relationships, and quite possible, have my head on a bounty board.


    After all, from what I learned from observation, this man has power. Not the physical power mind you, but the power of social and political ties. If it was one thing my old family, not that I liked them anyway, reminded me of every day, it was that you don''t mess with politicians if you don''t have some backing.


    I mostly agreed with them, since as a politician, you have connections to certain people that can make your life miserable if you mess with them the wrong way. One thing I learned from father being prosecuted due to a mishap with one politician.


    That''s probably the main reason why they kept on pushing me to be the best, to save their faces from social isolation. Nobody liked them, and in turn, nobody liked me, but I didn''t give them any reason to hate me. On the contrary, they just ignored me, unless they wanted to have some type of conversation where then I had to plaster another fake smile just to get it over with.


    I just can''t understand what warranted the stabby stabby action. I really don''t get it. Was it dislike? Disgust? Or hell, even just for fun? Or maybe it was to get back at my parents who were, quite frankly, horrible people?


    Questions that would never be answered I suppose¡­


    While I was busy walking through my thoughts, the armored man returned with a vial, golden liquid taking up its content. The dressed man took the vial and handed it to me, which I accepted in confusion. He gestured for me to drink, as seen from his actions mimicking drinking something. I narrowed my eyes at him, then the bottle.


    What was in this bottle? Was it poison? Something harmful to my system? Or enslavement juice? I looked back at them and refused to drink until more information was given. Seeing my plain refusal, the dressed man took it at face value.


    The dressed man sighed, then mimicked something like talking. So, something like speaking? Translation juice? Or being able to speak with them without the language barrier?


    I can talk after all, as seen from my previous engagements with the monkeys. The problem was understanding, so if this liquid was to remedy that problem, then I see no problem with it. Trusting the dressed man just this once, I corked open the lid then proceeded to down the contents.


    One word, the juice tasted non-existent. I didn''t taste anything, no bitter, no sweet, no anything. I felt the liquid rush down my throat and a few seconds later, the vial was empty.


    "Can you understand me now?" the dressed man spoke towards me. My eyebrows perked up. I can understand him. Finally! Language barrier! I have conquered you!


    "Yes," I replied with my deep and hoarse voice, causing most of the people to flinch by just how deep it is.


    "Excellent," not flinching in the slightest, the dressed man held his hand out, "My name is Bentley Shaiydon, and it is with my deepest sincere and gratitude that I thank you for saving my wife''s and my children, Sophia and Aubert."


    I grasped his hand gently ¨C I don''t want to break his hand ¨C and proceeded to shake it.


    "Please, call me Jionni," I replied, "we may be different species, but I know to spot a child when I see one. A child''s life is important, whomever it may be."


    The people standing there were all shocked speechless at my politeness and intelligence. Bentley recovered and withdrew his hand, coughing once to clear his throat.


    "That, I agree with you, Mr. Jionni," he responded as he gestured for everyone to leave, except the armored man. "Mind if you follow me for a bit?"


    "I don''t see why not," I said and he faced towards the garden, while the others went back inside their mansion.


    "Excellent," Bentley then paced towards the garden, with me and the armored man in tow. "Ah, forgive me for the late introductions, but the man beside you is Luke Gardner, from the Gardner Barony, and one of most trusted knights."


    The armored man, now named Luke, bowed towards me with respect.


    "I thank you for saving Young Master Aubert and Young Mistress Sophia, Sir Jionni" Luke said with his head bowed, "and sorry for attacking you out of the blue."


    "Please, no need for formalities, I would have done that either way," I then stopped and looked at him before continuing, "and please raise your head. If I was in your position, I may have done the same thing. I was an unknown after all."


    Luke raised his head and flashed a smile at me, a genuine one. Bentley saw all of this and did not interfere, so plus relationship points, I guess?


    We continued on our pace towards a secluded part of the garden, carefully maintained daily by the groundkeepers. Bentley stopped, and I did the same. He then faced towards me. A serious expression hung on his face as he looked at me.


    "Now, that we''re alone, let me get straight to the point. Can I ask you what the man you killed was trying to do to my children?" he asked, observing every detail of my face as he did.


    "Sadly, no, I have no idea what they wanted to do with your children, although I have a guess," I replied with a hand on my chin. "They didn''t have any weapons wielded when moving towards your children, so probably a kidnapping."


    "I thought as much," with a sigh, Bentley took a seat on a chair that was just standing in the corner. Luke went to his side and stood attentively. Me? I sat on the grass, the green stems crushed under my huge ass.


    "¡­ Mr. Jionni, how about a mutually beneficial partnership?"

 Chapter 15 - Monke Negotiates With Hooman!

    "A partnership, you say?" I asked, eyebrows raised in curiosity. What type of deal would he want with a nameless monkey like me?


    "You see, the emblem that my sir Luke here," he gestured towards Luke with his hand, standing attentively at his side, "is a recognizable one."


    I listened closely, trying to grasp even the tiniest information I can gleam from his words, intentional or not.


    "This emblem," accepting the emblem that Luke had tucked within his pocket, Bentley had me take a closer look by shoving it near my face, "is from an organization that is extremely underground, even its name is unknown. The only known object that connects to said organization is this ring you see here."


    My eyes stared at the emblem, my brain memorizing every detail. So, people who has this emblem is bad, if possible, kill on sight¡­ Okay, got it.


    "All of them dangerous?" I asked, trying to confirm my suspicions. He nodded gravely as he withdrew his hand with the emblem still in his grasp.


    "Extremely so. The man you killed was probably a new member," he replied with a frown. "Also, their modus operandi is more along the lines of mercenary work, but dirtier and nastier."


    "So, human trafficking, drug dealing, assassinations, those correct?" I responded with a straight face. Bentley had his eyes wide open as he stared at me, the same could be said for Luke.


    "Why¡­ Yes¡­ Tell me, how do you know these things?" he asked completely baffled. "I''m surprised as how you know these things despite being¡­ well, er¡­"


    "A gorilla?" I said with a smirk.


    "Gorilla? What is that? Is that your race?" he asked in response and it was my turn to be completely perplexed.


    "You don''t know what a gorilla is?" I asked and the both of them shook their heads.


    "I''m afraid not. You are the first one I have ever seen, and as a Viscount, I have seen my fair share of strange creatures, and you are not one of them."


    "I see¡­" I contemplated about this new information. This literally just placed me higher on the value meter. If I and monkeys are the only ones in this entire country, continent, or worse, world, then I can imagine a future where tons of people would be hunting my head for either trophies, enslavement, materials, or experiments.


    Yes, I''m pessimistic and realistic enough to know that I won''t be treated like an endangered animal here where monsters roam the earth. That would be stupid beyond all doubt.


    "Okay, let''s just forget about that race thing for the moment, I''ll explain it when I have the time," I stood up on all fours and stared at Bentley, who then got up as well.


    "First of all, the reason why I know this is because I have been observing humans and your kind for quite some time now," I gave off a disgusted look towards the horizon. "What I observed was anything but pleasant."


    Letting my words hang like that, the two of them tensed up and prepared to run or fight. Yes, I look intimidating, but I like peace more than violence.


    "Second, I also observed how chaotic you humans and your kinds are, some of them good, some of them bad, others in the middle. All of you have different goals in life, different beliefs, and different attitudes." I glanced back at them then smiled, baring my teeth for them to see. "But you two, I can feel you two are on the good side of the spectrum."


    Because you care for your kids and pay your respects to a stranger who saved your kids as something you don''t know whether dangerous or not, no less.


    "And last," I made my voice tone lower than usual, my booming voice now a rumble, "because humans will always find a reason to do these things, whether out of necessity, or out of pure boredom."


    My last words must have hit a nerve, seeing that both of them winced slightly. Yep, that wince is enough to tell me that there are horrible people here that will literally want my head up on a pedestal for them to brag about.


    Also, I hope they believe my bullshit about observing humans. I pulled that one out of my ass at the heat of the moment! Although, I can''t deny that humans have those kinds of flaws within them.


    "Anyway, you were talking about a deal earlier, what was that about?" I quickly changed the topic, hoping for them to catch up on it. They did, and they immediately relaxed.


    "Ah, right, continuing where we left off earlier, I wanted to make a deal with you in exchange for some things you may desire." Bentley said with a calming smile on his face, his previously shaken one now gone.


    "What kind of deal?"


    "Culling, subjugation, hunting, whatever you want to call it," he made a gesture for Luke to give him something, who then took out a neatly folded paper from within his pocket and gave it to him. "You see, monsters are at an all time high currently, and our Hunters aren''t currently available due to some circumstances."


    "Oh? And why is that?"


    "I''m afraid that''s classified," he shut down that line of questioning before I even got to pressure him. "Anyway, to briefly summarize, I want you to hunt monsters within the forest where sir Luke found you in, and in return, I''ll give you some things you may want."


    He''s leaving it at an awful vague and broad reward there¡­


    "What''s the catch?" I responded with a raised eyebrow.


    "The catch is, a Hunter team will follow you on your mission."


    ¡­ Say what now? A Hunter team¡­ Like those trespassers from before¡­? Is he serious? Yep, I think he''s serious.


    "Are you serious?" I asked once more, wanting confirmation about his decision.


    "Yes, I am serious."


    I fell silent at the deal. There''re all sorts of things that could go haywire with that demand, and the one thing that I wanted to keep secret from his was my Dungeon Master role, when I have no idea how Dungeon Masters are seen in this world¡­but the rewards are tempting, as well as free EXP for leveling up¡­ Should I risk it¡­?


    After a few moments of thinking, contemplating, as well as kicking my mind for being indecisive, I came to a conclusion.


    "All right, deal made."


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Was that really a wise decision, Lord Bentley?"


    Bentley looked over the window from his office as he stared at the sun setting, papers shuffling in his hand. He sighed, then stood up, walking towards the door.


    "That monster¡­ No, that gorilla has more humanity in him than other humans I have seen. He saved my children, and for that, he has my eternal thanks."


    "I''m still surprised he accepted that deal you had with him. You left out too much informati-"


    "That I have," Bentley quickly cut him off with a quick burst of his words. "He accepted because even he has a goal. Tell me, have you ever heard of monsters having a goal in their life other than eat, sleep, and kill?"


    Luke remained silent at the question his lord made.


    "As far as I have seen or heard, none. So how can Jionni be different from us? He''s hiding something, and I already have my guesses as to what he really is."


    "¡­ It was from that Hunter party, wasn''t it?"


    "Yes, it was¡­" Bentley went silent as they exited the room, the maids greeting them before continuing on with their duties.


    "¡­ You had that same party travel with him, didn''t you?"


    "You know me too well, sir Luke," Bentley replied with sly smile as he headed towards the dining room.

 Chapter 16 - Monke Thinks Of Future

    ~ First Person POV (Jionni) ~


    I was led out of the mansion by some new guards after having ended that discussion with Bentley. Both of them looked older than Luke, and were eyeing me cautiously. They never left my side, even when I exited the mansion premises.


    Understandable, really, since I am a monster in their eyes, at least, a domesticated and docile one. They were charged with guiding me into the Hunter Association to have myself inducted into their ranks, which is, quite frankly, baffling and mind boggling.


    I mean, see where I''m coming from; I''m a monster(gorilla), I am considered as a threat, and most of all, most monsters serve as pets, familiars, and slave laborers to the owners. Me? I''m a sentient monster who has his own goal like any other human worth his salt instead of just eat, sleep, survive, repeat.


    My goal though¡­ Huh¡­ Well, when I put it like that, it feels like I have no current goal other than expand my dungeon and survive¡­ Live out the life of freedom instead of shackles? No, that''s not what I wanted¡­


    What do I want anyway?


    I''m not greedy enough to want to be rich, nor lustful enough to have a harem numbering in the hundreds, which, in my opinion, is next to impossible to me. Why? I''m a monkey, and I''d hate to do the deed and lose my virginity to another monkey. No, just¡­ fuck no¡­


    Alpha gorillas are known to have harems, that I admit, but really, when you lived a life as a normal human, I would not like to tap that hole¡­


    Horrifying thoughts aside, I contemplated my goas as I walk with the guards leading me to the Hunter''s Association building. Do I want power? Fame? Or do I just want to live in peace until I die of old age, fully exhibiting the freedom I never got to taste back in my past life?


    No, those weren''t it either¡­


    It was at that moment my thoughts got interrupted by a bump on my front arms. Looking down, I saw a little human girl, looking at me with fear in her eyes. Glancing around, I saw the civilians looking at the girl with horrified expressions, with some people looking like Hunters unsheathing their weapons. The guards beside me followed their leads as well, except, they didn''t unsheathe their swords, but kept their hands on the handle in case things get out of hand.


    I looked back at the girl, tears now pooling in her eyes, a puddle of tears forming beneath her. I sighed, and held my hand out. At my subtle action, the people surrounding me tensed, but were surprised at my next move.


    I picked her by the collar and lifted her up to her feet, then took a fruit from my inventory and offered it to her. She stared at me, the fruit, then back at me with confused eyes. Hesitantly, she held her hands out then plucked the fruit out of my hands. She took a bite, then visibly lit up before devouring the fruit with gusto.


    I smiled gently, while the people surrounding us relaxed, but because of my action, I was now the main attraction, garnering stares from all sorts of people, from average joes, to veteran Hunters. The little girl then hopped and skipped back to her mother, who looked like she lost an averaged of 10 years, judging from her pale face.


    Once it was all over, me and the guards continued on our trek towards the Hunter''s Association.


    That chance encounter though, reminded me of a memory from my past life.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    "So, what was it?" a teen my age asked as he sat on the desk of my chair.


    "What was what?" I replied, a fake smile plastered on my face.


    "That! You know, that paper we passed to our teacher earlier," he got off the desk then looked at me with a grin, "the, ''What do I want in the future'' thing. Pretty boring if you ask me."


    "What I want in the future, huh?" I said, my voice a monotone, but that was nothing new. "How about you? What do you want in the future?"


    "Me? Eh, nothin'' much. Get rich, get laid, have a family, that sort of stuff," he turned his back on me then waved as he headed back to his seat. "Normal life, dude."


    "¡­ A normal life, huh¡­" I muttered under my breath as the bell rang. "A family¡­"


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    Ah, right, I remember that classmate of mine. Sad to say he died in a tragic accident during a robbery.


    "A family¡­ huh¡­" I muttered with my deep voice booming, the guards looking at me with tense eyes. I shrugged and continued onwards, not minding their sudden vicious gaze. It looks like being kind to a child is still not painting me in a good light on these two guards. Can''t blame them though, I am a monster in their eyes after all.


    A few more minutes of silent walking, and civilians gawking and staring, we finally arrived the Hunter''s Association building. If I had to describe this place with one word, it would be ''bustling.'' There was huge traffic of people coming in and out, most of them wearing clothes practical for the wilderness. All of them were Hunters, I could tell. Their weapons gave it all away.


    And since they were all Hunters, the moment they saw me, well¡­ Let''s just say I had a¡­ spicy welcome¡­ as in weapons pointed at me welcome.


    The guards quickly shouted saying that I was here because of the lord of this town, prompting them to lower their weapons, but their vigilance stayed as high as a kite.


    The guards led me through the bodies of Hunters, all giving me passage with a glare saying, ''Do anything funny, and you die, capisce?''


    I forced a stoic and steady figure, but deep inside, I was scared shitless. Anybody normal would literally be pissing themselves on the ground right about now if directed with these hostile glares. The doors already opened, what I saw inside had me screaming mentally, like really¡­ I made a deal with Bentley, and he told me that a Hunter team would be accompanying me on this mission.


    I didn''t expect for the ones I repelled to be the ones who will accompany me¡­

 Chapter 17 - Monke Meets Former Enemies

    I did not expect for this group of Hunters to be my associates for the current mission I was given by Bentley for our deal. Naturally, the moment I show my face to them, weapons were unsheathed, a staff was pointed, and shields were raised.


    The moment the group did so, the others within the building did the same. I examined all of the potential threats to my life with cautious eyes. I tensed up, ready to quickly use the Dungeon Return Stone in case they decided to try and take my head, regardless of the deal and whatnot.


    I could always break down the deal, go back to my dungeon and build up my forces by draining the forest dry of monsters for EXP and DP, although it would close a door to a potential friendly relationship with the city.


    All of us stared at each other, waiting for someone to make the first move, that is until the guards beside me shouted and brought back order into the building.


    "Lower your weapons, Hunters! This monster is no threat to any of you unless provoked!" one of the guards yelled at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing around the walls, and into the crowded streets outside. "Proceed with your hostile intentions, and you could be held accountable for treason against the governing lord of Kazanpan!"


    The group of Hunters went silent and still at the declaration. A few seconds later, all of them sighed and sheathed their weapons, a staff now pointing up at the ceiling instead of me, causing a sight of relief to escape my lips that was unnoticed by the Hunters and guards around me. I cleared my throat and regarded the group of Hunters I repelled from my dungeon with my gaze and continued to speak.


    "I suppose you are the Hunters that are supposed to come with me on culling the monster number in the forest?" I asked, causing all Hunters in the building to stare at me in either shock, surprise, contemplation, indifference, or even staring like I was some kind of special monster.


    What was so special about monsters speaking anyway? Goblins speak, albeit not in the human language. If they drink the potion I drank back in Bentley''s Mansion, they also could''ve communicated with them fairly easily.


    "I didn''t think you would be our¡­ associate in our next quest¡­" the man who was wounded back in the dungeon spoke to me with narrowed eyes, still alert against my presence. The others of his team continued to glare at me with not-so-subtle hate in their eyes. Their hate is justified anyway, since I almost killed them back in the dungeon, even if I knew if we continued the fight, I was sure to lose.


    "Well, the same could be said for you¡­" I eyed the Hunters all surrounding us, observing us with their eyes and ears. Frankly, they made me uncomfortable. "Is there any place where we can talk privately?"


    Seeing my gesture towards the other Hunters in the building, the Hunter team nodded in reluctant acceptance and guided me, as well as the guards, towards a private room in the building for negotiations where privacy is required.


    I entered the room first, then the guards, then the Hunters. The room was empty, save for chairs and a large desk, enough to accommodate about 20 people. Me? I''m a big boi, my legs are stubby, more so than the dwarf that was glaring at me with a hatred and a little bit of fear. So, I opted to just sit on the ground while they sat on the chairs provided.


    Thick silence overcame the room once the sounds of shuffling footsteps came to a halt. No one dared to move, nor speak under this tense atmosphere. Except me, of course.


    "So, first off, I''m not apologizing for what me, and my fellow comrades did to you the last time we fought," I said, my booming voice echoing through the soundproof room. This got their attention, and then they went seething with anger. I didn''t give them the time to rebut though.


    "Understand where I''m coming from first," I continued, not allowing them to dump their complaints, death threats, and pure hatred on me for almost dying. "All of you came into my home, swords and shields raised. It already happened once, and some of my comrades died because of not expecting aggression. You all think we would do the same once someone else barged in our home like that?"


    "Plus, you killed more of my comrades, while you all got off with healable injuries," I added with a silent, but menacing stare. This got them to quiet down for a minute, silence once again taking the room. Hey, I''m not lying, they did die, but I didn''t say they can''t revive. Best thing to do is to act like the victim in this scenario, rather than alpha monkey.


    "¡­" the man who spoke out earlier was silently staring at the air, probably contemplating something I have no idea of knowing without him sharing. I observed the team of Hunters, who were looking at air, the ground, or even just straight up staring at me for reasons unknown to me.


    It wasn''t until a moment after, a voice from one of them spoke up, my glance directed at him, his black skin coating his entire body, and horns proudly attached to his head, pointing straight up.


    "Playing victim, eh? Well, seeing that you''re concerned with your survival and growth, and hold no hostile intentions towards us sentient beings except for when they provoke you, can''t say I don''t sympathize with ya," the horned man said while grinning at me. My eyes widened in surprise at his statement, and his other team members looked to him for answers.


    "What are you talking about, Sogtharoch?" one of the elf twins asked with raised eyebrows. In response, the black-skinned, horned human sighed and deadpanned at the elf.


    "Really? Merethyl, how many times must we go about this?" the elf, now known as Merethyl tilted her head in fake confusion. Sogtharoch deadpanned even further before averting his gaze. "You know what, your games are getting boring now. Time to be chummy with my new monster pal right o''er here!"


    Suddenly, Sogtharoch sprinted towards me. I reacted by bringing out the huge club out of my inventory at the sudden movement, only I wasn''t fast enough and he reached me. I prepared myself for pain, but what I felt instead was pat on the arm.


    "You know, you''re one huge guy, compared to the other ones we fought," he said with a grin. "How about we test those on some mindless monsters out in the forest, yeah?"


    My eyes landed on his figure. Baffled, I put the club away, seeing that there was no threat to my life. He looked friendly, overly friendly if you asked me. I sit back down, noticing the tense atmosphere dissipating.


    I glanced at the others and what I saw me laugh mentally. All of them were chuckling and deadpanning at the sight of their teammate bonding with what could be called a threat to their lives. Most importantly, they seemed to relax around me, well, except that dwarf over there sitting on his high-chair, glaring at me with obvious hate, but lessened thanks to Sogtharoch.


    "¡­ Hmm¡­ Sounds fun," I replied while scratching my chin. Sogtharoch visibly brightened like a teenage girl getting accepted by her crush in the most romantic way possible.


    "Nice! Oi Lennon, you''re the leader, why not bring him up to speed with our current circumstances," job done, Sogtharoch plopped right back on his seat. Lennon sighed, then glanced right back at me.


    "Alright, we''ll forget about our grievances for now," their leader, Lennon, started while glaring at his team for obedience, especially the dwarf, who silently nodded and drank some alcohol since there was no more tense atmosphere. "The quest is easy, hunt some monsters, destroy their nests, and when this machine," Lennon held out a small, phone-like device for me to see, "sounds off, we''re finished, and we head back here to get our rewards."


    "That simple?" I asked, visibly confused about their system.


    "Yes, that simple," he replied, then smirked at me with pity for my lack of technological knowledge. Well, if there was internet, then surely there must be an online app for tracking quests, right?


    "Anyway, I''ll introduce you to my teammates now."


    Thus, started this weird partnership with the Hunter Team, Last of Abandonment¡­ Can I say one thing first? Why is their team name so cringe?

 Chapter 18 - Monke On A Quest!

    All of us gathered by the eastern gate leading towards the quest area. As usual, more civilians looked at me like I was some kind of ticking time bomb ready to explode within the vicinity and, my response?


    I ignored them, my heavy footsteps audible along the road I and the Hunter party took.


    For your information, the guards headed back to the estate since their job was done, not before they passed a general glare in my direction for any future mishaps.


    Before we left, however, the Hunter party made a quick equipment check just to be sure that there were no missing items or paraphernalia. Once that was all done and over, we headed out into the wilderness, away from the suffocating place that is the city.


    For me, that is¡­


    ''Come to think of it, I haven''t asked the name of the city yet, have I?'' I thought as I stared at the Hunter party in front of me. They took the lead, with Sogtharoch who stayed behind with me to probably keep an eye out for anything I may do that will threaten the lives of his party members.


    Which, in my opinion, is a smart thing to do. I''m a new, albeit temporary addition to their team, and trust hasn''t exactly been building with them as far as I know.


    ''The only thing that led them to accept this strange quest was because of Sogtharoch, and the pressure from the lord,'' I mused in my head.


    Looking at Sogtharoch once more, I notice he isn''t all there in the head. No, that''s probably the wrong thing to connect with him¡­ He''s too friendly for a guy whose friends I almost killed back in the dungeon. There is no reason for him to be friendly, and then there was the quest¡­


    I mean, there is exactly zero merit in teaming up with me to cull the monster number in the forest, except for the fact that they are here to keep a close eye on me. They could just do it without me after all.


    ''What was the reason they accepted?'' I continued on that thought line as we paced through the maintained dirt path, the sounds of birds and various other animals and insects heard all around.


    "Yo, you there big guy?" Sogtharoch tapped my shoulder and brought me out of my thoughts.


    "Yeah, why?" I asked in response, my eyebrows raised in question.


    "Just checkin''. You seemed a little off there for a second, see?" he grinned back as we continued. I shook my head, the face of the smiling demon (I now know their races'' official names) entering my mind. "Who knows, you might be plannin'' somethin'' evil in that monster head of yours."


    "¡­ You do know I''m one of the most civil monsters you have seen, right?" I asked with a deadpan.


    "Touche, big guy," he smirked back with a toothy smile.


    The silence came back over the two of us, the cacophony of noises coming from his teammates overtaking the quietness of the area.


    Every time I look at Sogtharoch, a feeling rises inside me that he isn''t all that he seems. Something like hiding behind a mask, not fully exposing his true nature to even his team members.


    It may be false, but that''s what I feel about the air around him since he somehow resembles the part of me hiding my emotions back in my old life.


    ''Come to think of it, he says he sympathizes with me¡­'' I thought back to our meeting back in the Hunter''s Association building. Somehow, all of it came back to Sogtharoch himself. He brought the tense atmosphere back to calm, he nudged his leader who knew they could''ve refused because of bad blood, to accept the quest, and lastly, the dwarf who was all but hate and fury incarnate against me became docile all of a sudden. Grurnuir looked like he was ready to kill me back in the lobby with those hate-filled eyes.


    I may be just reading a little too deep into this since I am paranoid about my current situation, but I can''t help but think something is going on here with this team.


    "Oi!" a shout and a tap brought me back out of my mind again. I looked at the demon who did so with a frown on his face. "We''re already here and you''ve been out of it for a few minutes. You sure you all right?"


    It took me a moment to stabilize my mind at the sudden release of information dumped at me after I scanned my surroundings. It was the flower field, the corpse of the human I killed gone but the bloodstains remained.


    "Forgive me, I''ve been lost in my thoughts for quite a while now," I replied with my naturally stoic face. "It won''t affect my fighting if you''re worried about that aspect of mine."


    "I see," this time, it was Lennon who voiced out his thoughts. All of us had our gazes stuck on him the moment he did so. "Anyway, now that we''re here, shall we go over the quest details?"


    He explained the entirety of the plan. From the information, he got from the Hunter''s Association building, there were approximately 5 monster nests we had to destroy; 2 Goblins, 2 Kobolds, and 1 Orc.


    The Goblin nests had approximately 250 and more population within their nests, each. Kobolds have less than that number, and the Orcs have lesser.


    From what I gather of this plan of his, for the Goblins, we have to resort to culling their numbers a bit, before going all out and exterminating their nest in an instant. Once the Goblins realize their number unexpectedly dwindle by a significant amount, they would panic, and that was the perfect time to strike. Repeat that with the other Goblin nest.


    Kobolds, however, are more difficult than goblins. They live in caves with a lot of tunnels instead of Goblin-made settlements, making it harder to completely exterminate their nest. The plan is to block the cave''s known tunnels heading to an exit, and once that is done, we go in and kill them all, with no mercy. Repeat that with the other Kobold nest.


    Lastly, the orcs, and this is harder than the rest. In their system, Orc nests are classified as C-rank threats, and even with cunning and wit, it will still require great strength to do them in. This is where I come in. We''ve already established that I am physically stronger than orcs, so I am to be the tank for when we charge in after we decrease their number for a bit.


    With the plans made, we set off for the nearest Goblin nest. We also estimated that it would take more than a week to finish this quest, so it looks like I''ll be away from the dungeon for a while¡­


    I''m not going to set a flag right here, so I emptied my mind and focused on the quest.

 Chapter 19 - Monke On A Quest! (2)

    "That''s a huge Goblin settlement," I murmured while I looked at the thriving Goblin economy. My temporary teammate beside me nodded in agreement while she clenched her bow in her hand.


    "We need to play this smart," Mariona climbed higher to get a good vantage point in scouting. I followed since as a monkey, albeit a big one, I was made for climbing, my semi-hand feet an advantage in the skill.


    Above the tree-line, I spotted Mariona with her eyes in a certain direction. I followed her gaze and spotted several Goblins.


    They numbered 5, each of them wielding weapons ranging from blunt to edge ones. Mariona locks her gaze with me and I nod in response. I climb down the tree slowly, not making a sound as I do so. Once on the ground, I take to moving towards the group of unaware Goblins.


    Learning from my mistakes at attempting a surprise attack, I kept quiet this time instead of roaring from the top of my lungs. Sure, the shrubbery around me made some noise as I moved, but at least it was quieter than roaring in the forest.


    The more I close the distance, the more their incessant chatter reaches my ears, drowning the noise the bushes make when I go through them. A moment later, I am hiding on top of a tree where the Goblins are making their rounds. Once they moved under the tree, their unawareness marking their downfall, I strike.


    I drop down, quickly equipping my armor and incredibly damaged club in an instant while falling. The Goblins notices my action, but they were too late. I slammed the club on a Goblin, quickly ending its life and turning it into a paste.


    25 EXP gained!


    I ignore the pop-up for now and focus on the task at hand. The Goblins were still shocked from my sudden appearance, and I''m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Quickly moving, I mashed another Goblin into red paste against the ground, blood spattering everywhere while the sound of crunching bones reached my ears.


    25 EXP gained!


    My second kill snaps the shock out of the surviving Goblins. They snarl and growl, angry at me for killing their fellow kind. I snort in response, but I did not let my guard down. Never let your guard down against enemies in a fight, especially if they are weaklings.


    Because weaklings will always find a way to mess you up, even at their expense,


    The three Goblins charge at me simultaneously, spit flying in the air. I swing my club in a horizontal arc, catching one Goblin who was slow to dodge and flinging him across the beaten path. A loud smacking sound entering my ears accompanied by something breaking notified me of its quick neutralization.


    25 EXP gained!


    At least the pop-up gave me confirmation of its death.


    The two Goblins now look at me with fear. ''Took them long enough, but it''s easier that way,'' I thought in my head as the two Goblins decided to book it and run away for their lives. ''Ugh, great, now I have to chase¡­''


    I complained in my head as I rushed towards the escaping Goblins. They are fast, that I''ll admit, but I have a plan or two to deal with these kinds of situations. What were those plans? Simple.


    Make a hole.


    Using [Earth Manipulation], I made the two of them trip by creating a hole in their path. Not wasting any time, I quickly smashed the two of them before they could continue with their escape.


    50 EXP gained!


    "Good job," Mariona says from a tree branch above me. "Looks like I won''t be wasting any arrows."


    "Mhm¡­" I nod while checking my bloodstained club for further damages.


    ''I really, REALLY, need to get a new weapon, otherwise, I''ll have to do Monke Karate,'' I follow Mariona towards the next point. This is part of our plan to cull the numbers of the Goblin problem. For the teams, they had: Me and Mariona; Merethyl and Sogtharoch; Lennon and Kayla; and Grurnuir all by himself, watching the Goblin settlement.


    They had to choose between me or Grurnuir to stay and watch the nest for any sudden movement, and they had opted for Grurnuir because he knows the call signals to relay to the team. They don''t trust me enough yet to give their unique call signs for my use.


    "Goblins, northeast," I hear Mariona say from a tree in front of me. I looked towards the direction Mariona stated and saw another group of Goblins, only this time, bigger.


    "Too much for me alone," I say towards her, who in turn, nods while readying her bow. "Cover me?"


    "Roger."


    I drop down the trees and rushed towards the Goblin group. They numbered a dozen and a half, 3 times more than the last group. I wonder what the huge Goblin group was for, but that''s not for me to question.


    Getting closer, I realize that all of them look tense as if waiting for a sudden attack.


    ''Don''t tell me,'' I thought too late. A rock the size of my head flew towards my face, which I dodged by moving to the left. I narrowed my gaze at the group. ''A Goblin Mage?''


    Within the Goblin group, I spotted a Goblin dressed in some kind of shamanistic attire. It held a staff, which was currently pointed at me, and recited some Goblin language mumbo-jumbo.


    Realizing there were more to come, I hide behind a tree thick enough to cover my entire body. I hear a slamming noise coming from the other side of the tree a moment later. While hiding, an arrow darts right past where I was hiding and slides itself into the face of the Goblin mage, its lifeless body crashing to the ground.


    Taking this as a chance, I come out of my hiding spot and charge at the Goblins. Since there was no longer any need to be quiet, I roared loud enough for them to hear, but not enough to reach the Goblin settlement.


    My roar visibly shakes them, freezing them in place. I run with my huge club risen high, slamming it down towards the nearest, petrified Goblin, ending its miserable life. This did not release the other Goblins from their shock, so I kill another one by grabbing its head and smashing it against the ground.


    50 EXP gained!


    3 down, 15 more to go. I may be outnumbered, but I know for a fact emotional state on the battlefield can affect how you fight, and since Goblins are easily shaken when facing someone out of their league, you get cowards who will try to run rather than fight to the death.


    "Time to die¡­"


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    275 EXP gained!


    I stop once the last Goblin died against my club, which was also the time where my club broke in half.


    "You will be missed," I sorrowfully whisper as I store the broken club inside my inventory.


    "I think that''s enough, let''s head back," Mariona approached from behind me, hands on her waist, or specifically, near her dagger. She looked like she was having a hard time being with me alone for a few hours. I can guess where she''s coming from.


    I sigh, seeing the obvious distrust, but I guess it can''t be helped. I''ll have to earn their trust in the following days¡­


    If I can that is¡­


    With our job done for the day, we headed back to camp.

 Chapter 20 - The Party Of Misfits

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Lennon took a glance at their temporary member. The huge, black beast ¨C now known as Jionni ¨C sat silently in the corner of their camp eating some kind of fruit. He ignored Jionni for now in favor of stuffing himself after a good day''s work of culling monsters that could threaten their livelihood in the coming days.


    "Len," Lennon perked his head up, separating himself from the soup made of vegetables he held and looked at Kayla who called out to him for some reason. "I don''t trust it."


    "Neither do I," Lennon replied before he took another spoonful of vegetable stew. Relishing the aroma and taste, Lennon takes another glance at his lover with a tired smile. "But we have no choice. Town head is forcing this deal, and we can''t just say no. Sometimes, Sogtharoch makes a good point, for a slacker."


    "Hey, I ain''t no slacker," the demon in question piped up from his quiet corner of the camp. A tent behind him with some items related to camping within, such as a sleeping bag, pillows, and blankets. They made use of Jionni''s peculiar magic, however distrustful he may be.


    "Says the guy who literally slacked away during the war," comments Mariona who was cuddling with her sister, Merethyl, both of them sharing a sleeping bag that was large enough to accommodate the both of them.


    "¡­ Fair point," Sogtharoch sighed in defeat before he continued to empty his bowl of stew. "Anyways, I''m tired from the hunt, lemme know when it''s my turn to stand watch."


    With that said, Sogtharoch went on his way towards his tent, his figure vanishing underneath the darkness. Lennon locked his gaze with him before the aforementioned darkness consumed his visage. A loud thump was heard across the camp, and Lennon and his team cast their eyes towards the source of the sound.


    "I''ll take watch for the moment, you all rest," Jionni''s low voice causing them to have minor goosebumps. "I''ll call upon any of you if a problem arises."


    After having said his piece, Jionni climbed a tree and vanished under the darkness of the forest, although a quick listen would immediately notify them that Jionni was nearby keeping watch as he declared. A few minutes of waiting later, Lennon saw it fit to ask his unanswered request.


    "All right, it''s gone, Mariona, report," Lennon quickly took the time Jionni was missing to ask his team member about the specifics of Jionni''s combat capabilities, how it acts, how it thinks, how intelligent it is, as well as if it is dangerous towards their party.


    "It''s strong, capable of killing numerous Goblins by itself. If we were to fight it, it would undoubtedly kill some of us before it dies, and that''s just its physical strength. If it used its intelligence, we will all die to it," Mariona stated with a hint of a shiver going through her body. Merethyl noticed this cuddled in closer, kissing her on the lips for a moment before she settled by leaning her head on her shoulders, the silence a good enough response for her love and encouragement to pass by noticed by Mariona. "Thanks, sis," she gave Merethyl a quick kiss on the forehead before continuing, "anyway, its magic is deadly. It can use magic without chanting, signifying its complete control over its Mana, and its ideas on using them are incredibly unorthodox but deadly. It mainly uses it as support instead of its main damage, but with strength like that, just that tiny advantage is enough to kill an experienced warrior.


    "We should just be thankful that it doesn''t know how to properly use its body. Most of its attacks are just brute force, no technique in them whatsoever. That, and it seems docile enough to not want unnecessary battles, and is extremely cooperative unless a command threatens its'' life," Mariona finished her report and stayed silent for a few seconds.


    "¡­ I see," Lennon cupped a hand under his chin, contemplated about the current findings of her teammate, and came to a decision. "All right¡­ Listen, under no circumstance, are we to fight it. If it targets you, quickly run away and give the red signal."


    Grurnuir who was silently observing from the side snorted and harrumphed. "Then we report that brute to them soldiers. We get a subjugation quest fer its head, we kill it along with them other Hunters, and we get paid."


    "Only if it attacks us," Lennon clarified with a stern gaze. "Look, I know you want to get revenge after getting that hit, but for now, let''s just stay friendly and alert against its actions."


    "¡­ Fine, but I want its head if it does," after a quick acknowledgment of command, Grurnuir went into his tent to hit the hay and rest. Say what he will about Jionni, but he is a little thankful about the bringing of the tents, not that he would ever admit it, and he would still jump at the chance to have the head of the black beast who did him in a couple of days ago.


    "We''ll head back to our tents now," Mariona stated as both she and Merethyl got out of the sleeping bag and brought it inside their tent, which they cuddled in some more after some brief kisses and shows of affection.


    "Hey Len, you okay?" Lennon shifted his glance towards his worried lover. He smiled bitterly and leaned in for a kiss, which Kayla accepted without a single thought.


    "I''m fine, it''s just¡­ Why did the town head agree to make a deal with it?" Lennon was stressed out about this fact. ''The town head and the beast having a deal? Hah! As if he could gain something worth of value from the¡­ beast¡­''


    Suddenly, it made sense. The beast was from a dungeon, it was sentient, and had some feelings for sentient life. He put himself in the shoes of the town head, the oncoming civil war, the monster surge, then there''s that pressure from the foreign country¡­


    He recalled the personality of the town head. Kind, gentle, caring, and a plain old family guy¡­ Put two and two together¡­


    "Well fuck me sideways and shove a sword up my ass," this got Kayla''s attention who blushed and glared at her lover who made that totally, unexpected comment. I mean, they did do it, the ''fuck me sideways'' stuff, and it was reverse with Kayla saying it, nothing about the sword though¡­


    "Kay, listen to me, if what I''m thinking is true, then the beast¡­ Jionni is the only way to survive the coming days¡­" Lennon whispered into her ear, prompting Kayla to widen her eyes.


    "What do you mean?" Kayla tilted her head in confusion.


    "I''m saying that Jionni''s place¡­ HIS dungeon is the only place to avoid the incoming war¡­"


    After hearing that, Kayla had a moment of realization where she pieced the facts together, and her one thought was this.


    "Well shit¡­"


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    Inside a certain tent, a certain black-skinned, horned demon could be seen struggling to sleep. Sweat beads flowed down his forehead and into the sleeping bag, his figure tossing and turning within the confines of the constricting bag.


    "No¡­"


    His pained whispers escaped his mouth as his face scrunched up in fear and pain.


    "Stop¡­"


    "Please¡­"


    "Stop!"


    Sogtharoch got up, his eyes wide and breathing ragged. He looked at his arm, that damnable tattoo etched on his skin. He gritted his teeth and decided that sleep was not on his to-do list for the moment and went outside his tent, the pale moonlight glistening off his dark skin.


    The sound of wind passing through his ears was calming, his erratic heart rate now slowing to a crawl. A rustle of the leaves causes him to glance at the source at full alert, the nightmares of the war still fresh in his mind. What came was a figure he was familiar, but not fully acquainted with.


    "''Sup, big guy?" he greeted with a nonchalant smile. The big guy in question, Jionni, blinked and sat down on the grass.


    "Nothing much, just watching," Jionni replied with a drawl. Sogtharoch read his mind and concluded that Jionni was really just watching.


    "Huh, well then, time to switch roles, you rest, I watch," Sogtharoch said with a cheerful voice, fake in his ears, but genuine to others. He did this for who knew how long, ever since that war and that damned curse. Keeping people he knew at arm''s length is his modus operandi, couple that with his mind-reading, and you have a paranoid person wanting some peace of mind, as well as a method to get rid of his curse.


    And then the method came knocking right at his door, in the form of a monster in which no likes have ever seen. Using his [Mind Reading], as well as his [Memory Diving] in which he was exceptional at, he learned that the beast in front of him was no ordinary beast. Memories of iron boxes, tall buildings made of glass, his death, and his reincarnation passed through his brain in waves, but that''s not what he was after. No, instead, it was his ability. The ability to grow strong without limit, the ability he calls, [The System].


    There wasn''t anything like this he encountered in his entire life of strife, bloodshed, and loss, and if it wasn''t for the damn curse put on him in the form of a tattoo on his arm, he would''ve been stronger than his current self by 10-fold.


    Demons, by nature, were stronger than any other race. They were strong magically and physically, but they had a problem with breeding, meaning their population was extremely low. At least they have a long lifespan.


    The problem with him, however, was that during the war, their enemy thought of a weapon that would lead to their downfall. The name was not made public, so he had no idea what it was called, but he knew its effects. Basically, it gave those affected by it a limit on how much their strength can grow. Once it reaches that limit, they can no longer grow stronger, even if they trained themselves to death.


    What''s worse, even technique was affected. They couldn''t get better at their weapon handling, their body control, or even their magical capabilities. In short, they were screwed and were toyed by the enemy. Villages and cities fell, countless lives were lost, innocent or not, and members of the armies deserted for fear of their lives.


    Sogtharoch would''ve too, if not for the damn collar stuck on him at the time. Yes, Sogtharoch was a war slave who was freed after the end of the war. He could''ve lived a life in a village somewhere, but he didn''t want that.


    He had a dream, and that dream was impossible to grasp¡­ Until now.


    If he could replicate that ability, even just get a piece of it, maybe he could grow too. Years being stuck at a wall was not pleasant, not at all. Being left behind by his former teammates, being forgotten, hell, even being ignored and dissed was infuriating.


    He would climb this hurdle, no matter the cost.

 Chapter 21 - Monke Levels Up!

    Another day has passed since the start of culling the Goblin numbers. I perched upon a tree branch thick enough to support my body weight. Mariona was with me, her trusty bow in hand, just like yesterday and the other day before.


    Below us was another group of Goblins. Seems like they haven''t learned yet from their mistakes, as obvious from a less than average intelligence Goblin leader. You would think that they would notice the dwindling number of Goblins, but it looks like a large number of Goblins within their nest makes it harder to manage.


    And with no Goblin with the right intellect to manage said numbers, disappearances, be it small or large, flows under their radar most of the time. Like what is happening now.


    Mariona gave me the go and I dropped from the tree branch, equipping my armor mid-fall. The Goblins all look up and are surprised to see my huge figure dropping on their heads, as evident from their reactions.


    I landed with a thud, accompanied by the sound of bones breaking since I directly landed on top of two unfortunate Goblins.


    50 EXP gained!


    All of them stood frozen in shock and fear, and what kind of fighter would I be if I didn''t take the obvious advantage given to me on a silver platter?


    I launched myself towards the closest Goblin, held its head in my tight grip, soliciting a pained shriek from said Goblin, then tossed it towards another Goblin that was still paralyzed by my surprise attack.


    The both of them barreled towards another tree, the sound of broken bones entered my ears as they crashed into it.


    50 EXP gained!


    The last Goblin squeaked then tried to run, only to get an arrow to the head, courtesy of my temporary teammate Mariona, who was camping above me, her bow held in a stance signifying that she just took a shot.


    I gave her an appreciative nod, only for her to stare at me for a moment before dismissing my gesture. I sighed and gave up for the moment of trying to build friendly relations with said Elf.


    ''They distrust me too much,'' I thought with a grimace. ''Can''t blame them though, what with our first encounter¡­ I just wish there was a way to get to friendly terms with them. The less hostile they''re towards me, the more I won''t have my head on a bounty board.''


    It was at that moment a sharp whistle that entered my ears. Mariona also took notice of this whistle and her gaze looked towards the direction where Grurnuir was camping.


    "It looks like we''ve run out of time," Mariona said as she focused her vision on me. "Time to move, it''s time to raid the nest."


    I nodded curtly and began moving through the foliage. I followed the figure of the Elf leading me towards their Dwarf friend. A couple of minutes later, we arrived, a little bit after the rest reunited.


    "Grurnuir, report," Lennon commanded with a stern gaze. The Dwarf nodded while he held his battle-ax tightly in his hand.


    "Aye, them Goblins be hoppin''. Seems like yer plan shook them up," Grurnuir stated as he grabbed the shield taller than him that was lying against a tree trunk beside him. "We have at most 10 minutes ''fore them Goblins make a plan and scatter."


    "¡­ All right, thank you," Lennon nodded his head then turned towards me with questioning eyes. "Jionni, can you block all the exits with your magic?"


    "I''m not sure if I can do all of them, but I''ll try," I replied truthfully. I''m not going to jeopardize the mission and my life because I thought I could close them all and suddenly run out of Mana. That would be stupid of me.


    "¡­ Okay, Plan C is a go," Lennon declared and all of us nodded in agreement. From our scouting of the Goblin nest for the past few days, we found approximately 3 passageways in and out of the settlement. My job is to close all of them while the others route the Goblins towards the center, where we all meet up and slaughter them all.


    All of us silently departed towards our designated spots. Me being alone in this medium-scale mission was somewhat daunting, but I didn''t let that phase me. I did rescue those two human children from supposed kidnappers and protect myself against a knight after said rescue.


    "Worse comes to worst, I''ll go HAM on those green critters," I mumbled as I traveled through the foliage towards my destination. Once there, I waited for the signal, which came not too long after I arrived. Gathering the Mana within me, I created an Earth Wall to block the huge gateway, effectively blocking the escape route of the Goblins.


    Sure, they could climb, but then they''ll have to fight me while they''re climbing, not a good case scenario for them.


    My job was done, I scanned the wall for any Goblins trying to climb it. Lo and behold, Goblins were trying to climb it. About 3-4 of them. Gathering my Mana again, I manifest it within the wall in the form of spikes, skewering the Goblins to death with the spikes made of earth.


    100 EXP gained!


    Level up!


    I raised my eyebrow at the pop-up. Deciding that a quick peek at my status wouldn''t hurt, I whispered the command under my breath.


    "Status."


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Juggernaut


    Level: 9


    Exp: 20/ 900


    HP: 1920/ 1920


    MP: 836/ 1027


    Str: 44 = 180


    Vit: 48 = 182


    End: 43 = 163


    Agi: 32 = 46


    Dex: 33 = 61


    Int: 25 = 69


    Wis: 24 = 66


    Cha: 21 = 30


    Luc: 1 = 1


    A quick check of my status showed me just how strong I currently am.


    "But without a rough guideline on other people''s stats, how am I supposed to know how strong I really am?" I grumbled about the painfully obvious problem I had with the status page. "Bah, I''ll cross that bridge when I get there, focus on killing these Goblins¡­"


    Looking down the wall, I saw a few more Goblins, so I killed them with more spikes from the safety of my spot.


    175 EXP gained!


    Surrounding Goblins now dead, I headed towards my next destination, towards Sogtharoch''s team which consisted of him, Mariona, and Merethyl. On my way there, I killed more Goblins with either my magic or my hairy, alpha fists.


    250 EXP gained!


    ''This is actually a good source of EXP,'' I thought while I punched another Goblin to death.


    25 EXP gained!


    Right after punching that Goblin to death, I came across a heated battle among the Demon and Elves against the horde of Goblins trying to escape, corpses the green-skinned menaces strewn about the dirt.


    They saw me but paid me no heed. I did the same and continued towards the exit, creating another wall of earth tall enough for the Goblins to not climb through quickly enough to avoid getting killed by us.


    "Just in time, big guy!" Sogtharoch exclaimed with a bloodthirsty smile on his face. "Leave this to us and get your fat ass over to Leader!"


    "All right," I reply with a shrug, dismissing his teasing with a deadpan. ''Seriously, this is a battlefield, not a perfect time to tease your teammates, eh?''


    Sogtharoch froze for a fraction of a second before he continued with killing Goblins left and right. ''Huh, what was that all about?''


    I shook my head and banished the thought to the deep recesses of my head. I gave them a quick wave before running through the tight space between the makeshift, wooden buildings the Goblins made within their nest/settlement.


    And would you look at that, more EXP.


    225 EXP gained!


    The Goblin slumped down to the ground lifeless right after I slammed its head towards the nearby wall. At this rate, I''ll be due another level up, not that I''m complaining. More levels = higher chance of survival.


    After a few more seconds of running, I find myself in another bloody battlefield with the Dwarf, Grurnuir holding the horde of Goblins with just his shield and some kind of magic which extended the shield''s area to about the width of a road, causing Goblins to have a hard time getting through the stationary fortress that is the Dwarf.


    ''Huh, a magic I haven''t seen in any anime or manga¡­'' I thought before I ran into the horde of unsuspecting Goblins. Channeling Mana again through my body, this time, I made a huge hole beneath them, encompassing the entire horde, with the depth being about as tall as an average human.


    Mana: 122 / 1027


    My Mana reserves dipped down a lot after, but a price enough to pay to make sure none of them get injured.


    I want this deal done ASAP, after all, I still need to run my dungeon, and an injury is not something I would like to worry about this early in the game.


    Next, all I had to do was chuck a fireball into the pit of Goblins and watch the fire spread, flames dancing around each of their bodies. The smell of sizzling and burning flesh permeating through my nostrils, and let me tell you, not a pleasant smell¡­


    It appears that my sentiment was shared by the trio before me, who were looking at me with narrowed eyes.


    "¡­ Do you even have enough Mana to create another Earth Wall?" Lennon asked with a serious gaze. I blinked, then facepalmed.


    "¡­ Sorry, looks like it won''t be enough after that hole I dug¡­" I said as I pointed at the impromptu hell I made for the Goblins. Some were climbing out of the pit, but I and the trio put an end to them before they could.


    "Figures¡­" Lennon sighed. "Anyway, it''s time we finish this."


    350 EXP gained!


    Level up!


    Milestone reached! Change Class?


    After making sure that all the Goblins within the pit were dead the trio and I continued towards the center, or wherever the Goblin leader was, but my focus was on the window that was floating within my vision, unnoticed by the others.


    ''¡­ What the fuck?''

 Chapter 22 - Monke Gets Curbstomped

    A/N: Not really a chapter. It''s more like a rework of the game system, but with interactions and foreshadowing, cuz I realized that a few more levels, Gorilla MC would be too OP. I don''t want OP MC, I want strong MC that can curbstomp weaklings, but get curbstomped by OP villains without proper planning.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    While running, I take my time looking at the list of possible Class changes.


    Tank


    Maginaut


    Elementalist


    So, I only have three options, Tank, I assume is an upgrade to Juggernaut, Maginaut is probably a mix between Mage and Juggernaut, while Elementalist is very obvious.


    Warning! You cannot gain EXP without changing Classes!


    And there lies my problem. I don''t want to waste EXP, so I have to change my Class quickly before we reach any more Goblins or the Goblin Leader. Elementalist is out since my main weapon is my strength and body, Maginaut is probable, but Tank is where it''s at.


    Since the system won''t give me any fucking hints about the description of said classes, I can only assume and guess the effects, and instinct is telling me that Tank is the best option.


    I''m a Gorilla, why not make the most of it?


    I selected the Tank option with my mind and the changes began taking place, within my status, of course, no shining light or anything emanating from my body.


    First, the perks I gained from the Class.


    Tank Body ¨C changes VIT multiplier to HP from 10 to 30, passively adds flat 30 base VIT, and allows regeneration while in combat. Regeneration is equal to 0.02% of HP/sec while in combat, and 1%/sec of HP while out of combat.


    Immovable Wall ¨C negates incoming damage based on your VIT. Decreases damage received by your total VIT.


    Next are the Skills.


    Cannon Blow - imbue your attacks with your Health Points. Deal damage equal to 100% of consumed HP.


    Rolling Thunder ¨C charges forward, ignoring any attack that would cause immobility and decreases damage received by 75% at the cost of 1% HP per second.


    It was at that moment, the world froze. Not as in the ice freezing type, I meant the time stop type. I nervously glanced around, until a familiar ping reached my ears.


    [We meet again, player.]


    ''System?'' I asked with my mind without being able to move, since time is stopped and all.


    [You can call me whatever you like, however, I''m here to give you some news, which, in my opinion, is very bad for you.]


    ''What do you mean very bad? Is it an enemy I''m not able to defeat?''


    [No, it pertains to the Skills you have. It appears the higher-ups made a mistake with calibrating the skills given to you, thus giving you an incredible increase in status. It would be correct to assume that you are one of the strongest in the world, physically that is.]


    Getting a vague idea about what this was all about I try to protest.


    ''No! Don''t you dare nerf me!'' I screamed mentally. If I was able to snarl, growl, or move my body, I would''ve tried to punch the damn text in front of me to the ground.


    [Sorry, but the decisions aren''t made by me. I''m just the messenger, and you''re the recipient who has no other choice but to accept.]


    I can imagine the system laughing where it was right now by fucking with me about this incoming nerf.


    [Don''t worry, it isn''t that much of a decrease. We will just overhaul your skills.]


    ''GODDAMNIT!'' I screamed aloud within my head again. This was not a day I was expecting to come. I thought only games geared to a whole community could get patches¡­ Wait¡­


    [Yep, there are others like you, and there is a chance you will meet with them. This is just an action to make sure that when they do meet, it will be on fairgrounds if they put in the effort equally that is. Now then, let''s start the nerfing, =)]


    ''You made a fuckin'' emoji! You''re enjoying this, aren''t you!?''


    [Very much, yes.]


    ''ARRGGHHH!!!!''


    I mentally opened my status and my skills and saw it change momentarily. This is how my status looked before the nerf.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 10


    Exp: 145/ 10000


    HP: 9460/ 9460


    MP: 1092/ 1092


    Str: 48 = 197


    Vit: 82 = 312


    End: 47 = 179


    Agi: 35 = 51


    Dex: 36 = 67


    Int: 27 = 74


    Wis: 26 = 72


    Cha: 23 = 33


    Luc: 1 = 1


    This is how it looks like post-patch¡­


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 10


    Exp: 145/ 10000


    HP: 5800/ 5800


    MP: 1607/ 1607


    Str: 48 = 159


    Vit: 82 = 182


    End: 47 = 147


    Agi: 35 = 42


    Dex: 36 = 58


    Int: 27 = 109


    Wis: 26 = 108


    Cha: 23 = 30


    Luc: 1 = 1


    [Instead of your skills granting you bonus percentage stats, it has been changed to bonus flat stats instead. Also, your perks {Tank Body} and {Immovable Wall} will gain an additional effect in accordance with this change.]


    ''¡­ You just destroyed the reason why I chose Tank in the first place¡­'' I mentally said with growing anger. I chose Tank because it would synergize well with the skills that gave me bonus percentage stats, but now it changed to flat bonuses¡­ ''FUCK! I SHOULD''VE JUST CHOSEN MAGINAUT!''


    [Aw, don''t be like that, look at the bright side, I got another present for ya! Open it later when alone, you don''t want any spectators looking. Anyway, See ya next time!]


    You have been gifted [System''s Gift] x1. It has been placed in your inventory.


    After receiving the gift was the moment time began to move. The shuffling of footsteps, the cries and yells from the Goblins, and the sounds of battle entering my ears once again.


    But there was one thing in my mind that was dominating my entire being right now.


    ''Fuck¡­''

 Chapter 23 - Monke Punches Like Truck-Kun

    I cursed the system under my breath as I continued onwards with the trio. On the bright side, I am invincible against these Goblins, so that''s a plus.


    I stomp a Goblin under my foot and crushed another''s head while tanking a blow from another Goblin with a rusty iron sword. Newsflash, the sword broke when it came in contact with my unarmored leg.


    ''At least all is not lost with this Tank class¡­ I''ll just have to find a way to change classes with the Dungeon Market later, and if not possible, grab all the benefits of this class before switching to a hybrid one later on¡­''


    Now, the next problem is as follows¡­


    75 EXP gained!


    EXP: 220 / 10000


    This is my recent problem¡­ The goddamn system increased the EXP total necessary to move to the next level by 10-folds!


    ''What is this unnecessary nerf? It''s like they want me to fucking struggle¡­'' I stomped smashed another Goblin to a pulp with a growl.


    25 EXP gained!


    ''Argh! Fuck this, I''ll let tomorrow''s me handle this. I want some Goblin heads to smash open.''


    "Jionni, this area''s clear, time to move to the next," I heard Lennon from a few meters over who was pulling out his sword from a Goblin corpse. Kayla, who was next to Lennon, was busy wiping the blood from her blade as the result of too many Goblins killed. I think that Goblins here are incredibly nerfed as well since even over 100 is not enough to stop an average party of Hunters¡­ On the flip side, they are panicking, so there''s that¡­


    "On it," I moved over to their location as we prepared ourself for the last push. When done with our preparations, we moved and killed more panicking Goblins.


    125 EXP gained!


    ''I swear, these Goblins are too uncoordinated¡­ Goblin Slayer would be pleased to know this, since they would be easier to kill,'' I thought in my head as we continued onward.


    175 EXP gained!


    A few more Goblin heads bashed in, we finally arrived at the center of the nest. On the opposite side from where we are, Sogtharoch and the Elf twins were busy culling even more Goblins, but this time, these Goblins were working together to bring them down. A quick observation to the middle of the area led me to the sight of a larger than normal Goblin surrounded with dozens of other Goblins who are better equipped than the others.


    "There it is, the Goblin Leader¡­" Lennon said quietly. "It seems they haven''t notices us yet. Jionni, the three of us will drag the attention of its underlings, while you kill it."


    "Okay," I nodded and separated from the trio. I searched for an area where it would be hard to spot me under all this chaos and confusion. Let it be known that a Gorilla can be sneaky when they''re not being noisy¡­


    A clang of steel enters my ears, and I look towards the source. Seeing Lennon and his group drawing the attention of the remaining Goblins, I decide it was time to strike. Gathering Mana, I focus on the Goblin Leader who remained behind with a handful of his underlings. Letting the Mana flow, I use [Earth Manipulation] to create an immense wall between the fighting Goblins and Hunters, causing the two groups to separate.


    Now that their chain of command is temporarily disabled, I channel another bout of Mana to create a pit underneath the panicking Goblins and Goblin Leader. They fall into the pit which was the height of two average adult humans, and land on top of each other, some bones broken because of some heavy equipment. I then focus more Mana into [Fire Manipulation] and do what I consider the most terrifying thing.


    Go Pyro on these bitches. Good news every level up, my MP replenishes itself, but not my HP¡­ Weird, some food for thought¡­


    A gout of flame conjures from my palm and into the panicking Goblins within the pit, burning them alive. No Goblin is safe from my flamethrower, and if their screaming shows anything, it was hell to be inside in the impromptu barbecue session, starring their bodies as the meat.


    The Goblin Leader, however, makes a move that made me widen my eyes.


    ''Well, looks like not all Goblins are nerfed after all¡­'' the Goblin Leader conjured water and made a safe path towards the opposite of my position to safely get out of the frying pan. Too bad he went into a fire instead.


    I cut off the Mana supplying my flamethrower and run towards the other end of the pit. It would take some time before the Goblin Leader could make it up, so why not be ready to greet him?


    The screaming Goblins burning alive thankfully masked my footsteps, and the Goblin Leader was none the wiser about my incoming approach.


    I arrive before the Goblin Leader could make it to the top and try to create an Earth Spike to impale it, but decide otherwise since I wanted to test out my new skills.


    Namely, the [Cannon Blow]. I want to see the result of using that skill at it. I wait for the Goblin Leader while thinking if I should lower the wall or not, since I could make out that the sounds of fighting behind the wall went silent a few minutes ago. I decided no since I didn''t want to be distracted when fighting the Goblin Leader.


    A hand grabbed the ledge, and I grinned.


    The Goblin Leader appears by dragging itself out of the inferno I created below it. I give it time to steady itself since I want to use the skill when it knows it''s going to get punched. It saw me, then snarled, yelling in a language I do not understand.


    Probably profanity.


    It conjures a water arrow and has it fly towards me. I tank the hit with my armor, the water harmlessly splashing against it, creating a damp area where the arrow hit. The Goblin Leader growled as a result and drew its sword. It looks like a broadsword, and I have no idea if it''s good or not since I have no clue about blacksmithing yet ¨C although I have the [Blacksmithing] skill ¨C so I opt for killing it quickly. I don''t want to be caught off guard if that sword is magic and kills me before I kill it.


    I dash towards the Goblin, my figure like a raging bull in its eyes¡­ probably¡­ and the Goblin Leader dodges to the side, not keen on receiving my charge since it knows it will die if it did so. While doing so, it slashed against my unarmored arm, a sharp clang of steel hitting something hard resulting in the blow, causing the Goblin Leader to widen its eyes in shock.


    ''¡­ Hmm. I guess the Tank class isn''t all useless after all¡­'' I retaliate by grabbing the sword the Goblin Leader and pulling it towards me, the Goblin Leader taken along for the ride. It tries to let go, but my other hand refuses its decision for him by grabbing its arm to make sure it does not escape.


    My prey now caught within my clutches, I let go of the sword and cock my fist back, grinning all the while underneath my helmet.


    "[CANNON BLOW!]" I activated my skill with a shout, primarily to intimidate it with my gruff voice since it had no idea what I was saying, making the fear and intimidation factor rise as an effect. The Goblin Leader tries to block it with its sword arm by letting go of its sword, but its block was no use. Why?


    I allocated approximately half of my total HP to that blow. I felt my strength increase but my energy dwindle energy because of the act, not like I would care, it was the last enemy for this nest, anyway.


    My fist landed against the arm of the Goblin Leader. It exploded into a pile of flesh and blood, and the Goblin Leader tried to scream, only for my arm to land against its body.


    The result? Its entire body exploded into bits of flesh and gore, the only remaining proof that the Goblin Leader was alive, was the dismembered arm I still held in my hand. I would''ve barfed at the gore in the past, but killing a lot of Goblins in gory ways, and the adrenaline coursing through my body prevented that.


    I heave a sigh, the battle finally over.


    400 EXP gained!


    ''According to the EXP rewarded, the Goblin Leader gave 250 EXP, ten times the amount of a normal Goblin,'' I move to pick up the sword that was on the ground after the Goblin Leader let it go to block my strike, which failed, and toss it in my inventory. ''My spoil.''


    HP: 2958 / 5800


    MP: 256 / 1607


    ¡­ Looks like I went HAM on them with my Mana¡­ That said, looks like my HP regeneration was still going¡­ that, and it seemed like I have taken no damage from when the Goblins and Goblin Leader attacked me¡­ I''ll admit it, [Tank Body] is useful against low-leveled enemies¡­ I really need an [Observe] just so I can see who are low-leveled and who are high-leveled¡­


    I look at the wall I created earlier behind me. It is still standing tall, and since the fight at the other stopped, I can guess that the Goblins are all done. I climb the wall while creating some ledges, since it isn''t that tall, it didn''t take too long to reach the top. On the top, I see the group of Hunters busy scavenging the loot from the dead Goblins.


    I look at the pit I made with flame still tossed inside¡­ Yep, no loot for me then¡­


    I drop to the ground, unminding about the long fall. I land with a loud thud, dust scattering from the point of impact. The group of Hunters looks towards me with a cautious gaze at first, which settled to an appreciative nod at the moment of recognition. Though, that didn''t mean they trusted me yet, take the Elves and Dwarf as an example.


    "Genius work there, big guy!" Sogtharoch grinned while giving me with a thumbs up. "Breaking the command line with a wall, good stuff!"


    "Easy there, Sogtharoch," Lennon said with a straight gaze while cutting out something from a Goblin corpse. "We still need to get the core of the Goblin Leader¡­ You killed it right?"


    My sweat dropped.


    "Does obliterating it to oblivion count?" I ask with my serious face. No point in looking nervous and sheepish. That would just let them think I''m weak. I need to show some strength so they won''t decide to raid my dungeon. That said, they''re not the problem. The problem is when a stronger force raids my dungeon after I repel/kill them.


    "¡­ Haah¡­ Mariona, Merethyl, please confirm," Lennon sighed with a tired face. The Elves nodded right before sending me a threatening frown.


    ''Note to self, don''t obliterate enemies¡­ Unless required¡­'' I thought to myself as I helped them with gathering the cores, right after I asked them how to do so.

 Chapter 24 - Monke Meets... Weredog?

    Four days have passed since the destruction of the first Goblin Nest. During those four days, we scoped the next Goblin Nest, reduced their numbers a bit, and on the fourth day, raided the Nest with all intents to slaughter them.


    It was a repeat of the first nest, so to say. Goblin scouts were lured then killed, Goblin parties were also lured and killed, and once that was done, KEELHAUL ALL YE BASTARDS!


    So yeah, not a very eventful four days. At least I got a significant amount of EXP during the mass slaughter.


    2550 EXP gained!


    EXP: 3470 / 10000


    [Gorilla Body] lv 9 -> MAX


    [Gorilla Go Smash!] lv 6 -> MAX


    [Gorilla Fighting Tech] lv 7 -> 8


    All in all, the result is satisfactory, although my EXP bar is still far from full.


    We are currently setting up camp in the middle of a clearing. We change campsites regularly to throw off some monsters if they ever find out about our camping spots.


    "Jionni, good work," Lennon smiles at me before returning to tend to the fire. Kayla, who was snuggling beside him, glares at him and me for a moment, before returning to her action of snuggling. Grurnuir is busy drowning in a bottle of alcohol, Sogtharoch is sharpening his halberd, and the twin Elves are making out in their tent.


    Dear God, why are they horny in the middle of a dangerous forest?


    Shaking my head at the distracting thoughts, I push myself off my lazy (not really) ass and proceed to climb a tree.


    "I''ll be on the watch, you all get your rests," I said as I bring myself into the patches of green, which are now darkened in color because of the lack of light.


    I move through the treetops with finesse and ease, my efforts of practice from the nights before helping my growth. I circle the camp every 10 minutes, keeping a close watch on every angle. I didn''t dare use fire because I fear I may get spotted by scouts, keeping myself well hidden with my blackish fur, as well as getting my eyes used to the dark.


    It takes me a few more loops before I spot something amiss. A gleam in the dark takes my eye away from the pale moon and into the dark bushes. I hide above the trees, careful not to make a sound, and wait for anything to come near.


    My patience is awarded once a snout of a dog appeared from beyond the dark, and the rest of its body followed. It was dressed in a ragged, leather cloth hugging its upper frame, and a loincloth covers its genitalia.


    It was coated in dark brown fur ¨C though it would probably pass as brown during the day ¨C and held a dangerous-looking dirk in its hand. Its ears were pointed straight up, kind of like horns, and its mouth was in an ever-present scowl. It walked on its two hind legs and was walking through the bushes carefully like it was searching for something.


    It sniffed the air once, twice, then thrice, before it decided to move on, into my direction no less.


    ''Shit, it got my scent from when I was looping around the camp,'' I slowly backed away and looked for something I could throw. I grabbed a twig that was near me on top of a thick tree branch. I had to settle for a twig at the moment since I didn''t want to make any noise.


    The dog got closer and closer, its sniffing in the air getting more and more intense the nearer it got. I lined up my hand and got ready to throw.


    It got close enough that its head quickly snapped in my direction. Taking that as a cue, I throw the twig toward the dog. My throw was strong, but my aim was crap and the twig missed its mark by a meter. The dog yelped when the twig landed against the ground with a loud snap.


    Taking that momentary distraction, I focus my Mana and conjure an Earth Spike to impale the dog through the chest. It notices the shifting in the earth and snaps out of its shock, dodging the spike at the last second.


    ''Smarter than a Goblin,'' I drop to the ground quickly, a loud thud accompanying my descent. The dog glares at me, but I pay no mind to its hostility. I rush at the dog, who in turn, rushes at me as well, serrated dirk held in a tight grip.


    I equip my armor during my rush, shocking the dog momentarily, but not enough to distract it completely. I punch at it with a wide swing while covering my face. It dodges easily and proceeds to gut me with its knife with a snarl.


    ''Heh, bad move, dog,'' the dirk impacted my unarmored skin due to the experienced wielding of the dog, but it didn''t penetrate, shattering upon contact. ''My gamble paid off.''


    I smirk and grab the dog before it can realize it lost its weapon and escape into the darkness. It yelps and howl, but I quickly grab its snout to silence the dog and slam it against nearby tree bark, its teeth, blood, and spit splaying in the air and into the ground.


    It hissed in pain and anger, but I smashed it against the tree one more time before its whole body goes limp.


    50 EXP gained!


    ''Double EXP than Goblins, huh¡­'' I look at the corpse of the dog with brows furrowing. ''If I''m not mistaken, this is a Kobold¡­''


    I sigh and toss its corpse inside my inventory. The others will need to know about this, and time is not on our side.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Len," Kayla called out to Lennon who was tucked inside his sleeping bag within their tent. He tilted his head so he could better see the face of his lover, which he now noticed was full of worry. "¡­ This was¡­ How can we escape? You say the only way is Jionni''s dungeon, but-"


    "Kay, listen to me," Lennon brought a hand to her face and stroked her cheek. "I know it''s risky, but we have no other choice. You know the Hunter Association''s rules¡­"


    "I know, I know, Hunter''s are to be drafted towards the army force in the region they currently work at," Kayla said with a frown. "Shitty rule, we aren''t soldiers, damn it¡­"


    "We''ve been looking for a way out for months now," Lennon stroked her hair and brought her closer into a hug. "This is our only shot at freedom."


    Kayla sobbed into Lennon''s chest as they cuddled in closer.


    Meanwhile, in Sogtharoch''s tent, the said Demon could be seen twiddling a circular object that was in his palms.


    ''Don''t worry, it''ll work¡­'' Sogtharoch continued twiddling the object as he sat on a chair. ''I just need to get the timing right.''


    On the other hand, Grurnuir could be seen snoring inside his provided tent, an alcohol bottle in hand.


    "Mrm¡­ Hougrana¡­ Forgive¡­ Noleada¡­" Grurnuir''s face scrunches up as he twisted and turned inside his sleeping bag.


    The twin elves, however, were both naked underneath their sleeping bags, bodies packed together closely like sardines inside a can.


    "Sis, can we trust that¡­ beast?" Mariona frowned while she hugged her older twin sister.


    "Look, Mari, I know it''s hard to trust anyone at the moment," Merethyl stroked the blonde hair of her younger twin sister. "But we have no choice. We refuse to subordinate ourselves to these humans and their petty squabbles, but the beast¡­ Jionni at least, has some form of human decency, wherever it came from."


    "I know, but¡­" Mariona was silenced with a passionate kiss to the lips, their tongues playing about inside both of their mouths. They separated after a few seconds, both of them gasping for breath as a strand of saliva formed between their two lips.


    "No need to worry about that for now, Mari," Merethyl''s lips formed into a sultry grin. "We haven''t had our fun in nearly a week, and you might get stress marks if you stress on the problem too much."


    "Argh! Alright, alright! I get it!" Mariona fumed in mock anger, and both of the twin Elves laughed heartily. The previous solemn and depressing atmosphere was gone, and in its place, hot sighs and moans of pleasure took root.


    A few minutes later, Jionni would arrive bringing grave news.

 Chapter 25 - Monke Vs. More Weredogs

    After I explained to the team of Hunters who I woke up in the middle of the night, all of them packed up their stuff and handed it to me so I can stuff it inside my inventory.


    "Jionni, we need to move," Lennon grabbed his sword and shield and stared at me with tired, but resolved eyes. "Kobolds differ from Goblins in how they act. They act more unified, and will deal with any threats to their current living situation."


    I nod gravely at the situation. Everybody here was having trouble moving due to how tired they are. Lennon was grasping his sword tight, but sometimes slacken his wrist, Kayla wobbles on the floor, Grurnuir has a hangover, the Elf twins are in the¡­ post-coital aftermath of their actions, and Sogtharoch is blinking his eyes a little too often.


    "I''ll take the front," I readily took the lead to our other camp during our march into another campsite we had in this forest. "Who will take the backside?"


    "I will," Sogtharoch grabs his halberd and brings it to his shoulders. "Just focus on the front big guy, I''ll take the rear."


    "Alright, Grurnuir in the middle," Lennon glared at the dwarf for a moment. "Next time, don''t get too smashed."


    "A-aye¡­" the dwarf grasped his head in an attempt to curb the pain.


    "Alright, let''s move," I complied with Lennon''s command and carefully led the team of Hunters towards another camp outside of Kobold territory. I keep a close eye on our surroundings, the darkness hindering my vision.


    I equip my armor just to make me seem intimidating so the Kobolds that would otherwise attack us, would instead have second thoughts and back away, giving us time to get away from their territory.


    We continue like that for hours; the moon shining above our heads a sign it was still far from dawn. A rustle of leaves grabs our attention, all of us looking in the direction where the sound originates from. Lennon readies his weapon while the others do so as well. Grurnuir still has a hangover, so he is still a liability during a fight.


    Lennon taps my body, and I shift my gaze towards him. He glances at the shrubbery, then back at me. Realizing his intention, I crept slowly towards the bushes, keen on keeping silent. The bushes rustle more and it pauses. I stop as well, ready for anything to come at me and scream murder.


    It rewards my caution with a Kobold jumping out of the bushes, an ever-present snarl on its face. It wields a dagger, not a serrated dirk like the other Kobold I killed earlier.


    "Lennon!" I yell as the Kobold tries to stab me with its dagger. I let it land on my skin, the dagger shattering upon contact, prompting the Kobold to change its snarling expression to that of a shocking one. I waste no time grabbing its arm and snapping it like a twig. It yells in agony, and I shoved its head into a tree trunk, quickly ending its life.


    50 EXP gained!


    I look back towards the group of Hunters who were busy dealing with their fair share of Kobolds. Lennon and Kayla were dealing with three, the Elf twins dealing with 3 as well, Grurnuir dealing with 2, and Sogtharoch dealing with 4.


    ''These Kobolds are smarter too,'' I ran towards the nearest Kobold. It looks towards my direction and freezes in place. Not wasting the chance, I grab its legs and use its body as a club to smack the other Kobold near it.


    The sounds of colliding bodies and bones breaking enter my ear canals and I let go of the Kobold I was using as a makeshift bat, causing it to fly into another Kobold who was fighting Grurnuir.


    150 EXP gained!


    It looks like the Kobold died on impact, a promising development. Looking behind me, I see Lennon and Kayla dealing with the last Kobold that was harassing them. They look towards me and nod, and we charged towards the remaining Kobolds.


    "Raggh!!! Come ''ere all ye bloody mutts!" in his hangover rage, Grurnuir smashes his battle-ax into a Kobold and was bisected in half vertically, its insides spilling into the ground. "Ahh, needed that."


    I ignore his comment and focus on the Kobolds trying to kill the two Elves, who actually needed no help, seeing that they were instead decimating the Kobolds.


    I shift my gaze towards Sogtharoch, who was in contrast to the Elves, struggling. It was no wonder though; he was fighting four of them all at the same time without getting any impactful damage on himself. He prompted on holding the Kobolds off and waited for help, which is an excellent decision on his part.


    "Sogtharoch, to the right!" I yelled, and he took notice. Without hesitating, he dodges to the right and impales a Kobold in its gut, the sharp-end of the halberd penetrating through its entire body. Its eyes grow lifeless and its movements still.


    "You came at the right time, eh big guy?" Sogtharoch slid the body of the dead Kobold hastily with a grin. I smash another Kobold to a pulp as it tried to block into the ground with a snort.


    50 EXP gained!


    "Naturally," a sword shattered against my bare skin, and the Kobold that held it looked at me with fear in its eyes. I quickly kill it in response by grabbing its head and crushing it with my mean grip. I drop its corpse to the ground and scan the area, finding only one Kobold remains from the ambush.


    50 EXP gained!


    The last Kobold didn''t last long, however, as the Elf twins made quick work of the lone Kobold, its corpse dropping to the ground with a thud.


    "Status report," Lennon called out to us as he stabs a Kobold corpse that was lying on the ground in its head.


    "No damage," the Elf twins checked on each other, then nodded, coming into a brief embrace.


    "Big headache¡­" Grurnuir spat as he clutched his head from the throbbing pain of his hangover.


    "Bloody clothes, other than that, peachy," Sogtharoch grimaced at the smell that emanated from his bloody clothes.


    "Fine," I dust off some shards of a blade that found their way into my fur, the pieces of metal glinting under the moonlight as it falls to the grass drenched in blood below.


    "¡­ Good, take some rest, we leave in five minutes¡­" Lennon leaned against a tree trunk with Kayla beside him, while the Elf twins did the same to another trunk; Grurnuir found a clean spot and laid down on it, and Sogtharoch followed Lennon''s and the Elves'' example.


    Me? I sat on another clear spot where there is no blood. I may not be as tired as they are ¨C even though I was awake all night ¨C but less energy consumed equals higher chances of survival.


    We rested in there in silence for a good 5 minutes, and we continued on our way towards the other camp just outside Kobold territory.


    We need a better plan if we want to safely exterminate the Kobold nest. They know we''re here, and it seems like they''re smarter and stronger than the Goblins, a major wrench in our plans.


    "Hey, big guy," I shift my gaze towards Sogtharoch who walks beside me. Judging from his grin, he has something planned up, and I don''t like it. "Don''t trust the dwarf."


    His grin changes into a frown before walking off like that conversation never happened. I blink once, then twice, and on the third time, I shake my head.


    ''Don''t trust the dwarf? Like I trust any of you¡­'' I snicker at the thought. There was never any trust to begin with. This is just a job and a way for me to get a backer to prevent some nasty eggs from trying to ruin my life.


    Me trying to build relations with these Hunters is just another form of creating a backer, so there would be less chance of the Hunter''s Association sending a kill team for my ass. That said, I still need to give them a reason that I''m not hostile, and partnering with me will benefit them as well.


    ''The mines will do, and when I get some other floors, I can ramp up production,'' I imagine a mine full of Gorillas working their asses off to supply me some minerals so we don''t get killed. Granted, there may be a greedy Hunter or two, but I can just repel them with my army of Monkeys.


    Sorry, I meant Monke.


    Anyway, while I was busy in my thoughts, we arrive at our destination, the sun already peeking up from the horizon.


    "¡­ God damn it¡­" I hear Lennon curse from a few meters away, probably because of the light. No big deal.. Now, I''ll have to keep my guard up against Sogtharoch. His friendliness is very suspicious¡­

 Chapter 26 - Monke Do Be Like Charger

    We set up camp in various states: Lennon and Kayla were exhausted; Mariona and Merethyl were glowing and annoyed; Grurnuir still has a hangover, and Sogtharoch was off doing his own thing.


    I, however, didn''t need a tent so I just opt to watch them work while I rest instead since I didn''t get some sleep during the night.


    I was the first watch, after all.


    Anyway, it took them the good of half an hour to finish setting up their tents and they all went back to sleep, while I slept outside and kept my eyes half-open. It wouldn''t be good to get attacked while my team ¨C albeit not a friendly and welcome one ¨C rests to recover their energy, right?


    ''I still need to open that [Gift Box] the system sent me, but here is not a good time, nor place,'' I glance at the window of my inventory to see the [Gift Box] inside one of the slots. It would be quick to get it, open it, and return the contents back inside my inventory, but I don''t want them to see anything.


    I don''t trust them enough.


    Now, to make sure that we don''t get attacked easily, I used my Mana to conjure a 5-feet-tall and 1-foot-thick wall around the camp in a circle, which cost me a good half amount of my Mana, not anything that won''t regenerate after I rest.


    I close my eyes and let my body slump into the grass, basking in the warm sunlight pouring from the sky.


    A few hours later after our rest, we were all ready to get moving and continue with the quest. Lennon, as usual, took the lead and led us through the forest, his mind on high alert after the ambush from last night.


    "Merethyl, scan," Lennon halted and nodded to Merethyl, who in turn followed his order. She brought her staff high and concentrated. A few seconds later, she lowered the staff and glanced back towards Lennon.


    "5 Kobolds in a group. Two big, two small, one medium. The four have bladed weapons, while the other has a staff," Lennon scowled, and the others followed. Me? I stayed silent as I have no idea what''s going on.


    "A Kobold mage, this is a difficult one," Lennon glances to Mariona, then to me. "Jionni, I want you to cause a distraction while Mariona kills the mage."


    "Very well," I take no further instruction as I dash off noisily towards the Kobold group, my feet pounding on the ground leaving footmarks due to how hard I stomp on it. The group of Hunters I left behind also separate as they all do their things.


    That said, the Kobolds notice me due to how noisy I am, and through the bushes and trees, I see them getting ready. The two big Kobolds are wearing what seems to be rusty, iron armor, while the small ones wore a poncho over their leather clothes.


    The one in the back, however, wore a cloak that hid its entire body except for its snout, which was formed into an eternal scowl. It raises its staff and begins chanting in a language I have no understanding of, but that is beside the point and I get ready to dodge or tank the incoming attack.


    The two large Kobolds take their places in front of the mage and heft their shields up, swords ready in their other hand. The small Kobolds dash in opposite directions and into the foliage, vanishing from my sight as a result.


    I pay no heed to their actions as I continue charging like the mad beast that I am currently. They wanted a distraction, well, they got one.


    I roar and smash through any bushes, shrubs, plants, and thin trees as I charge at them, causing the two large Kobolds to visibly flinch. I see the Kobold mage finish with its chanting and smack the butt of its staff on the ground, the earth around me and in front of me turning into a quagmire.


    ''Now I know why they scowled¡­ That is one broken AOE effect¡­'' I thought as I see the quagmire rapidly approaching. ''I guess now is a good time as any to use that skill.''


    I feel the burn in my health as I activated one of the Skills I have that can completely ignore any crowd control effects, (Anything that hampers movement) as well as feel my lifeforce seeping out into some kind of red aura that floats from my body, making my visage look like one equal to a man-eating demon.


    My feet land on the quagmire, but it didn''t hamper my movement whatsoever, shocking the Kobolds. The large Kobolds deemed it necessary to intercept, so they rushed forward towards me with their shields raised high.


    ''Bad move,'' I snicker internally as I see an arrow fly through the tree branches and into the hooded head of the Kobold mage, its body crashing on the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. The two large Kobolds look behind them because of the thud and froze, a bad decision on their part because of me.


    I haymaker the two large Kobolds with their back turned and they go soaring through the air and into a thick tree trunk, embedding themselves into it as their bones crack and twist into angles that shouldn''t be natural.


    150 EXP gained!


    ''Huh¡­ They give more EXP¡­'' I cancel the skill and feel my body relax. ''Well, they do look stronger than the other Kobolds.''


    "Good work," I hear Lennon coming from a bush nearby and see him dragging one of the Kobolds who jumped into the nearby shrubbery to get out of my vision.


    "You''re scary, big guy. You know that, right?" Sogtharoch who was with him gave me a wide grin as he fiddled with his halberd that was drenched in blood.


    "Sheesh, these mutts are going to be the end of me," Kayla groans from the other side of another bush as she drags a heavily mutilated corpse of one Kobold. "I swear, their breaths are too horrible to breathe in¡­"


    "Ha! Lil'' lass be complainin'', yer didn''t even hafta fight ''em directly!" Grurnuir, who now had his hangover cured, scowled at Kayla while he kicked the head of the dead Kobold.


    "Mhm," Mariona descends from a tree right above Lennon, landing in an almost quiet manner. Truth be told, she has all the requirements for an assassin-type job.


    "Well done, Mari," Merethyl smiles as she pats the head of her younger twin sister. Mariona leans into her touch and closes her eyes with a warm smile.


    "Alright, Jionni, care to stuff them in your dimension pocket?" Kayla and Lennon both drag the corpses towards me. I comply and stuff them inside my inventory. I also do the same to the Kobold mage and the two large Kobolds who were stuck inside a tree trunk.


    "Alright, let''s get moving," Lennon steps forward and we follow his lead.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Sir!" a soldier comes in through the tent with haste, his armor clanking, and clanging, bringing attention towards him in an instant.


    "What is it, soldier?" a middle-aged man dressed in decorated armor brought his eyes upon the intruding soldier.


    "A large force of footmen could be seen marching towards our location, sir!" the soldier reported with a high-pitched voice, indicating his fear at the current circumstances.


    "¡­ I see¡­ Grab the equipment, I need to send his Highness a message," the man commanded and the soldier bolted out the room after he gave a salute.


    "¡­ Oh, Orotl, Goddess of Strength, please, bless us," the man said gravely as he donned his sword and headed out of the tent. "War is coming¡­"

 Chapter 27 - Monke Shaken

    Moving through the forest was now second-nature to me. A bunch of grass here, some soil, bushes, and trees; all of them within my peripheral vision. Nothing could impede my movement within this forest now. I even had full confidence that if it was night, the dark could not restrict me.


    Inside a cave though, now that''s a different can of beans. True, I own a dungeon, but was my dungeon ever cave-themed? No, it wasn''t. It was a forest theme, though a forest in a cave, but still a forest.


    "Jionni, you stay here and listen carefully for this," Lennon gave me a pallet-sized ball. I stare at the pellet in confusion until Kayla decides to give me the rundown about said pellet.


    "This pellet is something like a communication device," Kayla grabs a pellet from her pouch and lays it in her palm for me to see. "When a parent pellet is broken," Kayla points at the pellet in her palm, "the child pellets will emit a high-pitched sound, then shatter. You hold one child pellet, as well as the others."


    "And when it does go off," Lennon takes the parent pellet from Kayla''s hand. "I want you to seal this cave entrance, then go for the other entrance nearby."


    "We have got to thank Merethyl for that," Kayla nods her head with a smile. "That scan of hers is really useful."


    "Indeed, it is," Lennon grins in response, pocketing the parent pellet as he does so. "Now then, you know the plan, then let''s go."


    Lennon and Kayla walk away silently, away from this cave entrance with bloodstains scattered all around. There was a group of 4 Kobolds here earlier. Now their bodies are nice and cozy inside my inventory.


    Too bad I didn''t get to kill any of them. What a waste of EXP¡­


    I shake my head, ''Job first, EXP later. Worry about getting stronger when you''re sure no one will interrupt you,'' I stand guard in the cave''s mouth, alert for any Kobold that tries to pass through.


    The plan was relatively simple. We block entrances to the Kobold Nest, then we either storm them or smoke them out. We went for the latter option, as natural. It''s safer, and we don''t have to get our hands dirty!


    ''Damn it¡­ More waste of EXP¡­''


    As for how we got a rough map on the Nest of the Kobold, that would be thanks to Merethyl. As it turns out, her scan isn''t only good for scouting potential threats, it can also give out a rough layout of an area, though as a consequence, Merethyl almost ran out of Mana.


    Thankfully, we have a plentiful stock of Mana Potions in my inventory, courtesy of the Hunter team, of course. Why they allow me to carry their stuff is beyond me. I could just run away with it, but I guess that would set me up in a bad way¡­


    Yeah, not keen on having a raid against my dungeon this early. I hate being bossed around, but hey, I''m trying to survive here with little to no information about the outside world, and staying cooped up in the dungeon while slowly raising my forces isn''t good enough.


    I break out of my thoughts once I hear the loud wail coming from the pellet in my hand.


    ''Holy¡­ That''s loud!'' I grit my teeth. They didn''t say it would be this loud! That, and it sounds like nails scratching on a blackboard!


    I endure the auditory torture and gather my Mana to seal the cave entrance with [Earth Manipulation]. A few seconds later, the noise stopped, and I sealed the entrance. I have to admit, my proficiency with [Earth Manipulation] is coming along well ¨C even though the level isn''t rising ¨C and the results are shown with the new [Earth Wall].


    MP: 1520 / 1620


    So, 100 Mana for a 3-meter-thick, and a 4-meter-tall wall. A major improvement in my control. I grab the pellet that was on the ground and toss it inside my inventory. Once done, I huff it to the other nearby entrance where we would all meet up.


    It took little running to reach the cave entrance. I wasn''t even the first one there, as Kayla and Lennon were about to light something with a match. Upon closer inspection, it was gasoline that leads into the cave.


    Surrounding the two humans were more Kobold corpses, their blood coating the grass red. All of them had various stab wounds around their body, but one, in particular, had a bullet hole through the head.


    ''Huh, I guess that loud noise from the damn pellet masked the gunshot,'' I approach the two, who in turn shift their gaze towards my figure. The both of them then went back to their duty of lighting the gasoline on fire.


    "Oi! Stop!" I rush at the two of them. They look at me in shock for a moment before they got ready to engage. Kayla points a gun at me while Lennon draws his sword and got into a stance.


    I stop in my tracks, very confused at the sudden situation. I shake my head and ignore their hostile gazes.


    "Let me light the gasoline," I point towards the gasoline. Both of them didn''t break eye contact with me. Judging from how they reposition themselves, it was probably an attempt to look at what I was pointing at while still not breaking their line of sight.


    I sigh and huff, conjuring a ball of flame from my palms. Kayla and Lennon realize my intentions, but they didn''t let their guard down.


    "Then, go ahead," Lennon said with a tense face. I didn''t go ahead with the fireball, though. There was one reason.


    Gasoline explodes when ignited. Even if there is a 0.1 percent chance of it happening, I''m not risking it. They die, the deal is off, I get my head on the bounty board, and my life might be cut short because of a powerful adversary.


    Not letting that happen.


    "Move away from the gasoline first," I use my other hand to wave at them, and they got the message. Once they were meters apart from the gasoline, I let the fireball go and into the black liquid.


    It caught fire, then it spreads inwards into the cave, black smoke rising to the air. I conjure an Earth Wall around the source of flame so it won''t spread to the nearby trees and grass.


    I don''t want to start a forest fire here.


    While the fire was doing its work, the rest of the Hunters arrived, and judging from their faces, the entrances were blocked successfully.


    Now, we wait for the magic to happen.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    Turns out, the cave system wasn''t that huge. It didn''t even take a few minutes before Kobolds began rushing out of the damned cave.


    They paid no heed to the fire, braving the flames instead of suffocating to death inside their home-turned-deathtrap. The flame was still going strong, and they consumed some Kobolds who dared brave the flames.


    200 EXP gained!


    ''¡­ Oh?'' perhaps throwing that fireball was actually a good decision. Scratch that, it was a great decision! Now, all I have to do is wait while the Kobolds kill themselves.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    1350 EXP gained!


    More Kobolds dead to the flame. It''s a bummer that those that suffocated weren''t counted as my kills. All of us were still ready for a fight, though. You can never let your guard down, even when the enemy looks like they''re about to croak.


    It was a few more minutes later that I noticed something wrong. I look behind me and saw something that would literally destroy all my plans for having some human relations.


    "I''ll have yer head! Ye black-furred abomination!" Grurnuir raised his ax above his head and swung down towards me.

 Chapter 28 - Monke In Bad Spot (Understatement)

    A/N: This fic''s still alive! Not much to say though...


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    I reactively raised my armored right hand to block the incoming strike from the Dwarf. The ax met metal and the common sound of metal bashing against metal echoed around the forest. I pushed the Dwarf off with my strength and countered with a strong, but not lethal punch to the gut. It connected and sent him careening to the ground, breathless.


    "What is the meaning of this?" I narrowed my eyes at the Hunter party, who all of them ¨C sans the struggling Dwarf ¨C were shocked at the turn of events.


    "Grurnuir!? What the hell!?" Lennon glares at the Dwarf for a moment before approaching the Dwarf and sending his teammates a look. Their shock now gone, all of them moved to restrain the Dwarf, who was obviously still vying for my head.


    My mind still reeling from the sudden betrayal, I took a step back and readied my Dungeon Return Stone.


    ''I know the Dwarf hated me, but to this extent? It''s counter-productive in our current goal!'' I stopped myself from screaming that aloud. My plans for fostering an amicable friendship with the town near my dungeon, which can curb stomp me to oblivion, were slowly crumbling to pieces.


    It was at that moment I noticed a missing person from the group. I spotted the twin Elves, the Dwarf, and the Human couple, but the Demon was missing. Instantly, my senses flared and I tried to take a step forward, only to have a halberd meeting my right arm, piercing through my skin and flesh.


    HP: 4321 / 5890


    Red blood seeped out of the wound as I held back a scream. The pain too much for my senses for me to make a rational decision other than grabbing the sword I looted from the Goblin Leader in my inventory and slashed at the being who wounded me.


    The Demon dodged by reeling his head backward, the sword nicking his nose, causing it to bleed. Sogtharoch then used my moment of weakness to push some kind of orb in his left hand to my skin.


    With my subpar Agility, I wasn''t able to react in time towards the attack. The orb touched my skin, then sunk into it, before my body glowed an ethereal light.


    [Warning! Warning! Orb of Transference power output detected! Attempting protocol 1-C-5-5-B-1!]


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!"


    My mind went blank, incredible pain searing through my entire being as I screamed out to the heavens. It was like having boiling oil poured onto your entire body, having it seep into your muscles, then liquefy your innards.


    In short, it hurt like HELL.


    [System compromised! Initializing Safety Mode!]


    The pain then vanished like the pain wasn''t even there to begin with. I slumped to the ground, unminding of the halberd still stuck to my arm. It was then I made the split-second decision, while I was still conscious, to get the hell out of dodge.


    I grabbed the Dungeon Return Stone from my inventory and glared one last time at the Demon, who I now placed at the top of my kill list for the future, to see a victorious grin plastered on his face.


    "Thanks for the power-up, big guy!" The Demon''s grin infuriating me to no end, before my vision was replaced by the familiar sight of my hammock in the Dungeon Core Room.


    It is official, relationships are burned down, it''s time for war.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Sogtharoch!? What the hell!?" Lennon shrieked as he readied his weapon against the traitorous Demon. The same could be said for the twin Elves, and his lover, all of their weapons pointed at the smirking Demon.


    "Ah, finally, after all these years," Sogtharoch grinned like a madman. He then turned towards the rest of the Hunters. "Ah, I''m afraid this is where we part ways. Damn shame too, you lot were a lot of fun."


    "Don''t fuck with us Sogtharoch! What the hell did you do!?" Lennon snarled at the bastard, Kayla readying to shoot her gun in case something happens.


    "As if I would spill out my secrets to you," Sogtharoch waved his hands mockingly towards the group of Hunters. "I was never a part of your group, but I will admit, teasing you two Elves were a blast."


    "¡­" Mariona and Merethyl glared at the Demon who probably ruined their chances at escaping the incoming war. The same could be said for Lennon and Kayla. Grurnuir though, was still out of it after getting punched in the gut by the, as he called it, ''Black-furred abomination.''


    "Anyways, I''ll see you all in the future," Sogtharoch grinned at the Hunters, a ball hidden within his hands away from their sights. "If you''re all still alive, that is."


    A sudden flash blinded the group who were too focused on the traitorous demon''s face. Once the effect subsided, they realized that Sogtharoch was nowhere in sight.


    "Motherfucker!" Lennon smashed his fist against a tree trunk to get rid of some stress. Once Lennon saw Grurnuir already aware of his surroundings, he grabbed the Dwarf by the scruff of his neck and raised him high. "What in the nine hell''s possessed you to attack Jionni, huh!?"


    "I¡­ Wha¡­?" Grurnuir was feeling woozy, and no, it was not from booze. "Attack the¡­ Black Beast?"


    Lennon, already out of patience, punched the Dwarf on the face, knocking some sense into the dazed Dwarf.


    "Gah!? Now what the hell was that fer!?" Grurnuir snapped, then noticed the looks he got from his teammates. "Uhm, wut happened?"


    "What happened? What happened!? YOU AND SOGTHAROCH ATTACKED JIONNI IS WHAT HAPPENED!" no longer concealing his anger and frustration, Lennon let go of the confused Dwarf, causing the short, bearded male to fall on his ass. "AND IF THAT WASN''T ENOUGH, THAT DAMNED HORNED TRAITOR JUST UP AND RAN!"


    "Wait, ye and I know that I hate the black beast, but I ain''t attackin'' it while on a job," Grurnuir protested with his hands in front of him. In response to that, Lennon glared at him even more and was about to yell again, but was stopped when a scream pierced their eardrums.


    One look at the cave and they saw a few stragglers coming out, ready to end their lives. Noting that life is more important, they shoved their anger, frustration, and confusion to the back of their heads and focused on killing the Kobolds.


    And if it did relieve some stress, then good.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ First Person POV (Jionni) ~


    I grabbed the halberd stuck in my arm and pulled it out in one go, a hiss of pain escaping from my lips. Blood pooled at the ground below but stopped growing any further from my wound closing up thanks to my [Tank Body] perk.


    I knew something was wrong with the Demon. He was too friendly, but I couldn''t push him away because I knew if that I pushed him away, his team members would be hostile the moment I did so¡­ And that Dwarf attacking, why did he do it? From what I saw, he was not hiding his anger, but he was controlling it perfectly, so there was a low chance that he would''ve attacked me out of the blue like that.


    So why the hell did that Dwarf attack me out of nowhere like that?


    If I could garner a guess, the Demon had a hand in it. I have no idea what magic he uses, but he was able to deduce what I was going on about back when we met in the Hunter''s Association.


    I''m going out on a limb here and assume that he has magic associated with the mind. That, or the Dwarf really hated me.


    I stop that for a second before reading why the hell my system went into safe mode.


    [System compromised! Safe Mode Initiated! Unable to gain EXP until problems are fixed¡­ Estimated time until completion¡­ 239:58:43]


    ¡­ Are you fucking kidding me?

 Chapter 29 - Monke Back In Dungeon

    Edit: Some texts were missing in the paragraph starting with Namely:... Fixed now.


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    I took the bastard demon''s halberd and placed it in my inventory. It might be the weapon used by that bastard, but you can''t fault the weapon for the user''s actions.


    I approached the Dungeon Core, tapping the blue, floating orb.


    Summon


    Market


    Customize


    Notifications [!]


    ¡­ Well... that tab wasn''t there the last time I checked... I clicked on the new tab [Notifications] with an exclamation mark next to it.


    [Notifications]


    Leave the Dungeon for the first time - - - Reward(s): 250 DP, 1 Free Dungeon Room


    Acquire non-summon Dungeon Defenders - - - Reward(s): DP 500, 2 Free Dungeon Rooms


    ¡­ Well, that''s helpful, VERY helpful. I quickly open the [Customize] tab and redecorate them with the biomes I require the most. Another mine, a poison swamp, and another forest. I placed the poison swamp at the very front of the Dungeon. I''m not going for a game approach, where dangerous biomes lie in wait when you are sufficiently ready. No.


    If they want to come and kill me, I will make it my life''s mission to make it as impossible as I can for the invaders. I know that there is no such thing as the perfect defense, but next to impossible is possible, so yeah.


    The goblins would be staying in the forest, which was right next to the poison swamp. The mine will be next to the other mine I had, and in each room, I summoned the appropriate mobs for them.


    Namely: Chimpanzees in the poison swamps, a Gorilla, Mandrill, and Chimps in the Forest Area, and Gorillas and Goblins in the Mine Area. Apparently, the Summons lack resistance to the biomes unless they are inherently resistant, so the chimps are the best bet. Arm them with range weapons that poisons the target, preferably paralyze since the biome is dangerously poisonous already, and you have an incredibly hard room to traverse without proper equipment.


    Let me tell you now, Dungeon [Customize] is bullshit. Why did I not think of this earlier?


    That said, it took a bunch of my DP, 250 per room, plus an additional 250 for that poison in the swamp biome, so yeah, balanced.


    I took a quick peek at my remaining DP.


    DP: 80


    My DP was getting dangerously low, so I closed the tab and made a beeline for the area where I ordered the Gorillas in the Mine area to dump the ores they mine. One look at the pile of ore and already, the amount was more than enough to create a few weapons for my summons, and, quite possibly, for me too.


    Having said that, my first priority will be to make pickaxes for my other gorillas in the other mining areas to use. I''ll also have to teach one of my summons to learn how to do blacksmithing. That, or I can use another Blacksmithing skillbook and use it on one of them to skip the learning process.


    But first, I need to check on my summons and the Goblins who have taken up residence in my dungeon.


    I leave the Core Room and head towards the Forest area just beyond this room. While walking, I pondered what to do because I was certain that a subjugation force would be breathing down my neck tomorrow, or within the next few days if not sooner.


    ''I am still not prepared enough. I need more time...


    Time I wasted by ensuring that I was strong, not my Dungeon. It''s one thing for the Dungeon Master to be strong, but it''s another for the entirety of the Dungeon to be strong.


    I''m a fucking Dungeon Master for fuck''s sake, and what do I do?


    Strengthened myself instead of strengthening my bodyguards.


    [Estimated time until completion¡­ 239:52:32]


    And this damn debuff is just rubbing facts in my face. I can''t get stronger until this all blows away, so my only hope of surviving the incoming wave of death is by strengthening everything about my Dungeon.


    And I''m talking about traps, summons, weapons, recruiting, and other stuff.


    "Boss!" a voice said, jolting me out of my reverie. I perked my head up and looked towards Manny, the mandrill.


    "Manny, how was the Dungeon when I was away?" I glanced around the Forest area and learned that nothing had changed.


    "Quiet. No invaders. Little green men arrived," Manny directed my gaze towards a few wooden huts that the Goblins made with their primitive knowledge of building. Overall, it is a suitable home for 8 Goblins.


    A single Goblin peeked its head out of the hut and its face grew into a smile once it saw me.


    "Chief! Chief! Hairy boss is back!" the goblin ran into one of the huts, bigger than its own, from what I observed.


    ''Hairy boss?'' I sweatdropped. Couldn''t they have given me another name? Well, they are Goblins, so what the hell¡­


    I remained in my position, waiting for the so-called ''Chief'' of the Goblins. From our last meeting, I would guess it was the old Goblin that approached me first. A few moments later and my guess was proven correct.


    "Ahh¡­ Greetings, Boss," an old, wizened voice greets my ears. "I am glad you have returned from your journey."


    The old Goblin bows its head before me. Its accompanying Goblin does the same, albeit quickly and nervously.


    "¡­"


    Wow¡­ didn''t think a Goblin could talk politely, much less show respect¡­ I would''ve assumed that they were the dark Goblin types. You know... pillage, kidnap women, **** them and force them to birth their children, forever condemned to a life of torture.


    I guess I was wrong.


    "¡­ Uhm¡­ Boss?" The old goblin raises its head nervously. "Have I¡­ offended you in any way¡­?"


    I snapped out of my speechlessness and quickly shook my head.


    "No, I was just¡­ surprised¡­ I didn''t think a Goblin could do¡­ well¡­ everything you just did¡­"


    "Ah, yes, yes, I understand," the old Goblin looked a little crestfallen at my words. "The fault lies within us Goblins, young ones, to be precise. They are¡­ brash in their decisions, a common feature in every Goblin younger than 15 years."


    "Hmm¡­? 15 years? How old are you, Goblin?" I cast a curious glance at the old goblin. His words sparked my interest.


    "Why, I am already 18 years old, a Goblin nearing the end of his life," I blinked... So, Goblins have a short lifespan in this world, and if what it''s... he''s saying is true, then the reason Goblins are hated and treated as monsters rather than equals here is because they make very bad decisions in their lifetime.


    "But¡­ Forgive me for asking, Boss, but how are you able to understand our language?" The elderly goblin cocked its head. "Only Goblins understand our tongue, which is also another factor why we are hunted down. No young Goblin would waste their time learning a language of another species that wants to kill them. All they think is kill before they are killed."


    "It''s... because of a potion given to me by humans," the old Goblin perks up his head.


    "Ah, I see. Sadly, I have no knowledge of this potion, so forgive me for not sating your curiosity."


    "It''s fine. That said, I still haven''t gotten your name," The old Goblin bowed his head again, this time with more respect than before.


    "Why, how thoughtless of these old bones. "My name is Gobun, an elder of a Goblin settlement that was kicked out due to... a change in positions," the old Goblin, now named Gobun, sighed sadly as he remembered. As I had no idea what that meant, and, seeing that it was disturbing him internally, I stopped that train of questioning.


    "I see, Gobun," I patted his tiny body with my huge arms. He jumped a bit, but relaxed when he learned that I wasn''t going to do any harm to him. "Tell me, do you or any of the goblins you brought with you have any skills that could help me protect my dungeon?"


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "¡­ What did you say¡­?"


    "Sogtharoch has betrayed us, and Jionni, the Monster Dungeon Master has escaped," Lennon reported with a bitter face, his left arm bandaged from the wounds inflicted on him during fight with the remaining Kobolds.


    "¡­ Alexa, my office, now," Nicholas, the manager of the Hunter''s Association Branch of Kazanpan, grabbed a communications device that looked like a brick and spoke to it. A few moments of silence and the door leading towards the room opened, revealing a blonde-haired assistant in formal wear.


    "Yes, Sir Nicholas?"


    "Prepare a bounty. Name is Sogtharoch, I.D. number 1128775901." Nicholas took a piece of paper and handed it to Alexa, who quickly accepted it.


    "Understood," Alexa bowed before leaving Nicholas and Lennon alone in the room.


    "Haah¡­ Lennon, thank you for your report. Get some rest, dismissed," Lennon nodded and left the room promptly. Now alone, Nicholas grabbed another communication device, also brick shaped, but different from the one used to contact Alexa. Some software commands were entered, and the brick began to ring. A few rings later, someone from the other side picked up.


    "Nicholas?"


    "Bentley, just wanted you to know, your contingency plan has gone AWOL---"


    "WHAT!?" Bentley Shaiydon''s voice raped Nicholas'' ear drums, causing him to bring the brick further from the aching appendage.


    "¡­ Yes, I was about to prepare a subjugation force, but judging from your tone, it seems you have something to add before I do so."


    "¡­ Sorry for the yelling, but can you tell me why Jionni has gone AWOL?"


    Nicholas sat in the chair, taking a swig from his drink.


    "Betrayal. That Demon in their party? It turned out he had other plans," Nicholas tapped on the desk, his rage contained within the stern manager''s perfected visage.


    "¡­ Alright, thanks for relaying this to me. Before you go subjugating his Dungeon, can you allow me one more chance to try and get his cooperation back?"


    "Go ahead, but remember one try, after that, you know what happens."


    "¡­ Thanks, old friend," Bentley''s relieved tone brought a soft smile to Nicholas'' face.


    "Anytime, Pansy Bentley."


    "O-oi!" Bentley''s sputtered in indignation, bringing Nicholas to laugh out loud.


    "Ah, just messin'' with ya, like good ol'' times, yeah?"


    "¡­ Fuck you," and with those final words, Bentley hung up, causing Nicholas to laugh even louder.

 Chapter 30 - Monke With Goblins + Migraine

    Gobun led me towards his tiny little settlement, the other Goblin who called Gobun earlier accompanying us, while Manny left to inform the others. There are enough wooden huts to house at least ten goblins. Glancing around the encampment, I can see tiny green heads peeking around the corners, trying their best to get a good look at me, their current Boss, if what Gobun told me earlier is any indication.


    "Boss, we Goblins are at the bottom of the food chain by monster standards," Gobun waved his arm around. "It is extremely difficult for a Goblin to develop any sort of skill in their lifetime, except for hunting and other activities related to it. However, Goblins, young ones in particular, are easy to teach, although their limits are easily reached, such is the nature of a Goblin."


    I nodded in understanding. If Gobun is correct, goblins can be taught anything and expect results quickly, but they are also incapable of reaching master-tier in their chosen craft.


    "So, let''s say I teach them how to make a weapon. An expert Goblin would only be able to craft, hmm¡­ a beyond average weapon?" I asked while focusing my gaze on the elderly Goblin. Gobun smiled weakly as we arrived at one of the huts, a hut not his own.


    "You assume correctly, Boss," Gobun nodded and knocked on the flimsy, wooden door big enough to only fit a Goblin. "This is one of the factors why Goblins are on the lowest rung of the monster food chain."


    The door opened, revealing another Goblin wearing some kind of ragged clothing. It saw me and bowed nervously.


    "However, there is one way for a Goblin to overcome its limits," Gobun patted the Goblin, causing it to lift its head up and stand still like a statue, waiting for a command or something. "And that, Boss, is called evolution."


    ¡­ Evolving monsters is a thing here¡­? Well, this gives me another reason to recruit/kidnap more monsters, regardless of strength. If I can cultivate their strength, teach them some knowledge I get from Skillbooks, and have them evolve into a higher species, I can create another form of defense that is separate from my summons.


    "How does a monster evolve?" the moment I said this, Gobun''s pointy ears wiggled, then deflated.


    "That, Boss, is completely random," Gobun sighed as he motioned his hand for the Goblin inside the hut to follow. Once he did so, the four of us began walking in another direction. "In my entire lifetime as a Goblin, I have only seen one evolve, and he was just an average Goblin. He had little strength and intelligence, so imagine our surprise the next day when he was as tall as a human, stronger, and smarter."


    ¡­ So, if evolution is as random as he claims, it can not be trusted. I wonder if there are any factors leading to an evolution, I must experiment¡­


    "Ah right, I''ve been to engrossed in our conversation that I forgot to introduce you to this fellow," I glance at the slightly shaking Goblin that Gobun called from the hut. "Her name is Gobi, a somewhat skilled trap maker. Of all the young Goblins in this camp, this young ''un is the best at what she does."


    "I-I-I fol-follow B-Boss!" the young Goblin''s stutter makes it a little amusing, bringing out a slight chuckle out of me.


    "Relax, I''m not going to hurt you," I patted her head with my giant, meaty hands. She shirked in fear, but was unable to escape, my giant hand landing on her tiny green head with hair. A few moments of patting, and Gobi calmed down, but still not used to my pats, as obvious from her shaking.


    I withdrew my arm from the little Goblin''s head, and she breathed a sigh of relief, which she tried to hide quickly with an anxious expression.


    Seeing this somehow reminds me of videos from a video platform where a child gets caught red-handed with his hand in the cookie jar, prompting me to chuckle again.


    "Anyway, back to business, you say that she is skilled at trap making?" I snapped out of my funk and regarded the elderly Goblin who had a slight smile on his wrinkled face.


    "She''s not the best, mind you, but she''s above average," Gobi shook slightly, taken aback by the compliment.


    "Is that so?" I approached Gobi, causing her to shake more. I grabbed a fruit from my inventory and handed it to her, causing her to look at me in confusion. "Gobi, if you can place traps in my Dungeon, I will reward you. This fruit is the first of many, and if you do well enough, I will grant you a gift you may not refuse."


    The little Goblin looked at me apprehensively, but relented and took the fruit from my hand, before taking a bite out of it. She perked up at the taste and began to devour it happily, her face munching on fruit, looking like a little hamster.


    "Are there any more Goblins with a specific set of skills?" Gobun shook his head in response to my question.


    "Unfortunately, they are ordinary goblins who know how to fight, hunt, and kill. Gobi here is an outlier," Gobun smiled softly at the tiny Goblin girl. "You see, the reason why she became a trap maker was that she was no good at fighting directly, and since if a Goblin does not work, he can''t get food, Gobi had to find another way. What''s a better way to hunt than using traps to kill an animal without bringing harm to oneself?"


    "That¡­ is a good point," I rubbed my chin with my hand.


    "I believe this is all I have to show you," Gobun bowed his head towards me with respect. "You have no idea how grateful we are to you. If you had not found us, I believe we would''ve already died from natural causes, or been torn to shreds by other monsters and animals. Please accept my gratitude on behalf of my camp."


    "Then, show your gratitude by proving to me that you are useful in my Dungeon," I grinned back and promptly left the Goblins to do their thing, but not before commanding Gobi to place traps all around the Forest areas, and, if possible, in the Poison Swamp area as well.


    As I made my way through the foliage, I thought to myself, ''I should probably check in on the monkeys.'' Apparently, the forest areas merged together, seeing that the room was bigger than before. I had no idea before I came to this area again, so this gives me some more knowledge of how to benefit from this feature.


    I should probably check out the mines later¡­


    A few minutes of walking and I found myself within the circle of monkeys.


    "Boss back!"


    "Boss!"


    "Big Boss!"


    The cacophony of greetings and yells almost burst my eardrums. Who knew a mixture of monkey species could produce such a sound?


    "I''ve returned; how''s the dungeon?" I waited for all of them to gather in front of me before one of them piped up, none other than Gong.


    "Boss, Dungeon quiet, no intruders," Gong smacked his shield with the club I gave him.


    "Good," I nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. "All of you train... Invaders may be arriving in the near future. I will also tell the Goblins to train with you, and also, I will personally train each of you."


    The monkeys saluted and I left. Other than giving them orders, there isn''t much I can say to them. I knew I could just command them with the Dungeon Menu, but I needed a report on how they were doing in the Dungeon while I was gone. It''s not that I didn''t trust Manny; it''s just that I needed another source of confirmation.


    This time, I went back to my Dungeon Core Room. Before I head to the mines, I need to make some pickaxes for the other Summons, and with my [Blacksmithing] skill, the recipe for the pickaxe was all in my head.


    That reminds me, the damned system gave me a gift when he fucking nerfed me, the asshole¡­


    Once I reached the Dungeon Core Room, I opened my inventory and saw the innocent looking red gift box icon.


    [System''s Gift] x1


    ¡­ How I want to throw this thing away just to spite the damned asshole, but beggars can''t be choosers, and I need everything I can get to survive the incoming wave of death.


    So, without further hesitation, I grabbed it and pulled it out. The red box wasn''t that big, about the size of a box that could fit a person''s head into it. I grabbed the tie, and pulled, unwrapping the ribbon. It caused a domino effect and the wrapper wrapped around the box came undone, revealing the box.


    It opened by itself, with a few light shows here and there. Someone''s clearly compensating¡­


    The contents floated out of the box, and the moment I saw it, I had a headache¡­


    Acquired [Dungeon Helper Domino] x1


    ¡­ Why the hell does it have to be a little girl!?

 Chapter 31 - Monke With Child

    My gaze is drawn to the little girl''s form; thankfully, she is dressed... Otherwise, I''d be shanked in the ass once I got to prison¡­


    She looks like she is 12 years old, her petite frame cementing that fact into my brain. She was dressed in a puffy, silver-colored jacket, with a black undershirt. Whether the undershirt was sleeveless or not was unknown due to the puffy jacket. She also wore black, somewhat baggy shorts that reached up to her knees, black knee socks, and white sneakers.


    All in all, an outfit that would not be rare in the contemporary era.


    She had short, periwinkle hair that only reached down to her neck, and slightly pointed ears, not long like those twin elves.


    She opened her eyes and her deep, lavender eyes took all of my attention.


    "¡­ Papa¡­?"


    ¡­ Oh shit¡­ Somehow, this feels very, very wrong¡­ I died a virgin, for fucks'' sake! And I''m not even 21 years old! Mentally!


    "Papa¡­?"


    "¡­! Yes¡­?" I snap out of my barreling train of thought.


    "Papa!"


    The girl launches herself from the box and into me, hugging my thick-as-a-log arm. In my vision, she was tiny, just the same size as a Goblin.


    ''All right... Calm down, what was she again? It was referred to as a [Dungeon Helper] by the system, and her name was right next to it....?'' I was busy gathering my thoughts. The little girl prodded my arm, hugging it, poking it, sometimes slapping and punching it like some kind of toy.


    "¡­ Tough¡­" the girl''s muttering brought me out of my mind as I focused my gaze on her.


    "Uhm¡­ What''s your name, little girl?" I asked with an anxious smile. Strong being or not, harming a child is a prospect I would never face.


    "Mu¡­? Name¡­ Domino¡­" she tilted her head cutely to the side, her large eyes full of innocence.


    "Hmm, Domino, huh¡­?" I cupped my chin in contemplation. Throwing caution to the wind, I readied myself for my next question. "What are you anyway?"


    "Mhm¡­" Domino nodded and let go of my arm. She retreated a few steps behind me before looking up at me with her innocent gaze. "Me¡­ Dungeon Helper¡­ I help with Dungeon¡­ Managing, summoning, buying¡­"


    "Hmm¡­" I slipped back into my thoughts. ''So, effectively, she''s a mini-Dungeon Master, only she isn''t combat-oriented, but more economic-oriented. That is actually useful because it allows me to delegate some repetitive tasks to her, such as re-arming the traps I buy from the Dungeon Menu, summoning mobs whenever I enter a new room, and other things, freeing up a lot of time for me to train the Dungeon Mobs/Defenders/Residents and make some gear for them without relying on the Market.


    "-pa¡­ Papa¡­" I felt a tugging on the black fur on my arm. I''m a Silverback, mind you. I lowered my gaze to see Domino tugging on it, her curious gaze fixed on my face. She tilted her head once again ¨C quite cutely, I might add ¨C and brought herself to speak. "Tired¡­?"


    "¡­No, I''m not tired. Why do you keep calling me Papa, anyway?" I asked, curiosity driving my question. I would''ve assumed that instead of ''Papa,'' what she would''ve called me instead was¡­ ''Boss,'' ''Master,'' or even just ''Dungeon Master.''


    Not that I''m not grateful. I''m glad she isn''t calling me ''Master.'' That just makes me feel like a damn pedophile¡­


    "Mhm¡­ I call Papa¡­ Because Papa is Papa¡­" she stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    ¡­ What the hell is this clich¨¦ anime bullshit¡­? I expected a rational answer, seeing that her response earlier to what her job was logical¡­ Then again, the System loves trolling me¡­


    Fuck you, System¡­


    "¡­ Anyway," I decided to let that train of thought slide. I''d rather roll with it and continue with my life, thank you very much¡­ "First things first, can you call me anything other than ''Papa''?"


    "No," she immediately responded with intent to kill, marring her visage. Yep, definitely not pissing her off in the future.


    "Alright," I said, feigning a cough to... retract my previous statement. "What can I do to make my dungeon more secure?"


    "Mhm¡­" Domino nodded and brought out a holographic screen. On the aforementioned screen, I could see the entire dungeon. I can see Gobi placing traps around the Forest Area, the other Goblins doing some work on their camp, the monkeys following the orders of their drill instructors, who happened to be Gong and Manny, and the other gorillas in the Mine area mining for ore. "Dungeon Defense standard¡­ abysmal¡­ require more troops¡­ suggest luring/kidnapping and taming monsters¡­"


    "¡­ A possible task. I''ll have some chimps lure in some monsters from outside the Dungeon," from my answer, Domino nodded agreeingly.


    "Also suggest arming Dungeon Defenders¡­ Quality is required," I agreed with that statement.


    "And also training them how to fight," I remember the time I looked through video platforms about monkeys fighting. Most of the time, they just flail around, trying to grapple their foes and bite them to death. Gorillas fall harshly under this category.


    If a gorilla knew how to use its strength, not just flail around, then it could probably fight against a grizzly bear. That said, the grizzly would still have quite an advantage due to how they are made. The Grizzlies didn''t terrorize people in the early 1900''s for nothing.


    What was it that they said, ''Gunshots only make it angrier¡­?''


    Anyway, if I could teach the gorillas and other monkeys to fight like a human would, this would incredibly bolster their fighting capabilities. I can recall a news article where a silverback gorilla tore the head off a human with its bare hands.


    There''s no photographic proof, but if that''s true, a gorilla could be one of the most lethal dungeon mobs I could ever acquire.


    Domino agreed with me with a nod of her cute face.


    "Domino, can you manage the Dungeon for me right now?" I pointed to the ore stack and the blacksmith''s set I had purchased at the Market," I need to make some pickaxes for the new mobs in the Mine area."


    "Anything for you¡­ Papa¡­" Domino chirped happily, her expressionless face making it even cuter.


    ''¡­ Damn it¡­ this feels¡­ so¡­ so wrong¡­'' I buried that thought within the deepest part of my mind and went on my way towards the Blacksmithing set. I need to focus, and distractions will just waste precious time.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    After a few hours of work, I finally made 5 pickaxes. It was a hard, grueling task, but it was all worth it.


    [Blacksmithing] 1 -> 2


    It might not be much, but this tells me that leveling up my skills is still possible, even with the damned debuff.


    [Estimated time until completion¡­ 235:32:51]


    Setting the debuff duration aside, I found out that a pickaxe required a sturdy stick, and about 2-3 ingots of iron. Luckily, the gorillas mined just enough to make about 15-20 ingots of iron.


    Anyway, with my task done, and my Dungeon supervised by Domino, I now had to give the miners their pickaxes. I nod to Domino, who has been instructing Manny to relay her instructions to Gobi and the rest of the Goblins on where to place the traps, as I place each pickaxe in my inventory.


    Even if the Goblins didn''t know how to place traps, Gobi did, and it wasn''t that hard to teach them how to place simple traps. As obvious as the traps are with good eyesight, they can hamper the movement speed of the invaders.


    Domino returned my nod with a tiny smile, as I continued on with my task. Domino also taught me one of the functions of the Dungeon, and that was to create passageways from the Dungeon Core Room to the other rooms in an instant, which could only be used by me or Domino alone.


    For some reason, I used this feature unconsciously when I went to the forest area by myself, completely bypassing the mining area. I guess that I was too caught up in my mind that I went unaware¡­


    How unfortunate. It seems that hauling the ores to the Dungeon Core Room won''t be instantaneous.


    That reminds me that I need to teach some of my mobs the art of blacksmithing, even if my abilities are mediocre. Everybody has a starting place, and if my mobs start 1 kilometer before the starting area, so what?


    I was so in my head that I didn''t realize I was already at my destination, with various other gorillas and Goblin miners staring at me with concern.


    "You okay¡­ Boss¡­?" a gorilla approached me, probably the lead miner.


    "Yes, just fine," I grabbed the pickaxes from my inventory and gave the new miners their gear. The goblins bowed respectfully, while the gorillas bared their teeth, opening their mouths to show both rows of teeth as a sign of submission.


    After that, they took the pickaxes and went off to do their work.


    All in all, I guess this was pretty productive. Next is teaching the defenders how to fight like a human. The last time I taught them, it was just how to swing their weapons, and block attacks. I''ll give props to the chimp who learned how to use a bow.


    How the hell did Chip even figure that out, I do not know, but it is hella useful.


    Done with that, I headed towards the Forest area to meet with the monkeys. Still, one thought kept plaguing my mind¡­


    ''Where the hell can I get some quick DP¡­?''

 Chapter 32 - Monke Be Like Drill Instructor

    I made my way through the rocky interior of the Mine area. It wasn''t long until I arrived at the passageway connecting the Forest area and the Mine area.


    I moved through the damp tunnel while letting my thoughts wander.


    ''Okay, main problems in my Dungeon¡­ Number one, no DP,'' the glaring problem made me want to bash my head against the wall. I can''t properly arm my dungeon against the approaching danger because I don''t have any DP.


    DP: 80


    I checked my remaining DP through the Dungeon Menu once more, further cementing the fact that I am ill-prepared in my endeavors to strengthen my Dungeon. There are just too many problems I have to deal with at the moment.


    One, DP¡­ Two, mobs¡­ Three, mob strength¡­ Four, my damned debuff¡­ And last and most important, a subjugation force¡­


    There is no telling when they would arrive. They could either arrive tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow. Hell, they might not even show up, but that was highly impossible.


    They must see me as a threat now. A rogue monster capable of smashing about a dozen average Hunters before going down itself. What''s worse, it even had command over an entire Dungeon, as well as intelligence on par with a human, if not more!


    My arms felt grass. I looked around and found myself surrounded by vegetation thick enough to somewhat impede my vision, but not enough to hamper my movement.


    Striding through the forest, I use the Dungeon Menu to locate the training monkeys. A few minutes of walking brought me to a clearing where gorillas, chimpanzees, and mandrills alike were wrestling each other to the ground.


    Once one of them saw me, however, they stopped and gathered in front of me like loyal soldiers.


    "Boss!" all of them yelled, the gorillas and mandrills baring their teeth while the chimps submitted themselves to me.


    "Is this all of you?" my question piqued Gong''s interest, as he was the primary instructor on how to fight, albeit in a way that a skilled human could exploit.


    If this was Earth in the Middle Ages, it was fine; all they had to do was grab the human and rip him in half. Here, though, that is impossible to do. Not only do the inhabitants of this world have guns, but they also have magic! Imagine what they could do to counter a wild animal?


    "No, Boss. Manny with little green men. Lead around Dungeon," Gong pointed at a direction, prompting me to look at said direction. I brought my gaze back towards the waiting group of primates with a nod.


    "All right. All of you, form a circle. Gong go to the center and remove your armor and weapons," the primates nodded and quickly formed a circle, with Gong following my orders and heading to the center. He stripped off the armor and placed it neatly in the corner, as well as his weapon and shield, and tended to by another gorilla.


    I followed Gong to the center and he looked at me curiously.


    "All eyes on me!" my voice immediately brought their attention. "Pay close attention to how I fight."


    I will confess, I am not a great teacher. I have no idea how to fight, but if I can incorporate somewhat-human fighting techniques into the primates'' repertoire of skills, then all the better.


    I drummed on my chest, signaling the start of the fight/spar. Gong responded by drumming on his chest as well, before charging in, his hands stretched out towards me. I countered by smacking one arm aside, while grabbing the other, before pulling Gong and going in for the kill.


    Namely, biting his neck. With a gorilla''s bite force, it can easily pierce through the flesh of a human, and even bone. Showing them this fight will let them be proactive in using their bites as a means of killing off an enemy.


    I came to a halt just as I was about to bite Gong''s neck and released him.


    "One, if you can, bite your enemy!" I could see the primates nodding at my words. "Next¡­"


    Both me and Gong went at it again, but this time, instead of bringing him close to biting him, I punched Gong in the face with my gorilla strength. Needless to say, Gong was sent flying backwards. Thankfully, I didn''t put that much force into my punch, otherwise, Gong would be dead.


    "Two, if biting is not possible, punch them!" I then pounced on the downed Gong and proceeded to strike his joints, neck, stomach, chest, and head. "Three! Go for the weak spots!"


    I relented and let Gong recover himself.


    "Gong, grab your shield and club," I said, pointing to Gong''s fighting shield and club. I grinned, then roared as I drummed on my chest. Gong replied by smacking his shield with the club and roaring as well. "And four! Remove your enemies'' fangs!"


    Gong rushed me, intent on bashing me with his club. I dodged to the right so he wouldn''t smack me with his shield and grabbed his arm, then yanked the club with my other arm. Gong was confused for a moment before a club bashed into his head and caused him to drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes.


    I look around the clearing and see the primates cheering. Well, this is one way to demonstrate live fighting. I waited for Gong to recover, then handed him back his club.


    "You did well," I said as I patted his arm. Gong bared his teeth once more, content with having served his purpose. "Once I get some DP, I''ll be sure to reward you."


    From my words alone, Gong was already on the next moon.


    "Yes! Boss!"


    "Now then," I scanned the clearing once more. "Gong, can you teach them what I taught you?"


    Gong nodded with enthusiasm. It looks like only one demonstration was enough to get him to learn. I patted him once more and stuck around to see how he trains the rest of the primates.


    I was not disappointed.


    Come a few days, these primates would definitely be a threat to any invader on their lonesome, assuming that the invader was a normal human. I said my goodbyes and left the primates for their training. Next thing on the agenda, recruiting, good thing I had Domino direct a few chimps to lure in some monsters.


    If I''m not mistaken, they should be in the Poison Swamp area or outside, and I''m not too keen on approaching the Poison Swamp area without any form of poison resistance.


    A few moments of contemplation later, I had made my decision.


    "Domino," her face appeared on the holographic screen in front of me thanks to the Dungeon Menu.


    "Papa¡­?" Domino blinked; her face still as expressionless as ever. "Assistance¡­?"


    "Yes, can you tell the chimps in the Poison Swamp area to kill about 90% of the monsters they lure in, and bring the rest to the Forest area?"


    "Understood¡­" Domino nodded. I then cut off the transmission and headed back to the Dungeon Core Room.


    ''While waiting for the DP to come rolling in, I''ll be busy doing some blacksmithing,'' I thought to myself with a frown. I was forgetting something¡­ Ah, right!


    "Also, Domino," I opened the comms again ¨C I''m calling it comms for convenience''s sake ¨C surprising Domino.


    "Papa¡­?"


    "Can you also instruct the Goblins or primates to tame the monsters that are brought in the Forest area?"


    "¡­ Understood¡­"


    "Very good, I''ll give you a reward once everything is all over," my words seemed to make her perk up. I could even see her slightly pointy ears wiggling.


    "Yes¡­ Papa¡­" she bashfully replied as I cut off the comms and continued my way towards the Dungeon Core Room.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Are you certain this will work?"


    "I''m not really sure, but of all the Hunters in this branch, your party has the highest chance of success."


    "And what if it doesn''t?"


    "Then we move to Plan B."


    "¡­ Very well¡­"


    Lennon bowed as Nicholas gave him permission to leave. He did just that, and left the room before heading downstairs to where his party members were waiting.


    "What did he say?" Kayla asked with concern.


    "Haah¡­ "Let''s not get into that here," Lennon said as he looked around the crowded room full of Hunters going about their business. "Too many ears."


    "¡­Okay," Kayla agreed, with the twin Elves nodding in agreement. Grurnuir was nowhere to be found.


    In a part of the town not that far away, said Dwarf could be seen trudging along the pathways with a gloomy aura.


    "It happened again¡­" Grurnuir recalled the time he was exiled from his hometown. He grabbed the ax he was given by his father before his death. "Damn it¡­ Why? Why again¡­?"


    "Damned Demon. Once I get mah hands on yer horns, I''mma rip it out of yer damned skull!" his grip tightened on his ax. Thankfully, no one was nearby as he trudged along.


    Walking on his lonesome, just like the times before he met the party.. Grunuir vowed, he would have his revenge against the bastards who wronged him.

 Chapter 33 - Monker Confronts Invader

    ''It''s quiet¡­ Too quiet¡­'' I thought as I let my meaty hands comb through Domino''s long, silky, periwinkle hair. She gave a satisfied purr, her tiny lips twitching upwards slightly.


    "Mhuu¡­ Papa~" she was currently sleeping on my lap, her entire body treating my furry legs like a makeshift bed.


    Over the last three days, both her and I have¡­ bonded, in simpler terms. I treated her like I would a little sister while I ignored her calling me ''Papa.'' She wouldn''t change her way of calling, something along the lines of, ''Papa will always be Papa.'' Yeah, I don''t get it either¡­


    But that''s not to say we didn''t get closer. She might be expressionless most of the time, hell, she wouldn''t even talk that much, but something about seeing her trying to grab my attention with her actions, be it managing the Dungeon, doing something productive, or even just plain being affectionate towards me did something to break my inner barriers.


    Sure, I may have trusted the Dungeon Mobs, but that was because they were loyal to a fault, and before I had that conversation with Domino. The Goblins, not so much, and no matter how many of them are there, there is no way they will leave alive should they attempt an uprising.


    Domino, however, was a gift from the System, something I would''ve never trusted in my entire life just because of that fact, but seeing her do everything she can do for my sake made me somewhat curious.


    At first, I treated her like any other dungeon mob, someone I could use to further my objectives. She was a gift from the System, the thing that kept on screwing me over in this 2nd life, but during these three days, I found out that she was more than just a gift from the System.


    She was alive, had emotions, and truly cared for me and the Dungeon. She would gladly lay down her life for my sake. I recalled the conversation we had yesterday night, right after I finished crafting some mediocre weapons for the primates and Goblins to use.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    "Domino, can I ask you a question?" my voice brought Domino out of her slumber. She was resting after she had finished all of her current tasks that I had given her. Apparently, even if she was like an artificial human, she was human, nonetheless. She ate, she breathed, and she acted like a human being. "What are you?"


    "Mu¡­ Domino is Domino¡­" she slid down from the hammock I had given her to rest in. She approached me with steady steps, her face never flinching from my gaze. "Domino is¡­ Papa''s daughter¡­"


    She gave my arm a hug, the only thing she could hug properly given her size. She nuzzled on my fur while purring like a cat, her slightly, pointy ears twitching in delight.


    "Domino will always¡­ always give Papa everything¡­" Domino looked up, her expressionless gaze directed towards me. Looking closer, her eyes were slightly moistened, like she was about to cry. "So please¡­ Love Domino¡­?"


    That was it. Her heartfelt plea broke down my barriers and I gave her a hug, lowering my body to be level with hers.


    ''When was the last time I experienced a hug¡­?'' my recollections of my family are hazy. I couldn''t remember a time where they even gave me some sort of affection¡­


    There never was one... Wasn''t there¡­?


    "Of course," I lifted Domino and brought her face to face. I could now see tears flowing down her cheeks, giving me the brightest smile she had ever given me. "I will never leave you alone."


    I placed her on my back and proceeded to parade her through the Dungeon, introducing her to the primates and the Goblins. Now that I think about it, even my Dungeon mobs have their own set of emotions and memories¡­


    ''What the hell am I doing¡­?'' I felt disgusted with myself. For so long, I''ve been treated as a tool by my parents and as a nobody by everyone else that I''ve forgotten what it''s like to be a human being.


    I was like a puppet with strings, following every command to the letter, and here I am, doing the same with my Summons, as well as with Domino.


    No more. When I thought of family, I thought of a wife and kids, but looking behind, I already had one around me. The primates'' and Domino''s faces coming to mind¡­


    I vow¡­ I won''t let anything come between us¡­


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    Well, we did have that conversation, but I still haven''t done anything to increase my relationship with the primates. Eh, actions for the future; for now, focus on improving the Dungeon''s defense...


    "Domino, wake up," I rubbed her head and she shook. She stretched and rubbed her eyes as she yawned while she got up.


    "¡­ Papa¡­?" Domino''s lethargic face was a comedic one. I couldn''t help but pinch her cheek softly with my hand. "Muu¡­! Papa¡­! Stahp¡­!"


    I released her cheeks and she pouted while I chuckled. I lifted her up once more and placed her on my back.


    "Can you give me the report summary for the last few days?" Domino nodded at my request and a holographic screen appeared in front of me.


    Trespassers Killed: 43


    Goblins: 23 = 25 DP, 20 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobolds: 14 = 35 DP, 25 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orcs: 6 = 60 DP, 50 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dungeon Residents DP income:


    Day 1:


    Goblins: 8 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Day 2:


    Goblins: 13 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobolds: 2 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Day 3:


    Goblins: 21 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobolds: 6 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orcs: 2 = 15 DP, 13 EXP (invalidated) each


    I also leveled up my [Blacksmithing] skill!


    Blacksmithing lv 2 -> 3


    This is the result of my actions, and I have found out a lot, like how the monsters who live in my Dungeon give me DP and EXP daily. I checked my total DP and smiled.


    DP: 1859


    It may not be that much, but it is acceptable. This way, I''ll be able to arm my Dungeon with more traps, excluding the amateurish traps made by the Kobolds and Goblins who currently inhabit it.


    Orcs however, don''t do traps. Instead, they made a fortress made of wood by chopping the trees in the Dungeon. It was only the wall part, though, and it was only on one side, but give them more time and there might be a wooden fortress in the near future.


    It''s a good thing I told them to build a fortress around the passageway leading to the Mine area. I also had the primates help with the building, so just behind the walls were various foundations for wooden huts.


    The Poison Swamp area, however, was another thing entirely. At first, laying traps was slow-going since only Gobi was doing it. Then, I had the chimps help, as well as bring in some monsters. Some died, while others were brought to the Forest area, where I forced them to serve me or die.


    With the influx of monsters, and with Gobi teaching them how to lay traps, traps are now in abundance in the Poison Swamp area, and a few more are scattered in the Forest area as well. Fortunately, the Dungeon Menu marked where these traps were, even if they weren''t created by the Dungeon itself, so there''s a slim chance I''ll be hit by one.


    Not that it would damage me heavily, though. I''m a tank¡­ And they are still obvious to the trained eye, since they were made by amateur trappers.


    ''I should probably increase the size of the Forest area. It''s getting too crowded,'' I opened the Dungeon Menu and started customizing the room. I then had it increased to twice its size, reducing my DP by 1000.


    Once done, I had Domino summon Orcs to increase their number, and more mandrills and gorillas. There are too many chimps currently. They are also easier to arm than primates because they have more humanoid bodies than them.


    However, primates are still superior. They are more versatile than the orcs, who are all just brute strength. Sure, gorillas are also pure, brute strength, but then you see them climb, run faster, and bite you to death.


    Anyway, I grabbed the leftover weapons I made in my downtime when not training the mobs and defenders. Both are distinct, with mobs being the Dungeon summons and defenders, monsters from the outside.


    Next, I made my way towards the Forest area via the Dungeon Master shortcut. Once there, I made my way to the ongoing construction of the wooden fortress. When I arrived, I handed over the weapons to the mobs without any gear. I ignored making armor for now, since weapons are more important, what with how little materials it requires, as well as how little time it consumes.


    It was at that moment, Domino tugged on my fur and showed me something I was waiting for¡­ Wait, a white flag? And is that Lennon¡­?


    [][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Lennon, are you really sure this will work¡­?"


    "Honestly, no," Lennon replied while waving a white flag in front of the cave entrance that leads to Jionni''s Dungeon. "But this is the only shot we have to avoid the incoming war. From the rumors I heard, they are about a week away from Kazanpan."


    Behind them, Merethyl and Mariona could be seen hiding within the trees if ever something bad happens.


    "Please work¡­ Please work¡­" Merethyl silently prayed while Mariona scowled at their unfortunate circumstances.


    It was after a few minutes of waiting did footsteps coming from the cave reach their ears. If one strained their ears, they could hear more than one pair of footsteps.


    The silhouettes of dozens of monsters like Jionni''s, big and small, came closer and closer. Once close enough, the sun shined on their bodies, revealing all of their figures, with Jionni at the front, completely garbed in his armor.


    "¡­ What do you want¡­?" Jionni spit out his question, his face flushed with rage. It was at that moment, they knew there was no convincing Jionni, but they had to try.


    "Jionni, please, listen to us," Lennon pleaded as he and Kayla went down on their knees and bowed. "A war is coming, and you are our only hope."


    Silence reigned supreme in the area, with only the sounds of people and monsters breathing, and the wind to be heard.


    "¡­ Me? Your only hope¡­?" Lennon and Kayla looked up, only to see a more furious scowl adorning his face. "Leave¡­ Your war is not my concern. Not after that bullshit you pulled outside the Kobold cave."


    "No, wait! I can explai-"


    "SILENCE! I will have none of that," Jionni''s roar boomed across the area, causing various types of animals to cower in fear and leave in an instant. "Leave. If you don''t, I will kill you."


    "¡­ Very well," Lennon and Kayla got up, their eyes shadowed by their hair. "Before we leave, however, please, allow me to apologize for our mistakes."


    "... Leave, final warning," Jionni said, and they both knew he was serious. They both left, leaving the Dungeon and meeting up with the twin Elves to head back to give their report.


    It seems.... conscription is their only fate¡­

 Chapter 34 - Monke Do Recruiting (Bullying)

    I screwed up¡­ Big fucking time¡­


    Why the hell did I turn them away¡­? They were ready to drop the hatchet, and here I was having a goddamn tantrum over a very bad situation that they had no control over.


    But then again, Lennon did say that there was an incoming war, and I want no part in that, thank you very much. Thanks to that piece of info, I now have some sort of idea of when I can expect invaders to come to my Dungeon for reasons only known to them.


    It could range anywhere from a few days, to a few weeks, and if there really is a war, then they won''t be able to split their forces so there is a high probability that they won''t send a subjugate force.


    This gives me more time to prepare my Dungeon, and luckily, based on a report from a chimp whose job it was to lure stray monsters to my dungeon, we discovered a Goblin settlement a few kilometers east of here.


    From what the chimp said, there were about 30-50 Goblins in the camp, with a few abducted humans and demi-humans.


    I need to take a risk here. Either leave them alone, or go and force them to submit to me and gain a bunch of Goblin underlings, as well as a huge source of DP income.


    And if I can get the humans and demi-humans to side with me, then all the better.


    "Domino, can you keep watch over the Dungeon while I''m away?" I brought up the comms from the Dungeon Menu and contacted Domino.


    "Mhm¡­ Affirmative¡­" Domino nodded and I gave her a grin.


    "Good, I''m taking some gorillas with me. Guard the Dungeon while I''m away, all right?" with that conversation done, I ended the call and made my way towards the group of gorillas.


    "Gong, are you here?" the gorillas turned their attention to me, with Gong stepping in front once he heard his name.


    "Yes, Boss?"


    "Take 3 gorillas and meet me at the Dungeon entrance," I said as I headed back towards the Dungeon Core room. Traversing through the passageway, I was greeted by Domino, who was waiting for me with an expressionless face.


    "¡­ Take care¡­"


    "I''ll see you later," we both parted ways as I moved through another passageway that led directly to the entrance of the Dungeon. These shortcuts were incredibly useful, and it lets me bypass the Poison Swamp!


    Domino nodded as she continued with her duties as a Dungeon Helper.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    I arrived at the entrance, the silhouettes of the gorillas waiting for me at the mouth of the cave. However, before I get there, I check the Market tab to see if there is a Mass Dungeon Return Stone.


    There was one, and it was only 500 DP.


    DP: 859 -> 359


    Mass Return Dungeon Stone ¨C instantly teleports every being within a 5-meter radius who the user targets as friendly back into his/her designated Dungeon.


    For a teleport stone, this is incredibly cost-efficient. How many people/monsters could I fit within a 5-meter radius? I think it is something along the lines of 50 or more average humans.


    Pocketing the stone in my inventory, I greeted the gorillas with a, "Good, you''re all here."


    "Boss, where to?" leave it to Gong to determine the reason for my actions. For a gorilla, he is smarter than some humans. That said, mobs can talk, so the argument that gorillas are less intelligent than humans is nada.


    "We head east, fight some Goblins, force them to submit, and lead them back to the Dungeon," I replied to Gong, answering his questions, as well as the other gorillas.


    ''I''m curious if this is any different than slavery... Actually, it is slavery. I am literally forcing sentient creatures to adhere to my rules, and if they fail, they get punished,'' I thought grimly as we travelled through the dense foliage. ''But this is the only way for me survive, and if they follow me, then they also get somewhat peaceful lives unlike their time in the wilderness. In addition, if they do follow me, I can provide better living conditions than they had previously.''


    The trek was silent, with a few skirmishes with wild monsters here and there. Some submitted themselves to me, some were rescued, others just wanted to join us, while others defiantly fought to the end.


    Right now, our group has reached about a dozen heads, with me and the mobs totaling up to five. The rest were a mishmash of Orcs, Kobolds, and a Lizardman who was seemingly exiled from his tribe.


    The Lizardmen, it appears, were not treated like demi-humans. Reason being that they lack human features, unlike Beastmen ¨C who, I learned, fell under the category of demi-humans ¨C who literally looked like humans with animal appendages.


    Cat people, dog people, lion people, you get the idea...


    There was also the reason that Lizardmen are incredibly aggressive when someone sets foot in their territory. They have their own social system, and it seems that they don''t take too well to foreigners.


    As in, they eat foreigners for their meals, literally.


    Pushing that thought deep into the back of my mind, I glanced at the group of monsters who were following me with either fear, respect, admiration, or indifference.


    Two Orcs, four Kobolds, and a Lizardman. A mediocre group of monsters with zero tolerance for one another unless there is a superior to all of them, with I and my gorillas being superior. They know that even if they banded up together, they would never win and would die instantly.


    I directed my gaze forwards, my mood lifted a little by the extra workforce I had gained for the Dungeon.


    ''Now all that''s left is the Goblin camp.''


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    The moment the Goblins saw me, they yelled and screamed, readying themselves for a fight. I pause in my place, glancing around the walls tall enough to reach the height of an average human woman. Their walls were made of sticks rather than logs, and I''m sure I could smash the wooden wall with little effort.


    "BRING ME YOUR LEADER!" I screamed from the top of my lungs, my voice carried by the wind, reaching every Goblin within the tiny settlement of Goblins. As a result of the intensity of my voice, the Goblins closest to me pissed themselves, while others fainted.


    The Goblins who weren''t affected by those two reactions clambered up and rushed into the village, intent on grabbing their leader to deal with the big, scary, black beast in front of their village.


    When I turned around, I saw the Orcs, Kobolds, and the sole Lizardman trembling in fear of me. Was I really that terrifying?


    I stood there in silence, my entire being rooted to the ground as I stared at the trembling Goblins. A few moments of silence later, I could hear some shuffling coming from the entrance of the Goblins settlement.


    It seemed the Goblins Leader had arrived, and seeing it pale once it got a good look at me made me laugh internally.


    "W-what does big, black beast want¡­?" the leader of the Goblins squeaked out while shaking like a leaf. What a pity, the other Goblin Leader I fought with the Hunter party was much braver than this fat, tubby, green lard.


    "I want you all to submit to me," stating my intentions as clear as day, made the Goblins tremble in fear. "Do not worry, I will be sure to accommodate you accordingly."


    This got the Goblins thinking. If they were to refuse my offer, they knew they would all be killed, but I think they had other problems, as seen by their rapidly paling faces and the red face of the Goblin Leader.


    "S-submit¡­? To you¡­? Submit!? SUBMIT!?" The Goblin Leader snarled angrily as it drew its weapon, a simple, old, rusted sword. The other Goblins who saw this shook in terror at the actions of their Goblin Leader.


    It appears that most of the Goblins don''t agree with what the current Goblin Leader is doing.


    "I AM LEADER! LEADER OF GOBLINS! I KING! KING!!! SUBMIT TO NO ONE!!!" his green face was now a bright red color, metaphorical fumes of steam coming out from his ears. "YOU! DIE!! GOBLINS!!! ATTACK BLACK BEAST!!!"


    His orders rang out, but none dared to move. The goblins were all rooted to the ground, fear coursing through their veins.


    "ATTACK!! ATTACK!! WHY NO ONE ATTACK!?" the Goblin Leader, now enraged, took a swing at the closest Goblin with malice. The said Goblin braced for death, but felt no pain.


    "Well, this makes it a lot easier for me," and with that, I grabbed the head of the Goblin Leader while it flailed about, striking my arm with its rusty sword.


    News flash, the sword snapped in half once it came in contact with my meaty arm.


    The Goblin Leader looked stunned, but I didn''t stop my actions. I began pulling, grabbing its torso with my other hand, the Goblin Leader shrieking in pain as it felt itself being stretched beyond its limits. A few seconds later, with an audible pop, the Goblin Leader''s head was separated from its body, along with part of its spine, its blood gushing like a fountain, painting the grass below us red.


    I dropped the corpse of the Goblin Leader and regarded the rest of the Goblins with a glare.


    "Submit? Or fight?" every goblin dropped their weapons and prostrated themselves before me in response to my question. Smiling in satisfaction, I called out the nearest Goblin ¨C who squeaked ¨C and gave him another question.


    "Where are the humans and demi-humans you hold captive¡­?"

 Chapter 35 - Monke And Trauma

    The terrified Goblins led me to a shed where a bunch of human and demi-human women were bounded by their wrists. A quick peek down had me closing my eyes shut in an instant.


    Yep¡­ Goblins are still sick fucks no matter the universe. If it weren''t for my need for more manpower, I would''ve lured the entire Goblin settlement into the Dungeon and killed them for quick DP.


    My emotions say yes to these thoughts, but my logic denies it and lets me focus on the long run. Was it morally wrong for me to kill the Goblins? Depends. Was it necessary? No.


    So yes, I will not kill the Goblins. They are coming back to the Dungeon with me. The humans and demi-humans, though, are also a problem.


    I''m sure they''ve been traumatized by the... heinous situation they''ve found themselves in... Scratch that, they would probably wish for death the moment they were released.


    The air smelled like someone had sex non-stop for days. Sticky, white liquid was all over the damn place.


    ¡­ I really, really want to kill every Goblin in this damn settlement, but no, I will not. Not unless I know for sure that I can live my life as best as I can, without the prospect of death breathing down my back.


    "You, get them something to wear, and for the love of all that is holy, clean them up," I snarled at the nearest Goblin who brought me to his¡­ hell of a shack¡­


    The Goblin bowed, then quickly ran out of the shack, screaming at the top of his lungs to get some other goblins to help him with his given task. The other goblins, noticing the screaming one, were quick on the uptake and began moving. No less than a second later, goblins all over the settlement were running about, all doing their best to please their new master, me.


    For all their flaws, though ¨C and they are too many to count ¨C they work fast when given an order. ''Survival of the Fittest'' rule, most likely.


    I travelled back to where the gorillas were waiting for me. Seeing that I had everything under control, they decided to safeguard the entire settlement instead, making sure that no hostile monsters could come through the entrance.


    "Boss! We done yet?" Gong appeared before me, wielding his giant club and shield. Behind him were two orcs that I had forced to join me, right after I slaughtered their companions because they had the gall to think we were a lower species.


    "Not yet, we just need to make sure those humans and demi-humans are fine, then we can leave," I nudged my head towards the shack, Gong''s eyes following suit.


    "Okay," Gong shrugged as he and the two Orcs returned to their posts defending the settlement while we tended to the needs of the obviously scarred women.


    I wonder, where did all the men go? Did they kill them? Most possible outcome during their raids, since they have no use for males. Food for thought for another time.


    A few minutes later, the goblins let out a shriek as they called my name. I left the gorillas and made my way back to the shack, where I was greeted by the unconscious women. At the very least, they won''t freak out if they wake up to the Goblins.


    I had the Goblins make some space, making sure that none of them were close to the unconscious women. I counted three, one human, two demis, with one of them being a beastman in the phase of her young adulthood.


    Poor girl, so young, and yet so scarred. I swear these Goblins will get what they deserve, but now is not the time.


    I roared to the heavens, attracting the attention of all the beings within the settlement and frightening the majority of the wild life who lived nearby. I stood in place, waiting for the rest of the Goblins, as well as the gorillas and the other monsters I had coerced to join.


    It didn''t take too long for them to arrive. Gong, the ever-loyal gorilla that he is, took my side and bashed on his shield.


    "Boss, we go now?"


    "Yes, we go now," I gave a smirk and took out the Mass Dungeon Return Stone from my inventory. Once I used the stone, my body began to flash white. The same could be said about those around me.


    Goblins all around me were panicking, yelling, screaming, and flailing about. The monsters, however, were calmer since I had mentioned this to them earlier before we arrived.


    Good thing they could talk as well, even if only in a broken language.


    I closed my eyes, ready for the sudden teleportation to end.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][]


    After the light show, I found myself in a forest clearing. The goblins, like the other monsters, did as well


    "Boss, we go back to tasks now," Gong piped up from beside me. I gave him a nod, as well as a pat on the arm to show him my appreciation.


    "Good, thank you, Gong," he brightened up at my comment. Moving my way through the disgruntled bodies of the green men, I glanced at each of them while analyzing them.


    ''More Goblins equals more traps. The Kobolds are the same way. Orc for more tanks, but what can a solitary Lizardman do...?''


    "Domino, have the primates lead the new monsters into their new lives, but take into account the new Goblins. They''ve made a serious mistake, and I''m sure I''ll punish them all once I know we''re safe," Domino''s face appeared in my vision as I dialed her number.


    "¡­ Roger," from her face, I could tell that she was enraged. "Goblins must¡­ die¡­"


    I semi-agree with that sentence, but my logical side won''t have it. I sighed and went back on my way towards the unconscious women. Why, for fuck''s sake, would the stone teleport the targets, and land them in different locations¡­?


    Questions that would probably never be answered unless I could dissect the system of the Dungeon Menu. FYI, the Dungeon Menu and my System work in different ways.


    Luckily, they landed close to each other. I hoisted one of them up and placed her on my back. I did the same with the other two and noticed how light they were.


    ¡­ Screw logic, the goblins that did this will feel fucking pain when I know the Hunter Association in Kazanpan won''t throw a subjugation force at me after the Civil War is done.


    Who knows, Kazanpan might lose its lord, but he can be replaced, and if the new lord thinks of me as a threat, then boom, easy subjugation force.


    And now I''m regretting my earlier decision to refuse their apology¡­ Goddamn it, emotions¡­


    I buried those thoughts deep in my mind as I hiked back to the Dungeon Core Room. From there, I''ll be making a suitable place for these three women to stay.


    I hope they don''t panic, but judging from their situation earlier¡­ Yeah, they will panic¡­


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ First Person POV (Cat girl Beastman) ~


    I opened my eyes. My body was sore, and my legs refused to move. Light filtered in, and my memories of the last couple of days were hazy. I looked around and saw a dense patch of trees and grass. I was confused.


    Where was I? What am I doing here? Where is my little brother¡­?


    No, wait, he was with me yesterday¡­ Then what happened¡­? Bells ringing¡­ Fire spreading¡­


    I paled, bile rising through my throat as I held it in through sheer willpower.


    What happened? Where am I?


    "E¡­ ron¡­ Where¡­" my voice was hoarse, it hurts just to even speak. My neck refused to budge as I tried to grasp what was happening.


    "Ah, you''re awake," a deep, gruff voice brought me out of my continually deteriorating mental state. I tried to see who it was that spoke, but my neck refused to move. "Please, don''t move too much. You''ve been through a harrowing experience, after all."


    Harrowing¡­? What harrowing experience¡­? The fire¡­ Eron¡­ Eron?


    "Er¡­on¡­" my throat was still too sore to speak, so I grimaced at my predicament.


    "Take it easy, I''m not going to hurt you," the voice was now closer. I was terrified. Who was he? Why am I here? "Here, something to drink."


    I felt something grab my back and lift me to a sitting position. It felt hairy, like a hairy beastman was touching my backside. It was then, I saw him from the corner of my vision.


    No, it wasn''t a him¡­ It was an it¡­ It was a monster¡­


    My face paled¡­ Am I going to die¡­? Eron¡­ I still need to find Eron¡­ He''s all I had left¡­ I won''t die¡­ Please¡­ I don''t want to die¡­


    "Calm down, you''re just going to hurt yourself more," in his hand, I could see a cup full of water. Was it poisonous? Does this monster want me to see me suffer? "Please, drink so you can recover well."


    But somehow, the tone in his voice made me relax. The cup met my mouth as the water went down my throat, quenching my thirst and relieving my sore throat.


    My vision was blurry, and darkness crept in from the side. No¡­ Please! No! I don''t want to die! I don''t want to die! I want to see Eron! ERON!! EROON!!!


    My eyes closed and my mind went black....

 Chapter 36 - Domestic Relations

    Comforting traumatized people is hard, and whoever says that it isn''t, I''d like to see them try and ultimately pull out the roots of their hair once they find out that it is indeed, extremely difficult.


    I could still see the fear in the catgirl''s eyes when she was drifting back into sleep when her exhaustion caught up while she was drinking the cup of water.


    ''How the fuck am I supposed to assist them in dealing with their trauma?!! It''s not surprising that when they see a goblin, they literally run for the hills, screaming and yelling ****, and I''m not sure how the others will react when they see me...


    I laid the catgirl back down on one of the beds I had bought from the Market. Thankfully, these beds only costed 15 DP each, an amount I can easily get back in a day.


    DP: 359 -> 314


    "Domino, can I ask you to watch over these girls while they''re out? I have to go and set up some rules for the new goblins," Domino nodded at my request and relocated from her hammock to another hammock, ready to be used closer to the three women.


    "¡­ Affirmative¡­ Watching over filthy humans¡­" Domino commented with an expressionless face, her arms unmoving at her sides.


    ¡­ Et tu¡­ Domino? What the fuck¡­?


    Briefly forgetting that¡­ off-handed comment, I created another passageway leading towards the Forest area, and by the Lord Almighty, those goblins better be ready, because it''s time for a fucking crusade.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "I see, so you''ve failed¡­?" Nicholas sighed at the obvious answer to his question. It seems that their familiar Dungeon Master refused to cooperate with them, thus marking them as a target in Nicholas'' eye.


    "Yes," Lennon reported with unveiled despair. Nicholas sympathized with the young man. He knew their plans to seek refuge with the Dungeon Master once the civil war kicks off under the quest from the town''s lord himself to safeguard his wife and children.


    They were just ordinary hunters, with almost no experience fighting in a large-scale battle and an equal mortality rate as foot soldiers during wartime.


    Nicholas could also see himself, along with the rest of the Hunters who stuck around in this town, drowning in their own sea of blood. Nicholas may be a seasoned veteran, but that doesn''t mean he is invincible.


    He might be able to kill a few dozen soldiers before going down himself, but he was prepared to do so¡­


    For the safety of his daughter.


    "Dismissed, prepare yourselves," Lennon sighed, then nodded as he went on his way. Once Nicholas was sure Lennon was absent from the room, he opened up the drawer on his desk. Opening up a secret compartment, he brought out a photo of a happy family of three.


    There was him, a few years younger, his wife, who had died of illness, and his daughter, a blonde-haired beauty whom he saw every day at work.


    Alexa Gallagher.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    Alexa was many things. Smart, beautiful, and aloof, to name a few.


    A patient woman, however, she was not.


    She was in her early 20''s, managing a job that most average women would shy away from the second they got wind of the paperwork that needed to be done.


    She even had training in martial arts. If this young lady were to be ranked by Hunter standards, she would be a solid B-rank, a rank below her father''s, but due to the nature of her work as the assistant to the branch manager of the Hunter''s Association, time was not a liberty.


    She wanted to follow in her father''s footsteps, to be a well-renowned Hunter, but after the death of her mother, her father quickly shut the door on that career path.


    She was livid, and to this day, still holds a grudge against her father for denying her, her dream. The only reason she was working as his assistant was because, through this, once her father had no more control over her fate, she could quickly get registered in the Hunter Association''s database and be a full-fledged Hunter.


    Sure, she''d start at the bottom, but she had the will and perseverance to climb all the way up after missing a few years of service and action, and she''d damned herself if she didn''t reach B-rank in a couple of years.


    Currently, she is busy filing paperwork alongside her co-worker, Janette Peihn. A redhead, wolf beastwoman who was about 19 years of age. It was mostly silent, until the wolfgirl piped up with a cheery tune.


    "Hey, hey, Lexa, how about we go out and get some sweets?" her cheery voice had no effect on Alexa''s stoic mask.


    "No, there is still work to be done," Alexa replied with indifference, still focused on her task of signing the dreaded paperwork that she abhorred very much.


    "Tch, killjoy," Janette rolled her eyes with a click of her tongue, before rebounding back to her cheery personality once more, but with a hint of concern laced into her tune. "Although, you really need rest. How many nights have you been dealing with all these shits?"


    Alexa flicked her gaze towards Janette fast enough that it could cause whiplash. Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits as she paused her work to pay attention to the wolf girl.


    More specifically, her choice of language.


    "Er¡­ I meant, all these prints! Yeah, prints!" the wolfgirl crept back slowly, her other co-workers giving her pity and saluting her for her balls of steel. Her excuse didn''t work, though, only making the blonde before her angrier than before.


    "Eh¡­ Hehe¡­ Please don''t kill me¡­"


    For the whole day, residents close to the Hunter Association''s building could hear the cry of a wolf.. The reason, however, remains unknown.

 Chapter 37 - Monke Be Quackin

    After having disciplined the new goblins, I headed back towards the Dungeon Core room. According to Domino, one of the women awoke while I was ''disciplining'' the goblins. Making my way through the once more created passageway, I pondered how I should approach the clearly traumatized women.


    I''m sure, once they see me, they will probably panic. For intents and purposes, Domino should be the one to handle them, but her offhanded comment earlier made me rethink that idea.


    Yeah, in no way am I letting her handle them when she called them, ''Filthy humans.''


    So, here I am, preparing to meet the women, like a soldier heading for war. This will not be pretty¡­


    I returned to the Dungeon Core room after a walk so short that it could have been measured with a ruler half its size, and in my immediate vision, I could see the awake woman resting on the bed in a sitting position.


    I approached her, and while I got closer, she showed no reaction. Once I was close enough to see her face perfectly, I found the reason.


    She gave me a thousand-yard stare, as if she''d given up on life during her... harrowing time with the goblins in their settlement. She looked like she was in her thirties, with hips capable of birthing a dozen children.


    And this woman was completely broken¡­


    I have no idea what to do with her. What can I do to help her? Can I fix her? Maybe give her something to eat¡­?


    Damn it, I ain''t no therapist¡­


    "Domino, do you know how to help her?" Domino, who had been staring at me since I walked in, shook her head in denial.


    "Negative¡­ Human broken¡­ Suggestion¡­ Eliminate for DP¡­" Domino answered as a manner of fact, proudly puffing out her chest like her father would praise her after her well-thought of suggestion.


    I, however, cringed at her words. However, there was a tiny part of me, the logical side, who agreed with this statement. My human and moral side, however, firmly denies this outcome. The only question is whether my moral compass is correct in my precarious situation?


    Should I just sacrifice this woman to get DP? Or should I try and help her get over her trauma, which, in the current state of things, is next to impossible, given her state of emotions and mentality.


    Contemplating for a few seconds, I made my decision.


    "Domino, never suggest that kind of thing again," at my words, Domino deflated, her expressionless face twitching slightly into a frown. Goddamn it, she looked like I kicked her puppy right in front of her.


    "¡­ Why¡­? Papa knows¡­ Human is worthless¡­ Filthy¡­" Domino approached me in confusion, her mind incapable of categorizing my actions.


    "And that is why, we must help her."


    I won''t lose my humanity. I''ve known what it''s like to be treated like you are below them, and I wouldn''t want to wish it upon another human being. Domino, however, would likely reject my reasoning, given her extreme distaste for humans. I, however, had a comeback ready.


    "Because she might be worthless and filthy now, but in the future? She will be useful against our enemies," I patted her head with my giant hand, her full body leaning in to feel more of my warmth.


    "¡­ Understood¡­ Humans filthy¡­ But useful¡­"


    ¡­ It''s a start¡­ I hope she can realize how to be human, and not a misanthropic, little girl.


    All that aside, I still need to help this broken girl, but I really don''t know how to do so.


    It was at that moment, the catgirl woke up, her eyes fluttering with her ears drooping down.


    "I¡­ Wha¡­ Er¡­on¡­?" as she awoke from her slumber, the cat girl mumbled. Her eyes blinked once, then twice, then landed her gaze on mine.


    She stayed silent for a few seconds, before screeching like a banshee, surprising Domino and me. With one quick glance at Domino, I knew she was ready to commit bloody murder on my behalf, and that was something I couldn''t have. So, I opted to quickly de-escalate the situation before it went out of hand.


    "Easy, easy! I won''t hurt you," I said as I slowly approached the screaming girl. Domino stayed her hand because of my actions, thankfully. That said, I think she would still commit bloody murder if I couldn''t calm the girl down.


    The girl, however, refused to stop, and I could hear her voice cracking. Despite the fact that her throat was damaged, she continued to scream.


    "¡­ Fuck it¡­" I dashed towards the screaming girl and laid my hand over her mouth. She resisted even more vehemently, but my stats and monster body ensured that I would not be swayed by her feeble resistance. I rubbed her back in hopes of calming her down, and fortunately, it worked.


    I repeated this for about a minute until she stopped screaming because of exhaustion. I slowly extracted my hand from her mouth, and hoped to dear god she wouldn''t scream again.


    "Are you calm now?" the terrified catgirl nodded fearfully, her body still trembling. I relaxed, and tried to give her a smile, which backfired because gorillas have different faced than humans. "It''s okay, I won''t hurt you."


    "P-p-promise¡­?


    "Promise," I patted the head of the catgirl softly, hoping she would accept the display of non-hostility. From behind me, I heard Domino growl, but I think that was just my imagination¡­


    Right¡­?


    Anyway, the cat girl appears to be sane enough to respond, so she will be the first one I assist. Fucking hell, I hope I can help her. I wouldn''t wish their fate on anyone but the wicked.


    "Domino, please go grab a glass of water for the girl," I thought I saw Domino gnash her teeth, but she was off quickly, so I wasn''t able to get a good look at her. Focusing my gaze on the girl, I hoped that my question wouldn''t trigger an attack.


    "What happened¡­?"

 Chapter 38 - Monke Cant Win Against Trauma

    "I¡­ I¡­ don''t know¡­" The catgirl whimpered as she brought a hand to her head, a look of hysteria gracing her young face. "I-I-I remember a fire¡­ Bells¡­? No, Eron¡­ Where is Eron¡­?"


    She whipped her head towards my direction, crying in near panic.


    "Eron! WHERE IS ERON! WHERE IS HE!?" She tried to lunge at me, but her weak legs made it impossible. Instead, she flopped down on the grass as she slowly crawled towards me with a crazed look on her face. "ERON! WHERE ARE YOU! DID YOU KILL HIM!? DID YOU!?"


    I nearly stepped back in pure disbelief. Did her trauma cause this? No, something else is bothering her. She''s not solely focused on the events that happened in the goblin settlement, but she seems to be looking for something¡­ Wait, I think she is looking for someone.


    I approached her slowly, her crawling speed only intensifying as I got closer. Once she was close enough to grab my arm, she quickly wrapped her arms around it and looked up at me. Her crazed look was now one of begging, tears and snot dripping down into the ground.


    "Eron¡­ Where is he¡­? Where is my little brother¡­?" she cried softly as she mumbled to herself. "Where are you¡­ Eron¡­ Where are you¡­?"


    Her words were on repeat, her arms losing strength as she cried all on her lonesome. I pitied her, and somewhat envied her because of her how she regards her own flesh and blood.


    I grabbed and hoisted her up, laying her back on the soft bed so she could get comfortable. During my action, the catgirl calmed down as she regarded me with cold, lifeless eyes.


    The same eyes the other awake woman had.


    "Are you alright? Do you need a glass of water?" She was silent, but after a moment, she nodded her head with the tiniest of efforts. It was at that moment that Domino returned with a glass of water from the pristine lake in my Dungeon Core Room.


    I took the glass of water from Domino ¨C who had a pout on her face the whole time ¨C and slowly brought it to the catgirl. Slowly, the catgirl took the glass of water and drank just a sip.


    We stood there in silence for a few more minutes because I didn''t want her panicking again. I probably rushed her too much earlier, and as a result, had her turn into a nervous wreck, and now an emotionless puppet.


    "What''s your name?" Silence was her response. "Do you want to talk about it?"


    Silence...


    I left her to wallow in her expressionlessness and moved beside Domino.


    "How can we help them¡­?" I asked while my eyes twitched. How the hell am I supposed to help them when they won''t even talk about their experiences.


    Therapists need a raise if this is their job.


    "Mu¡­ Unknown process¡­ Do not know¡­" She shook her head from side to side. "Still suggest¡­ Elimination or breeding¡­"


    I cringed once again. Seriously, Domino needs to let go of her misanthropy.


    "You know I can''t do that, Domino," I patted her head as she leaned in to my touch. "We need them alive so they can be an asset to my Dungeon."


    "Mu¡­" Domino sank into silence, furiously thinking up ways of how to rehabilitate the humans and demi-humans so they could be useful to her father.


    "¡­ I guess all we can do for now is let them rest," seeing no possible methods, I chose the oldest method in the book when dealing with this type of stuff. "Time heals all wounds. Let''s just hope they heal quickly."


    Domino nodded at my suggestion and climbed up onto my back. I let her and browsed through the Market to see if I could but a shack for the Dungeon Core Room. There was one that could fit around 5 people, and it only cost 100 DP.


    I quickly bought it and had it located next to the lake where water is abundant. The small shack appeared after some glowing, as always, and I lifted the bed with the human still staring at me with those dead eyes.


    It made me uncomfortable, to say the least.


    Domino climbed onto my shoulders as I walked bipedal to the small shack with the bed and woman in my arms. The door was big enough for me and the bed to fit ¨C which I was thankful for ¨C and promptly entered the shack.


    The room was barren, as with buildings that were just built. I could put some furniture in here, but that would put a damper on my DP resources, so no. Save DP first, furniture later.


    Looking for a spot, I spotted the corner where it would be a nice place to put the bed. I laid the bed down gently, the woman still giving me that 1000-yard stare, sending a shiver down my spine.


    Once done, I left her to her own devices and headed for the next girl. The catgirl was next, and with a heave, I lifted her and the bed up, Domino once again climbing up my shoulder instead of hanging off my back.


    Entering the shack once again, I saw the woman staring me down once more. I ignored her gaze, however, and promptly laid the bed a few feet beside her, along with the catgirl.


    I did the same for the other woman still asleep. Looking at her, however, allowed me to guess her species as a demi-human.


    Either she is a lizard beastman, or a dragonewt, either of those two. As for how she got captured by the goblins when she is part dragon, I may never know.


    Also, she looked like she was in her early 20''s¡­


    Good lord, the goblins here are sick fucks that need an exterminator to the highest bidder, or rather, why do the countries not address this problem early on¡­?


    Things I may never know¡­


    Once the three of them were sitting cozy in the shack, I left with Domino riding on my back. Actually, riding isn''t the correct answer. She was napping. Her soft snores reaching my ears sounded like a sweet lullaby as I made my way to my personal hammock.


    I''ll deal with problems tomorrow; I am fucking tired¡­ I need my rest¡­

 Chapter 39 - Monke Be Territorial

    Two days¡­ Two days passed after Lennon left and subjugating an entire goblin settlement. Over the course of those two days, all I did was train the mobs and the defenders, create some more mediocre weapons ¨C armor is still far from my grasp ¨C and try to comfort the traumatized women.


    Newsflash, comforting the women is still not working. All they''re giving me are those dead, empty glares that can pierce through your thick skin. The dragonewt ¨C I''m calling her dragonewt for now until she can clarify what race she is ¨C was still sleeping like a log.


    Seeing her sleeping made me want to punt a goblin into the air and land into an active volcano, while watching it scream to death as it burns in lava while I eat popcorn.


    "Report," I asked Domino, who was busy laying on my back while eating some sugary sweets I got for her in the Market. Good thing a month''s supply of sweets only cost 15 DP. I wonder why it was so cheap though? Then again, this world is somewhere along the lines of medieval fantasy and futuristic sci-fi combined together to form one hell of a messy world¡­


    "Mu¡­" Domino nodded as she accessed the Dungeon Menu and sent me the information. My Dungeon Menu popped up right in front of me, showing me the DP I gained over the last two days.


    Trespassers Killed: 12


    Goblins: 8 = 25 DP, 20 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobolds: 3 = 35 DP, 25 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orcs: 1 = 60 DP, 50 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dungeon Residents DP income:


    Day 1:


    Goblins: 51 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobolds: 10 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orcs: 4 = 15 DP, 13 EXP (invalidated) each


    Lizardmen: 1 = 20 DP, 15 EXP (invalidated) each


    Human: 1 = 13 DP, 11 EXP (invalidated) each


    Beastman: 1 = 38 DP, 31 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dragonewt: 1 = 113 DP, 100 EXP (invalidated) each


    Day 2:


    Goblins: 54 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobolds: 12 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orcs: 5 = 15 DP, 13 EXP (invalidated) each


    Lizardmen: 1 = 20 DP, 15 EXP (invalidated) each


    Human: 1 = 13 DP, 11 EXP (invalidated) each


    Beastman: 1 = 38 DP, 31 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dragonewt: 1 = 113 DP, 100 EXP (invalidated) each


    Total DP earned: 1696


    DP: 199 -> 1895


    Yeah, I''m steadily increasing my DP income. Also, it turns out that the lizard woman was indeed a dragonewt. She also gives me a bunch of daily DP, so it seems that not killing them off for DP was the best outcome. Plus, once they recover, they can help with my Dungeon either by training the mobs and defenders, or helping Domino and me manage the Dungeon.


    The latter option, though, I was not keen on doing since, unless they are completely loyal, there was a chance that they would betray me, and I don''t like being betrayed.


    "¡­ Papa¡­" Domino tugged on my head with her tiny hands. I locked my gaze on Domino''s face, her expressionless face coming up within my view. "Humans at entrance¡­"


    I tensed up.


    "Humans? Can you tell me what they''re wearing?"


    "Elves, twins¡­ Injured¡­"


    My eyes opened wide. I was afraid of this coming up, but I''ve been putting it off for too long. Should I help them? Or should I leave them to their fate¡­


    I look at the shack behind me, the broken human and demi-humans staying within the walls like broken dolls.


    ''Maybe¡­'' A plan made; I quickly made a passageway that led directly to the entrance. "Domino, alert the mobs and defenders. Tell them we might have company."


    Domino nodded and hopped down my body. Equipping my ''Armor of the Primates'', I swiftly ran through the new passageway with haste.


    I did not stop, since their lives rested on my shoulders.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Come on¡­ Come on¡­" Mariona carried Merethyl on her back as she ran from the enemies. An arrow landing on the tree trunk next to her caused her to gulp for a second before continuing on dashing through the woods. "Almost there¡­"


    Her breathing ran ragged as her sister''s head slumped down on her shoulders, her breathing faint.


    ''No, no, no¡­ We''re almost there¡­ Just hang on for a bit longer¡­'' Mariona grit her teeth as she stumbled on a root, both her and her sister crashing to the ground. ''No¡­ Sis¡­''


    Mariona reached her hand out, but an arrow lodged itself into her back, barely missing her vital organs. She gasped out in pain, the corners of her vision darkening.


    "Sis¡­" She let out a weak whimper as she crawled towards the downed form of her twin sister. Various wounds decorated her sister''s body, blood staining the ground red with their essence.


    She was bleeding out.


    Mariona let out a few tears as she desperately reached towards the figure of her sister. Memories played out as she crawled. The time they were cast out of their village. The time where they were ostracized in the orphanage. The time when they only relied on themselves. The time when the orphanage burned down and everybody else blamed them as the cause.


    Getting kicked out of the town and living out their lives in monster infested territory in their teens¡­


    ''No¡­ I won''t let you die¡­!'' Suddenly gaining vigor, Mariona crawled faster, intent on reaching her sister to protect her from the incoming waves of enemy soldiers.


    And then pain¡­


    Mariona screamed, even as she lost air. Rising from her unconsciousness, Merethyl saw the moment her sister lost her leg. Her eyes dilated, rage and despair coursing through her veins.


    "Damn it, girl, you really had to run didn''t you," The human soldier sneered as he grabbed the limb he chopped off and tossed it towards Merethyl, all the while having a demented grin on his face. "That''s what you get for running, filthy demi-human."


    The rest of the soldiers caught up with the man, their numbers increasing from 1 to a dozen or more.


    "Sir, how about a little play before killing them like the low-lives they are?" A soldier from behind piped up from his spot, a baleful smirk adorning his face as he looked down on the twin elves.


    "Not a bad idea, lad," their captain agreed with a malicious grin. "You heard ''im boys! Time to have some fun!"


    The soldiers cheered and began approaching the two suffering elves.


    ''Is this it¡­? Is this where we die¡­?'' Merethyl choked a sob as she desperately tried to reach for her screaming sister. She held her hand out, only for it to be snatched by another soldier with a crazed grin on his face.


    "Now now, filthy elf," the soldier laughed as he ripped her clothes to shreds. "You''ll be having the honor of having been raped by yours truly, keke haha!"


    "¡­ Fuck¡­ You¡­" Merethyl gasped out, her eyes defying the crazed grin on the soldier''s face with all of her being.


    "¡­ What did you say¡­?" The soldier, however, was not impressed. His grin turned into a frown, then into a snarl. "You, bitch. So that''s how you''re playing, eh¡­? Well then, enjoy, demi-human cunt!"


    The soldier reached for his sword and positioned it above her legs, his grin coming back with full force. He raised it up and laughed dementedly. He brought the sword down and Merethly braced herself for the pain.


    Only, it did not come.


    Opening her eyes, she saw a sight which she would''ve never thought would come true.


    Jionni was here, protecting her, and he was enraged.

 Chapter 40 - Monke Engaged

    A/N: Warning! Dark themes and extreme usage of profanity ahead. Reader discretion is advised!


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    This is the third time I''ve been this mad during my life here in this world. The first was when I saved those two children from the kidnappers, and the second was when I was betrayed by that bastard demon.


    This, however, took the damned cake, as well as the damned party¡­


    I was never one to condone sexual assault. Hell, I practically abhor the deed, and here, soldiers serving the damned country, tasked to protect the fucking populace, are raping Hunters that also protect the motherfucking people from harm, as well as fucking killing the fucking monsters that motherfucking kill the damned innocents¡­?


    If I wasn''t livid before, now I am¡­


    I glanced at the prone form of Mariona, her stump of a leg bleeding profusely on the ground, tear tracks flowing down her cheeks as she gritted her teeth in pain. The soldiers around her still did not notice my presence as they stripped away the clothing that protected her dignity while unbuckling their pants.


    I. AM. MOTHERFUCKING. KILLING. THESE. FUCKING. RAPIST. ASSHOLES. AND. FEEDING. THEM. TO. THE. DAMNED. ORCS. AND. GOBLINS.


    I roared. Roared louder than I had ever before. I even embedded mana into my roar. The earth shook, trees fell, and animals and monsters alike ran for their lives in fear.


    And the soldiers¡­ The motherfucking soldiers... They dropped to the ground like flies, the majority of them pissing themselves as they passed out. My anger, my rage was imbued into the roar. It incited the instincts of every living being to run, or if not possible, play dead. Those that weren''t able to withstand the pressure simply fainted on the spot.


    Some birds dropped down to the ground, either dying once they landed, or injuring themselves beyond repair.


    Even Mariona and Merethly weren''t exempt from the effects, the pressure knocking them out cold. I needed to help them first because I knew they wouldn''t last too long with their injuries.


    Thankfully, since I was still within reach of my Dungeon entrance, I was able to contact Domino using the Dungeon Menu.


    "Domino, get every fucking mob in the damn Forest area," I snarled, shocking Domino as a result. "Also, have the fucking defenders guard the Dungeon with their lives. If they desert, tell them, I will fucking hunt them down, and fucking torture them for the next month. Do I make myself clear? "


    Domino shivered as she nodded. She didn''t even dare speak out, lest her father focus his wrath upon her, which would never happen.


    I opened the Market and looked for a Health potion. Finding the potions I was looking for, I didn''t hesitate to bring my DP down by 1500 to heal these two elves.


    DP: 1895 -> 395


    Quickly, I rushed towards the two downed elves and applied the potions to their bodies. They were liquids, colored red, and by reading the description, all I needed to do for the potions to take effect is apply the liquid on the wound. With the potions I bought from the Market, which were named [High Health Potion] with their effects being, ''Heal the wound, internally and externally, in an instant,'' I knew, it was going to work.


    The first I applied the potion on was Merethyl, since she was already looking like she was going to die any second now. The red liquid splashed on her body, closing her wounds and patching up any internal wounds that I could not see. The bottle was now empty, and I could see Merethyl breathing easily.


    Next was Mariona. I grabbed the amputated leg which was thrown towards her sister in an attempt to further disgrace them by the fucking soldiers. I positioned the amputated leg and hoped they aligned properly, and poured the red liquid. The wound healed, but sadly, it did not attach the amputated leg.


    I sighed in anger, and pocketed the leg in my inventory. I then poured the remaining liquid on her body, patching up the other wounds she accrued from the fucking soldiers.


    "Boss, we here¡­" The gorillas, as well as the chimps and mandrills, all hefting their weapons like they were their lovers, arrived and quickly gave their show of respect.


    "Good, grab those two elves and lay them on the beds inside the small shack in the Dungeon Core Room," they all nodded and quickly nominated two gorillas to grab the unconscious elves and heft them back into the Dungeon. "As for these¡­ waste of fucking soldiers, drag them into the Dungeon and kill them all. Take their gear and deposit them in the Dungeon Core Room. I''ll distribute their gear to all of you later."


    They all grunted and nodded once again. All the chimps, some gorillas and some mandrills began to drag or carry the unconscious soldiers into the Dungeon. Once in the Poison Swamp area, they kill them by either using their weapons, or using their bites.


    Doesn''t matter either way. They''re all dead at the end.


    Trespassers killed: 16


    Humans: 16 = 125 DP, 100 EXP (invalidated) each


    DP: 395 -> 2395


    Once they were all done killing the rest of the soldiers and assigning one gorilla to haul the gears back into the Dungeon Core Room, I addressed the rest of the primates.


    "Alright, all of you head back into the Dungeon," all of the grunted and promptly left, heading back inside the Dungeon. "Except you three."


    I pointed at Chia, Chip, and Chin. The three of them stopped and approached me once again.


    "Yes, boss?" The three of them asked in unison.


    "I want the three of you to scout the forests, see if anything is strange or downright suspicious," I directed my gaze at the dense foliage. "And report back immediately if you find anything."


    "Roger, boss!" The three of them then ran into the wind, climbing and jumping through the trees with nimbleness and agility that would put a ninja to shame. It looks like their training is paying off.


    "Right then¡­" I forcefully calmed myself by taking deep breaths. ''Time to create more rooms¡­''


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    It was dark. The sounds of chains and whips echo throughout the dimly lit hall. Kayla sobbed as she took a good look at her predicament.


    The info they got was all wrong. The rumor started from an insider, who was a goddamn turncoat. They were woefully unprepared for the siege, and the town fell in just under a day.


    Humans were spared, but demi-humans, though, were exploited and executed. The humans who were close to demi-humans were also treated as a demi-human, and exploited and executed as well.


    What''s worse, though, was their furious prosecution of the Hunters. Hunters weren''t killed if they were humans, and were, instead, chained and enslaved.


    The sounds of a whip and cries coming from across the hall were none other than her lover, Lennon, who was caught trying to break out Mariona and Merethyl. Although he succeeded, he was now under punishment by the new town lord.


    As all of these events were going on, all Kayla could think of was¡­


    ''Why is this all happening¡­?''

 Chapter 41 - A Line To Heaven

    A/N: Again, same with the last chap...


    Warning! Dark and triggering (and possible depressing) themes ahead! Reader discretion is advised!


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    "What did you find?" I asked the three chimps who came back a few hours later to relay to me their findings.


    "Humans in armor. All heading here." Chia replied without batting an eye.


    "Did you see who was leading them¡­?" Chia nodded her head in affirmation.


    "Yes. Human male. Brown hair. Green eyes." My eyes narrowed at the description. Why was Lennon leading the soldiers here?


    "Can you tell me what state he was in?" Chia nodded once more, but this time, her face began to scrunch up in disgust. That does not look good.


    "¡­ Yes¡­ Human bloody¡­ Chained¡­ Numerous wounds¡­" I gnashed my teeth. Of all the fucking things¡­


    I growled in anger. If I got any angrier, I was sure to pop a blood vessel.


    "Domino," I contacted Domino once again. She still looks scared, but was powering through with sheer determination. "Tell everybody in the Dungeon to prepare themselves. It looks like we have an unexpected guest coming."


    Domino nodded and I cut off the comms.


    "Chia, get ready." I advised the female chimp and she nodded with determination. She left just as quickly as she reported.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person Pov ~


    "Move it filthy demi-human lover!" The soldier tasked with keeping a tight leash on Lennon kicked the injured man in the back to force him to keep moving. Lennon gasped as he crashed into the ground, painful coughs coming from his mouth as he struggled to get up.


    The soldier was about to kick Lennon once more, but his commanding officer quickly put a stop to that.


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" His stern voice froze the soldier where he stood.


    "S-sir! This filthy demi-human lover was slowing down, so I thought a good kick could get him running!" The soldier explained his reasoning with an anxious gaze. The commanding officer, however, sighed at the stupidity of his subordinate.


    "If he dies before we get to the Dungeon Nicolas and Bentley told us about, it will be your head on the pike on the morrow." The soldier paled at the notion of getting beheaded and having his head displayed on a pike for all to see.


    Lennon, lying on the ground in too much pain, was unable to witness the exchange. If he did, he would''ve laughed at the soldier''s expense.


    "Go on, help the man up and, for Phoemis'' sake, stop abusing him," the commanding officer patted the shoulder guard of the soldier. "Let him enjoy the remaining time he has left before we kill him."


    The soldier nodded hastily as he propped Lennon back up with a speed rivaling that of a skilled medic. I guess fear is a good motivator after all.


    They kept on marching through the dense foliage, their numbers reaching about 100 and more. This was all the new town lord could send to subjugate the Dungeon that could be a threat later on the line once the Monster Surge starts in a few months.


    The march was silent with no one talking, only the sounds of boots marking the mud and dirt with their symbols. It wasn''t long before they came upon a cave that was obviously a Dungeon, since the commanding officer was somewhat of a mage himself.


    "Now, go on, finish the deal we made." The commanding officer nudged Lennon to move forward. Lennon grit his teeth, but relented and followed his commands to the letter. He limped his way towards the cave, stumbling from time to time due to how groggy and exhausted he was.


    Once he reached the mouth of the cave, he stood straight and looked up.


    "Jionni¡­" His voice for the first time came as a whisper, his throat aching at the exertion.


    The commanding officer tapped the soldier right next to him who was holding a bow. The soldier nodded and readied his bow. His aim focused on the figure of the trembling Lennon.


    "Jionni¡­!" Lennon''s face was full of pain. His heart thumping loudly in his ear drums. He couldn''t tell where was left or right. He couldn''t even tell where the front and back were.


    The string stretched; an arrow ready to be fired. The commanding officer tapped another archer and he, too, did the same. It wouldn''t be long now until their grips were released and the arrows were sent flying.


    "JIONNI!" Lennon mustered one last cry as his shout echoed throughout the cave. At the same time, the commanding officer signaled one of the archers to let loose, the arrow flying straight and through towards Lennon''s head.


    "NO!" a shout rang through the trees. Lennon was conscious enough to hear it and turned his head at the reason. His heart dropped when he saw his lover drop to the ground, an arrow piercing her eye as she collapsed to the ground motionless.


    "Kayla¡­?" Lennon stumbled over, tears beginning to pour out of his eyes as he beheld the corpse of his beloved. "No! Kayla! KAYLA!"


    He tumbled on the ground, his feet snagging on a rock. He crawled instead, no longer having control of his legs as he used his arms to inch himself across the dirt. "Kayla! KAYLA!"


    Forgetting the pain in his throat, he yelled out to the heavens, his lover''s name. All the while, the soldiers looked upon the scene with disgust.


    "¡­ How shameful¡­" The commanding officer sighed out as he signaled for the other archer to let loose his arrow.


    Lennon reached the corpse of his lover, hugging her cold body all the while muttering her name. She would never move again, never fulfill her dream of having children¡­ Never grow old with him as they watch their children and grandchildren play about¡­


    ''Why¡­?''


    This question rang in his head over and over like a broken tape recorder. He hugged the corpse of his lover even tighter, refusing to let go of her cold, dead body.


    ''Why¡­?''


    They were supposed to get married the next month. They already had everything planned out. Their wedding rings safely tucked inside a secret compartment in a drawer within their newly purchased house¡­


    ''Why¡­? Why¡­?''


    Why did this have to happen¡­? Why¡­?


    ''Why¡­? Why¡­? Why¡­?''


    ''Oh¡­ I know why¡­''


    It was that damn Dungeon Master''s fault. He couldn''t let go of his hatred¡­ He couldn''t let go of the betrayal.


    ''His fault¡­ His fault¡­''


    He left them to die. He knew¡­ He knew they were here¡­ How else was he able to know when they approached the cave with only a white flag when they didn''t even announce they were there?


    ''His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­''


    Lennon snarled, his rage overtaking his mind as he screamed bloody murder towards the skies.


    ''His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ His fault¡­ HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­! HIS FAULT¡­!''


    And just as brief as his rage was, so was his life. An arrow pierced his throat as tears flowed down like a river down his cheeks, the droplets pitter-pattering on the corpse of his beloved. He collapsed on the ground, his right hand cupping the cheek of his lover while his left hand grasped her other with their engagement rings on.


    "Kay¡­la¡­" His voice was slowly waning. His vision slowly darkened. His thoughts slowly fading. And his last words to his deceased beloved were...


    "I¡­ love¡­ you¡­"

 Chapter 42 - Monke Games

    A/N: Edit: Had a Typo, Fixed!


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    ¡­ I will make sure that all the soldiers involved in that distasteful execution will beg for death once I have my way with them, but all I can do is watch for now.


    As I saw the corpses of the two Hunters who were my temporary allies in the past, all I felt was rage. Not rage at their deaths, but rage at the soldiers'' actions.


    Is that really how soldiers are supposed to act? Killing valuable assets that could help them against the monsters that plague their lives every day?


    Suddenly, I felt thankful to the System for reincarnating me as a Dungeon Master, and not as an ordinary human. The System was right, not even a month in and I can see why I would be dead in that time-span.


    This world is ruthless.


    Maybe my assholery when I made a deal with Bentley wasn''t as farfetched as I claimed it out to be.


    From what I could gather from the reports of the chimps, as well as their conversation I overhead when I saved the twin elves, I concluded that whatever faction these soldiers are a part of, they discriminate heavily against demi-humans.


    The chimps reported that humans with no relations with demi-humans, as well as Hunter parties with only human members, were left alone if they didn''t oppose the rule. Demi-humans and the humans who interact with them at a personal level, however, were subjugated, imprisoned, tortured, and executed in the most painful and humiliating way possible.


    What''s even worse is that they didn''t even care to consider the ages, as well as the disabilities of those they subjugated. Adult? Imprisoned. Old? Imprisoned. Pregnant? Imprisoned. Children¡­?


    Imprisoned¡­ And all of them wouldn''t live to see the next morning sun rise because, by that time, their souls would''ve already risen up high into the sky.


    ¡­ Filthy humans¡­


    "Domino, have all mobs in the poison swamp area hide," I relayed my orders to Domino, who accepted with a tiny nod. "Instruct them to work their way around the traps, and strike when they see an opening, only when they''re sure they won''t get killed."


    "Mu¡­ Soldiers entering¡­" Domino''s monotone voice entered my ears like a soothing song. I patted her head as she leaned in once more to my touch.


    "Let them," I glared at the screen, the filthy human soldiers entering my Dungeon in groups. I grinned maliciously as the first group made it to the poison swamp area. "They won''t live to see the rising sun tomorrow."


    [][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Gah, a swamp," a nameless soldier who wasn''t paid enough to question the horrible things he had witnessed towards the human couple, muttered out. "Probably poisonous too."


    "Then step lively," the accompanying soldier whacked his head with his free hand. "I won''t have you killing me early, not when there are still filthy demi-humans to purge from our wonderful earth!"


    "Yeah, yeah¡­" The soldier replied with a shrug. He had nothing against those demi-humans, but the religion his faction worships made him want to throw-up and desert all the way to another country.


    There were 5 in his group, all of them wearing similar attire, wielding similar weapons. They were only outfitted with a shield, a shortsword, chestplates, gauntlents, greaves, and boots.


    All in all, a standard piece of equipment perfectly suited for footmen like them.


    "Hey, you heard that?" Another one of them piped up from his side, shield raised high in alert.


    "Stay sharp, lads," the soldier who wacked the nameless soldier''s head gripped his blade tightly. "Who knows where the filthy demi-humans are hiding."


    ¡­ Goddamn fanatic¡­


    Ignoring his last remarks, the nameless soldier cautiously walked along the mud-caked path. The other soldiers followed suit as well, slowly making their way across the muddy ground.


    "I don''t like the looks of this," another soldier remarked anxiously, his sword hand shaking slightly as his paranoia slowly took a hold of him.


    "Tch, quiet coward," the fanatical soldier sneered at the shameful display of a soldier. "If you weren''t a part of our army, I would''ve executed you on Phoemis'' behal¡ª"


    The fanatical soldier''s words were cut off as he fell into a trap. A pitfall trap, to be precise. He landed with a thud, his groans signifying that he was still alive.


    "Shit! Traps! Everybody, on your toes!" The nameless soldier quickly scanned the surroundings. The ground, the swamp, the trees, the vines, the grass, everything, he scrutinized heavily. The other soldiers all did the same.


    "Ugh¡­ Hey! Help me get out of here!" The fanatical soldier''s shouts were heard as he tried to reach for the muddy ledge. The nameless soldier bent down on his knees to inspect the hole if there were anymore traps. "Hey! What are you waiting for! Help me get out of her¡ªGAH!?"


    His complaints, however, were cut short as a dagger stabbed through his neck. The dagger was swiftly removed and the assailant was nowhere to be seen. The only evidence of its attack was the convulsing body of the fanatical soldier as he gasped for air with his blood-filled throat.


    What the nameless soldier saw during the attack, though, was a black, hairy arm wielding the dagger from the shadows.


    "Shit! Man down, keep your eyes peeled for any sign of black fur!" The nameless soldier screamed out as he nudged the other panicking soldiers to back away from the hole.


    That was a wrong move¡­


    Another trap was triggered when a panicking soldier tripped on a tree root. His foot got snagged on a rope and he was lifted into the air, his limbs flailing as he dropped his sword to the ground.


    "H-Help! Get me down!" His panicked screams intensified as a giant piece of wood slammed into him, sending him flying into the poison swamp.


    "S-shit! I didn''t sign up for this!" Another soldier shouted and ran back towards the exit. Seeing this, the nameless soldier widened his eyes in shock.


    "H-hey! Wait!" The nameless soldier, as well as the other remaining one, chased after the deserting soldier through the muddy ground. It wasn''t long until the deserting soldier fell into a pitfall trap, letting out a shriek of pain as his unprotected skin and flesh were pierced by the sharp sticks placed upright.


    "Aggh!!! H-help me! HELP ME!!!" The nameless soldier ran towards the pitfall quickly, but carefully, making sure that he travelled the same path the deserting soldier did. It wasn''t long after that the deserting soldier''s cries slowly lost intensity, and by the time the nameless soldier reached the pitfall, it was already too late.


    "W¡­ We need to report this back¡­" The nameless soldier muttered in fear. They weren''t Hunters, damn it. Soldiers were trained for war and combat, not for spotting traps within Dungeons.


    Little did they know, this would be the day their pitiful lives ended.


    Outside the Dungeon, the commanding officer was waiting for the expendable group of scouts to return. If they didn''t return, then they would''ve most likely died, and he could make a guess at how difficult the Dungeon would be.


    "¡­ It seems that this Dungeon is above D-rank," the commanding officer stroked his stubble. "Probably about mid C-rank."


    The commanding officer addressed a soldier nearby.


    "You, go back to Kazanpan, recruit some Hunters specialized in trap detection," the soldier nodded and gathered a group of four and vanished into the dense forest. "Well then, Jionni.. The game is on."

 Chapter 43 - Monke Queuin Up

    Trespassers Killed: 5


    Human: 5 = 50 DP, 45 EXP (invalidated) each


    DP: 1095


    I glared at the holographic screen showcasing the group of soldiers preparing to enter my Dungeon with hostile intents. In case you''re wondering, my DP was reduced because I bought four more additional rooms, and expanded the Forest Area using those four rooms. Currently, the Forest area can spawn 30 mobs, with most of them being primates.


    I also decked them out with weapons I crafted while in my downtime, and as a result, I leveled up my [Blacksmithing] skill again.


    [Blacksmithing] lv 3 -> 4


    From that level up, I was able to notice an increase in quality to my weapons. Now I just need the right materials to create armor, then I can say hello to a primate army.


    Leather is a must¡­


    Anyway, I compared my weapons with the mass-produced swords and shields the soldiers used. They were equal in quality, but more worn than mine, so I made a decision to reuse these swords as new materials for when I craft in the future.


    "Still no signs of movement." I hummed in thought. They killed the human couple for what reason? Did they think that it would get a rise out of me? Well, it did, but I''m not stupid enough to ignore my home territory advantage against what I could see a trained army of soldiers numbering in the dozens.


    Still, what a waste of human life. I may not care about them too much, but they were still living people. You don''t just waste them.


    Manpower is especially important in times like these. Shit, maybe I should''ve captured some soldiers so I could interrogate them, or even persuade them to join my Dungeon.


    I could always use an extra meat shield, or a DP factory.


    I change my view from the entrance to the wooden fortress inside my Dungeon. All in all, it was pretty decent. The log walls were definitely taller than the humans, since they also towered the orcs. They used vines as a makeshift rope to open and close the wooden gate they made, all knowledge provided by the orcs, lizardman, and goblins.


    They may be monsters, but they are hella useful. If it were just me and my monkey boys, I don''t think we would''ve been able to construct that kind of building in under a week.


    The orcs were situated just behind the gate. Their massive, full-iron clubs rested on their shoulders as they discussed something, which I had no intention of listening to. The lizardman was content leaning on the side of a wall, his flimsy katana that he brought with him hanging from his waist.


    Once I get the proper knowledge of how to upgrade that kind of weapon, as well as the materials, I''ll ask the lizardman if he wants me to upgrade it to make it better for usage.


    I spotted the new goblins mingling with the old ones. How do I know? Simple, I bought paint and had the primates paint on the bodies of the new goblins.


    If I get some human or demi-human residents here in the Dungeon, I fully expect them to co-exist without any trouble, because if they don''t¡­ Well, let''s just say that their boss has a mean temper.


    By the way, I''m not doing this because I care about humans, no. I will be doing that because, one, it acts as a source of DP income for me, and two, I get manpower as long as I supply their needs.


    I switched the feeds again to check up on the filthy human soldiers still parking around the entrance of my Dungeon. I''ve been waiting for an hour now for their move, and once I saw a pair of Hunters arrive and discuss some things which I wasn''t able to hear because audio won''t pick up from outside the Dungeon, did I know that they were about to make their move.


    "Well then, it seems like they''re moving," I stood up, lifting Domino out of my lap and onto the ground, causing her to pout. "Domino, alert the chimps in the poison swamp area. Tell them to get ready for round 2."


    The expressionless girl promptly opened the Dungeon Menu and began relaying instructions via voice commands.


    "I''ll be joining with the others in the fortress." Once I said those words, however, Domino''s eyes widened in shock and whipped her gaze towards mine, a pleading expression on her normally stoic face.


    "No¡­ Stay here¡­" Domino ran up to me and hugged my thick arm. "Safe here¡­ Papa must not die¡­"


    We stood there in silence as I contemplated the words of my¡­ adopted little sister¡­ I smiled serenely as I patted her head once more, this time, her opting not to lean into my hand and instead hug my arm tighter.


    "It''s alright, Domino," she looked up to see me smile. "I''ll just stay at the back and join if the defenders and mobs can''t handle it."


    Domino gazed into my eyes for a few seconds before hesitatingly letting go of my arm.


    "¡­ Fine¡­" Domino pouted cutely, but I could tell she was worried about my well-being. I patted her head once more and left for the fortress, creating a passageway that directly leads into the inside of the wooden walls.


    I trekked on in silence, the damp, moist ground my only companion. I travelled for about a few minutes before entering the wooden fortress. I saw the various monsters preparing themselves for a fight against a number of humans greater than ours. That said, we are stronger than the average human, plus, we have the home advantage, so all in all, not a bad spot.


    I spotted the primates monkeying around, either grooming each other, communicating with hand signs, talking, and sometimes whacking each other on the heads¡­ Weird¡­


    As I made myself known, all of the monsters within the area quieted down and stationed themselves accordingly.


    Hehe, looks like the discipline training is starting to gain effect.


    "Papa¡­ Humans are entering¡­"


    Well then¡­ It looks like I''ll get to bash in a couple of filthy human heads once they reach the Forest area.

 Chapter 44 - Monke Vs. Hoomans (1)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Holy¡­ This Dungeon is rigged as hell¡­"


    The Hunters the soldiers brought over were paling at the sight of dozens of traps laid around the poison swamp. The soldiers paled at how many traps were highlighted by the Hunter who was their main trap disabler.


    "Those¡­ are a lot of traps¡­" the commanding officer mumbled a response as he eyed the entire poison swamp area with a critical eye. "Forget mid C-rank, this is probably a low B-rank Dungeon."


    The soldiers who heard this declaration shivered in fright. They were not paid enough to do this. Some of them had the mind to desert and find a way of life, away from all those religious fanatics.


    Sadly, they knew that if they deserted, those that would be harmed would not only be them, but also their families living in their hometown.


    So, without anything they could do, the unsatisfied soldiers reluctantly complied with advancing their march through the perilous Dungeon.


    The group of a dozen men marched through the muddy ground, their slim walkways making it impossible for all of them to go through at once. All of them were tense, their shields raised up in case anything decided to go their way.


    "Woah, stop!" The Hunter in the lead halted in his tracks, and the rest of the soldiers followed suit. "This is one nasty trap¡­"


    "What is it?" The commanding officer approached the Hunter who was examining the so-called, nasty trap.


    "This right here," the Hunter showed the commanding officer the trap. At first, it seemed like an ordinary, muddy ground, but upon closer inspection, there were a few oddities, "It looks like a pitfall, a mighty huge one, at that."


    "¡­ That is indeed, concerning," the commanding officer looked concerned at the fact that there was a trap that seemed that it would only trigger when a certain amount of weight was reached. "Are there any other ways around it?"


    "If you want to go through the poison, then sure," the Hunter replied with a bit of sweat dripping from his brow. "Otherwise, this is the only way forward."


    "¡­ I see," the commanding officer took one more good look at the trap, before directing his gaze towards a common soldier. "You, walk to the other side of this pitfall trap."


    "W-wha¡­?" The soldier looked stun, giving the commanding officer the ''Are you fucking serious?'' face.


    "That is an order, soldier," the commanding officer slowly unsheathed the sword strapped to his waist and glared at the soldier. "Or do you want to be charged with defying orders from a superior?"


    The soldier shivered, both in rage and anxiousness, but because if he defied orders now, there was a good chance he would be killed on the spot, and if he did get away, he would be hunted down by his faction for desertion.


    Seeing no way out of his predicament, the soldier steeled himself for his possible death and trudged forward. He slowly tested the trap with his foot, then planted both of his feet on top of the trap. The trap looked about 4 meters in length and width.


    He slowly walked forward, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. He was sure he would die a few moments later, and there was nothing he could do about it.


    His boots sunk into the mud, a trail of muddy footprints trailing behind him. It was a few seconds later that he found himself back on steady ground. He looked back, his gaze focused on the face of his commanding officer, which held no emotion.


    "It seems that a single person can move through without triggering it," he remarked while scratching his chin. "Hunter, you''re next."


    The Hunter anxiously nodded as he cautiously made his way through the obvious pitfall trap. He succeeded, and heaved a sigh of relief as he planted his legs on the stable, muddy ground next to the soldier.


    The commanding officer glanced at the covered pitfall trap and saw that it wasn''t getting loose. He smirked a little bit before addressing the rest of the waiting soldiers.


    "Everybody, single file. Only one is allowed to traverse at a time. Is that understood?" The soldiers saluted and readied themselves for the tightrope walk of a lifetime. The commanding officer nodded, and took the first step.


    It was midway through his trek that he heard a whistling in the air. Recognizing the noise, he deftly brought his shield up and blocked an arrow that was supposed to hit his head. Witnessing the scene, the soldiers tense up.


    There was an enemy.


    The commanding officer bit his lip and quickly, but cautiously, made his way towards the stable ground. Once he was there, he perused all around him, looking for any threats. Seeing none at the moment, he brought his gaze back to the nervous, waiting soldiers.


    "All of you! Double time!" His yell brought the soldiers out of their minds. "Move! Move! And check your surroundings!"


    The soldiers raised their shields up, ready for any incoming ranged attacks. The frontmost soldier quickly stepped foot on the covered pitfall trap, hoping to dear Phoemis that he wouldn''t trigger it, resulting in his death.


    The next to traverse the trap were the two remaining Hunters. Not wasting any time, one of them quickly moved to the other side. The last one also did the same.


    One by one, the soldiers traversed the trap, their shields all the while raised, not letting their guards down. It was until the 27th soldier did another whistling enter their ears. Only this time, there were more than just one.


    The soldier panicked, and in his confusion, raised his shield and blocked an arrow aimed for his head. Another arrow, however, cleanly pierced through his unprotected back, causing him to stumble on the pitfall trap.


    The mud covering the pitfall trap shook, and the pitfall trap triggered, sending the soldier down to his doom.


    "AAAGGHHHH!!!!!" His scream terrified the soldiers and Hunters by the sheer intensity of his voice. His screams went to a gurgle before going to complete silence. The commanding officer took a quick peek, only to witness the soldier skewered by sharpened, wooden spikes. He also took note of how deep the hole was.


    "Shit. All of you! Retreat and guard the entrance! Also, form another group to relay a message that this Dungeon is far more dangerous than we thought!" His commands relayed; the soldiers left behind ran to the exit as fast as possible, their weapons drawn in case any monster decided to surprise them.


    "How about all of you," the commanding officer then addressed the soldiers and Hunters who were stuck with him. "Push forward? Or find another way and retreat?"


    "I suggest we push forward and gather more information before leaving," the lead Hunter said before looking around the poison swamp. "It''s clear that we won''t be able to clear this Dungeon without skilled Hunters."


    "¡­ Your words ring true. Very well, that shall be our task for now.." Agreeing with the lead Hunter, the remaining soldiers pushed onward.

 Chapter 45 - Monke Vs. Hoomans (2)

    "Oho¡­? So, they''re approaching us? Well, I''ll let them come closer." I grinned maliciously at the holographic screen showing 30-ish humans coming in deeper into my Dungeon.


    I was armored with my Armor of the Primates, and in my hand, I held a new weapon I forged with my blacksmithing skills. It wasn''t anything unique, or even above average.


    Really, it''s just a large piece of metal, with a handle¡­ Though, it could still bash in a man''s skull because of how heavy and hard it is.


    Using my glorified club as a crutch, I look once more at the holographic screen showing the progress of the soldiers moving in my Dungeon.


    During their time traversing that giant pitfall trap I had made, I commanded the chimps to wait until a sizeable number of soldiers passed the trap after botching their attempt to kill the commander to trigger it, and it looks like the number of soldiers heading our way is enough for me to get a good grasp on how strong my Dungeon mobs/defenders are.


    I''m keeping my promise with Domino. Unless there is an emergency, I won''t step into the fight. My mobs/defenders should get some real battle experience, for those who haven''t experienced it yet, at least.


    Observing the area around me, I see the rest of the mobs and defenders psyching themselves up for a fight. Though, in my eyes, I doubt this would be a fight, but a massacre.


    We outnumber them, have the home advantage, and most of us are stronger than an average human. The only trouble I could think of are the unknown Hunters, as well as their commander. I have too little information about them.


    Could they use magic? Do they have a trump card? Do they have that get-out-of-jail card like the Hunter team led by the deceased couple in stock?


    So many questions, but no answers, but I couldn''t distract myself with those thoughts. Throwing those thoughts into the back of my mind, I focused my gaze back on the holographic screen, showing the soldiers already moving through the passageway.


    I grinned.


    ''Time to get to work.''


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "It''s quiet¡­ Too quiet¡­"


    The lead Hunter murmured as he exited the passageway after having crossed the poison swamp. This led him to a forest biome, one full of green grass and green leaves.


    "Shit¡­ Visibility is low." The commanding officer cursed as he observed the surroundings. Motioning for a moment with his hands for the group to huddle.


    "In the case of an unwinnable fight, I want all of you to group with me so we can leave with the Return Stone." The soldiers gulped as they mentally thought about an unwinnable fight.


    Taking the warning to heart, all of the soldiers and Hunters cautiously moved through the forest, making sure that they wouldn''t trigger another trap that could spell their doom.


    From the intel the commanding officer received from Bentley, the Dungeon Master, Jionni, was a huge, black, hairy brute that was about 10 times as strong as a human. The information he also got from the dead human couple also told him that there were more of the same species as him.


    ''We need to find out more about this Dungeon,'' he grimaced as he recalled the time before the monster surge, ''otherwise, they may turn into a threat.''


    While advancing, a soldier accidentally stepped on a twig, alerting everybody in the group. Their glares sent at the offending soldier made him wince as he shielded himself with his thick skin. The commanding officer sent more hand signals, relaying to be attentive to their surroundings.


    "Strange¡­ I can''t spot a trap anywhere¡­" The lead Hunter whispered towards the commanding officer. ''They are either extremely well hidden, or there are none in this area.''


    Being a trap detector, the lead Hunter had his fair share of diving into Dungeons with a lot of traps. For the most part, traps mostly appear in one area, and disappear in the next. Or, areas could have traps continuously at the price of having the monsters defending the Dungeon susceptible to them as well.


    Traps weren''t only lethal to the invaders; they were also lethal to the monsters inhabiting the Dungeon. That is the reason why areas in Dungeon could have traps in one area, and none the next.


    And if his hunch was correct, then this area would have a number of monsters waiting for them to pounce, but so far, he has seen not a single monster.


    "Keep your guards up, I don''t like the looks of this." The lead hunter said to the rest of the soldiers, including the commanding officer. Of course, they obliged, receding their complaints about the noise because the Hunter wasn''t well-versed with their hand signals.


    They slowly advanced, until they came upon a clearing. They stood rooted in their place, shock gracing their features as they beheld the wooden fortress in their vision. The Hunter, knowledgeable about Dungeons, had a near hysteric fit.


    ''Screw this Dungeon being B-rank! This is A-rank!'' The lead Hunter grimaced at their predicament. ''There''s an intelligent Dungeon Master here! We need to leave now!''


    Oblivious, but seconding the thoughts of the lead Hunter, the commanding officer tightly gripped the Return Stone in his pocket.


    The commanding officer gestured with his free hand towards every soldier to group up as he brought the Return Stone out of his pocket to use it, only to be stopped when a projectile made of fire tore his arm off from his body, dropping the Return Stone in turn.


    "GAAH!" He clutched the stump of his arm, the bleeding staunched because of being cauterized.


    "Now, now, guests shouldn''t leave without being tended to by the owners. That would just be bad manners." A deep, gravelly voice entered through the ears of every human in the group. When they saw the monster, all of them had their eyes widened in fear. "After that distasteful stunt you pulled at the entrance of my home, do you think that I would let you go scot free?"


    The monster chuckled to itself, before it suddenly halted, its face no longer holding any emotion.


    "Filthy humans," and that expressionless face, soon gave way to rage, "you all don''t deserve to live."


    With a stomp of its foot, a giant wall of earth rose around them, causing the soldiers and Hunters to yelp out in shock and fear. The walls rose higher than the height of three average humans combined, effectively trapping them, with no way out but forward.


    And into the monster itself.


    Soon, more monsters started appearing. Those that resembled the intelligent monster before them, some smaller variants, ones with colorful faces¡­


    Then the orcs, and goblins, as well as a lizardman¡­


    If their despair wasn''t visible earlier, it was now.


    "Now then, let the games, begin!" The monster smiled.

 Chapter 46 - Monke Vs. Hoomans (3)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Now then, let the games... begin!"


    The monsters charged towards the group of soldiers, all of them wielding their metal weapons in hand. The soldiers shivered in fear, but held their ground, determined to make it out alive.


    "Shhiiiitt!!" the commanding officer snarled while grasping at his stump. That didn''t stop him from commanding his subordinates to better the chances of making it out alive. "Loose formation!"


    The soldiers swiftly separated themselves from each other before the monsters reached their positions. If they clumped up against those behemoths, a lot of soldiers would die with just one swing.


    The soldiers braced themselves, shields at the ready, their sword arms shaking. Once the monsters got closer, they saw just how huge they were. Quickly deducing that their defense wouldn''t mean shit, they got ready to dodge their attacks.


    Then, the two sides clashed.


    The first monster arrived, its huge and hairy arms wielding a club. It slammed the club down and the soldier dodged to the side, but was struck by a spear to the gut, courtesy of a monster child riding its silver back.


    The soldier coughed out a bit of blood before collapsing on the ground. He was then trampled on by another monster rushing towards a nearby soldier, killing him in the process.


    The soldiers who saw this winced, but didn''t falter.


    Another hairy beast brought its metal club high before swinging down. The targeted soldier dodged to the side and blocked a wooden spear thrust to his chest, a monster child gripping the wooden handle. The echoes of roars and yells, as well as pained screams, rushed adrenaline through his body. The soldier dashed in; his sword poised to pierce the hairy beast through the chest.


    With no visible armor, the iron sword pierced through. The hairy beast roared in pain, bucking off the monster child in the process. In a last-ditch effort before the beast died, it let go of its club and grabbed the soldier''s head with his hand. The soldier struggled as he furiously punched the face of the dying, hairy beast.


    The beast then grabbed the torso of the soldier with its other arm, then pulled, the soldier screaming in pain as he felt his body being stretched to its limit. An audible pop later, the head of the soldier was ripped from his body, along with his spine, his face eternally twisted in an expression of anguish and horror.


    The beast dropped its head and fell down, its breathing grinding to a halt. Not minding their comrade''s death, the monsters kept on pushing, killing soldiers left and right.


    It was useless. The soldiers were visibly outnumbered, and outmatched. They cursed their superior for bringing them into this hell as they all did their best to survive.


    Another soldier fell to the ground due to a lizardman, its katana severing the leg of the shrieking soldier. Without any hesitation, the lizardman pierced through the throat of the soldier, his eyes rolling uncontrollably as he lost control of his bladder.


    All around the battlefield, the odor of iron, feces, and ammonia tickled the noses of the Hunters, who were struggling against a huge beast, an orc, and a monster child.


    Due to their specialization in fighting monsters, they had a better time surviving against the onslaught. Right beside them lay the body of the commanding officer, his face twisted into a snarl with his eyes rolled back into his head.


    "Shit¡­ Anytime now¡­" A Hunter blocked a spear aimed for his throat, before ducking under a swing from the orc. He countered with a quick stab towards the monster child, its hands still stretched with the spear in its grip, making it an easy target.


    If it weren''t for the beast swinging its metal club down on his head, then the monster child would''ve been killed, and if it weren''t for his quick reaction time, he would''ve been turned into a red paste on the ground.


    "I can''t get a good opportunity!" The lead Hunter gritted his teeth as he slashed at the open side of the beast. Blood trickled out of the gash and the beast roared in pain, stumbling back to regain its bearings.


    "Argh! Fuck!" The last Hunter yelped in pain as an arrow lodged itself in his shield arm, the puncture wound slowly bleeding. It wasn''t long until a monster capitulated to his pain and stabbed him in the throat.


    He gurgled out a gibberish response before dropping on the ground like a sack of potatoes, his body doing everything it could to suck in some air as he drowned in his own blood.


    The two other Hunters fared no better than their other member. The lead Hunter suffered from a wound in the side he procured from a goblin who got a good hit when he was dodging an attack from the beast he wounded.


    He continued to fight, looking for a way to grab into his bag and use the Return Stone, but the monsters wouldn''t let him. Whenever he made so much as a twitch, a monster would charge, thus prompting him to block.


    A soldier who was fighting against a hairy beast was flung through the air like a ragdoll, his body crashing into the ground like crumpled paper.


    This spooked the lead Hunter for a second, which resulted in his downfall. A spear was thrust towards his gut and he reacted a tad bit too slowly. The spear lodged itself into his gut and he let out a pained gasp. Then the monster child lunged towards the pained lead Hunter before taking a bite out of his jugular, blood staining the ground as it gushed out from his wound like a fountain.


    The remaining Hunter yelled in defiance, but was soon overwhelmed by the numbers, his dying shrieks further increasing the ferocity of the monsters'' assault.


    By now, only a handful of soldiers survived, and they were those who were lucky enough to keep on dodging the attacks of the monsters, or who were able to survive because the soldier next to them died.


    The remaining soldiers braced for their deaths, but when all hope seemed lost, their salvation came from a very unsuspecting source.


    "Enough, leave them alive."


    The monster leader approached, his armor making its figure even more daunting. Its giant club, even bigger than the others the beasts used, indented the ground with just its weight alone.


    The soldiers stopped fighting, fear gripping their hearts as they pleaded to the Gods to save them.


    And they were saved, just not in the way they were expecting.


    "Capture them, they may be of use to me yet."


    And maybe, they thought, maybe death was a better option than life.

 Chapter 47 - Monke Obtains The Spoils (1)

    Trespassers killed: 30


    Humans: 30 = 50 DP, 45 EXP (invalidated) each


    DP gained: 1500


    DP: 2595


    Milestone(s) reached!


    (1) Repel/kill at least 10 trespassers in a single invasion = new room (5 summons)


    (2) Repel/kill at least 20 trespassers in a single invasion = x1 Dungeon Spin


    (3) Repel/kill at least 30 trespassers in a single invasion = +1 Floor


    The battle was, as expected, a massacre. Blood stained the previously green grass as corpses, all with their faces eternally twisted into fear, terror, and anguish, littered the ground.


    There were some innards hanging on some branches, twisted limbs barely hanging onto the corpses, and you guessed it, dismemberment all over the place.


    Though we did have some losses, they were minor compared to the number of enemy corpses. About 2 gorillas, 4 goblins, and an orc died, losses that can be easily replenished either by summoning them back, or breeding.


    One thing I learned, though, is that when Domino summoned the gorillas, only one of them was male. From that revelation alone, I almost smacked my head against the cave wall.


    I wasn''t that well versed with monkey culture since I wasn''t that interested in them, but I recalled an article where gorillas formed harems, and their gestation period reached up to eight and a half months.


    I really want to bang my head against the cave wall for forgetting that piece of info. Nevertheless, I''m thankful that Domino fixed my mistakes. By sometime next year, I will be seeing some baby gorillas, if I survive, and I will damnit¡­


    Anyway, thought processes over, I made my way towards the remaining soldiers who were shaking up a storm while being held by the gorillas.


    "Well then, it seems you three are the lucky survivors of this¡­ massacre." I grinned as I laid my hand on a soldier who stiffened to the point he looked like a statue once it met his shoulder.


    "W-w-w-what-t-t a-are y-you going to d-d-d-do to us¡­?" His shaking returned as he stuttered out a response, sweat pooling all over his face as it dropped down his cheeks.


    "Hmm¡­ That depends¡­" I tightened my grip, garnering a pained gasp from the panicking soldier. "Your display outside my Dungeon has left me¡­ rather disgusted."


    I forcefully let go of him, causing him to stumble back from the force. The gorilla holding him made sure he didn''t crash to the ground, though from the pained grunts he was exerting, it seemed like I dislocated his shoulder.


    Eh, he deserves worse¡­


    "I may be a monster, but even then, I have my standards." My piercing glare told them everything about what I had in store for them. "Unless you want to die a painful death, I suggest you listen well."


    The soldiers kept silent as I looked them over one by one. All in all, they looked average. No visible characteristics that made them standout, so that leaves me with 2 choices.


    One, kill them and be done with it.


    Two, imprison them for Resident DP income, and if they come around, use them as minions to do my bidding.


    I need an informant within the nearby cities so I can know whether or not they pose a threat, and monsters won''t do it, seeing that they are quickly subjugated when seen. I need a human or a demi-human to do it, though a human would be preferable right now since the nearest town is occupied by religious fanatics that support human supremacy, and the twin elves are currently out of commission.


    "You have two options. One, you stay here and work for me, or two, you die here." My words caused them to freeze in place. It wasn''t until a few seconds later did I see their reactions, and I was not impressed.


    "You¡­ You filthy MONSTER!" The soldier on the left yelled out, struggling against the grip of the gorilla as he tried to escape. "IF YOU THINK I WOULD WORK FOR A LOWLY MONSTER! TH¡ª"


    I cut him off with a Stone Bullet to the crotch.


    "GGGYAAaaaAAAaAaaAAAHHHHHhhhHHh!!!"


    The soldier screamed as he squirmed within the grasp of the gorilla, the pitch of his tone high enough to shatter glass. The two soldiers looked at the neutered soldier in horror, their thighs squeezing subconsciously squeezing together as they tried to turn away from every man''s nightmare.


    His balls were shattered, bits of flesh, organs, and a lot of blood splattering on the ground. The gorilla let go of the crying soldier and let him drop, curling around himself as his left arm tried to grasp his forever gone balls.


    "AAaaAAaaaaAaaAaaArrrrRrrrrrgGGGGGHHHhhhhhHhHhH!!!!"


    He didn''t even stop screaming after two minutes. From the moment he called me a filthy monster, I knew he was a pro-human supremacist, and judging from the track records of human-supremacists, they either killed, tortured, and raped demi-humans. They even target humans associated with demi-humans!


    Deciding not to prolong his suffering any longer, I approached the soldier on the ground and lowered my head next to him.


    "Rot in hell, you despicable fucker." I conjured a flame and torched his entire body, sending him screaming once again, before all went silent except for the crackling of flame from the burning corpse.


    Trespasser Killed: 1


    Human: 1 = 50 DP, 45 EXP (invalidated) each


    DP gained: 50


    DP: 2595 -> 2645


    "So, what is your decision?" I addressed the two remaining soldiers and they quickly nodded with paling faces.


    "We''ll work for you!"


    "Good. Gong," I called out to my fellow gorilla, who was slowly becoming my right-hand, "Take those two and teach them the basics of my Dungeon. If they disobey, you are allowed to kill them."


    "Understood, boss." Gong nodded and went on his way to do his task.


    "Everyone else, clean this place up." Every single monster nodded and did their tasks with gusto. Apparently, they don''t like the stench any more than I do. "Also, gather their equipment and send it to the Dungeon Core Room."


    I know that the Dungeon cleans them up, but it takes too long.


    Oh right, I should probably use the Dungeon Spin, but I''ll do it once I''m back in the Dungeon Core Room. I want Domino to see it and show her what I win. I also have to check the new floor I got, as well as place the new room.


    I need to hurry, there are still soldiers outside my Dungeon ready to pounce.

 Chapter 48 - Monke Obtains The Spoils (2)

    Moving through the once more created passageway leading to the Dungeon Core Room, I pondered on how to deal with the remaining pests outside of my Dungeon.


    It is no secret that their commander sent a messenger towards the town about the difficulty of my Dungeon, so I can expect a harder subjugation force to come after me within the next few hours, or days.


    Arriving once more in the Dungeon Core Room, I spot Domino once more laying on the hammock I provided her. She spotted me within the corner of her vision and dropped down from the hammock. She then ran towards me with her never-changing expressionless face.


    "Papa¡­" She quickly rammed into me and hugged the ever living out of my thick, hairy arm. "Safe¡­"


    I patted her head, then promptly lifted her onto my back. She plopped herself on my silver back and snuggled into my fur. I chuckled at the display, even if I couldn''t see it.


    "So, are the elves awake yet?" I asked and she patted my head with her hand.


    "No¡­ Elves still asleep¡­" She grumbled, but that was natural for her. I''ve found out that she isn''t misanthropic¡­ No¡­ She just hates everything not from the Dungeon. From birds, to harmless insects, and naturally, since the humans and demi-humans are from the outside of the Dungeon, she is cautious around them.


    Loyalty is a fickle thing, after all.


    They pose a threat, and with them inside the Dungeon Core Room, they only need to approach my Dungeon Core and destroy it. The consequences of such actions, I don''t know yet, but I''d rather not find out.


    I need to relocate them. It''s too risky¡­


    Before that, though, I needed to use the Dungeon Spin.


    "Hey, Domino, want to see me spin the Dungeon Wheel?" She perked up and nodded her head when she heard my question. I grinned and she climbed higher and settled close to my head, where she could get a good view of what I could get.


    Spinning¡­ Spinning¡­ Spinning¡­ Silver Prize Awarded!


    Obtained [Lightning Manipulation] Skillbook x1


    From the silver box, a book floated out, lightning crackling around it. My eyes widened.


    "Congratulations¡­ Papa¡­"


    "Yes¡­ Congratulations indeed¡­" I grinned. Of all the things I could gain, I gained more magic to use. If I add this to my repertoire of skills, I can be even more versatile when in fights.


    Plus, who doesn''t want to see a Raijin gorilla?


    I quickly read it and absorbed the knowledge.


    Skill Learned, [Lightning Manipulation]


    Lightning Manipulation ¨C The ability to create and manipulate lightning. Only applicable to the user''s lightning or natural lightning. Passively increases AGI and DEX by 20, and INT and WIS by 30.


    Come to think of it, it''s been a long time since I inspected my status because of that 10-day no EXP gain bullshit debuff. I swear, once I find Sogtharoch, I will castrate him, then throw him into a pool of lava.


    ''Status.''


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 10


    Exp: 5520 / 10000


    HP: 5890 / 5890


    MP: 2025 / 2025


    Str: 48 = 170


    Vit: 82 = 193


    End: 47 = 150


    Agi: 35 = 63


    Dex: 36 = 79


    Int: 27 = 140


    Wis: 26 = 139


    Cha: 23 = 31


    Luc: 1 = 1


    ¡­ I need to find a way to increase that luck stat¡­


    Anyway, still have no clue what the power level of humans when judging with these stats. I really need an observe skill so I can see just how I compare with these Hunters and other monsters.


    Although, from my previous encounters, I am probably already stronger than average humans.


    I lifted Domino off my back and stepped about a dozen meters away from her. Hmm¡­ Let''s see if I can pull off a Raijin Thundergod mode rip-off.


    I gather my mana and imagine lightning coating my body. Crackling sounds began ringing in my ears, blue flashes of light flashing within my vision. The grass beneath me began to catch fire, while the ground began to scorch.


    My fur began to stand on end, and my muscles began to tense from the strain. With a loud yell, I stomped, the ground cracking and exploding due to the impact. The lightning around me dispersed as I dropped down to the ground in exhaustion.


    MP: 225 / 2025


    Okay¡­ I did not expect it to consume that much MP, but I guess it is par for the course. It must be an advanced ability, and with my low-ass level in [Lightning Manipulation], it is still far from my reach.


    Still, though, that was pretty cool. If I could use it in my battles, then everybody would be wary of me.


    "Papa!" Domino rushed towards me with a worried look on her normally expressionless face. "Are you alright¡­?"


    "Hng¡­ I''m fine, just tired." I plopped on my back while trying to regain my breath back. Domino then proceeded to jump and sit on my belly.


    "Muu¡­ Papa~" Her expressionless face broke down into a satisfied smile. I smiled as well and patted her head with my giant hands.


    "By the way, Domino," She opened her eyes and stared at my face with her smile gone, "Don''t we have another Dungeon Floor?"


    "Yes¡­" Domino explained as she rested herself on top of my belly. "Dungeon Floor adds one more floor to the Dungeon¡­ All Dungeon Floors have the same number of rooms on every floor¡­"


    ¡­ Wait what¡­? All Dungeon Floors have the same number of rooms¡­? Holy shit that is busted¡­ No wonder adding floors can only be achieved by milestones¡­


    And with enough DP, you can double the size of your Dungeon with just a single purchase of a room.


    I grinned at the mechanic. Now that my Dungeon has a second floor, I can begin to expand my Dungeon, as well as summon more monsters as well.


    "Domino, buy another Forest room, and this time, don''t merge it with the Forest area." I picked Domino up and brought her back down to the ground, all the while a pout graced her face. "Relocate the humans and demi-humans there. That room will be their quarters."


    Let''s see if we can build a town on the first floor of my Dungeon.

 Chapter 49 - Side Story: The Elves (Beginning)

    Deep within the Forest of Avonbalt, a sizeable settlement could be seen thriving with its populace. Elves with fair skin all genders and ages moved through the peaceful village with smiles on their faces.


    Inside a particular house, however, grunts of pain could be heard through the thin walls, however, elves hearing the pained grunts just moved along, paying no heed to the house.


    The reason was because this house shelters the only doctor within the village, an elf with years of experience radiating off her youthful face, and it was here the miracle of birth was undergoing.


    "GRRRRHHHHH!!!"


    An elf woman was giving birth while holding the hand of an elf man.


    To cope with the pain, the birthing mother had a piece of cloth in her mouth, tears flowing down her cheeks as she mentally cursed the person who had given her the seeds in the first place.


    The father ¨C who was wincing at his wife''s glare ¨C was also beside her, grasping the hand of his beloved. His smile strained because of the pain he was feeling from the inhuman grip his wife had.


    "Push! It''ll only take a while, so just push!" The doctor who was the supervisor, as well as the midwife, in the childbirth yelled as she grabbed onto a head inside the mother''s vagina.


    "GGNNNNNGGGGGGHHHH!!!!"


    She would''ve cursed every living being for the pain that was being wrought upon her, but the stupid piece of cloth stuck in her mouth made it impossible to do so.


    "Don''t worry, honey, I''m here." The response of the mother was to glare at her husband as she gripped his hand tighter, causing him to wince.


    Finally, after what felt like hours to the mother, the child was finally out of her vagina, and in her hands, tears of joy pouring down her cheeks. The both of them celebrated the birth of their daughter, but a sudden pain in her stomach gave pause to that celebration.


    Quickly handing the baby off to the father, the mother then began to push again, and without the piece of cloth in her mouth, the room suddenly got assaulted with colorful language.


    "FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!! FUCK!!! GET THIS PIECE OF SHIT IN MY BELLY OUT NOW!! I DON''T CARE IF YOU STRETCH A GIANT FUCKING HOLE OPEN IN MY FUCKING CROTCH! JUST GET IT THE FUCK OUT NOW!!"


    The doctor complied and once again continued the process of assisting the mother in pain in childbirth. While doing so, however, she had a grim frown etched on her face. The father too, had this frown, and while the mother was busy swearing up a storm, a sailor would undress and give her his uniform. Deep in her mind, she knew, this was a gigantic problem.


    A few moments later, the second child was born, and she was another girl. The mother, exhausted from the energy spent, as well as the pain induced, plopped back on the bed while panting.


    "¡­ Shit¡­"


    That one word, summed up the thoughts of everyone inside the room.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    They knew they had it coming. They knew that this would happen.


    And frankly? They didn''t give a shit.


    They were their children, and they wouldn''t trade them for the world. The father could still remember the incredibly colorful language the mother assaulted the council with a few days ago.


    "So, where we headed now?" The mother asked, cradling a baby in her loving arms.


    "Kazanpan, if what the caravan trader says is true." The father replied, also cradling a baby in his loving arms.


    Currently, they were with a trade caravan heading towards the town of Kazanpan under the management of the Shaiydon Viscounty. It''s a little far from the Avonbalt Forest, but hey, the farther they are from those asshole council members, the better their lives would be.


    "I still don''t get why elf culture discriminates against elf twins so much. They try to exile them even when they are newborns¡­" The father says in disgust and exasperation.


    "Well, I guess that leads back to a couple of hundred years ago." The mother began, touching the nose of her daughter with hers. "During the war, you remember that nation that created that detestable limiting curse, right?"


    "Ah yes, that ruined nation." The father hummed, his hand scratching his chin in thought. He suddenly perked up in realization. "Don''t tell me¡­"


    "Yes, twin elves created that curse." The mother looked downcast. The thought of their children doing such horrible things would''ve given her a heart attack. "It seems the stigma runs deep."


    "Obviously." The father shrugged while playing with the face of his daughter. It was then the carriage ground to a halt, causing both the father and the mother to protect their daughters with their bodies from smashing against the floor.


    "Ow¡­ Hey! What''s wrong!?" The father shouted out, displeased at the entire situation.


    "Bandits! They''re crowding the caravan!" The coach yelled back; nervousness laced in his tone. "The security detail is holding up for now, but that won''t last long! They''re outnumbered!"


    "Motherfuc¡ªHoney, listen, you may not like this idea, but we have no choice."


    "No! I know what you''re thinking about, and my answer is no! We need to find a way out of this! Together! For our daughters!" The mother shouted at the father hysterically.


    It was then the sounds of metal clashing against metal, and the familiar sound of flesh being ripped cut open began to grow closer and closer. Not wasting any time, the father all but shoved the baby in his hands towards the mother, before running out of the carriage with his weapon drawn.


    "No! Wait!" The mother screamed, but it was too late. The father was already outside, battling the bandits out on the road. The mother took a peek out of the curtains to get a glimpse of the horrible scene outside.


    Dead bodies of both bandits and Hunters littered the road, blood pooling beneath every corpse. She felt nauseous, the scent of iron, feces, and ammonia smashing against her nose like a tidal wave.


    She also saw her husband wounded and fighting against numerous bandits. It was here, she knew, he wasn''t getting out of here alive.


    Gritting her teeth, she looked back towards the coachman, who surprisingly stayed alive during the whole debacle.


    "You, drive¡­ now." The mother commanded the shocked coachman, but he nodded in agreement as he let the horses'' gallop.


    Seeing the carriage moving, the bandits outside quickly moved to put a stop to it, but a layer of earth stopped them from approaching.


    From inside the carriage, the mother could be seen using her magic with her bare hands, only to plop down in exhaustion.


    She wasn''t a talented mage. At most, all she could do was probably shift the earth slightly with her [Earth Manipulation], but here, she broke past her limits in order to secure their escape.


    She held her two daughters close to her chest, silently shedding tears for her husband''s sacrifice.


    "Don''t worry, mommy''s here¡­" During the whole ordeal, the babies were fast asleep. It was only until an arrow lodged itself in the back of the mother''s chest did the babies wake up.


    The mother coughed up blood, the blood already pooling inside her lungs. She looked through the curtains at the back, and through the gap, she could see a bandit holding a bow, and her husband''s corpses at his feet.


    She glared at the man. She wanted to kill him, wanted to torture him, wanted him to feel pain for ever harming her family, but the fatal wound she was given wouldn''t allow that.


    "Miss!" The coach yelled excitedly. "We''re almost there! Just a little more and we''re home free!"


    "Miss¡­?" Hearing no response, the coachman decided to take a peek at the back.


    The dying mother taking his vision wasn''t what he was expecting. The babies were already crying at that time, making him curse out loud.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    "I''m sorry¡­ Little ones¡­" The coachman sighed somberly as he patted the sleeping babies he placed in the basket. "This is the least I can do to repay your parents, and what type of human would I be to leave babies to their fate in the wild."


    He placed the basket in front of a door, not too fancy, but not too rundown either.


    "I would''ve loved to take you, but my job as a trader isn''t one for safety." He stood up then glanced at the basket one more time. "I''ll see you both next time¡­ If I''m still alive, that is."


    And with that, the coachman left in the dark of night, leaving a basket with twin babies inside of them after knocking the door to the orphanage. A note hanging on the handle of the basket that read.


    Merethyl and Mariona Yelhana

 Chapter 50 - Side Story: The Dwarf (Beginning)

    "Toss ''em in, feel yer light." A jovial tune sounded through the wooden house. "Drink some mead, feel yer cry."


    Within the wooden house, a single dwarf could be seen sitting atop a wooden stool. His arms lay perched on a wooden dining table good for a family to use.


    "Feel yer skin, shining gold." The dwarf takes a chug out of a tankard full of mead beneath the hanging light, before sighing out a content smile and continuing his merry song. "From dark cave pits, feeling slow."


    "Grurnuir¡­" A voice called out to him from the door. The drinking dwarf placed the tankard back on the table and let go, a smile gracing his bearded face.


    "Ah, Hougrana." Grurnuir stood up, his outfit dirty from working in the mines. "Thought ye be late comin'' home. Them jobs do ye good?"


    Dwarves in this world have major traits, depending on the gender. For the males, they grow hairy, with beards as mighty as a tempered sword. For females, however, they grow up like humans, only they never get past the stage known as puberty.


    To summarize, female dwarves look like human children at the age of 13, never growing up physically, though they do tend to gain wrinkles the moment they reach 400 years.


    The other dwarf female, now known as Hougrana, sighed out while shaking her head.


    "Ye be drinking after a fine day''s work, eh?" Hougrana chuckled as she approached an open stool and took a seat. "So, what did ye dig?"


    "Eh, nothin'' much." Grurnuir placed his hand back on the tankard and took another chug, gulping the mead down his throat until the tankard was left empty. "Just a wee bit of gold, and a huge stack of them adamantite."


    Grurnuir slammed the tankard on the table with a grin. Hougrana''s jaw dropped as she processed the information her brother gave him.


    "Are ye serious?" Hougrana jaw slowly picked itself back up until she gave him a blinding smile. "Wonderful! Now ye won''t have to pay no more debt!"


    "And still have some to spare." Grurnuir laughed joyously as he left the tankard back at the table and gave his sister a crushing hug, which she reciprocated with joy. "We can finally build that house ye keep on dreaming about!"


    Let it be known that dwarf females have strength on par with their male counterparts, even if they look like children.


    The both of them hugged each other with smiles on their faces, and left to go sleep once their celebratory drink was finished.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    "Wha¡­?" Grurnuir dropped the provision he bought with his newly acquired cash, after paying off the debt his father passed on to him after his untimely death. "No¡­ No! Hougrana! HOUGRANA!"


    Grurnuir dashed as fast as he could with his stubby legs, his beard flaying in the wind. Before him stood the house he and his sister lived in.


    Currently burning to the ground with his sister nowhere in sight. The surrounding dwarves were shouting and yelling, struggling to contain the fire.


    Some were using water magic, others were using hoses connected to a fire hydrant, and more were hauling buckets full of water to douse the spreading fire. Grurnuir, however, cared naught for this, but instead, for the life of his dear sister.


    "Outta mah way!" Grurnuir barreled past a group of magic users and jumped into the fire while using a skill that had saved his life numerous times in the mines.


    [Fire Resistance]


    Flames licked his skin, but did not burn. His beard caught on fire, but did not spread. Instead of feeling pain, he felt like he was in the warm embrace of a hot spring.


    His skill did not last forever, though, so he had to act fast.


    He scoured the second floor and knocked the door towards her room down with a mighty kick.


    "Hougrana! Where are ye!?" His screams failed to garner a response. Glancing around the room, he did not see his sister anywhere, so he quickly fled to look for another room where she could be.


    He looked all over the second floor and saw no sign of his sister, so he quickly made a beeline for the first floor, but when he saw the stairs full of fire, he made a hasty decision to jump all the way to the first floor.


    He landed and broke the wooden floor. Sounds of breaking and splintering wood entered his ears. He was coughing up a storm since [Fire Resistance] did not negate smoke entering his lungs.


    He quickly dashed to the kitchen, and finally saw his sister¡­


    "No¡­" Grunuir dropped to the floor and refused to move, even with the flames constantly licking his body. I mean, how could he?


    Not when his sister''s burning body was right in front of him.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    Grurnuir felt lost.


    After having been brought outside by a few dwarves that were brave enough to enter the burning building, Grurnuir was now contemplating what to do.


    All of his actions, everything he did, everything he suffered, everything was all for his sister''s well-being.


    What was he supposed to do now? Now that his sole motivation was a burning corpse? He felt it was appropriate to die together, but he knew his sister would not want that.


    So, he vowed to himself to continue living, for her sake.


    There was one thing, however, that stuck in his mind about his sister.


    "I really want to be a Hunter."


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    He gathered everything he owned. The sum of money he got from mining that adamantite stack of ore, all of it went to preparing for the journey ahead of him.


    He got his armor, his weapon, his shield, and everything essential for surviving in the wilderness, and still had enough money to live in an inn for about two months.


    "Hougrana, I will live¡­ For you¡­" His silent vow was carried by the wind and into the heavens. In the afterlife, his sister smiled.


    "Then live¡­ I''ll be waiting for ye, Grurnuir."

 Chapter 51 - Side Story: The Demon

    Gunshots, squelching meat, screams of the anguished, cries for mercy, bloodthirsty yelling.


    Everything blended in inside the mind of one demon known as Sogtharoch.


    He was garbed in tattered clothes, unfit for even a token of protection. In his hands, he held a short sword and a buckler, his sweat pooling behind his back.


    He took one good look around the area, right after unsheathing his sword from the body of his enemy in front of him.


    The battlefield was a wasteland of corpses, blood painting the ground red. The smell of iron, feces, and urine were thick in the air.


    But that wasn''t enough to stop the mindless battle undergoing in the large wasteland.


    Sogtharoch wanted to run. Where? Anywhere but here, but the damned collar stuck in his neck prevented him from doing so.


    Another soldier attacked him from behind, but his superior mental and physical capabilities as part of the demon race alerted him to the attack from behind.


    He leaned to the side, barely dodging the blade about to pierce his body, and quickly retaliated with extreme prejudice, namely; swinging his crappy short sword at the well-protected soldier.


    His armor did crap though against the sword which slashed against his exposed skin, blood gushing out of the wound he obtained.


    The soldier did not stop though, whether from fear of death, or the high of adrenaline, the soldier pushed through the pain and yelled at his enemy.


    Sogtharoch never wavered and stood on guard, various wounds decorating his body from the multiple attacks he endured over the course of the battle.


    The soldier stepped in once more, his sword pointed at the demon''s body. Sogtharoch quickly brought his buckler towards the sword''s trajectory. Flicking his buckler upward, the approaching sword was forced high, the sword arm of the soldier following suit.


    Pressing for the opening, Sogtharoch quickly stabbed the soldier in the stomach, an area of his body that was unprotected from his chestplate.


    Twisting the blade, Sogtharoch pulled out the sheathed sword and scattered the innards and organs of the soldier into the ground. The demon was already used to the smell by now.


    The soldier gasped out once, before tumbling into the ground, his breathing slowing and finally, stopping after a few seconds.


    Sogtharoch stared at the body with no mor but indifference. After all the lives he had claimed over the course of this war, he grew distant to death. In fact, he was waiting until the time came when an enemy (or ally) claimed his as well.


    Sogtharoch swapped his nearly broken sword for another nearby among the pile of corpses, and continued to defend himself against the enemies who would come for him.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    It was a few years later when the war ended, and Sogtharoch was alive to see the end of it.


    The war wasn''t won by his master''s country, however, but by the foolishness of the country that they were fighting against. Creating a curse that limits the growth of an individual for eternity was a price too steep for them to pay.


    But the specific details, he had no idea, only that the opposing country fell because of a mistake no mortal should have made.


    Here he was now, in front of his owner, a scowl plastered on his face.


    "Well then, filthy demon, it seems that you''ve done a great service to the crown by fighting in the war and laying low countless enemies with your sword." The man, his owner, said with blatant disgust.


    Sogtharoch stayed indifferent, but in his mind, he was furious at the man he called an owner.


    ''First, he enslaved me, then forced me to fight against the enemy while he hides, and now he''s angry I took the credit for fighting against the opposing country?''


    If the collar wasn''t stuck to his neck, he would''ve murdered the man right here, and right now.


    "So as payment, you are to be set free." The man took a key out of his pocket and threw it to the ground in front of the groveling Sogtharoch. "Unlock that collar, and leave. Never let me see your face again, or suffer the consequences."


    The man left the demon, who was confused at the sudden freedom he was given. Various emotions went through his mind, but he knew one thing for sure.


    He was glad to be free once again.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    The curse had been a great blow to his pride as a demon. He could no longer go above a certain limit, forever stopping himself at the level of D-rank Hunters. No matter how hard he tried, he never got stronger, no matter how hard he trained, he never got better.


    It was driving him insane. He was now a D-rank Hunter after years of registering, but the curse made it impossible to go further. He had been joining parties left and right, and at some time, was left behind because the other party members got too strong and he was a liability in higher-ranked quests.


    Most of the time, people felt for him, what with being subjected to that horrible curse of limiting growth, but some, who were too drunk on their power, forced him to beg, kneel, and obey, otherwise he suffered.


    Of course, those Hunters quickly got the stick from the Hunters Association, but feeling weak because of a curse was driving him nuts!


    It was only then, a friend from an old Hunter party approached him and gave him some sort of orb.


    "This is called the Orb of Transference, a gift from the Gods themselves." The female mage said in hushed whispers. "It can copy a target''s power if you insert it into a person with said power. It is only a one-time use, so use it carefully."


    With that, the female left the demon with his thoughts.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    A few more years later, he had taken up a branch of magic called Mind Magic. As the name says, it dabbles in the manipulation of the minds of sentient beings, whether by implanting false memories, reading one''s thoughts, or diving into their memories. It took him a good half-a-century to reach about average in the skill, and sadly, because of his curse, he was unable to advance to the next stage.


    But it was enough.


    Reading thoughts, and diving into memories, even if limited, was all he needed to check whether or not to use the orb at said target.


    Also, during the course of the 5 decades, a year ago, he was able to join a Hunter party known as Last of Abandonment.


    Truly, a party which has its odd experiences here and there. Especially those elves¡­


    Damn if he ain''t ever seen elf incest before¡­


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    His eyes opened, a headache forming.


    "Ugh¡­ She didn''t say anything about this side effect¡­" Sogtharoch groaned as he got up from his bed.


    He was currently in another country; thanks to the teleport stone he was gifted by the same female mage who he befriended before. She was an ordinary human, one who now had an incredibly high position within the courts of mages.


    Those stones were expensive. He had no idea how that Hunter party were able to save for one.


    "Sog, you feeling alright?" Sogtharoch turned his vision to the voice. The teenage voice he was familiar with before now turned into a mature and elderly one.


    "Feeling as good as ever, Lindine." Sogtharoch grinned as he stared at the holographic screen in front of him.


    Name: Sogtharoch


    Age: 79


    Gender: Male


    Race: Demon


    Class: Lancer


    Level: 10


    ¡­


    "Yep¡­ Feeling as good as ever¡­"

 Chapter 52 - Monke Rests

    The Dungeon Core Room was automatically relocated to the second floor, and because of this, the passageway that was created for the Dungeon Master''s convenience now has stairs.


    A minor detail, but I must say, the stairs are goddamn long¡­ If it takes me about 2 minutes to reach the end of the stairs, how deep is the second floor then?


    Questions for later, but for now, I must redecorate the first floor, and by that, I mean turning the Mine area into a Forest area, and merging it with the giant Forest area that was disconnected from the other Forest area where the humans and demi-humans are currently living.


    And I''m not touching the Poison Swamp area. That area will stay there until I can create a small town in the Forest area with my monsters.


    On the second floor, however, I''ll be turning 3 rooms into Mine areas and merging them, and the rest will be defensive biomes, such as lava room, or a fucking blizzard room.


    "Domino, are the mobs done taking the loot from the corpses?" I asked from the comfort of my hammock.


    I am currently resting from my massive MP drain with the pseudo Thundergod mode. System or not, I still feel fatigue¡­ I wonder if MP is also connected with stamina¡­?


    "Yes¡­ Goblins now¡­ Protected with armor¡­" Domino replied while watching the various goblins try out the still good armor they pried off the corpses of the soldiers.


    "Excellent." I grinned while my eyes were closed. "How about the weapons? Are they distributed well?"


    "Affirmative¡­ All kobolds have¡­ Standard issue weapons¡­ Ranging from spears¡­ to swords¡­" Domino flicked her hand as she dismissed the holographic screen in front of her as she approached me resting on the hammock. "The rest are¡­ Given to goblins¡­"


    She grabbed onto my arm hanging from the side as she climbed up and placed her tiny body on my stomach. She then curled into a ball as she laid her head on my chest.


    I brought my arm back and stroked her hair, with Domino pushing herself into my touch. I smiled and continued on stroking her hair and patting her head.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "What do you mean the commanding officer leading the assault against that vile Dungeon Master is dead!?"


    "S-sir¡­! We were separated from the commanding officer due to a heinous trap, sir! And he didn''t come back after about 3 hours of waiting, sir!"


    Crashing sounds were then heard across the room as the fat man in front of the nervous soldier threw down various cups, plates, food, and other things to the ground, and to the nervous soldier.


    "Arrgghh!!!" The fat man slammed his arm on the desk, a vein threatening to burst from his head due to the anger he felt. "Incompetent commoners! Gather some Hunters and issue an urgent subjugation quest. No Hunter is allowed to refuse the quest! You already know what happens when they refuse."


    "Y-yes, sir!" The nervous soldier saluted with his back straight.


    "Good, now get the hell out of my sight!" The fat man slammed his arm against the desk one more time, prompting the soldier to salute and get the hell out of the messy room. "Maids! Clean all this filth up!"


    Three maids entered the room with brooms, mops, and buckets, their facial expressions glued into an expressionless mask.


    "Grr¡­ Incompetent commoners¡­ They should be lucky they get to serve the nobles with their lives¡­"


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    "Luke, I trust you can guide our children towards Jionni''s Dungeon?"


    "Yes, sir. I will protect them, even if it costs my life."


    "That''s my friend." Bentley smiled grimly at Luke, who was garbed in commoner''s clothing with a sword hanging on his waist.


    "Indeed¡­ I guess, this is goodbye¡­?" Luke frowned sadly at Bentley''s fate.


    "I''m afraid it is, old friend¡­" Bentley sat back down on the stool in his office, or in his head, his prison. "With the Human faction of the civil war already taking 80% of the Arcelon Kingdom, it is only a matter of time when they issue the execution of all opposing parties¡­"


    "Are you sure you don''t want to come with¡­?"


    "No, I refuse to tarnish my pride as a noble. If I am to die, then I will die with honor." Bentley said with force, surprising Luke with his determination.


    "Heh, well then Bentley Shaiydon, may Inphion, Goddess of Death show mercy to you, and your wife for the trials to come." Luke chuckled sadly as he hefted his bag up and opened the door, revealing two children with anxious expressions on their faces.


    "Come on, time to go." Luke said to the two children, who nodded solemnly as they glanced one last time at their father, who gave them a peaceful smile.


    "When the time comes, Aubert, may you lead your own territory with dignity."


    Aubert stood still, before a feeling of determination rose within his body. Steeling his face for the future, he turned one last time to his father.


    "I will."


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    Merethyl opened her eyes, the blinding light causing her to squint her eyes as she tried to rummage around for anything pertaining to her current surroundings.


    She felt soft cotton on her back, so she deduced that she was lying on a bed. Turning her head away from the light, she saw another bed with a familiar figure lying on top of it.


    "Mari!" Merethyl stumbled to the ground as she tried to put some strength in her legs, only for them to give out a moment later. She then crawled, not minding her sorry and exhausted state, towards the only person that she cared about in this hell of a life.


    Lifting herself up to the bed which held Mariona, she saw her stump of a right leg. She then remembered the time when they were almost raped and killed by those soldiers from the Human faction.


    She grits her teeth in rage as she swears to castrate every last one of those fucking soldiers, and if it wasn''t possible to castrate because of gender, then shoving up a blade through the crotch will suffice.


    The sounds of a creaking door enter her ear. Glancing towards the source, she saw the reason why.


    Soldiers wearing armor from the Human faction.


    She snapped, and quickly casted a spell that would fire a mana arrow towards the soldier. The soldiers had no idea of the threat to their lives, and Merethyl was glad for this.


    The spell done forming, an arrow made of mana flew through the tight space of the room and lodged itself into the eye of the left soldier, causing him to collapse and twitch one last time, before breathing his last.


    The other soldier fell down on his ass as he saw his only fellow survivor die from a mana arrow.


    Was this it? Was he going to die?


    It was then that a giant, hairy beast burst into the room and glared at the elf who killed one out of two of the remaining soldiers who were left alive.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ First Person POV ~


    Trespasser Killed: 1


    Human: 1 = 50 DP, 45 EXP (invalidated) each


    DP gained: 50


    DP: 2645 -> 2695


    ¡­ What¡­?

 Chapter 53 - Monke Be Elfanitarian

    I scratched my head. Did another human enter my Dungeon? Or did one of my mobs accidentally kill one of the human soldiers in my Dungeon?


    "Domino, can you check up on the Human area?" Domino nodded as she lazily swept her hand through the air while still napping on my stomach, materializing a holographic window showing the interior of the small shack that I designated as the sleeping quarters of the humans and demi-humans.


    For convenience''s sake, I''ll call the Forest area where the humans and demi-humans reside the Human area.


    What I saw on the screen made me immediately get up from my hammock, simultaneously throwing Domino to the ground with a thud.


    "¡­ Oops, sorry." I scratched my head upon realizing what my actions resulted in with Domino still napping on my stomach.


    "¡­ Papa¡­ Meanie¡­" She said with her normal monotone voice, her expressionlessness look still plastered on her face. On top of her head, and scattered throughout her body, were a few blades of grass stuck firmly.


    I dropped down from my hammock and patted her head, while removing the stuck blades of grass on her body.


    "Hey, want to follow me to meet the huma¡ªActually, that''s probably a bad idea¡­" I quickly stopped that train of question since I knew that Domino hated every kind of life not from the Dungeon.


    Come to think of it, maybe if I give her total control of my Dungeon, maybe she would kill or enslave every non-Dungeon member currently residing within my Dungeon.


    Yeah, not something I would want to happen. They have their uses too, you know.


    Such as meat shields. What? Just because I am caring for them now, doesn''t mean I care for them like I would my own flesh and blood.


    I digressed from those thoughts and patted Domino''s head once more.


    "Stay here and manage my Dungeon like a good little girl, alright?" I asked while stroking her silky, periwinkle hair. "I''ll give you a reward once I know the threats to my Dungeon have ceased, okay?"


    "Yes¡­ Papa¡­ best Papa¡­" Domino expressionlessly cheered as she leaned in to my hand while purring. Let it be known that even without clear facial expressions, Domino could still express herself fluently with her actions.


    Retracting my hand back, I see Domino shuffling about towards her hammock, her tiny footsteps completely audible through the grass. I chuckle at the display, imagining some kind of onomatopoeia such as *pita-pita* every time she takes a step.


    Turning around, I created another passageway leading to the Human area. Thankfully, Gong, who was still with them during their walk towards the Human area, was nearby, otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to stop Merethyl from killing another human soldier.


    Not that they didn''t deserve it, they deserve everything coming their way and more, but it was such a waste of resources. Even that tiny amount of DP would have been beneficial in the long run.


    ''I need to punish that elf.'' Humming in thought, I remind myself to create a punishment equal to the¡­ Well, not really a crime, but a transgression towards my rule.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    "Well then, I''m glad to see you''re awake, Merethyl." My voice caused her to perk her ears up, then slowly shiver in nervousness.


    "Y-yes¡­ It''s good t-to see you¡­ Sir Jionni¡­" Her stuttered words made me chuckle in amusement.


    I was currently in the shack after a good 2-minute walk (climb) through the passageway reserved for Dungeon Masters and their helpers. Merethyl was sitting on the bed where her sister was currently unconscious while she solemnly stroked her face and the stump of her right leg.


    "A shame what happened to your sister," I say while I take a seat on the bed right next to her, "A loss of a limb is a very scarring experience."


    "¡­" Merethyl remained silent as she absentmindedly kept on stroking the amputated limb with tears in her eyes.


    "¡­" I sighed in sympathy. I was never known to be an emotional and caring person, as seen by my previous life always being used by either my parents, or someone else, but I know when someone is hurting and needs support.


    ("Hey, you alright?")


    ("Go away¡­")


    ("¡­ It''s okay¡­ I won''t hurt you¡­")


    ("¡­")


    A brief episode of memories where I was comforting a girl my age after she was bullied by some seniors because of some things I don''t know, and this situation was a bit similar to that, but a hundred times worse.


    "Look, I''ll get straight to the point." She still stayed silent, but judging by her ears perking up slightly after my words meant that she was listening. "Work for me, and I promise you I''ll find a way to reattach her leg."


    This caused her to stop stroking the right leg of her sister for a moment and focus her gaze on mine.


    "¡­ You promise¡­?" Her words held an unbidden hope within them, tears silently cascading down her cheeks as she stared at me silently.


    "I may be a monster, but you know what Bentley said to me before I accepted his deal to go with you on monster hunting?" She stayed completely still as she waited for my next words. "It was that I might be more human than some humans."


    She went back to silently stroking the face and amputated limb of her sister.


    We stayed in silence for what seemed to be an eternity, when, in reality, it was only a few minutes.


    "¡­ All right¡­" The silence was broken when Merethyl looked to me once more, determination seeping out of her body. "I''ll work for you, but when the time comes, please, heal my sister."


    "Heh, very well." I chuckled as I got back up on my legs. "But some ground rules first; One, Mariona does not leave my Dungeon under any circumstance. Two, you will do everything I say, minus some things such as sexual things and whatnot; And three, if I find out that you betrayed me, then your sister''s life is forfeit. Do you agree?"


    "Yes." She replied quickly, and with such force that I had to respect her dedication to her sister.


    "Very well then." I smiled, then smirked maliciously the next moment. "By the way, I have yet to decide your punishment for killing that human soldier, which I know you''ll agree, to be a waste of life."


    Merethyl was about to oppose my words, but clamped up once she heard the last parts.


    "But still, resource is resource, and he could be useful in the future." I said while I stroked my chin in thought.


    ''Was he going to be useful? Sadly, I think I would''ve killed him once his usefulness ran out, but eh, more pressure means more chances for Merethyl to obey me.''


    "Anyway, just remember that I''ll be giving your punishment in due time. Until next time."


    I didn''t give her anymore time to react to my words as I quickly stride out of the small shack with a grin on my face.


    ''That''s one elf secured.. I''ll need to gather some more DP to get that potion which can reattach limbs.''

 Chapter 54 - Monke Retaliates

    Alright¡­ That''s one problem taken care of, but the enemy soldiers are still camping outside my Dungeon. There''s no telling when is the next time they''ll attack, and how strong they are, so I guess a preemptive attack would do.


    But then, that would take away all of the DP I could get if I killed, or imprisoned them inside my Dungeon¡­


    No, too much of a risk. Who cares about DP if I die because I was too greedy¡­? No, I''ll need to strike them now while they''re still confused about the happenings within the Dungeon.


    "Domino, have a group of gorillas and chimpanzee riders ready for dispatch." I relayed my orders to Domino, who was lying in her hammock with an expressionless smile. "Also, have Gong relay to Merethyl, the awakened elf girl, to try and comfort the **** victims."


    For a brief moment, Domino scowled when she heard the name of the elf, but quickly schooled her expression back into its expressionless self.


    "Understood¡­" With that, I cut off the connection and headed towards the wooden fort.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][]


    "Alright, everyone gathered?" The group of primates nodded at me, their weapons and shields at the ready.


    I counted about twenty heads, ten gorillas, and ten chimpanzees. The gorillas had no armor on, but wielded iron great shields and iron clubs, while the chimps had the armor of the soldiers on with iron spears they looted from the soldiers'' corpses.


    It''s not like they needed them anymore, and hey, they did try to kill me, so I have rights to their lives, as well as their equipment.


    "Good," I clapped my hands and nodded, "I''ll lead the charge. All of you, follow me, and kill all soldiers wearing the same type of armor the chimps are using."


    Oh right, I need to tell Domino I''m going out there myself to see the success of my forces. I don''t want her to worry too much.


    "Domino, I''m heading out with the group." Once I said that to her over the comms, she quickly frowned and gave me the good ''ol puppy eyes.


    "No¡­ Papa stay¡­ Dangerous outside¡­" She pleaded with me to stay again. She really does care about my well-being.


    "It''s okay, Domino." I reassured her through the screen, giving her one of my biggest smiles. "As the Dungeon Master, I need to make sure that my Dungeon is secure, and that no threat is able to penetrate its defenses."


    "¡­" Domino stayed silent while I was talking, and suddenly cut off the comms.


    ''Et tu¡­ Domino¡­? Nani the fuck¡­?''


    I tried reconnecting the signal, but it wasn''t picked up, nor answered by Domino herself. I was nervous. Did she get tired of constantly warning me to stay? To not endanger myself so that the Dungeon stays alive¡­?


    "I''m coming¡­" Her voice cut me off from those depressing thoughts. I quickly turned my head around so fast, it could give me whiplash, and saw her trying to climb my body with her tiny body. "Papa needs Domino¡­"


    I smiled at that, my previous misgivings sinking into lava.


    "On that, Domino, you are totally right." I patted her head then carried her to my back, effectively making her ride me once again.


    I swear, if those soldiers decide to target Domino with no hesitation, who was clearly a child, then they will get no mercy.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][]


    We were now at the entrance after having traversed the Poison Swamp area. Thankfully, from observing the primates traversing this place, I concluded that those that are connected ¨C like REALLY connected, residents are exempted from this advantage ¨C with the Dungeon will never get poisoned, even with prolonged exposure to said poison.


    I wonder if it would work with lava and the cold as well¡­?


    Some things to experiment with later down the line, but right now, my main focus is killing off these soldiers residing in front of my Dungeon.


    "All of you, remember, no prisoners." Before we got out and started causing havoc, I reminded the gorillas to ensure that no soldier leave alive from this attack. Domino, who was currently riding on my back with a carefree and expressionless expression on her face, suggested that we take them prisoners for easy DP, but DP right now is secondary. What I need to do is kill them all to ensure that their numbers won''t add to the possible subjugation force coming for my head once they get word about their forward unit getting dispatched.


    The primates nodded, gripping their weapons and shields tight.


    "Papa¡­ Approaching exit¡­" Domino''s voice quieted the group of primates, who were making noise when we were traveling through the Poison Swamp area.


    I guess, even with the feature of us not getting poisoned, it still scared them to be near an obviously dangerous area.


    I picked up Domino from my back and put her on the ground, garnering a confused look on her face. I smiled and patted her head, before retracting it and going through my inventory to equip the Armor of the Primates.


    Once worn, I stood up on my hind legs ¨C I''ve been practicing, and now I can move like a human again! ¨C and hefted Domino to sit on my shoulders.


    She quickly glomped my head with her tiny body, taking a chuckle right out of me.


    "Papa¡­ Cool¡­" She said with stars in her eyes on her otherwise expressionless face.


    "I know, I know¡­"


    I then grabbed the iron club I made for myself ¨C which weighed about 50 kilograms ¨C then grabbed a great shield I made during my other off-times ¨C heavier than the club ¨C and smacked them both on the ground, kicking up dust around us due to their weight.


    I''ll be thanking the system for now, because without that STR stat, I wouldn''t have been able to lift the club with ease, much more with the shield.


    I did a brief test to coat the club in flames, and succeeded with it, resulting in a flaming club that would put an ordinary man six feet under the ground with half of his face caved in and burned off with just a love tap.


    I smirked menacingly, making Domino glomp me harder due to how ''cool'' I seemed to be in her eyes.


    "Time for a massacre."

 Chapter 55 - Monke Reunited

    I can now see light at the end of the tunnel. The moment we make ourselves known, there are two possible outcomes I can see the soldiers doing.


    One, they stand and fight, while sending someone to report my bold move.


    Two, they all run, scattering through the forest and reporting my bold move.


    The first possibility, I can handle; the second, not so much.


    We may be strong, but we are few in number, and let''s face it, no matter how fast we are, we can''t catch all of the fleeing soldiers once they scatter.


    That is why, once I make myself known, I''ll be creating a massive [Earth Wall] to block their escape routes, then we can start the massacre.


    I also won''t join the initial charge. I''ll just stand back and watch as the primates rip the soldiers limb from limb.


    I''ll join if a complication arises, but judging by how the soldiers that raided my Dungeon were that weak, I doubt that possibility.


    At most, the only thing that could prove a hindrance to my plans are those teleport stones. I mean, seriously, who the hell sells those? It''s like they''re given to every person for free, like goddamn candies.


    Shaking my head from those thoughts, I thought to myself to instantly burn an asshole if he had a teleport stone.


    "Papa¡­ Humans notice our approach¡­" Domino said from my shoulders. I was currently standing on my own two legs, a testament to my training to ¨C as one zookeeper back in my world said to a gorilla ¨C walk like a man!


    I snorted and grinned at the soldiers, who I could see through the holographic screen in front of Domino.


    ''As if noticing me now would change their fates. I''m already close enough to enacting my plan.'' My grin threatened to rip my face. That was how intense my current smile was.


    "Leave none alive. Kill them all." I raised my hand, gathering mana through my body and letting it flow through the earth, commanding the ground around the soldiers to form a wall at least three times their height, and as thick as a log.


    MP: 2025 / 2025 --> 1025 / 2025


    ''¡­ Hoo boy, that''s fucking tiring¡­'' Sweat dropped from my brow due to the mana cost. That''s what happens when you try to create a wall big enough to encompass an entire company of soldiers when they are in formation.


    Even if they didn''t reach the company numbers, the way they were spread out made it the reason why I had to increase the area of the wall.


    A rumble on the earth caused the soldiers to tense up as they focused on their surroundings for an incoming attack. A moment later, their jaws hung wide open as a huge wall encircled them, with the only way possible to get out was the entrance of my Dungeon.


    "M-Monster! Monster surge!"


    "We''re doomed!"


    "Kill all the monsters! Leave none alive!"


    "Mommy!!!"


    "I ain''t dying today!"


    The soldiers'' various reactions had me chuckling, although the term ''Monster Surge'' was something that piqued my interest. Maybe I should ask Merethyl later, right after we slaughter these good-for-nothing soldiers, that is.


    The primates roared, growled, and beat their clubs on their shields (gorillas), their fierce gaze directed at the panicking soldiers.


    The first to charge were the frontmost gorillas with chimpanzees riding on them. Their shields were raised as they became a wall of steel and black fur, effectively making any offensive maneuvers by the enemy soldiers null and void, unless they attacked from the sides.


    The chimps, on the other hand, were doing all they could to pierce through the exposed flesh of the soldiers right in front of them, or keep at bay the soldiers who were trying to flank them.


    That being said, the gorillas didn''t stay as a wall for any longer. With a primal shout, they lifted their clubs, and in one swing, turned the soldiers facing them into red paste on the ground, causing the smell of iron, feces, and piss to permeate our noses.


    Domino''s mask of indifference broke at the smell, causing her to use the hood of her jacket to cover her face.


    "Humans¡­ Smell¡­" She gagged as she tried to cover her entire face to avoid the incredibly bad smell.


    I pitied her; I really did. After that complete slaughter inside my Dungeon, I had to get used to the smell if I wanted to be able to perform at peak condition during every fight.


    I patted her head with my free arm, since I placed my club back in my inventory. A tactic to throw off an enemy if they ever thought I was unarmed.


    The next five gorilla riders arrived and they spread out, slaughtering these ordinary soldiers like ants. The once green fields of grass were now painted red, with the smell of iron thick in the area.


    The soldiers next to the wall thought ''Fuck it'' and tried to scale it, only to be pierced by an [Earth Spike], courtesy of me, of course.


    MP: 1025 / 2025 --> 1020 / 2025


    ¡­ I really need to find a skill ¨C or perk ¨C that allows me to regenerate my MP while in battle.


    Domino wasn''t able to see my kill because she was still trying to cover her face with the hood. Maybe I should buy her a facemask that filters the bad smell for her, and while I''m at it, also another one for my own use¡­


    I checked the state of the slaughter once more, and found an amusing sight.


    "FOR PHOEMIS! DIE BEAST!" A common soldier ¨C also scum, judging from the religion he worshipped ¨C slashed his iron sword towards the iron great shield of a gorilla. "WITH MY GODDESS AT MY SIDE, I SHALL CONQUER ALL TRIALS!"


    The iron sword shattered against the shield. I mean, come on, only an idiot would direct his full strength against a shield. Much more if it was a thick, iron shield big enough to hide an average adult male with room to spare.


    And just as predicted, his face was priceless.


    "Wha- But how!? Goddess Phoemis! Have you abandoned me¡ª" He was cut off once the gorilla swung his club towards the soldier who was having an existential crisis during a battle (slaughter)...


    I suppressed a chuckle. That''s what you get, you zealot scum.


    I check the battlefield (slaughterhouse) once more, and find it surprisingly quiet, with only the occasional grunt and ''ooh ooh aah aah'' from the primates.


    "The slaughter''s already over¡­?" I wondered out loud. It wasn''t even a full five minutes. Were those soldiers THAT incompetent? Or did we get them at a really bad time?


    I walked towards the center of the field, careful not to step on any spilled organs, corpses, feces, or puddles of urine.


    "Blegh¡­ I need a mask¡­" From my shoulder, Domino nodded as well, tightening the grasp on her hood covering her face. "Are all the humans dead?"


    Every primate in the area roared out into the skies, signaling the fact that indeed, every human soldier here was killed in action (brutalized in action).


    "All right, everybody gather." The primates nodded and grunted as they formed themselves in front of me, like an army gathering in front of their general. I did a headcount and was relieved to see no casualties on our side.


    Then again, they respawn if they die, so dying is okay for them¡­ Unless they can only respawn if they die within my Dungeon, and not outside.


    I brought out my mana once again to crumble the walls around my Dungeon entrance. As of now, that wall will be a hindrance to my current plan if I''m to create a town on my Dungeon''s first floor.


    I''ll have to ask for specifics from the elves once I return, but what I gleamed from this raid was that demi-humans were being hunted by these scums called soldiers. I just need to¡­ advertise that this place is a safe-haven for persecuted demi-humans, or slaves, and boom, free DP and manpower.


    I just have to make the advertisements conspicuous enough that the higher-ups won''t notice I''m poaching demi-humans or slaves from their towns or prisons.


    And that''s where Merethyl comes into play. Yes, this is a high-risk task for her, but I will be supplying her with Mass Return Dungeon Stones to ensure that she can escape with the demi-humans in tow, and a Dungeon Return Stone if she ever gets into a tight spot.


    She also has that scanning ability, which is useful for scouting.


    While I was in my thoughts planning for the future, a rustle of leaves caught my ears, as well as the rest of the primates.


    All of us immediately went on guard, with the gorillas sinking their shields into the ground in case a volley of attacks came from the bushes, while the chimpanzees readied their wooden spears.


    I quickly brought Domino down to the ground, in case they decided to take a potshot at her, and covered her with my body garbed in badass samurai looking armor.


    What came out of the bushes, however, made me blink as my mind grinded to a halt.


    "¡­ Luke¡­?"


    "We meet again, Sir Jionni." Luke Gardner bowed, with two children hiding themselves behind his bowing figure. "Please, I request of you.... help us."

 Chapter 56 - Monke Schemes

    "So¡­ What brings you here, towing the children of Bentley along?"


    "To seek refuge."


    We were currently inside my Dungeon, the Human area to be precise. I bought a table for 5 DP, and chairs for them to sit on, totaling 20 DP expenditure in total.


    We were situated in a round table format, with Luke and the children sitting on wooden chairs on one side, and Merethyl sitting on another chair beside me, where I stood with narrowed eyes.


    "¡­ Let me take a wild guess," I sighed, pinching my nose with my fingers, "Bentley was on the side that lost, and was scheduled for execution?"


    "That is¡­ indeed, correct." Luke sighed out, depressed. His friend, the man he swore to serve for the rest of his life, reduced to a corpse due to infighting was¡­ a hard pill to swallow. The children he brought along also looked extremely downcast.


    "¡­ Allow me to say, his order to only bring his children to safety is bullshit." I said bluntly, causing Luke to widen his eyes at my claims. The children, however, agreed with my words.


    "¡­ I would like to agree with your words. I really do, but that would be spitting on the resolve of my former master, and friend." Luke said through gritted teeth. His fists were clenched so hard, the knuckles were turning pale.


    "And as a result, leaves his children behind with no father, and if what I''m saying is correct, no mother as well." This shut him up completely, his eyes downcast at the thought of leaving these two poor children orphaned.


    "¡­ Then what am I supposed to do? Bring him along, kicking and screaming!?" Luke stood up from his seat, a manic glare directed at me due to the emotions he was currently feeling. The children scooted away, fear evident in their eyes.


    "Quite frankly, yes." I approached the two fearful children, fruit in hand, hoping to reduce their fear. The children, slowly but surely, let go of their fear and grasped the fruits, and took a bite. "It''s good to have pride, but if that pride hinders your connection to those you truly care about, then I''d rather throw away all of my pride on the ground."


    Luke stands in silence, contemplating my words, various emotions filtering through his face at light speed. A moment later, he sat back down, his gaze directed at the two children who were busy eating fruits to calm themselves down.


    "¡­" Luke then directed his gaze back at me, a look of determination gracing his face. "What can I do to save my friend?"


    I smiled.


    "Well, that''s the hard part." I hummed. I bought a Mass Return Dungeon Stone and handed it to him. "If you were able to escape the town without any hiccups, then it would be easy to sneak back in, right?"


    Luke stared at me, before sighing. "That was the case when I left. No doubt, the town would be on high alert now that the children of the Town Lord have gone missing, or in the case of those damned zealots, escaped."


    "Hm¡­ Then, how about any secret entrances or exits that only you and Bentley know about?" I took a seat next to Merethyl, who remained silent all the while me and Luke discussed a plan to infiltrate the town.


    Merethyl picked up on this, and steeled herself for the command I was going to give her.


    "I know one, and it should be possible, but it leads directly into the sewers, and for some reason, it was designed like a maze by the architects of old." Luke shook his head, feeling pain at the knowledge of the maze-like sewer system. "Maybe it was a defense mechanism if the town was invaded, or maybe the architects were just insane, but without a map, traversing that sewer-system would be like walking blind and deaf without any help."


    "Well then, it looks like you have your map right here." I grinned as I prodded Merethyl''s shoulder, causing her to stiffen up in response. "That scanning ability of yours does give you a layout of an area, right?"


    "¡­ Yes." Merethlyl replied quietly, a face full of resolve glaring back at me.


    "Then, a map is not your problem." I stood back up, using DP to buy Dungeon Return Stones and Mass Return Dungeon Stones, two of each.


    DP: 2675 --> 1575


    I laid them on the table and gestured towards the two to pick them up. "What your problem is¡­ sneaking in without raising any alarms."


    Both of them took the stones, and looked at me with questioning gazes.


    "Those stones will teleport you back into my Dungeon once you have your targets secured." I said when I gestured at the stones. "The big one will teleport a group of people you designate as friendly back here, while the small one will only teleport the user. Needless to say, the small one is in case anything goes haywire, and you need to leave ASAP."


    Both of them nodded at my explanation, placing the stones inside their satchels.


    "Now then, a question for you Luke." Luke perked his head up at my words.


    "Ask away, Sir Jionni."


    "Are there any other people who would like to seek refuge?"


    [][][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Nicholas was getting pretty annoyed with the official in front of him spouting off with his mouth. The contents were like this.


    "Issue an urgent subjugation quest against the Dungeon East of here."


    Now that was fine and all, but refusing to pay the minimum amount for the Hunters forced to join the subjugation was the last straw. Hunters may have helped the town they were situated in, but all in all, they were glorified mercenaries.


    No pay equals no work.


    And for an urgent quest to be approved, the manager of the Hunter''s Association branch must be the one to issue it, not be commanded by some officials who have no idea how to run an association for mercenaries.


    "Look, unless you want the whole of the Hunter''s Association to bar their services to you, I suggest you gather enough money to pay the Hunters that are going to be risking their lives for the sake of your livelihood."


    The official was now incredibly red in the face, spouted off a few more curses, then left in a huff, slamming the door on his way out.


    Nicholas sat back in his seat, a bitter sigh of relief escaping his lips. The door opened once more, and revealed his daughter with an increasing number of eyebags recently, dry tear streaks running down her cheeks.


    "Alexa."


    "¡­" She was silent. Her silent fury dominated the area with her presence, not that it affected the manager much.


    "¡­ Shitty day, eh?" Nicholas sighed bitterly once more, a grim smile gracing his face. Alexa said nothing.


    How could she? After witnessing the death of one of her friends right in front of her?


    Janette was a cheerful and kind girl, but to be reduced to that state because of zealotry? Having her head stuck on a pike, showing to the rest of the town the consequences for being a demi-human, or supporting demi-humans?


    That was going too far.


    Alexa had no idea why they were able to do just that, but once she learned the reason why¡­


    She wanted to leave this kingdom and hoped it would burn to the ground.


    "Me too, Alexa, me too¡­" Nicholas sat in silence while Alexa silently cried tears of rage as they waited for an opportunity to leave, bringing the remaining alive Hunters with them.

 Chapter 57 - Infiltration

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    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Some day, eh?"


    "Get off your bloody horse, heretic." The sound of spitting could be heard through the damp and dreary tunnel. The person who was assaulted with such liquid stayed silent. A grin etched on his face as he stared amused at the sight of the pathetic zealot.


    "Horse? Excuse me for being quite frank with you," the person glanced around him, shackles restraining his limbs, "but I don''t see any horses around here."


    The zealot went red in the face and contemplated whether executing the damned heretic was worth the consequences he would suffer afterwards. Deciding it wasn''t worth it, the zealot backed down and spit on the shackled person once more.


    "Enjoy your last days, heretic." The zealot left the tunnel, leaving behind the shackled person in the cage, along with other shackled people in some other cages. Once the zealot was out of sight, the person sighed and got the shackles restraining him off, as if he was never restrained in the first place.


    "Fuck that guy." He whispered to himself, the sound inaudible due to the groaning heard around the area.


    ''Now then, what was the plan again? Ah yes, raise hell.''


    There was only one way for him and his other friends to leave this hellhole alive, and that was to sacrifice the others to make their escape. Judging from the common soldiers he was acquainted with, none of them seemed trained enough to handle a sudden breakout.


    "Psst. Lara, you there?" He whispered through the iron bars loud enough for the person on the other side of the prison cage to hear.


    "¡­ Commence the plan?" a voice, clearly feminine, responded back across the darkness. The man grinned and grabbed the iron bars caging him inside his prison.


    "Let''s raise hell."


    And he bent the iron bars enough for him to pass through.


    []


    []


    []


    "It should be around here somewhere."


    "¡­"


    Two silhouettes silently trekked through the somewhat dense foliage underneath the pale moonlight. Both of them wore cloaks that hid their lethal weapons from plain sight, as well as shrouding their faces in darkness, making it next to impossible to see what they looked like.


    "Ah, now I remember."


    The lead cloaked figure tapped on a rock situated in a somewhat strange rock formation. He tapped it in a weird pattern; a zigzag pattern with a square encasing it. The cloaked figure took a few steps back and waited.


    The other cloaked figure, who was wondering why they were waiting, was about to ask something when a tiny click was heard. It wasn''t anything loud, otherwise, it would spook the animals surrounding the area.


    The rock formation silently slid apart and revealed a stairway going down. Darkness was thick only a few steps away.


    "This is an escape route, remember? Of course, it would be silent." The lead cloaked figure whispered towards their confused ally, which made sense, of course, seeing that if the mechanism was loud, it would alert their enemies to where they were currently.


    "Right¡­"


    Both of them took their first steps down the dark stairs. The only source of light coming from the mote of blue light floating on the hand of the lead cloaked figure.


    "Can I ask something, Sir Luke?"


    "Ask away, Merethyl."


    The two cloaked figures, now known as the knight and elf, stopped for a brief moment, before continuing downwards, the stairs seemingly endless.


    "Why is the Human faction allowed to discriminate, enslave, and execute those they deem heretics without any major backlash?"


    "¡­" Luke stayed silent at the question. Anyone with a brain would like to ask that same question while tearing the roots out of their hair, leaving them bald. Curiosity was not the only reason. For a kingdom with a working society, mindless genocide against their own population was an incredibly baffling and shitty move to make.


    "¡­ Well¡­?" Merethyl pressed her question, her pointy ears wiggling at the anticipation of an answer to all this mindless slaughter.


    "¡­ You are not going to like my answer." Merethyl frowned at his response, but Luke continued. "But since you are one of the victims, you have a right to hear this. I won''t talk about it now; we need all of our focus on our current objective."


    "¡­" Merethyl was torn between beating the answer out of the knight, and focusing on their objective. The memory of her sister with a dismembered leg made it easy to decide on an answer. "Alright, but I want answers once we return."


    "As you wish." Luke replied and the both of them went silent once more, the echoing of their footsteps rebounding off the close walls. A few minutes into their descent later, they finally found flat ground, albeit incredibly dusty.


    Luckily, both of them had masks on, so the dust wasn''t anything harmful.


    "If I recall correctly, this path will lead us straight to the sewer system." Luke looked at Merethyl behind him. "Once we arrive there, I suggest quickly using your magic and writing the layout on paper."


    Luke handed her a piece of paper of high quality, given to him by Sir Jionni, of course.


    "Why?" Merethyl tilted her head at the suggestion.


    "Since you were part of a D-rank Hunter team, I wouldn''t be surprised if you haven''t encountered a monster that could sense magic." Luke trekked on, Merethyl following him as the mote of light continued to light their path. "Anticipate them, sure, but sensing them is not part of the monsters'', labeled in C-rank and below, repertoire."


    "Humans, as well as Demi-humans, are not exempt from this. Only powerful beings can sense magic." Luke glanced one more time at Merethyl, before continuing on his trek. "And before I escaped, I learned about a powerful mage who had arrived earlier to... witness the execution of the heretical noble family."


    Merethyl said nothing, but she could feel the anger radiating off of the normally gentle knight.


    Their trek continued in silence after that conversation. The only sounds audible were their footsteps within the dark tunnel. About half an hour later, they heard the sound of water droplets. The two of them knew they were close, but did not rush their speed. They needed to conserve their energy for when they needed it.


    "We''re here," Luke muttered as he scanned the area around him. Stinky water, filthy walls, and other things you would expect from a sewer system. Luckily, the walkways weren''t that filthy. He then created a flame with magic, lighting a ready-to-light torch he made on the way here.


    "¡­ You really need to maintain this place. What if monsters come and inhabit this area?"


    "Trust me, we would''ve liked to, but pressure from the other noble families forced my Lord''s hand to buy¡­ Better furnishings for his household, damned politics." Merethyl winced at that. She would never understand nobles and their need to show power socially, such as who was richer, who was more beautiful and whatnot. "Anyway, use your magic, and quickly sketch the area. It doesn''t have to be good, just readable enough to show a rough guideline."


    Merethyl nodded and commenced to use her magic. A brief surge of power burst through her body and into the sewer.


    "You have at most two minutes. I have my utmost faith in you." Luke said as he timed her with his watch. Ah, the wonders of electricity.. Sadly, magic took precedence over electricity, but hey, at least there was the internet, however limited it may be.

 Chapter 58 - Complications

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    "Time''s almost up. It''s best if you stop now."


    Luke said towards Merethyl who quickly shut off the magic flow towards her currently cast magic. Her glowing eyes lost their shimmer as the surroundings turned a shade darker. Luke then proceeded to approach Merethyl holding the map, to take a good look at the sketch.


    "Not bad. Remind me to take up scanning magic once we return to the Dungeon."


    Merethyl nodded at his remark as she gave the map to Luke, feeling that it was better in his hands than hers. She may be a little bit good at sketching, but she is not qualified to hold a map. That job was for her sister, or their leader.


    She still did not know where those two human couples were. Were they still imprisoned? Did they escape? Or were they already dead at the hands of these bastard zealots?


    Questions that can be answered once they return.


    Luke stared at the map for a few seconds before deciding on a course of movement.


    "Alright, based on this map, we can enter the Town Lord''s Estate through the well and into the storage area if we take this path right here, and turn left after the first three turns." Luke pointed in the direction while Merethyl took a glance at the darkness looming overhead.


    She nodded curtly and the two of them continued on their trek towards the estate while ignoring the smell, the sound of squeaking rats, droplets of water, and some other distracting noises.


    []


    []


    []


    Grunts of anguish, yells of pain, and screams of rage littered the underground dungeon that kept all of the tortured demi-humans.


    "Kill all of those damned animals! Let none escape alive!" A common guard yelled as her blade unsheathed itself from a young demi-human, the sound of squelching flesh bringing anger out of the supposed ''animals.''


    "Kill the bastards who dare take away our freedom!" A demi-human adult grabbed a sword lying on the ground before thrusting it at the female guard who was shouting with a manic expression on her face.


    The female soldier crashed to the ground as she trembled a bit before going completely still. The demi-human roared out loud and proceeded to kill more guards that were doing their best to kill the prisoners.


    While all of this was happening, four figures could be seen running away from the heated scene.


    "That information you got better be true, otherwise, I''mma skin you alive once we''re in the afterlife!"


    "Relax, Lara, the info I got is legit. And let''s be honest, we were all gonna die if we stayed any longer in this damned hellhole."


    "And I''m not letting yond befall to our young one ov''r h''re."


    "¡­"


    The four of them had distinct appearances, what with all of them being in different categories of demi-humans.


    The first is their leader, a male gnome that was an outlier in terms of height. The reason being that he was as tall as an average human male.


    His name is Krag.


    The second is a female gnome, an ordinary gnome at that. That said, gnomes in this world look like human children, even if they are in their thirties.


    Her name is Lara.


    The third is an elf male, piggybacking their fourth member, who was naught but a human child.


    The elf''s name is Anduin, while the human child''s is Alice.


    The three adults are members of their own Hunter party, while the child was someone they picked up on the streets in the past. After that, they adopted the child and cared for her like they would their own child.


    "I see the place!" Krag yelled at his party members, garnering their attention to his lonesome.


    "What place!? That''s a goddamn dead end!" Lara fumed as she got ready to kick her leader''s ass into the moon. Hey, if she died because of her leader, then at least she would like to kick him in the balls before kicking her bucket.


    "Wast the inf''rmation a forswear?" Anduin asked while glaring at his leader, his grip tightening on the unconscious child with middle-grade injuries.


    "Hey, calm your tits down, midget! You as well, old-timer!" Krag snarked back while focusing on the wall. "Now, if I''m correct¡­ zigzag¡­ then a square¡­ There!"


    Following the instructions, Krag used his fingers to draw a zigzag pattern, encased in a square on the wall, and waited with bated breath. The group waited in silence, before a noise made Krag flinch.


    "¡­ That''s it. Before I die, I''m pulverizing your dick and balls¡­" Lara said with extreme maliciousness, while Anduin watched the scene with trepidation, his hands clutching the unconscious child tighter.


    It was then that the wall shifted slightly, and a staircase formed right where the wall was supposed to be. This got Krag to beam a smile on his face uncontrollably, while his hands were covering his crotch.


    "See! I told you that info was legit!"


    "¡­ Well then, at least we ain''t gonna die yet."


    "Forsooth, a chance at life w''rth taking."


    The four of them descended the steps and into darkness, leaving the chaotic fighting behind as they took a chance at escape.


    []


    []


    []


    "Something is wrong." Luke said underneath the thick silence. Merethyl perked her ears at that statement, forcing her senses into overdrive as she tried to sense something amiss.


    It was then they heard it, footsteps. The both of them readied themselves for conflict, Luke unsheathing his sword, and Merethyl readying a serrated dirk.


    They tense up as the footsteps approached closer and closer, until they saw the offenders.


    Three demi-humans, and an injured child. Merethyl gasped at the horrible state of the child, while Luke stared grimly at the four figures.


    The demi-human prisoners, however, quickly came to a halt once they saw the two cloaked silhouettes in front of them. They were on guard in case these two robed figures decided to attack,


    Fortunately, the right figure, a female most likely due to her body figure, raised her hands up in an attempt of peace.


    "We have no quarrel with you." Merethyl declared with her hands up.


    "¡­ What are you two doing here?" Krag narrowed his eyes at the cloaked female. Merethyl did the only thing that could garner their trust, however small it may be.


    She lowered her hood, and showed her features.


    "Fellow elf, didst thee escapeth the dungeon?" Anduin asked with a softening gaze. Merethyl nodded as she glanced at Luke who was staying silent.


    "Indeed, I have." Merethyl said before approaching the group of demi-humans plus a human child. "I am on a mission to free all captive demi-humans in the area if possible."


    Luke said nothing, but he did understand why she said that.


    Jionni must''ve put her up to this. For what reason, he didn''t know, but somehow, he got a feeling that if he got those demi-humans, his Dungeon would only get stronger.


    And quite frankly, if they stayed on friendly terms, who cares? Hell, they might be permanent residents of his Dungeon right now, and the stronger the Dungeon, the better.


    Luke approached the group with slow strides, gathering attention to himself once the female gnome noticed his approach.


    "Merethyl." He tapped Merethyl''s shoulder, getting her attention. "It''s probably best if we split up. I can get the Town Lord by myself, while you can focus on the other objective Jionni gave us."


    Merethyl nodded at his claims and glanced back at the three demi-humans who had a confused look on their faces.


    "Lead me to the dungeon where you were held in."

 Chapter 59 - Impediments

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    "A-are you sure about this¡­ Miss elf¡­?"


    "Quite."


    Merethyl and the new gang of demi-humans proceeded through the dim and damp walkways of the sewer. The only source of light guiding their way was a torch which the group of demi-humans took from the dungeon they were held in.


    "¡­ How are we supposed to escape the next time?" Krag asked with a glare. "Last time we escaped, which wasn''t a few minutes ago I might add, shit was going down."


    Merethyl glanced at the demi-human who offered a valid point towards their problem.


    ''I mean, he''s not wrong¡­'' Merethyl brought her gaze back forwards, the dim walkways gracing her vision.


    Krag wasn''t the only one who was anxious about going back towards the place they tried to escape.


    Through the cacophony of voices, which was composed of only two voices, Merethyl gave both of the offending demi-humans a glare to shut them up.


    "Look, you have no other choice." Merethyl hated to resort to threats, but with these stranger demi-humans wanting a quick escape route, she had no other choice. Not unless she shows the Dungeon Return Stone, which she theorized would cause the demi-human group to go aggressive and steal the stone from her hands, dead or not. "Either you help me and we escape this hellhole together, or we go our separate ways and you risk never getting out of this maze-like sewer.


    "Ngh¡­"


    The demi-humans, or specifically Krag and Lara, shut up and continued in silence. Anduin refused to speak, using all of his efforts to make sure the unconscious child was comfortable with his piggyback.


    He didn''t like the wounds he healed earlier to open once again. Magic may bring miracles, but not all magic is able to do so. Like what Anduin did to Alice earlier. His magic, being a D-rank mage, was not strong enough to get rid of all the wounds. He mostly focused on lethal wounds, but that left him with low magic reserves, which he was saving for a¡­ dangerous situation.


    The group continues in silence, with the occasional Krag giving out directions to where they should proceed to reach the dungeon where the breakout was still ongoing.


    A few minutes later, they arrived at a staircase leading up, some light peaking through the open passageway at the top.


    "¡­ Last time, are you sure about this?"


    "Yes." Merethyl glanced one more time at Krag, before focusing towards the top of the stairs, unsheathing the dagger she kept hidden under her cloak. "Stick close if you want to escape."


    []


    []


    []


    ''This should be the way to the estate¡­'' Luke looked at the wall that was pushed in a few centimeters deep. Using the same gestures he used to open the secret entrance back in the forest, he waited for a few seconds before the wall moved apart silently, revealing a staircase going up. ''If I''m not mistaken, this leads to the storage area in the basement.''


    Luke silently scaled the staircase, leaving the torch once light began to seep into the staircase. He also unsheathed the dagger hidden under his cloak in case of an assailant.


    He reached the top of the staircase, staring at the dimly lit storage area which had seen better days. Crates littered the area, all ranging from small, to big. Some had their lids taken off completely, while others only had their lids shifted, making it possible to peek inside.


    A few suits of iron were placed around the area, now home to various spiders as seen by the cobwebs and states of disuse. Dust, thick in the air, enough for a person to contract allergies for the next month.


    A close look at some of the boxes revealed a bunch of furniture that went into disuse once Bentley brought in new ones to¡­ impress¡­ the other noble houses.


    "¡­ Politics¡­" Luke shrugged and ignored the depressing area as he looked for the staircase leading to the first floor, where he knew complications would arise in a heartbeat.


    Finding the staircase, Luke once again scaled the staircase, which lasted a few seconds. He reached a wooden door that wasn''t too decorated, despite it being inside a noble house.


    Reaching for the sword sheathed at his waist, he slowly opened the door, making sure that it wouldn''t creak and make too much noise. His first task done; the next thing he does is search around the area for any complications.


    And the face of a guard who was glaring at him with a sword drawn was enough of an answer for him to come to his own conclusions as to the results of his second task.


    ''¡­ Shit¡­''


    []


    []


    []


    "Well then¡­ I guess I can say what''s on my mind now¡­"


    "Krag¡­ Shut up¡­"


    "Well, at least I''d like to say my will before I fucking die thanks to this blonde asshat!"


    Merethyl winced at the shout, but ignored it as she focused on the problem at hand, and that was being surrounded by a group of guards ready to murder and brutalize them before throwing them to the wolves.


    "I suggesteth we useth whatev''r getaway tool thee currently has''t and escapeth." Anduin said, his whole body tense as his left arm grabbed a sword he pilfered from the corpse of a guard, while his right arm held the unconscious child.


    ''¡­ I guess four is enough¡­ Jionni will just have to make do with this lot¡­'' Merethyl grimaced as she grabbed the Dungeon Return Stone from her pouch.


    The guards noticed this, but it was too late to stop the stone from activating. Their eyes were blinded by the bright light that was emitted from the stone, and once they opened their eyes a few seconds later, the surviving demi-humans plus human child were gone from their grasp.


    Meanwhile, the demi-human group arrived back at Jionni''s Dungeon, in a heap of bodies, that is.


    "Ow! Get off me you giant gnome!"


    "Shut up you flat-chested midget! Any harder and I might feel your ribs poking my chest!"


    "TAKE THAT BACK YOU GIANT ASSHOLE!"


    "¡­"


    Immediately, the two gnomes bickered with each other, not paying attention to their surroundings. Seeing this, Merethyl let out a sigh as she spotted Gong, the ever-faithful servant of Jionni.


    Gong looked at Merethyl with a look that completely said, "Only these?"


    "Yes, Gong, only these." Merethyl spoke grimly, understanding Gong''s facial expression as she recalled the horrifying scene of the dead bodies of both demi-humans and humans, young or old, male or female, littering the dungeon pathways. If she arrived a little bit earlier, would she have gathered a few more to bring back?


    She shook her head.


    ''Can''t be playing hero now.'' Merethyl remembered the reason why she was doing this risky job in the first place.. ''Mari, I will heal you, no matter the cost.''

 Chapter 60 - Exfiltration

    Luke dodged a sword aimed at stabbing through his gut as he countered with a flick of his wrist, his blade drawing blood as it sliced cleanly through the unprotected neck of the guard.


    The guard gurgled his last words as he loudly thumped on the floor, his blood pooling under his body, never to move again.


    Luke didn''t hesitate to kill the guard because this person was with the Human faction, the insane zealots who would kill a child just because they had a tail.


    Luke quickly dashed through the corridor; his cover now blown as a group of rushing footsteps neared his current position.


    "Intruder! Kill the bastard!" A guard shouted, loud enough for the entirety of the estate to hear. Luke grimaced under his hood, his grip tightening over his drawn sword. He looked around the corridor as he ran, calculating thoughts quickly moving through his mind.


    ''You know this place, Luke. You have the advantage!'' Luke dodged a sword thrust towards him from a guard he encountered on a turning path. Making use of the bust made of marble in the image of Lord Bentley that was placed here to show off his ''economic superiority'', as he might''ve coined it, he smashed it against the helmet of the overextended guard, dazing the poor man.


    Not wasting this opening, Luke immediately slit the neck of the guard with his dagger hidden underneath his cloak. The short blade was perfect for this type of close combat.


    The guard dropped to the ground as he gurgled for air, blood gushing out of the lethal wound. A few moments later, the guard dropped dead, his weapon clanging on the floor, revealing his current location to the rest of the guards.


    Luke made a mad dash through the corridor once more, focusing on the familiar layout of the estate as he dodged the incoming guards, and if not possible, dispatched them easily like bugs.


    Let it be known that, as a knight, he had more training in the sword than the ordinary guard.


    He turned a corner and saw a group of guards rushing him. Quickly scanning his surroundings for an advantage, he made do with a long table that displayed a bunch of figurines and pictures of Bentley''s family.


    The sound of breaking glass and marble hitting the floor rung in his ears, his apologies for the broken mementos of the past going unsaid as he kicked the table down and used pure magic to propel the table forward, causing it to crash against the group of soldiers on the opposite side of it.


    The high-quality wooden table broke into large pieces, with the occasional splinter piercing through the unprotected skin of the guards. Luke then hightailed out of there, disregarding the groans and cries of pain.


    ''I can only do one more pure magic push like that¡­'' Luke panted as his stamina continued to drop from his extensive use of his legs, arms, and mind.


    Luke looked around his surrounding area and smirked.


    ''Alright, made a little detour, but I''m close¡­'' Luke then frowned when he saw the overly-protected living room. ''I can at least count eight¡­ maybe ten guards¡­''


    Any other day, Luke might''ve been able to fight and come out on top, but with him on a time limit, as well as mental fatigue due to the use of pure magic instead of elemental magic, he decided not to.


    ''They still haven''t noticed me¡­'' Luke looked at the hanging chandelier situated on top of most of the guards. ''Well¡­ Not like Lord Bentley would be using this house anymore¡­''


    Aiming his finger at the rope holding the chandelier, he conjured a speck of flame and let it fly. The speck of flame caught the attention of the leading guard and he tilted his head towards the direction where the fame came from.


    "I found the intruder! Guards! Apprehend the infidel!" The guards under the leading guard tried to follow his command, but a chandelier falling on top of their heads prevented that.


    The chandelier killed about six of them, while the rest were either unharmed, or injured. Now that the favor was on Luke''s side, he spared no time in dispatching the common rabble with his superior sword skills.


    Blood was drawn once more as his blade flashed, groans of pain and desperate gurgling echoing in the halls. Once all of the guards were killed, Luke quickly went up the stairs, paying no heed to the slaughter he had committed.


    ''Not like they needed any pity or sympathy¡­'' During the course of this civil war, Luke developed a deep hatred against the Human faction. Needless murders and genocide was the last thing this country needed with a bunch of rival countries with better equipment than theirs, and since their Hunter Association was cut off from the main organization, which was the Adventurer''s Guild that was scattered all over the world, they could not get any outside help without alliances and political dealings.


    ''As if we need them now, anyways¡­'' Luke sighed as he focused back on his task of ''kidnapping'' Bentley before his supposed ''trial'' could start.


    His feet stopped as he stood in front of the door that led towards the office of his friend and lord, Bentley. Sucking in a breathful of air, Luke kicked the door open and was greeted by a mace that could''ve caved his head in if not for the sudden halt.


    "Luke!? What the hell are you doing back here!?" Bentley roared as he let go of his trembling wife. The man holding the mace stepped a few meters back, causing Luke to recognize the man.


    Nicholas Gallagher, who was accompanied by a young woman, who was also his daughter, Alexa Gallagher.


    "No time to explain, I have a way for you to escape the town, and your execution." Luke said seriously, but Bentley refuted the man''s claims.


    "No! For the last time, Sir Luke, I will not tarnish the name of my household!" Bentley snarled, then sighed as he dropped on his ass next to his wife, who was beginning to calm down. "I have told you this many a time, Sir Luke, but my pride as a noble will not allow me to shirk off my duty."


    "And in turn, leaving your two children orphaned? All because of your stupid noble pride?" Luke scowled as he closed the door and barricaded it, giving them time if ever the surviving guards wanted to burst into the room.


    Bentley remained quiet, his grim face causing the air in the room to turn heavy.


    "¡­ What is more important to you, Bentley¡­ Your pride, or your family¡­?" Luke said with an expressionless face. His eyes narrowed, gauging every nook and cranny of Bentley''s face.


    Bentley still remained quiet, refusing to answer his question.


    ''I have no time for this!'' Luke stomped towards Bentley and grabbed his collar, bringing the noble eye to eye with him. "Choose Bentley! YOUR PRIDE OR YOUR FAMILY!?"


    "¡­ I am sorry, old friend, but my pride is what will keep the future of my household alive." Luke gnashed his teeth, his mind unable to process the answer from his friend.


    It was illogical. No matter what, whether he runs or is executed, the noble house of Shaiydon will forever be abolished due to the twisted reforms currently going through the kingdom.


    Luke was tempted to knock him out and bring him back, whether he liked it or not, but his respect for the man stopped him from doing so.


    That is, until the other party who was witnessing the drama unfold decided to step in¡­ Violently¡­


    A body thumped on the ground later and Luke looked at the Hunter Association branch manager with a confused look.


    "You have a way out of here? Then, can we come along?" Nicholas pointed towards his daughter, who was looking a little lost in the current situation.


    Suddenly, the door began creaking, the barricade slowly, but surely, breaking down. Luke had to make a choice, and it wasn''t one that took him long.


    He reached into his pouch, and a bright lightshow later, the group of four were nowhere to be seen, confusing the guards that breached the room and prompting them to scan the estate high and low for the missing people.

 Chapter 61 - Monke GET New Subordinates

    Here I was, lazing on my ass as I stroked Domino''s hair with my big hands, when suddenly, the Dungeon Menu alerted me to incoming trespassers. Carrying Domino down to the ground ¨C while she pouted suddenly at her time with me being cut short ¨C I quickly accessed the Dungeon Menu to see the incoming trespassers.


    They weren''t trespassers at all.


    Merethyl stood with Gong, who was giving her a look as if saying ''These all¡­?'', while the female elf responded with a grim nod, her words a whisper, making it next to impossible to hear her words through the Dungeon Menu.


    Creating a passageway going towards the Human Area ¨C where the Mass Return Dungeon Stone was supposed to teleport the users once used ¨C I walked on all fours, with Domino scrambling to climb my back.


    She struggled a bit with climbing, and, to my amusement, pouted as she glared at me, her eyes relaying to me to pick her up and carry her.


    Shrugging with a smile, I picked her up and lifted her to my back, which she clung happily to, not that her face gave off any indication of her happiness.


    That said, her expressionlessness is fun to prod sometimes.


    I walked in silence, with Domino humming a tune as she sprawled herself on my back, her body tiny enough to allow her to lie on my back spread eagle.


    A few minutes of walking later ¨C as well as scaling the stairs ¨C I arrived at the Human Area.


    "Look, these monsters don''t want to hurt you. Just please, listen to me."


    Where Merethyl was busy pleading with the group of demi-humans that she and the monsters meant no harm. The group of demi-humans narrowed their eyes at her, as well as at Gong, the male elf of their group, holding the unconscious child tighter in his grip.


    Gong, in all of this chaos, just stared blankly at the group of demi-humans threatening him, and the elf who was a candidate for his master''s mate.


    Not that his master knew, of course.


    I scratched my head. Well, this was an expected result.


    I let myself be known with the one action I knew would get their attention, as well as stop their current hostilities, even if it may backfire.


    I let Domino down, causing her to pout once more, and stood on my two hind legs. Next, I equipped the [Armor of the Primates] and stomped towards the light.


    Merethyl stopped her pleading and looked at me with apprehension and a little bit of fear in her eyes. Once the group of demi-humans noticed her sudden silence, they all looked towards the direction where she was looking.


    Which was right behind them.


    The moment they saw my figure, I saw two outcomes. One was the frozen in fear stuff, the usual.


    And the other was pissing their pants, which the female¡­ Dwarf? Child? I''ll just ask her species later... did it unconsciously.


    It was at this moment, the child being carried by the male elf rose from her slumber, dull green eyes meeting mine as they widen and she shook uncontrollably.


    "A¡­ ahh¡­ Mo¡­" The child stuttered, tears forming around her eyes as they began to drop onto her cheeks and onto the male elf''s shoulder.


    The male elf noticed the movement, sound, and sudden wetness of his shoulder and quickly went to comfort the child, not that it did any good. Her breath hitched in places as she tried to regain her breath.


    Suddenly, my plan to intimidate the demi-human group into submission was hitting my conscious. That didn''t mean I cared about the well-being of the demi-humans. No. This was the result of making a child cry.


    And my sociopathy towards other creatures not from my Dungeon doesn''t apply to children. You''ve got to reach an all-time low if you even think of harming a child for your own gains.


    I sighed, quickly unequipping the armor and striding towards them with my naked body.


    And hey, if they decide to fight, let me remind you that my class is a Tank, and I can tank damage like a goddamn tank.


    The demi-humans, still frozen in fear, except the male elf trying to get the human child to calm down, began to move, forgetting their fear for a minute and moving in front of the male elf, placing their bodies between the child and mine.


    If anything, I respect their decision to stake their lives on protecting the child.


    I stopped in front of them, their eyes glaring at me as they trembled, waiting for any sudden movement from my person.


    I brought my hand sideways, their eyes following my hand, and widening once my hand was enveloped inside a black portal. Once it came out, they spotted a fruit, causing them to tilt their heads in confusion.


    I snorted at their amusing display. Something about messing and teasing other people brought a smile to my face.


    I stretched my hand, grabbing the fruit in front of their faces. Their faces constricting in anxiousness, confusion, and fear all at the same time.


    ''Okay, now I know why anime characters like teasing people.'' I mused in my head.


    "Give this to the child." My gruff voice shocked them into speechlessness, not that it was any different from earlier.


    The demi-humans made no effort to move, still stuck frozen in their confusion and fear. It wasn''t until the male elf made his move and went through the two frozen demi-humans and accepted the fruit with apprehension.


    The child was still trying her best to calm down, her breathing still hitching here and there.


    The male elf brought the fruit towards the crying child. The green skin of the fruit terrified her, causing her to assume that it was poison being fed to her.


    "Calm down, Alice. This fruit is good to eat. I promise." The male elf whispered to the human child, which caused her to calm down slightly, but she was still shaking in fear.


    The human child, trusting her caretaker''s word, took the fruit and ate it, a harmony of tastes assaulting her tastebuds. She continued to eat the fruit with gusto, not noticing the wounds on her body slowly, but surely, healing themselves while she ate.


    The demi-humans, however, noticed this and directed their surprised gaze at me, who was grinning with amusement at the group.


    ''So¡­ Subordinates GET¡­?''

 Chapter 62 - Monke Sees Mature Office Girl/Lady

    "I thanketh thee f''r thy assistance." The elf man said with a smile, his previous nervousness slowly dwindling along with the wounds of the human child.


    "No problem." I nodded, a smile gracing my lips as I saw the expression of the human child slowly go from pained to relief, then joy.


    The other demi-humans also slowly let their guard down. My previous show of assistance enough of an incentive to calm them.


    I directed my eyes towards the two remaining demi-humans, their bodies tense for a brief second.


    "Calm yourselves, I mean you no harm." My voice caused them to wince, but slowly, and surely, their guards were let down, one layer at a time.


    "W-what do you want with us¡­?" The normal looking demi-human ¨C whose species I still have no idea about ¨C asked while trembling, his lips quivering in anxiousness once again due to having my attention.


    "Well, for starters," I backed away, giving the demi-humans their space of comfort, "I''m in need of workers. Mostly manual labor."


    The group of demi-humans tense slightly, my words sinking into their thoughts as they tried to process why I, a monster, needed manual labor.


    "Now, now, the manual labor I''m speaking of isn''t anything heavy, just helping the community with building some houses and buildings."


    "W-wait¡­ Community¡­?" The female demi-human, probably a gnome going by her appearance, shookily looked at Merethyl, her eyes asking the meaning of my words.


    "A community of monsters." Merethyl''s short explanation caused them to freeze once more, and this time, it wasn''t out of nervousness, but instead, it was out of fear.


    "M-monsters¡­? Like¡­ Goblins, orcs, and kobolds¡­?" The normal demi-human''s teeth chattered as he breathed out his question. I withheld a snort of laughter, not wanting to cause friction with the group of demi-humans I wanted to partner with.


    "It is as Merethyl says." I stated, causing them to focus their gazes on me once more as I gestured to Gong, who was silently watching the entirety of the situation unfold. The gorilla nodded and slowly made his stride towards me, the group of demi-humans watching all the while.


    Once he was right beside me, I gestured towards him, as if showing him off as some kind of entertainment.


    "Everyone, meet Gong, one of the newest monster species to walk the kingdom."


    Their eyes widened as Gong puffed up his chest, basking in the attention given towards him by the group of demi-humans, however small.


    "New¡­?"


    "Monster species¡­?"


    The normal and gnome demi-humans blinked, their bodies once again trembling at the revelation.


    Well, I don''t blame them; Teleported into an area where a community of monsters lived. A new monster species was born, and no one knew their characteristics, other than big, black, hairy humanoid monster, and they are armed too.


    Unlike them; dressed in rags, carrying a human child, and without any sort of equipment for defense on their person, if you exclude the common sword or dagger they are currently holding.


    "Anyway, before we go onto the specifics, I would like us to introduce ourselves." I said, garnering their attention once more as they stopped their thoughts from derailing into darkness. "My name is Jionni, and if you were present at the Hunter''s Association back in Kazanpan a few days back, which I would guess you were not, I and your Town Lord made a deal, which was then broken due to a demon."


    Merethly flinched at my words, her head slowly looking away as she reminisced about the time when the demon was friendly to them and her team, which then prompted her to snarl silently.


    "You already know Gong," the gorilla in question nodded his head, signifying to the demi-humans that the hairy monster beside me also has above-average intelligence for a monster, "and the female elf over there is Merethyl."


    Merethyl nodded in their direction once before turning away. Her gaze focused on me as she slowly made her way towards my location.


    "How about yours? May I know the name of the demi-humans who Merethly here rescued from that town¡­?"


    The group of demi-humans were silent, before the elf male took it upon himself to go first.


    "Greetings, benevolent jionni. Mine own nameth is Anduin Ildroun, and the child on mine own backeth h''re is Alice" The human child in question, now named Alice, gave me a wave, still a little on guard. After Anduin''s introduction, then next to follow was the normal looking demi-human.


    "Erm¡­ H-hello¡­ Jionni¡­ My name is Krag Vavrus, and before you think about me being a human, allow me to correct you. I am a gnome." His words got a little heated at the end there, probably a bit fed up with constantly telling other new people that he is, in fact, a gnome and not a human.


    "I figured you weren''t a human, but I had a hard time coming up with the type of your species." This got Krag to perk up, his lips slightly arcing upwards.


    "Really¡­? Then how did you know I wasn''t a human¡­?"


    "The situation in the town. Most, if not all, demi-human human supporters are probably dead now in that hellhole, and demi-humans are chained and locked up, either waiting until the humans execute them, or for torture purposes."


    Krag deflated a bit at my response.


    "¡­" Krag went completely silent, his thoughts going to places I have no idea where the destination was.


    "U-um¡­" The female gnome piped up, her slightly pointy ears bouncing up and down¡­ Probably due to nervousness.


    "Hm¡­ No need to be afraid." I assured her, causing her to slowly loosen herself up, but still tense enough in case the situation goes awry.


    "¡­ My n-name is Lara Sedlak¡­ Gnome¡­" Her tiny voice was barely heard, but I was able to.


    "I see, well then, Lara, Krag, Anduin, and Alice¡­ How would you like to live here and gain security and living privileges in exchange for manual labor?"


    The group of demi-humans were considering my offers, but another light show blinded us, causing everyone to be on guard, as well as Domino to come out of her hiding spot and rush towards me with concern.


    Once the light died down, my guard slowly went away, my glare directed at the cause with a smirk on my face.


    "Well then¡­ I see the Town Lord is safe and sound¡­" I smirked at Luke, who was groggily standing up due to the sudden teleportation. My eyes roamed around the newcomers, the Town Lord, his wife, a muscled scarred man, and a¡­ Is that an office outfit¡­?

 Chapter 63 - Monke, Muscle Man, And Hugs (Domino No Likey)

    ''Huh¡­ Didn''t think I would see that kind of outfit anytime this early¡­'' I scratched my chin. ''Well, the technology in this world is confusing in and of itself, what with the guns, medieval architecture, modern architecture, and other stuff mixed in¡­''


    I stopped that process of thought for the moment. I can mull over the inconsistencies of the world era in the future, but for now, I should tackle the problem at hand.


    I approached Luke, who was now standing on his feet with a bit of a grimace, his eyes seldomly shifting towards the muscled man who was tightly gripping the shoulder of the office lady with enough force to not cause harm.


    "S-sir Jionni¡­" Luke stammered out, still probably out of it from the teleportation. "I-I have brought Lord Bentley and his wife, as well as the Hunter''s Association Branch Manager, Sir Nicholas Gallagher, and his daughter, Alexa Gallagher."


    The moment the term Hunter''s Association Branch Manager entered my ears, my curiosity piqued immensely.


    ''Hmm¡­ The Mass Dungeon Return Stone was supposed to only transport those deemed by the user, "Friendly," and if that is the case, then these two should mean no harm¡­'' My gaze met the muscled man, who was now known to me as Nicholas. ''That doesn''t mean I should let my guard down around them. I''ll have to assign some patrols around the Human area, just to make sure that no malicious intent goes haywire.''


    ''That said, why would the Branch Manager of the Hunter''s Association in that town be willingly transported here¡­?'' I hummed. Luke''s gaze was brought to my own form due to the humming sound I made. Having his attention, I had him deal with one of the problems I currently have that should not be put off any longer.


    "Luke, get Lord Bentley¡­" I trailed off when I saw his prone, unmoving form. Fortunately, I was able to see his chest moving up and down, with his wife fearfully looking around the area. "¡­ I take it he was being unreasonable¡­?"


    "¡­ Quite, Sir Jionni." Luke sighed in response to my question, facepalming in the process.


    "¡­ Very well. Take Lord Bentley towards the shack and lay him down on the bed provided. Bentley''s children should also be there waiting for your arrival." Luke nodded and proceeded to gently lift Lord Bentley''s unconscious form into a princess carry and gestured for his fearful wife to follow.


    I should probably get to know her name, but that can be held off for now. Right now, the most pressing matter is getting the demi-human to accept my offer, and with Nicholas arriving, it should probably not be that hard.


    If he is here, as well as his daughter, then the town must be a shithole that even the HUMAN branch manager of the Hunter''s Association wanted out.


    I approached the muscled man, only to be stopped by a tiny tug at the fur on my left leg. Looking down, I spot Domino, who came out of her hiding spot due to the sudden teleportation, who I also forgot was beside me the entire time I was talking with Luke¡­


    Did he not see her¡­? A question I should probably ask later when he returns¡­


    "Oh my god! She''s so cuuttee!!!" And a shout quickly had my attention, my eyes directed towards the person who made said shout. The gnome, Lara¡­


    She bolted off and gave Domino a big hug, which caused her to snarl and resist the physical contact that breached her personal space.


    "Let go¡­ Of Domino¡­" The girl spat out, her emotionless visage breaking ever so slightly, but with how flat her voice was, the female gnome wasn''t able to detect said hostility.


    "No! You''re just too cute to let go!" Domino flailed her arms, using every ounce of her strength to get out of the hug, which failed, by the way.


    ''Hmm¡­ It looks like Domino really isn''t physically strong¡­'' I mused in my head, a tiny voice inside my mind telling me to rip off the female gnome''s head off of her shoulders for displeasing Domino, but I was able to chuck that voice into the garbage bin because if I did just that, then I could say goodbye to extra manpower.


    "Papa¡­ Help me¡­ Help Domino¡­" Domino pleaded, her emotionless eyes staring into mine.


    "All right, enough." I towered over the female gnome, my shadow encompassing her entire body, and then some. Lara froze up, resulting in Domino being able to escape her clutches and running into mine. I obliged and lifted her up, causing her to lie on my back while blowing a raspberry at the female gnome. "Please, do not disturb my daughter."


    Lara had her jaw hung wide open, along with Merethyl, Anduin, Krag, and Alexa. Alice, the human child, only had a confused expression on her face, while Nicholas had an eyebrow raised.


    "D-daughter¡­?"


    "That''s right. Domino is my daughter." My declaration caused Domino to bury her face in my back, a faint blush on her cheeks. "Anyway, enough of that. Nicholas, I presume you wanted out from the town due to their oppression. Am I right?"


    "Hit the nail on the head there, Jionni." Nicholas gave off a laugh. "When I heard about a new Dungeon rising, I didn''t think the Dungeon Master would be as intelligent, if not, moreso than the average person."


    The demi-human group and Alexa, bar Merethyl, had their faces pale due to the revelation. Well then, I was hoping to hide that fact for a bit longer, but it wouldn''t even be that long to hide that fact since this forest is located inside a cave.


    "Well, thanks for the compliment." I nodded, affirming the suspicions of everybody here that I am, indeed, a Dungeon Master. "Moving on, you wanted to leave that place then?"


    "Very much so." Nicholas gave a one-handed hug to his daughter, who squirmed for a moment before stopping. "You see, the town was barely hanging on, what with the majority of demi-humans, as well as some humans, being killed for bullshit reasons."


    The demi-humans nodded solemnly at that, while Alexa gritted her teeth.


    "And then, they decided to lay their hands on the hardworking members of the Hunter''s Association." Nicholas scowled. "If it wasn''t for them holding the entire town hostage, I would''ve gone and killed every single one of those assholes. Actually, maybe I should''ve just killed them all even if the entire town was hostage, ''cause the damned fanatics kept on killing their own hostage¡­!"


    Nicholas'' voice continued to grow, his face twisting into anger, rage, and guilt for his inaction. Suddenly, all that vanished and all that was left was a man who was tired of the bullshit that came into his life.


    "I see¡­" I hummed. A problematic situation, not that I care, but problematic indeed. ''Hm, maybe¡­ I wonder¡­''


    "Nicholas, can I ask you a question?" Nicholas nodded at me, who was now silent with Alexa hugging him with a one-handed hug. "When is this supposed Monster Surge?"

 Chapter 64 - Monke Plans For Invasion

    "Monster Surge¡­ Huh¡­" Nicholas tapped his chin, his facial features scrunching up in thought. "Well, by my calculations, it should be about a week from now."


    "A week?" I cupped my chin, a habit I developed recently with all the thinking I kept on doing ever since this fiasco about their stupid civil war started. Plus, it felt good to rub my hairy chin, which made me calm in the heat of the matter. "I ask you this: how did the past Monster Surges play out?"


    Nicholas perked up at my question, a sly grin forming on his face as he realized my intentions.


    "Well, well, I didn''t think that you, of all things, would have a heart of gold." I chuckled at his response. He''s not wrong, but heart of gold may be too far from the truth¡­


    Scratch that, he was way, WAY, off¡­


    "Heh, heart of gold or not, from what you expect of my actions in the future, I can guarantee you, we both benefit from the outcome."


    "Hah! Right, you are on that, Jionni." Nicholas guffawed at my statement, shocking Alexa due to her father''s unexpected laughter. Once he stopped laughing, however, his serious face came back into full view. "Well then, moving onto the meaty bits, the past Monster Surges were just simple. Mindless monsters rush into towns, villages, and other settlements to do only one thing. Bring death."


    My eyes widen at his words. That¡­ opens a whole new can of worms¡­


    Mindless monsters¡­ A stark difference between the monsters I have all met during my stay in this world. Does that even include¡­


    "I know what you''re thinking, and no, monsters living inside a Dungeon are not affected by the strange, every decade occurrence." My mind went into full gear. From what I gather, there could be two possibilities. One is that all monsters living inside a Dungeon really can not be influenced by the strange phenomenon, and two, is that only those generated by the Dungeon aren''t afflicted by said influence.


    "That is¡­ A reassuring thought¡­" I hummed. ''I should probably move the Human area away from the Defender/Forest/City area for the time being. I do not want to see some casualties inside my Dungeon, much more if they are a stable source of DP income, as well as manpower.''


    Nicholas had a confused expression on his face for a moment before I waved him off with my hand.


    "Moving on, I''m guessing that you would like to take refuge inside my Dungeon for the time being?" I asked the question that was on everybody''s mind.


    "Very much so." Nicholas nodded, his feet shuffling towards his daughter silently, not that I didn''t notice.


    "I see¡­ In that case, I would like to extend to you the same offer I made to these demi-humans." I gestured towards the group of demi-humans, who all but thought that I had forgotten about them during our short discussion.


    "And what ''offer'' may that be, Jionni?" A curious expression plastered itself on his face. That, and a hint of anxiety and fear. Probably for his daughter, I''m assuming.


    "Manual labor in exchange for housing and security." Nicholas'' face froze up. In fear, shock, or excitement, I do not know, but that face was somewhat hilarious.


    "Manual¡­ Labor¡­ That''s all¡­?"


    "Why, yes. Your help in building some buildings for the new up and coming town where every species, monsters, humans, and demi-humans, can live in peace."


    At my statement, everybody, sans myself and Domino, had their jaws dropped to the floor, metaphorically that is.


    "Pu¡­ Haha¡­ HahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"


    Nicholas, after a few moments of utter quiet, broke the silence with his laughter, his volume ever increasing by the second. Every person not closely affiliated with the Dungeon (Merethyl doesn''t count since she isn''t part of the Dungeon, unlike Domino and Gong) looked at the man like he was mad and losing his sanity for laughing at the statement of the being that held their lives in their hands.


    "Oh¡­ Dear¡­ Xyneas¡­ I¡­ I haven''t laughed like that in a long time¡­" Nicholas wiped a tear from his eye from too much laughter. "I''ll admit, that is a nice goal, but is it even possible? With us humans and demi-humans killing dozens of them daily due to how much of a threat they are to our society¡­?"


    "Heh, you''d be surprised to know that even they have their own sense of culture and society." This got Nicholas to shut up. "Also, they mostly revolve around survival of the fittest, so politics does squat for them and they also don''t have wars that could ravage entire lands due to differing beliefs. Well, most of them..." I remember that I lived in a fantasy world of swords and magic, with monsters such as goblins and orcs inhabiting the land. Who''s to say a dragon doesn''t exist in this world?


    "¡­ Touche¡­" Nicholas had no retort to my statement, causing me to grin at his silent form.


    "That said, do you still accept my offer?" Nicholas snorted as he approached me, his entire body just enough to reach my head while I was on all fours.


    "Like I have any other choice. Manual labor sounds better than pencil crunching and filing paperwork." Nicholas muttered quietly, distaste and rage brimming off of him the moment he muttered the dreaded ''paperwork.''


    ''It seems, no matter what universe, paperwork is the most dreaded enemy of all sentient life form.'' I closed my eyes, some memories of filing paperwork as a student came back to haunt me.


    Fuck. Those. Papers.


    I held my hand out. Nicholas noticing my gesture, took my hand in his and shook it.


    "Well then, welcome to my Dungeon, Nicholas Gallagher, and Alexa Gallagher." Alexa, who was silent throughout the whole ordeal, like the demi-human group, Merethyl, Gong, and Domino, hesitantly bowed. "You must be tired, though, and the only place to stay I have currently is that small shack over there."


    I pointed at the shack housing the children of Bentley, the two mentally broken women, the other comatose woman, and Merethyl''s disabled twin sister¡­


    I need a better fucking building to accommodate them¡­


    "No worries, we''ll make ourselves at home." Nicholas grinned and made his way back to his daughter. He said something to her, but my mind was wondering and I was focused on the demi-human group, who were looking at me intently.


    "So, do you accept my offer?"


    Krag approached me first, then Anduin piggybacking Alice, and finally Lara.


    "Yes, we agree to your terms." Krag said with a bow, prompting the others to follow suit.


    "Well, allow me to say, welcome aboard." A smile graced my lips.


    At least, during these hectic two weeks, things were finally calming down a bit.


    [][][][][][][][][][][][]


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Are the preparations ready¡­?"


    "Yes, m''lord. The preparations for the Games next week are done."


    "Excellent, it seems we have a fine batch this year. Don''t you agree, Uius?"


    "I agree, m''lord. Especially that reincarnee."


    "Heh, not the first reincarnee, mind you. Though his species is somewhat fascinating, I''ll chalk it up to the uncaring Gods."


    "Maybe not the uncaring Gods, but maybe their spokesperson, m''lord."


    "Oho, maybe you''re right, Uius. Maybe you''re right¡­"

 Chapter 65 - Monkes Days Without Stress

    0


    Finally¡­ Finally, the day is here.


    [Estimated time until completion¡­ 00:02:05]


    It''s been a long wait, but now, I can finally level up and get stronger to ensure that I don''t get killed in the near future. I was pissed, and still am, but that damn debuff gave me a valuable lesson.


    Don''t only rely on yourself. Use everything you can to ensure your survival, and that includes the Dungeon I neglected early on. Ever since that fucking demon used that¡­ Orb of Transference, or whatever its name was, was the moment I truly focused on building my Dungeon from the ground up.


    And these are the fruits of my labor¡­


    Trespassers Killed: 82


    Human: 19 = 50 DP, 45 EXP (invalidated) each


    Goblin: 34 = 25 DP, 20 EXP (invalidated) each


    Wild Boar: 23 = 20 DP, 10 EXP (invalidated) each


    Deer: 6 = 15 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dungeon Residents DP income:


    Day 1:


    Goblin: 47 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobold: 10 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orc: 3 = 15 DP, 13 EXP (invalidated) each


    Lizardman: 1 = 20 DP, 15 EXP (invalidated) each


    Human: 10 = 13 DP, 11 EXP (invalidated) each


    Beastman: 1 = 38 DP, 31 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dragonewt: 1 = 113 DP, 100 EXP (invalidated) each


    Elves: 3 = 63 DP, 56 EXP (invalidated) each


    Gnome: 2 = 31 DP, 25 EXP (invalidated) each


    Day 2:


    Goblin: 47 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobold: 10 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orc: 3 = 15 DP, 13 EXP (invalidated) each


    Lizardman: 1 = 20 DP, 15 EXP (invalidated) each


    Human: 10 = 13 DP, 11 EXP (invalidated) each


    Beastman: 1 = 38 DP, 31 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dragonewt: 1 = 113 DP, 100 EXP (invalidated) each


    Elves: 3 = 63 DP, 56 EXP (invalidated) each


    Gnome: 2 = 31 DP, 25 EXP (invalidated) each


    Day 3:


    Goblin: 47 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobold: 10 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orc: 3 = 15 DP, 13 EXP (invalidated) each


    Lizardman: 1 = 20 DP, 15 EXP (invalidated) each


    Human: 10 = 13 DP, 11 EXP (invalidated) each


    Beastman: 1 = 38 DP, 31 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dragonewt: 1 = 113 DP, 100 EXP (invalidated) each


    Elves: 3 = 63 DP, 56 EXP (invalidated) each


    Gnome: 2 = 31 DP, 25 EXP (invalidated) each


    Day 4:


    Goblin: 47 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobold: 10 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orc: 3 = 15 DP, 13 EXP (invalidated) each


    Lizardman: 1 = 20 DP, 15 EXP (invalidated) each


    Human: 10 = 13 DP, 11 EXP (invalidated) each


    Beastman: 1 = 38 DP, 31 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dragonewt: 1 = 113 DP, 100 EXP (invalidated) each


    Elves: 3 = 63 DP, 56 EXP (invalidated) each


    Gnome: 2 = 31 DP, 25 EXP (invalidated) each


    Day 5:


    Goblin: 47 = 6 DP, 5 EXP (invalidated) each


    Kobold: 10 = 9 DP, 6 EXP (invalidated) each


    Orc: 3 = 15 DP, 13 EXP (invalidated) each


    Lizardman: 1 = 20 DP, 15 EXP (invalidated) each


    Human: 10 = 13 DP, 11 EXP (invalidated) each


    Beastman: 1 = 38 DP, 31 EXP (invalidated) each


    Dragonewt: 1 = 113 DP, 100 EXP (invalidated) each


    Elves: 3 = 63 DP, 56 EXP (invalidated) each


    Gnome: 2 = 31 DP, 25 EXP (invalidated) each


    Total DP Earned: 7,195


    Now, add that to my current DP¡­


    DP: 8770


    And now I have a DP amount that is nearing the five-digit number. Sadly, all of those DP were put to use in managing my Dungeon by creating more habitable houses in the Human area for the non-monster residents, as well as placing a bunch of traps on the second floor, just a few meters shy of the staircase connecting the first and second floor.


    My goal is to create a town on the first floor, but no way in hell am I letting them come any closer to my Dungeon Core Room. Only those allowed would be monsters spawned by the Dungeon, or me and Domino.


    And because of that goal, I had to remove the poison swamp area and turn it into a Forest area, and merge it with the already giant size of the main Forest area. Needless to say, it was big enough to create a small village, but that wasn''t enough yet, so I had to buy more rooms.


    Fun fact: Rooms get more expensive the moment certain milestones are reached. I found out about this the moment I bought the 16th room. Instead of using 250 DP, the normal price for a room and the Forest biome, I used 500 DP.


    It also left me with this amount of DP¡­


    DP: 1620


    Which put a damper on me buying rooms to accommodate the town I was planning to build, as well as the free workforce I could put in there. Just think about it. Gorillas all lugging around the heavy materials required to build houses, while the goblins put their backbone by hammering the materials in place, while the hairy giants, as well as bipedal pigs, held the materials in place, so no accidents occurred.


    Now, if that wasn''t enough, the new faces I had¡­ hired¡­ turned out to be of great help. With Krag''s knowledge of building solid foundations from the jobs and quests he partook in as a Hunter, as well as Anduin''s and Merethyl''s magic of manipulating nature, however weak it may be, building sturdy houses wasn''t a pipe dream anymore, even if the builders were monsters with below average intelligence.


    Also, some news to discover. Mariona woke up a few days ago, and she wasn''t happy with her current state. Having a dismembered limb would do that to anyone, but it didn''t take too long for her to get over it, what with her precious¡­ and loving sister¡­


    ''Why are they in love with each other anyway¡­?''


    I shook my head. Where was I¡­? Ah right, with Merethyl discussing with her sister about the deal she made with me, and with me present during that discussion, Mariona just sat back, and rested from all the crap she had experienced in the past week, although she doesn''t like being a hindrance to her sister, who keeps working her best to return her limb. That, and not having sexy times with her sister¡­


    ''I need some bleach¡­ It''s one thing to happen in fiction, it''s another to happen in real life¡­''


    The next issue was with the Shaiydons, and boy howdy, was that a can of worms I was not willing to touch with a 12-foot pole. To summarize, it went like this¡­


    Lord Bentley got angry ''cause of political reasons¡­


    Luke slapped Lord Bentley with facts, logic, and rational reasoning¡­


    His children and wife gave him puppy eyes¡­


    Lord Bentley admitted defeat¡­


    That''s the gist of it. The specific questions, however, I will not answer. Just thinking about that family drama gave me a headache, and Domino wasn''t too keen on the family interrupting her time with me.


    The demi-human group, however, were taking their work like fish to water. In fact, I think they''re actually finding working in my Dungeon great. Let me recall the words they said to me about their employment¡­


    "The food here is great! We have free housing with privacy, no idiotic asshole comments about our race¡­ Sure, it might get a bit lonely, what with only a few of us demi-humans being here, but I''d like to live here rather than out there any day of the week."


    What is wrong with employment outside of my Dungeon¡­? Then I realized the reason why, which made me facepalm due to how stupid my thoughts were.


    ''Of course, racism¡­''


    A common issue that could be found in possibly every world.


    And the last group that took most of my attention this week¡­ The duo of father and daughter. The Hunter''s Association Branch manager, as well as his secretary¡­


    Truth be told, I was a bit nervous around him. He''s as tall as me when I''m standing, and he has muscles similar to mine. If that wasn''t enough, his presence screamed danger, so I was sure if he ever turned hostile, it would be a nightmare for me and my Dungeon.


    But mostly, he played nice, and in turn, so did I. He also pulled his own weight, helping in the efforts to build the town, which was a deal I made with him.


    I haven''t gotten a glimpse of his strength yet, so I will remain cautious when around him.


    [Estimated time until completion¡­ 00:00:03]


    Haha! Almost there¡­!


    [00:00:02]


    [00:00:01]


    [00:00:00¡­ Safe mode disengaged¡­ Scanning for possible issues¡­ Scan completed¡­ System fully operational¡­ New Features added¡­]


    ''¡­ New features¡­? I thought the gods above liked to nerf me to the ground¡­?''


    [Quest Generated!]


    [Strengthen your Dungeon!]


    [Add rooms: 20/20]


    [Gain a floor: 1/1]


    [Reach a total of 100 Dungeon Residents: 78 / 100]


    ¡­ Excuse me¡­?

 Chapter 66 - Monke Learns About Quests (And Very Important Problem)

    0


    I scratched my head¡­ Taking one more look at the holographic screen only I could see in front of me (I checked, Domino couldn''t see it at all), I mused to myself the reason why, in the everloving hell, did the Gods up above decide to give me a quest system a few weeks AFTER my transmigration¡­?


    [Strengthen your Dungeon!]


    [Add rooms: 20/20]


    [Gain a floor: 1/1]


    [Reach a total of 100 Dungeon Residents: 78 / 100]


    ''Yeah¡­ This is a headache, but hey, as the old saying goes, "Don''t look a gift horse in the mouth."'' I dismissed the screen with a wave of my hand, Domino ignoring the gesture as she tried her best to lay on my stomach spread eagle.


    She really liked sleeping/resting on top of me¡­


    I pondered with the silence surrounding me, the breezing wind flowing against my fur (where the hell does it come from¡­?). My musing was interrupted when a notification about a trespasser once again visited my sight, as well as Domino, according to the blinking screen in front of her, which prompted a scowl from her mouth.


    "Stupid screens¡­ Interrupting time¡­ With Papa¡­" She muttered under her breath, a few more ''choice words'', a caring parent would instantly wash the child''s mouth with soap and bleach, coming out of her lips.


    "There, there¡­" I patted her head, getting her to go docile and sighing in bliss as she rubbed her head against the palm of my hand.


    With her distracted, I checked the screen for the incoming trespassers. They weren''t anything too special, being a bunch of goblins under the command of some orcs. By my estimation, they probably have about 30 or so heads, more than enough to finish the quest that was generated.


    I hummed. A clear opportunity to complete the quest was right there, and I also had no idea what the rewards for the quest were, being that they weren''t shown. Do they have some hidden objectives? Do they have some failing conditions?


    Things to ponder in the future when another quest is generated¡­


    Leaving Domino to her rest, this time, instead of commanding her to relay my orders to my mobs, I accessed the Dungeon Menu and contacted Gong. The Gorilla was undoubtably my most trusted mob if you want a job done right.


    "Gong." I tilted my head up, Gong perking his head up through the screen used for communications. "Trespassers on your way, capture them."


    "Roger." Gong nodded and the feed was cut off. With that out of the way, time to get back to resting. It''s been too long since I had a non-stressful week¡­


    []


    []


    []


    A few minutes later, the battle was over. There were no casualties and the invading trespassers were captured without any hint of a struggle.


    There wasn''t any [Trespassers Repelled] notification, because they weren''t repelled, nor were they killed, thus resulting in no [Trespassers Killed] notification as well. So no DP for me in that fight.


    I watched part of the fight before dismissing the screen once I was sure the battle was in my favor, and what I saw made me think about the power levels of gorillas in this world.


    If a gorilla can knock out an orc with a single punch to the face, and tank a similar punch to the face from another orc without feeling groggy or winded, then it wasn''t a mistake to rank gorillas higher than orcs.


    In fact, I haven''t seen a gorilla fight one on one against an orc until now, and it made me want to test some theories about how strong a gorilla really is.


    Based on scientific experiments back on Earth, researchers concluded that a silverback gorilla (which are all gorillas in my Dungeon) is twenty times (or was it fifteen?) stronger than an average human.


    And right now, I have some proof of that strength, what with a gorilla punching a 7-to 9-foot-tall bipedal pig into unconsciousness with a single punch in the face. Sure, there were some humans the gorillas killed in gruesome ways (I saw one rip the head off of the body of a man with just a single pull), but those were against humans, the average ones.


    What I want to see is how gorillas fare against stronger beings. Beings, like an orc, which I happily received right now, a troll, a yeti, hell, I would probably pit a gorilla against a dragon, even if I knew the gorilla would be 100% dragon food by the end of the "fight."


    So, with that out of the way, I can conclude that gorillas ¨C at least in this world ¨C are stronger than the average starter monster, and it was fine because I was in parts where the most abundant threats were said starter monsters.


    I checked the new tab for [Quests] in my System and found a peculiar line at the bottom.


    [Strengthen your Dungeon!]


    [Add rooms: 20/20]


    [Gain a floor: 1/1]


    [Reach a total of 100 Dungeon Residents: 100 / 100]


    [Finish Quest: Y/N]


    Finish Quest¡­? I can delay finishing the quest even if I have all the objectives done¡­?


    ''This makes the theory about hidden objectives much more believable.'' I mused in my head, scratching Domino''s cheek with my finger as she mewled softly. I dismissed the screen and continued on pampering Domino.


    ''I''ll finish the quest later after I visit the captured monsters.''


    For now, though, I want to take advantage of this temporary peace I found myself in. Maybe think about things I want to do in the future, like building a family, even if I already had one in the form of Domino, and my Dungeon mobs.


    ''Ah, right, I need them to mate and procreate¡­'' I grimaced. Forcing those you trust to do the dirty and having an offspring left a bad taste in my mouth, but for all it''s worth, it is a strategy I will have to do if I want to bolster the number of monsters in my Dungeon.


    ''This is gonna suck¡­ And I sure hope they don''t consider me the alpha¡­ As a former human, I do not want to tap gorilla holes¡­ Speaking of which, didn''t male gorillas have tiny¡­ dicks¡­''


    I looked down. I felt my mind tremble.


    ''MOTHERFUCKKKKKKKKEEEEERRRRR!!!!''


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "This is wrong¡­" The black-skinned demon scrunched up his face in frustration. True, the Orb of Transference wasn''t a perfect tool to use against God-tier abilities, but the various restrictions placed on him by said ability were too much for him to properly use to circumvent the effects of the curse still placed on him.


    Scowling in irritation, Sogtharoch called upon his status in his mind to take a better look at the menu displayed.


    Name: Sogtharoch


    Age:  79


    Gender:     Male


    Race: Demon


    Class: Lancer


    Level: 10


    Exp:  9999/ 10000


    HP:  730/  730


    MP:  5373/ 5373


    Str:   32 = 67 = 34


    Vit:   28 = 63 = 32


    End:  29 = 64 = 32


    Agi:  38 = 88 = 44


    Dex:  35 = 85 = 43


    Int:   48 = 388 = 194


    Wis:  43 = 358 = 179


    Cha:  36 = 111 = 56


    Luc:  -69 = -69 = -69


    Sogtharoch scowled once more, this time, bringing the description of the [Bane] he was afflicted with, which wasn''t that far from the effects of his curst.


    [Progressio Posterior] = Hinders the development of the afflicted, capping their max level at 10, as well as halving their stats except Luck.


    It was this that made Sogtharoch a bit pissed. There wasn''t any description of how to remove this [Bane]. From the memories of that black hairy beast known as Jionni, he was sure that these types of abilities came with their own introduction and tutorials. He played a lot of them when he was a human in another world, so he was sure that his Game would have a tutorial as well.


    Sadly, that doesn''t seem to be the case.


    He swore he would find a way, but for now, he was left to do some head scratching to ponder how the hell he was going to remove the curse.

 Chapter 67 - Monke Finishes Quest

    0


    0


    Calm down¡­ It''s alright¡­ There''s a Dungeon Store where I can buy a potion which can enhance the size¡­ So, there is no problem¡­


    I sighed, my brief rage simmering down as Domino looked at me worryingly.


    "Papa¡­ Something wrong¡­?" She tilted her head, her tiny hands grasping my large fingers with worry.


    "N-nothing''s wrong¡­ Just a realization¡­" I sweated bullets. ''No way in hell am I talking about my size to a young girl¡­''


    "Mu¡­" Domino tilted her head once more, then went back to lying back on my belly spread eagle.


    Crisis averted, and problem solved ¨C even if I was completely pissed ¨C I relaxed back in my hammock, swaying back and forth, and closing my eyes.


    ''I want to rest¡­''


    []


    []


    []


    I woke up about two hours later, Domino now checking up on the Dungeon through various menus and screens populating her entire vision. She may look like a child, but she was an incredibly efficient person for the job as the Dungeon Helper.


    Me? I was on my way to greet those living in the Human area ¨C even if there are some Demi-humans also living there ¨C to get some updates on how they''re enjoying their stay.


    "Sir Jionni." Luke greeted me when I stepped out of the passageway I constructed. "Good afternoon, what brings you here this fine day?"


    "Nothing much, just checking up on the inhabitants, as well as the new captured monsters back in the City area." I shrugged. "How are the Shaiydons''?"


    "Madam Shirley Shaiydon and her two children are loving it here, while Lord Bentley is still a little miffed about his loss of position." Luke and I sighed. Why is he clinging to that position that was about to get him killed? I know it''s not about him, since he cares more about his family than the seat, but why?


    "I see. Carry on then, I''ll have a visit to the demi-human group then." I waved at him while he nodded back.


    "Very well. Good day, Sir Jionni." And with that exchange over, me and Luke parted ways, with Luke heading back towards the house where the Shaiydons were living.


    I took a look around. Instead of a forest, what greeted my sight were a few modern houses, some occupied, most not. The pavement below my feet felt rough and very nostalgic during my time back on Earth. There were lamp posts here and there, turning on when night came about.


    All in all, this looked like a place commonly seen on modern day Earth. Though, whether the place could be seen in third-world countries was up for debate, but anyway, this place isn''t on Earth, right?


    Shaking my head off of those thoughts, I continued my pace towards the house where the group of demi-humans were living, along with Merethyl, Mariona, and the broken/comatose women.


    The dragonewt still hasn''t woken up, and I''m worried she might die due to the lack of nutrients, so in order to counteract that predicament, I bought a potion that could give the required nutrients a being could use when splashed on their body.


    The potion was also very cheap, since it is like food in liquid form, but the real kicker was that it gave the body what it needed the most. So, let''s say you use the potion on a herbivore. It would give it nutrients only a herbivore would use, while using it on a carnivore would give it nutrients only a carnivore would use.


    I''m sure people would like to get their hands on this stuff¡­ I should probably sell it once the city gains traction¡­


    "Jionni¡­?"


    Due to my mulling, I didn''t realize that I was already in front of the house where I was headed, as well as the person greeting me at the front door.


    Lara, the gnome whose appearance looked like that of a human child, looked up at me with anxious and excited eyes.


    "Good afternoon, Lara. Are the rest inside?"


    "Ah, no, Jionni. Krag is working on the city, while Anduin is taking little Alice for a walk through the monster town to familiarize herself with the inhabitants. Mariona is still sleeping like a sack, while Merethyl is tending to the¡­ women victims¡­" Lara grimaced as she recalled the state of the women who were victims of the goblins'' non-stop sexual abuse.


    "I see¡­" I hummed, my hand resting on my chin as I contemplated my next action. All seems good for now, so I could probably leave them to their devices¡­ I should probably give them something tomorrow, just to show them that I am not a cheapskate when it comes to my workers. "Thank you for that. You may return to your duties."


    Lara nodded and politely excused herself before going back into the house to do something. I left the place and skipped the house housing the branch manager and his secretary. I''m still a little nervous around him without any protection, so talking to him one on one was impossible for me.


    I know he won''t harm me, but due to my experience in this world, actions can have a lot of intent behind them, hidden or not.


    I mean, just look at that damned demon bastard. He was fishy. I knew that very much, but I didn''t think he would do what he did that early. I thought he was going to use the dwarf as a scapegoat, but alas, my predictions were wrong and I paid the price.


    Anyway, like I said, I skipped their house and went directly towards the City area. Traversing through the cave passageway, which was a little less damp than before, I found myself staring at a wooden gate giant enough to accommodate at least 10 pick-up trucks side-by-side.


    Its height reached about four-stories, meaning that the gate was huge. This wouldn''t have been possible without the help of those elves. I should give them a reward for that, separate from the gifts I would give them tomorrow, but I can ponder that later.


    For now, I need to check up on the captured monsters.


    Greeting the monsters in the city, who also greeted me back with happy and excited expressions ¨C it brought a tear to my eye ¨C I made my way through the busy crowds of monsters working to build up defenses and housing for the new monsters they captured.


    ''Hmm¡­ You know what, maybe I should complete that quest¡­ Not like another group of monsters would come barging in again¡­''


    Swiping my hand down, the familiar screen of my System greeted me. Going through the cycles, I stopped on the quest and hit the Y to complete it.


    [Strengthen your Dungeon!]


    [Add rooms: 20/20]


    [Gain a floor: 1/1]


    [Reach a total of 100 Dungeon Residents: 100 / 100]


    [Bonus Objective 1: Reach 125 Dungeon Residents: 114 / 100] (-)


    [Bonus Objective 2: Add 25 rooms: 20 / 25] (-)


    [Bonus Objective 3: Have 10 Different Species living inside the Dungeon: 10 / 10] (X)


    Rewards: 2500 DP, 1500 EXP, [Dungeon Master] perk


    Bonus Reward: [Monkey King''s Sceptre]


    ¡­ Welp¡­ Don''t cry over spilled milk, although the perk and that Bonus Reward I need to check out right now¡­

 Chapter 68 - Monke Is Pseudo Monke King

    0


    Okay¡­ Let''s see the perk first.


    [Dungeon Master] ¨C This signifies that the user is indeed, fit to rule over his own dimension. Increases strength of all Dungeon generated monsters by 200% and monsters living inside the Dungeon of the owner of this perk by 100%. Increases daily DP income by 25%, and daily EXP income by 10%. Increases all stats by 25% when inside the user''s Dungeon.


    ¡­ That is one busted perk¡­ I''m a little confused as to why it wasn''t given to me earlier and sad that it is only active when inside my own Dungeon, but hey, I live here, and I''m staying here for most of my life since I do not want to find out what would happen if the Dungeon Core is destroyed without me nearby.


    That, and yes, more EXP and DP gain is good for me. I don''t know why I can''t get more DP from killing and repelling them, but capturing them and gaining more from them, as well as getting more workforce, is better than outright killing them.


    Plus, the percentage stacks multiplicatively, so if I''m not mistaken, I get about a 37.5% increase in EXP instead of 35%.


    Huh, will that bump in EXP requirement be rendered null if I get more monsters in my Dungeon¡­?


    ''Note to self, capture monsters instead of killing them.'' I stroked my chin, pleased with the outcome. ''Well then, next on the list is this [Monkey King''s Scepter]¡­ Is this the Ruyi Jingu Bang?''


    Taking the scepter out of my inventory, the scepter did indeed look like the Ruyi Jingu Bang¡­


    ''Am I supposed to be a Monkey King rip-off then?'' If that were true, then that would be a really good thing too. Having the power to fight Gods would be a godsend in this godforsaken world. All I need then is his abilities and strength ¨C which I''m sure is a pipe dream for me, what with the Gods nerfing me and all their bullshit ¨C and I can call it a day. ''I wonder though, how would it feel to surf on a cloud?''


    Shaking myself from those thoughts, I focused on the Ruyi Jingu Bang lookalike and swung it around with my massive frame, of course, away from the crowded streets of the monster-populated city.


    Some things I learned. The scepter can grow broader or slimmer, as well as taller and shorter, but to an extent only. Also, instead of using only my thoughts ¨C or will, as the myth depicted ¨C it used my mana as a resource.


    MP: 1825 / 2025


    So, 50 MP for each alteration, and it has a time limit of five minutes before returning to its original state, or if I change its form once again using Mana. It can grow up to about 5 meters tall, and 3 meters thick, about the size of a pen in its smallest form. No matter how small the change is, 50 MP is always used.


    It was also awkward to swing around with my huge body in its original form.


    ''Is there a way to humanize my posture?'' I looked at my stubby legs and huge, hairy arms supporting my body. ''I''ll have to check the Dungeon Store later.''


    Moving on, I stored the scepter back in my inventory. The only way for me to use that scepter properly with my current body is to imbue it with mana and enlarge it to fit my frame.


    Done with the experiments with the staff ¨C I''m calling it a staff since it looks like one ¨C I made my way through the area devoid of monsters, since most monsters were on break at this time of day, and also because of the resting from the raid earlier.


    Greeting the monsters again once I made my way towards an area where monster traffic was high, what with it being a main road and all, I arrived at my destination.


    The Cagehouse. Technically, it is a prison, but I like to differentiate it from a holding place for monsters, since in prisons, I would at least give rights to those inhabiting it. The Cagehouse, however, isn''t any different from a slave house. This is the place where I would place those who would either die, or spend a life of torture until they die.


    The latter won''t be done since there isn''t anyone who would be deserving of it¡­ yet¡­ Maybe the leader of this whole fiasco of the whole Human Supremacy bullshit, which isn''t any different from extreme racism. Dying though, that is an option for monsters like these who thought that raiding my Dungeon was a smart idea.


    They came bringing violence as a weapon. Then we would retaliate with violence as well. They were the losing side, and since most monsters follow the rules of the jungle, time to be Alpha Monke.


    Upon entering the building, what greeted my vision were a bunch of cages, some big, some small. Some monsters, who were goblins tasked with facilitating the area, were having trouble trying to squeeze through the tiny gaps left by the cages haphazardly left around.


    "¡­ This place is a mess¡­" I facepalmed. The goblins noticed my presence and paled when they saw me disappointed with the state of the place.


    ''Well, they''re not wrong¡­'' I sighed. I called upon the Dungeon Menu once again to relay my orders to Domino, who was busy sleeping in a hammock that looked giant enough to accommodate me¡­ That''s my hammock, isn''t it¡­?


    "Mu¡­ Papa¡­?" She greeted me with half-tired eyes. I was exasperated by this child. Sleeping in for the whole day, and still finding herself tired.


    "Call in some gorillas, tell them to head to the Cagehouse." Domino nodded sleepily.


    "Yes¡­ Haaaaaahhhhhh¡­" Domino let out a huge yawn before disconnecting the call. Whatever happened on the other side, I could guess that she went back to sleep.


    "Now then¡­ All of you." I addressed the still locked up monsters. "You have two options, either submit and work for me, or die."


    I brought out the Monke Staff and slammed it on the ground after imbuing it with mana to make it bigger to fit my frame. The ground below us cracked as a mini-earthquake spread through the area, shocking every monster ¨C those under my thumb, as well as those still in cages ¨C into silence and inaction.


    Needless to say, all of the caged monsters showed me their most submissive pose, with the goblins bowing with their tongues licking the ground and the orcs lying flat on their belly.


    A few moments later, the gorillas arrived and helped me let the monsters out of their cages and properly incorporate them into the society of monsters, as well as arranging the horrible layout of the Cagehouse.

 Chapter 69 - Monke Visiting Chad

    0


    Finished with the redecoration of the Cagehouse, which took about an hour to redesign the layout to make it easier to traverse, as well as monitor, I found myself walking along the streets of the still developing city.


    Looking around, the city looked like a mix of western Renaissance and medieval era buildings and architects. The rocky texture of the stone road beneath my feet felt rough to the touch, and swaying lamps that ran on gas hung from the poles extending from various buildings.


    There were also lamp posts, but they weren''t that abundant due to fear of a fire spreading if one got knocked down.


    ''Hmmm¡­ Looking good¡­'' I appreciated the view of various monsters working together to build a place for themselves. Some who were taken in peacefully might''ve considered a new home, but I knew that most of the monsters under my rule here just threatened to do my bidding.


    However, most of them also agreed that this place is rather nice and relaxing to live in. Take that lone lizardman, for example¡­ He''s lying on a patch of grass just outside the walls, probably on break. I can even see him indulging himself with a fruit.


    ''I guess lizardmen are omnivores.'' I mused to myself in thought while scratching my chin. Strolling around the developing city proved to be a relaxing activity. Seeing the fruits of my effort playing out in the form of a city made me smile.


    ''For all those past weeks that were incredibly frustrating and annoying, seeing this does put a smile on my face.'' I looked around once more, feeling pride at my actions that caused this city to be born.


    And then came the realization that I had to manage a city full of monsters that held some grudges against me for putting their lives under my thumb.


    ''¡­ Well then, when in doubt¡­ Find a scapego- I mean figurehead¡­'' I searched my memories for the inhabitants of the Human area who would make a great leader in this place that valued strength over wisdom.


    Naturally, the Shaiydons are out, as well as Luke, who still had a headache about Bentley''s view of his position about it being the future of his children.


    The demi-humans were also out. They are Hunters, I''ll give them that, but pit them against an entire community of monsters and the outcome will not be pretty.


    That only leaves the remaining inhabitants of the Human Area, and that is the person I do not want to tango with currently. Sure, the monsters would likely do nothing against me, since I rule this entire area, but I''d like a healthy dose of paranoia to keep me safe, thank you very much.


    So, in order to reduce the requirement for my presence in this city, I''ll have to hire the only man I could think of who could command the monsters with his presence alone.


    ''Nicholas, I think it''s time you and I had a talk.''


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Alexa, you there?" Nicholas knocked on the door leading towards the current bedroom of his daughter. No response was given to him, other than the slow breathing of his daughter inside the room. "I''m coming in."


    Nicholas pushed open the door, giving him vision of his daughter lying on the bed with her arms covering her eyes.


    "Hey there, stoirin." Nicholas was met with silence once again, the young adult woman shuffling in her bed, her back turned towards her father. "How''s the place doin'' ya?"


    "¡­ Fine, I guess¡­" This time, instead of keeping silent, Alexa responded back with her back still turned.


    Nicholas stared at his daughter for a few seconds before sighing and closing the door. He walked towards the bed, avoiding the furniture placed around the bedroom in this cramped room. Lifting his foot up to avoid stubbing his toe against the drawer, Nicholas sat at the bedside of Alexa''s bed.


    "So, you want to talk about it?" Nicholas professional tone and accent briefly lost itself to give way to the original way he spoke back when he was a wee little lad. "I can lend an ear if you want."


    Alexa stayed silent for a few seconds before sitting up from her lying position and staring into the eyes of her father. Nicholas noticed the dry tear streaks lining her cheeks, as well as her red, puffy eyes.


    "¡­ I can never get them back, can I¡­?" Alexa sounded so defeated, like she was just done with her life and wanted to end it all in that instant. "My job¡­ My friends¡­ My dreams¡­"


    Nicholas silently listened to his daughter''s venting, her silent tone slowly gaining more intensity.


    "It''s been more than a week, and I still can''t get over it! We should still be there! Back in that room! With me reprimanding my colleagues! With me trying to reach and surpass you! With all my friends and family I have gained in my life!" Alexa was now crying once more. Her eyes were no longer resting on her father''s face, but on the sheets below, slowly getting wet from the tear drops cascading down her face. "Why!? Why did this happen!? IS IT THAT DAMNED PRINCE!? IF SO, THEN GIVE ME THE CHANCE TO MAKE HIM PAY!"


    Her screams were no longer directed at her father. In fact, the moment she said those last words, she looked at the ceiling, her screams piercing through the air, echoing throughout the silent district, and witness to all this was her father, quietly listening to his daughter vent out her frustrations.


    Her words died in her mouth, her voice now cracking as she sobbed louder. In response to this, Nicholas promptly placed her in his embrace.


    "There, there. Mo stoirin." Nicholas lent his shoulder toward his daughter, who continued to sob softly. "This ain''t over yet."


    "''Cause when I''m dahne wit de shethead prence, ''e''ll wesh fahr deat."


    []


    []


    []


    ~ First Person POV ~


    After a few minutes of walking, I was finally back in the Human area. This place greatly contrasts with the Monster area, since this place is still devoid of inhabitants, while the town has more than 100 monsters living within.


    ''I need to get some more humans/demi-humans to live here.''


    Nervously approaching the building which housed the Gallaghers, my steps slowed to a crawl once I neared the door. Sue me for being nervous. Nicholas has that presence that he could snap me in half if he so wished, and with that body of his, I have no doubt he could do so to me effortlessly.


    Did my danger instincts increase the moment I became an animal? If so, that is incredibly useful, and my danger instincts are telling me not to fuck with Nicholas.


    Anyway, steeling myself for a moment, I rang the doorbell.


    "Coming!" A voice came from the other side of the door, along with the sounds of footsteps shuffling. The shuffling slowly got louder and louder until it came to a halt, then the door opened.. "Oh, if it isn''t Jionni. What can I help ya with?"

 Chapter 70 - Monke With Chad

    "How''s the house treating you?" I asked with a nod of my head upward. Nicholas smiled and invited me in.


    "Better than my old one, at least." Nicholas gave off a hearty chuckle and offered me a seat on a large couch inside the living room area. The room was spacious, large enough to accommodate my giant self, not that the man in front of me wasn''t any smaller, however. "Want some ale?"


    "No thanks, I''d like to stay sober." Taking a seat on the couch, I marvel at how comfy the seat is. "Nice house, though. My compliments to the builder."


    "Ha! Stop giving yourself compliments." Nicholas laughed good-naturedly and took a seat on the couch on the opposite side of mine. I laughed at his retort. He''s partly right, though. I''m not the one who built the house, but I am the one who supplied it. "So, what brought you to my humble abode?"


    "I''m here to propose a new deal." At this, Nicholas perked up his head, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly in curiosity.


    "A new deal, eh?" Nicholas hummed, his finger tapping on his knee as he pondered the types of deals I could give him.


    "Yes, it is quite simple really." I waved my hand back and forth. "Be the new head of the monster city."


    "¡­ Ahahahahahahahaha!" Nicholas burst out laughing for a moment, before getting a good look at my face, in which he promptly shut up. "¡­ You''re serious?"


    "Yes, I am." I nodded. "Don''t worry, the job won''t be too demanding. Just giving orders to the monsters on what to do will suffice. I will also give you some kind of allowance in the form of unique Dungeon currency."


    Now, this might be a bad decision to make, but I need to be fair if I want him to be allied with me when something goes wrong.


    "¡­ Dungeon currency?"


    "Yes, Dungeon currency." I nodded once more. "With said Dungeon currency, you can buy items from a store connected to the Dungeon. Ever wondered where I got the houses?"


    "Hmmm¡­" Nicholas stroked his chin, his elbows resting on his knees as he considered the benefits I had given him with the position. "What can you buy in this store you speak of?"


    "Well, for me, I can buy anything, although the price is equal to its value." I recalled the Dungeon Store that gave off limitless options, from a single spoon, to a goddamned gun that existed in a game called Pandemonium called the BAG 9000 (Big Ass Gun). "Although, for you, I''ll have to limit the options until I can trust you enough to buy those kinds of items."


    "Eh, fair enough." Nicholas shrugged his shoulders, closing his eyes in acceptance of the restriction.


    "So, we have a deal?" I asked him, standing up from my seat as I approached him, hand held out in front of me.


    Nicholas sat silent for a few moments before standing up and taking my hand in his. "Deal." We shook hands and I granted him access to parts of the Dungeon system, such as the Dungeon Store ¨C a very restricted one at that ¨C a DP bank where I can deposit a part of my daily DP ¨C I found out about it not too long ago when messing around with the Dungeon Menu ¨C and the Communications feature to make it easy to contact me and other monsters within my Dungeon.


    "Specific rules and job details will be sent tomorrow via Communications." I said to him, which he nodded in response.


    "Very well." Nicholas seriously said, but then he gave a radiant smile. "Thanks for this opportunity, Jionni."


    I smirked. "By the way, have I ever told you that you won''t have to do paperwork for your new job?"


    "¡­ You know what, I think I love you more than my last boss." I laughed at his non-serious comment. I really need more humor in my life.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Yep, my predictions are true and I hate myself for staying until the last second." A man said as he scanned the area around him. Various guards, all armed to the teeth, point their weapons at him, an unarmed person just wanting to live his life away from the fighting. ''I''ve already died once at the hands of truck-kun after getting an unlucky break from some robbers, I don''t like to die a second time.''


    "Capture him! Detain the heretic!" A fully-kitted guard captain snarled as he commanded the soldiers under his command to rush in and kick the ass of this single heretic. The heretic in question, sighed at his predicament and cursed himself for not leaving sooner.


    ''I''ve been here for what¡­? Two years? I''ve accumulated experience enough to predict that this will happen, and guess what? My lazy ass didn''t want to get off the couch and run for the door.'' The man sighed once more, looking at the guards slowly inching their way towards the unarmed man. ''Welp, fucked up situations call for fucked up solutions.''


    Once a guard neared him, slashing a sword towards his limbs, the man bolted into action.


    [Skirmish Mode Activated]


    [Deploying Gauntlets of Sharok]


    In an instant, the man''s arms were covered in gauntlets reaching up to his upper arms. The gauntlets were flexible, but incredibly hard, that not even iron could make a scratch on their paint job, as seen by the iron sword of the guard breaking once it impacted the gauntlet.


    The gauntlet looked sinister, with dark themes of paint coloring its entire body and violet lines encircling the limb. The spikes protruded out of the knuckles, and had a blade located on the forearm that could straighten or fold back to make them less dangerous.


    The man swung his hand towards the guard''s head, his hand impacting the shocked guard''s face with a sickening crunch. His head caved in, before exploding into gory bits of mess, soaking the guards behind the now dead guard with blood and brain matter.


    This shocked the entirety of the guards, as well as the civilians witnessing the violent scuffle.


    "Well? Come on then? Give this little heretic a beating, would you not?" The man smirked devilishly as he gestured the come hither gesture towards the guard captain with his bloody gauntlet. ''Welp, time to ditch this town and head to the next one¡­ If I''m not mistaken, it was called Kazanpan, right?''


    And with that, the man continued on beating up (killing) the guards that kept on rushing towards him like madmen, leaving a trail of corpses behind as the unknown man forced his way out of the town with sheer brute strength.


    A few hours later, after the horrifying scene, a female wearing a mix between priest''s clothing and knight''s armor arrived riding a decorated white horse, towing along a dead body of a demi-human by a rope connected to the saddle.


    The demi-human''s body was crisscrossed with various injuries such as bruising, cuts, and gashes.


    "Incompetent drabble, unfit to even lick the boots of myself." The female knight beheaded the guards who were unconscious on the ground after failing to subdue the unknown man who had long escaped the town. "All of you, we will not rest until that heretic is caught. Am I understood?"


    "Ma''am, yes, Ma''am!"


    Dark days were coming, and it was only getting darker every moment time passed.

 Chapter 71 - Monke Gets An Invitation

    "Ha¡­ Peaceful days are the best days¡­" I sighed as I lied on my hammock, Domino once again using my chest and stomach as a pillow and bed for her to sleep in.


    It''s been about three days since I made that deal with Nicholas, which he took with fervent glee. It seems running a town without paperwork was a thing he always wanted to do before he kicked the bucket.


    The monsters also followed the human''s commands ¨C which I relayed to him via Communications, of course ¨C like a loyal servant would do for a king. I suppose his show of force amongst the strength-worshipping monsters would make them like that.


    I never did so, however, making the theory about them not knowing about my strength ¨C except for those I personally executed my strength on ¨C a very plausible conclusion.


    Checking the DP I got through the days made me smirk as I thought about the future and what I would buy in the Dungeon Store for my survival, as well as entertainment.


    Dungeon Residents Income:


    Day 1: 3,197 DP; 1,617 EXP


    Day 2: 3,288 DP; 1,645 EXP


    Day 3: 3,937 DP; 1,920 EXP


    Total: 10,422 DP; 5179 EXP


    DP: 14,542


    That [Dungeon Master] perk be doin'' wonders for my DP and EXP gain. The first day, my Dungeon still had the same number of monsters, but the [Dungeon Master] perk increased the gain I had, thus giving me that extraordinary amount of income.


    I accessed my System, hoping to God¡­ Nah, fuck those Gods¡­ Hoping to whatever deity that would listen to my pleas to not increase the EXP required for my next level up by a wide margin.


    And by wide margin, I mean adding another 10,000 EXP on top of my last 10,000 EXP required to level up.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 11


    Exp: 2199 / 11000


    HP: 5890 / 6160


    MP: 2025 / 2093


    Str: 55 = 177


    Vit: 90 = 202


    End: 55 = 158


    Agi: 39 = 67


    Dex: 41 = 84


    Int: 32 = 145


    Wis: 31 = 144


    Cha: 26 = 34


    Luc: 1 = 1


    I raised my hands up, briefly confusing Domino who opened her eyes at the right moment to witness my strange action. "Praise to be the deities who heard my pleas."


    The EXP bar didn''t increase dramatically like I thought it would (and thank whoever took pity on me for that). I did not want to spend an incredibly long time cooped up inside my Dungeon waiting for a level up. With this, it won''t be long until I reach level 20 to change my class.


    Don''t get me wrong, the Tank class is awesome and all that shit, but it isn''t End-Boss worthy. If I want to survive in this world in which I have no idea what the power levels are ¨C I mean, come on, it''s like everybody here has a teleport spell in their back pockets! ¨C I''d have to grind my levels and get more skills.


    The [Blacksmith] skill has stagnated, and my monsters are fully equipped with my brand of full iron weapons too. There are at least more than a hundred monsters here, and I''ve already given each of them one of my handcrafted weapons designed with their bodies in mind.


    The weapons are fully-metal except for the handles, which I outfitted with wood or bone, depending on the materials available. The weapons I made range from common short swords, to longswords, daggers, maces, clubs, spears, pikes, and shields. A katana was still beyond me, and I needed a better metal than iron to make it decent.


    I need tamahagane badly¡­


    Also, I gave some orcs zweihanders fitting for their sizes instead of clubs or maces. All I can say is, yep, they are terrifying to go against if you are a human about half their size.


    Since the monster count has increased, as seen by the income I''m getting increasing daily, I wanted to check what they were, and lo and behold, there''s another menu which I haven''t accessed yet. Damned Nightmare tutorials not giving you enough information about a specific mechanic.


    Goblin: 84


    Kobold: 14


    Orc: 16


    Wild Boar: 13


    Deer: 9


    Lizardman: 3


    Human: 10


    Beastman: 1


    Dragonewt: 1


    Elves: 3


    Gnome: 2


    Total: 156


    Wild boars were just new to my Dungeon. Yes, they did come here once and we made mince meat out of them, but no, I''m talking about them living here as livestock. The same could be said about the deer, which were captured over the span of two days.


    The goblins increased once again by capturing them and strong-arming them into submission. The same as the orcs, who I had Nicholas commit war crimes against their leader who refused to bow down.


    Needless to say, they submitted once their leader was taken care of.


    The lizardmen, however, were easier to coax than the orcs, what with them being exiles and wanting to find a place to rest. I invited them over, or rather, Gong invited(captured) them over and I gave them a place to stay.


    See, I''m not a sociopath who''s doing this only for DP and the workforce, no siree!


    Jokes aside, kobolds were the same as the goblins, with them being captured and being strong-armed into submission.


    And now, here I am, snickering to myself at the absurdity of it all. Just about 3-4 weeks ago, I lived as a human¡­ Or was it years ago? I don''t know, can''t remember what with me being in the void for how long as a spirit¡­ consciousness¡­? Anyway, I lived as a normal human with an admittedly normal life, being oppressed by my parents to be a better person so they could live the good life.


    Now, I''m here as a fucking gorilla and managing a Dungeon so I can survive in this world, and am living the life with a surrogate daughter. You never know what life will give you at any turn¡­ eh¡­?


    I stroked Domino''s head as she went back to her slumber. I''m a bit perplexed as to why she keeps on sleeping, but hey, she''s cute looking like this, so why bother.


    Playing with her cheeks a bit, to which she responded with a pout and sleepy play fighting with my hands to get them off her face, I received a notification through the Dungeon Menu in a twist of events.


    ''Hello¡­? What is this?'' Domino also noticed the notification blinking on her menu in front of her face. Pressing the notification button, I was greeted by a message containing an invitation to an event I had no idea about.


    [You are invited to the Decennial Dungeon Games!]

 Chapter 72 - Monke Prepares

    [You are invited to the Decennial Dungeon Games!]


    [This message is automatically sent to all Dungeon Masters within the realm of Praeccathae. The event will be held 5 days from now, and the Dungeon Masters, as well as their entire Dungeon, will be relocated to a temporary space between realms. During this time, time flow in the normal realm will be slowed to about 0.01% of its normal speed. Details of the Dungeon Games will be announced after teleportation.


    Note, this is a mandatory event. There will be no absentees.]


    I tilt my head. This is the first time I''ve ever heard of this¡­ What''s more, decennial, and it''s held about a few days from now¡­?


    ''Is this connected with the Monster Surge phenomenon? Because if it is so, then the timeline coincides perfectly.'' I hummed. It seems that whatever happens after this ''Dungeon Games'' event is one of the reasons why a Monster Surge happens every decade. Why after, you ask? Well, it''s because of the time slow in the description. ''Also, if time is slowed here, then does my daily DP income follow the time of my Dungeon, or the time of the realm¡­?''


    Questions to be answered, but no answers to be given at the current time.


    I scratched my chin.


    I guess, if this is a mandatory event, then I have no other choice but to prepare for the oncoming storm. Increasing the number of monsters, as well as enlarging the room of the monster city, will be my main focus.


    That said, though, it''s been getting harder and harder to find some monsters roaming about in my area. It seems like they''re actively avoiding the area where my Dungeon is, or I''ve already reduced the numbers by a lot to make them move away to another area in fear of their security.


    ''I need to send a team to gather more monsters, as well as more livestock.'' I patted Domino''s head, who was starting to get annoyed that my hands weren''t patting her head no more. She grumbled for a bit, before burying her head in my chest. ''No matter what, Domino is really cute when she wants attention.''


    Accessing the Dungeon Menu, I contacted Gong with a few taps on the screen.


    "Boss! What you need?" Gong asked through the comms, his toothy smile underneath the iron helmet that covered half of his face that I had crafted for him a few days ago.


    "A job. Gather some chimps and gorillas." I said back, to which Gong gave a nod. "This is an extremely important job, and must be done post-haste. I will call you back in half an hour. Until then, gather about 5 squads of primates."


    "Understood, Boss." Gong nodded with complete seriousness.


    "Good. Carry on." Cutting of the comms, I redirected my attention towards Domino, who was now pouting at me for not granting her her desired attention. "Sorry Domino, but Papa has to work now."


    Domino pouted harder, making her cuter in my vision, before she relented and got off my body by dropping to the grass below my swaying hammock and making a beeline straight for a house that was big enough to accommodate a single family.


    Sure, I didn''t really use the house as my hammock has all but grown on me for the past few weeks as a wonderful resting spot, but I wanted Domino to have more than just a hammock.


    So, I gave her a house, which we used when eating meals, when nature calls, or when we just want to play some games.


    Domino has fucking hax¡­ I swear, she keeps on beating me in fighting games, FPS games, and even strategy games. All offline, of course. Online gaming is still a pipe dream away with my DP.


    Seriously, if I wanted internet to connect to my old world ¨C which I would do in the future just to show that parallel worlds exist via social media, as well as troll people about Monke just because I can ¨C I needed a few million DP.


    Something more monsters inside my Dungeon can fix, but at this rate, it''ll take more than a couple months to get it, unless I get something like a few dragons inside my Dungeon, but I was sure the dragons would instead make me barbecue and claim my Dungeon as their own roost.


    Yeah, not until I can find myself rivaling against something that can beat a dragon, I will not let a dragon ¨C or any monster, really ¨C that could beat my ass to the moon and back for years on end, inside my Dungeon.


    Anyway, I digressed for a bit. After getting myself free from Domino''s tiny clutches, I approached the blacksmith workshop I had let the gorillas build with the help of the orcs, humans, and demi-humans.


    In their Human area, of course. I ain''t lettin'' anybody, trusted or not, inside my Dungeon Core room. This place is off-limits other than to me, Domino, and the monkeys.


    Thanks to bullshit Dungeon powers, teleporting the workshop to my Dungeon Core room was as easy as snapping my finger. I''m still guessing why I had to walk through a generated passage instead of directly teleporting to an area, but I guess a Dungeon Master has his own set of rules to follow inside his Dungeon¡­


    That''s 100% bullshit, if I ever heard of one. I need to figure out the reason for that so that I can just teleport inside my Dungeon as I please. No more walking and goddamned 5 minutes'' worth of flights of stairs. Like, come on, fuck those stairs, I have fucking stubby legs!


    Anyway, upon entering the workshop, I began to take in the room which filled my view whenever I entered the building. An anvil next to an actively used furnace. The blacksmith''s tools are carefully placed and organized on a table close to the anvil. A shelf, some cabinets, and drawers to store the materials (mostly iron right now) on. A few ways away from them, were more cabinets, but bigger to accommodate the weapons I had made during the time I did blacksmithing.


    Also, another thing that was prevalent in this room, was that it was super cramped due to how many things were scattered inside. Bumping my foot against a haphazardly placed club, I hissed out in pain as my nerves sent signals to my brain.


    Stubbing your toe isn''t a pleasant experience. The only thing that could probably beat that kind of pain must be hitting your shin, or stepping on Legos¡­


    Yep¡­ Legos hurt more¡­


    Throwing the club into its designated pile, I arrived in front of the anvil, and thought about what to create, so I can prepare the materials and begin smithing after I had given the primates their tasks.


    ''Who said being a leader was easy¡­?'' I sighed as I gathered the materials and placed them on the anvil.

 Chapter 73 - Monke Be Like Family Man

    "Is this everybody?"


    "Yes, Boss. Five gorilla squads." Gong replied with a salute. Not the typical salute soldiers do, but more like beating his arm against his chest.


    "Good." I looked at each and every primate standing at attention in front of me. 10 gorillas, Gong included, and 15 chimps. Each one of them was geared up in the standard set I had gifted them. Spears for the chimps, with a bow and arrows for some of them, with a short-sword as a sub-weapon. They wore iron-chest plates light enough to cover their vitals. The gorillas, however, brought tower shields, large enough to hide their bodies behind them, heavy armor that made them into walking tanks, and either brought an axe or mace to the battlefield.


    These armors I made with materials bought from the store. I couldn''t wait for the orcs, goblins, and some primates to learn the process of how to make said materials, so I had to settle for a more expensive shortcut.


    "Now, your tasks are simple. Go out there and either invite monsters to my Dungeon, or if not possible, capture them."


    The primates all looked at me without any visible twitch in their posture or faces, signifying that they were expecting this.


    "If capture is not an option. Run, or kill them. Your lives matter more than those who refuse to accept my generosity." I commanded them with a huff. I will not test a live primate on whether or not they respawn if they die outside my Dungeon. The primates, however, looked at me with gratitude, worship, and tears in their eyes. There was no doubt, they would gladly lay their own life for me, but I was not that kind of person¡­ Monkey¡­


    Truth of the matter is, I do not like to sacrifice my own kin. I will accept that there will be losses on the way to victory, but that does not mean I will not grieve for every primate lost. During my few weeks here, the monkeys were the only ones who gave me calm in this never-ending state of confusion, fighting, strategizing, and paranoia.


    Count Domino in that too, please.


    So, it could be said that I developed some kind of soft spot for these primates.


    The goblins and orcs, as well as other monsters that are weaker than me and my primates, though? They can go fuck themselves. They''re expendable, as far as I''m concerned. The same could not be said for humans and demi-humans. What the monsters lack, the humans and demi-humans have, so they are a very valuable asset.


    That, and they''re a good source of DP and EXP. Yum¡­


    "Boss¡­ Best Boss! Best Big Boss!" Gong shouted, prompting every other primate to yell, hoot, and stomp the ground in glee. I cracked a smile at their display, garnering a look of confusion from the monsters passing by the gate.


    I let them celebrate for a few moments longer, before the excitement died down and we went back to business.


    "Alright, as I was saying, for those who accepted the invitation, use these." I handed each group a brown pouch with a single stone inside. They cost a lot of DP, so they better make it worth it. The leaders of each group accepted the bags with a nod, hanging them on their waists where a sash coiled around. "Use them when you''ve gathered enough monsters, or if you need to escape."


    "Now, for those who refuse, and are captured." I retrieved more pouches, this time red in color, and handed them to each of the leaders once more. "Use these when they give you trouble and you really want them out of your hair. They''ll be quickly sent to the Cagehouse."


    The leaders nodded, getting the gist of what I was trying to relay. Basically, use the stone in the brown pouch if you want to go home, along with all those you have captured and invited, or use the stone in the red bag if you still want to search for more and the prisoners are giving you a hard time.


    Rather simple instructions. It is up to them whether or not to bring a large number of monsters, or come home without any.


    "Remember, even if you don''t bring any monsters here, it''s okay. We''ll just do it again some other time." I reassured them that there would be no punishments in case of failure. I am not a tyrant, nor will I ever want to be.


    The primates all nodded, and I gave them a caring smile. "Be safe out there, and make me proud."


    The primates all hooted and marched towards the outside of my Dungeon. Fortunately, I had some chimps scout the outside of my Dungeon for any human activity, and there was none.


    Good, I don''t need another problem on my doorstep anytime soon, what with this ''Dungeon Games'' coming up in the next few days.


    DP: 12,950 -> 7,950


    That was about 5,000 worth of DP spent, but if they bring back a large number of monsters, then I can earn that back in just a day. Making my way back to the Dungeon Core Room, I was greeted by a smiling Nicholas, with Alexa accompanying him to see the state of the monster city.


    "You have some very loyal subordinates." Nicholas grinned while I chuckled back at him good-naturedly.


    "Call them family, instead." Nicholas grin turned into a warm smile as he looked at me with an understanding gaze.


    "You know, you aren''t all that bad. Are all sentient monsters like this?" Nicholas teased as he brought his arm around his daughter, who flinched at the sudden contact, embarrassed by the public display of affection.


    "As far as I know, all monsters are sentient, but most have below average intelligence." I retorted back with a grin.


    Over the last couple of days, me and Nicholas have somewhat bonded. Sure, our trust in each other isn''t all that tight, but our conversations sometimes lead to teasing and very interesting arguments.


    Long story short, Nicholas is a goddamned troll, and I''m loving every second of banter with him. Too bad his daughter is such a strict person.


    "Anyway, I still have some things to do, so I''ll see you later." I said towards Nicholas, who gave me a curt nod and waved, along with Alexa, who was still uncomfortable with monsters as a conversation partner. "By the way, how''s the gift I gave you?"


    "That gift is sitting nice and pretty on my waist." Nicholas patted the long-sword neatly strapped to his waist. It was a cheap sword I bought from the Dungeon Store, but it was above average in terms of craftsmanship.


    Seeing that Nicholas had no weapon when he was teleported here along with his daughter, I assumed that he had left his weapons back in the town of Kazanpan.


    "Then I''ll see you." I left him to his devices a short while later. I also noticed Alexa taking curious, but uncomfortable glances towards me whenever I visit, or we pass each other by.


    Today wasn''t any different, but hey, peaceful days are the best days.

 Chapter 74 - Monke Gains More Monsters

    Dungeon Resident Income


    Day 1: 3,969 DP, 1,936 EXP


    DP: 11,199


    It''s been a day since I had the monkeys go find some more monsters for my Dungeon. None of them have returned yet, which made me worry for a bit, but I thought for a second what type of monsters in this area would give them a run for their money.


    None, that''s what.


    I doubt a bunch of goblins would be able to fight against a squad of chimps and gorillas armed to the bone with superior equipment than rusty daggers and flimsy blades. The same could be said for the orcs, who would most likely die with a good blow to the head from the gorillas'' weapons.


    So here I am, doing nothing as I wait for the primates to return from the task I gave them. However, doing nothing is an exaggeration. I''m actually smithing some more equipment for the incoming monsters, as well as grinding my [Blacksmith] skill.


    It''s hard to increase now, even with working 24/7 (trust me, I tried) on the forge, but that''s not to say it is impossible to grind. I will max this skill, even if it takes me a decade. I want to make a real Ruyi Jingu Bang, dammit.


    Placing that dream on the backburner, I focused on smithing these weapons and armor for now, since I really want to grind, as well as equip the new monsters with the items in case a sudden attack ensues right after their integration.


    If there is one thing I learned about how the world works, it is to expect the unexpected.


    Like that damned demon betraying me by using the dwarf as a distraction instead of a scapegoat, which totally blindsided me by the way, and using that orb-thingy I forgot the name of, on me for unknown reasons¡­


    I sighed, my hand palming my face as I tried to get my emotions under control.


    ''Breathe, that demon will get his¡­ Just be patient¡­'' I rubbed my temples, then lowered my hand, the limb reaching for the hammer sitting pretty on the anvil. ''Focus on the metal, let the flow take you in.''


    Forcefully encasing myself in a trance as I work, I briefly forget the rage inducing memory of that damned demon''s smile as he looked down on me.


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    "Papa¡­ Primates back¡­" I heard Domino enter through the door, her tiny footsteps barely audible through the crackling fire and the sounds of metal against metal.


    "Just a sec''." I said as I hammered the blade one last time, before using the tongs to grab it and dunk it in a bucket of cold water next to me to let it cool. Once I was done with the process called quenching, I laid the blade back on the anvil to give it a good look over.


    Sharp, straight, and firm. A blade that would do good for a wielder. Grabbing the handle, I gave it a few test swings to see if it really was what it looked like. It was good enough ¨C in my eyes, at least ¨C and ready to be used by a monster in case of an emergency.


    "So, Domino, what did you want to tell me?" I asked her as I approached the little girl. She gave me an emotionless tilt of her head, and ran up to me with her tiny footsteps as the audio background. She gave me a big hug, ignoring my fur that smelt like ash, fire, and the sweat coming from my palms and feet.


    No matter how strong I am, I also get tired, although not that quickly thanks to my stats, but the fact of the matter is, I also get tired if I overwork myself.


    "Papa¡­ Go take a bath¡­" She said, her voice muffled through my fur as she kept on pushing her face against my fur.


    "¡­ Sure, after you let go of me and I tend to the returning primates." I patted her head and she hesitantly let go of my body. For a kid that''s very toxic to other people, she is very clingy to me.


    Meh, it''s probably just her personality, and maybe I''m the only one who gives her happiness or peace.


    "Tell you what, want to come with me to greet the primates?" Domino looked at me with anxiousness in her eyes. A few moments later, she nodded her head, her love for me overshadowing her fear of the non-controlled monsters and humans roaming about my Dungeon. "Alright, come here."


    I raised her up by her armpits and gently placed her on my back. She quickly laid bellyflop on my back, her hands grabbing the silver fur on my back so as not to fall down while I walk.


    I chuckled, feeling a little ticklish about her grabbing me. "Hold on tight, I think I want to run instead of walk."


    Domino wasn''t able to voice her protest as I went at full speed, her silent pleas falling on deaf ears as I sped through the Dungeon Core room.


    Being cooped up in that workshop for hours on end just might end up giving me claustrophobia. I also wanted to let off some steam from working all day, and if playing online games ¨C I really want to play them now ¨C wasn''t an option, then a run would probably do me good right now, hence the run with Domino silently screaming on my back for release.


    Quickly generating a passageway leading to the entrance, I entered the hastily constructed passageway and got a good view of how a passage was created in an instant. Various moving rocks, stones, and the ground were spinning in my vision, each of them moving to grant me passage as I continued to speed up.


    It was then that I saw some stairs being created. I slowly reduced my speed, and upon reaching the stairs, rushed up, using all four limbs to their maximum potential, scaling the stairs without any effort whatsoever.


    Domino was still on my back, tears now falling down her face as she held on for dear life to my fur to prevent herself from falling off.


    Once I reached the top of the stairs, I slowed down, until I stopped just at the end of the tunnel. Domino, was looking at me with enraged eyes. However, I could see a tiny hint of a smirk on her lips, if the slight tug upwards was to be believed.


    "Papa¡­ Cruel¡­" She said it in her normal, toneless voice, but I was sure, she was angry. It was so worth it though. She is sometimes too emotionless, never showing a hint of any kind of emotion on her face. Sure, her actions portray her as an emotional person when it comes to the safety of her Papa ¨C which is me ¨C but I don''t like to see her emotionless with every other person she comes in contact with.


    ''She needs friends too¡­'' I recalled the time I spent friendless back on Earth. Yep, it wasn''t anywhere near a decent time.


    "Aw, don''t worry, Domino. You''ll love it when I take you once more through the Jionni express." I said while miming the tugging of a cord to imitate a conductor making a train whistle.


    Domino shivered slightly, but I could tell it wasn''t out of fear, but of excitement. She went back to complete silence as she once again bellyflopped on my back.


    Looking at the entrance, I saw a group of primates ¨C no Gong, however ¨C bringing more than 20 monsters with them.


    "Boss, we back!" The lead gorilla, named Gund, saluted me as my figure approached.


    "Good, is this all of them."


    "Yes, only them. Hard to find." Gund said as he looked behind him to see the monsters he brought. I took a good look at them too, a smirk gracing my lips.


    ''Well then¡­ This is interesting¡­''

 Chapter 75 - Monke Meets The Monsters

    Well¡­ This is certainly interesting¡­


    I looked at the new monsters that were going to be living in my Dungeon for the foreseeable future. Plantlike bodies, some having their entire lower body a plant, while others had legs, beautiful appearances, and basically emitted lust like no tomorrow.


    If there ever is a description of a femme fatale, the pictures of these alraunes will be right next to the description. That''s just how beautiful they are, and how they outclass most human females, at least, from my perspective.


    Although, I ain''t tappin'' that. I am not into vore, and I do not want to touch it, even with a kilometer long pole. Do it to a goblin or orc instead. They''ll taste better¡­ Well, orcs will. I''m not sure about goblins being tasty.


    "Are you their leader¡­?" An alraune, presumably their leader, slowly approached me, her roots serving as legs to walk on.


    "Yes, I am. I presume you are their leader?" I asked, cupping my chin as I stared at the alraune, her flower lower body taking most of my attention rather than her dashing looks.


    "Mother, actually." She said with a giggle. I wasn''t surprised at all. They are plants, so reproduction for them is different¡­ I think¡­ Fuck, I hope this isn''t an ero-world¡­


    "I see¡­" I nodded, a bit allured by her womanly wiles, even with that plant bottom that should''ve given me a turn off. "Anyway, I suppose that you''ve discussed with Gund what I offer?"


    "Yes, a place to live, away from those horrible humans, and where we can propagate our numbers freely." She said with a lick of her lips, causing my inch-dong to stiffen.


    ''Damn it! Down boy! Down boy! I will not be plant food by the end of the day!'' I mentally yelled as my exterior gave off a very serious aura. "Forgive me for being so blunt, but how do you, in your terms, propagate?"


    "Simple, really." She said, shrugging her shoulders a bit at the blunt question. "Even though we are biologically plants, we can give birth like any mammal."


    I sighed. I guess, in a world full of magic, gods, and monsters, anything can happen.


    "We''re plants, so we mostly live off of photosynthesis, and water. Although, meat is also a good source of nutrients, due to our inherent ability to consume meat through either our lower plant-bodies, or for those who look closer to humans, their mouths."


    ''Huh¡­ So, I guess they''re like carnivores, in a way, if you ignore the whole photosynthesis part.''


    "That, and semen from any type of male."


    ''I stand corrected¡­ Welp, when in Rome, do as the Romans do¡­ NOT!''


    "I¡­ See¡­" I blinked. I was a bit disappointed in myself for predicting that these alraunes would consume semen as a source of nutrients. ''Ero-world it is¡­ I''ve watched too many hent*is and read too many doujinsh*s¡­''


    I sighed and rubbed my temples, briefly worrying the Mother Alraune, before I gave pause to her worries.


    "Worry not, I''m only disappointed with myself." I said, confusing all of the monsters, primates, and Domino due to my words. "Anyway, back on topic, I take it you agreed to my offer?"


    "Yes, very much. All we want is peace and the desire to raise our offspring once we find a mate."


    "I can provide peace for you, at the price of helping us during emergency situations such as an invasion." I replied, giving a glance at the entrance to my Dungeon, to which all of the alraunes followed my vision and also took a glance at the entrance, their eyes straining due to the sunlight filtering in.


    "Don''t worry, these humans have taken most of us already in their conquest for Human Supremacy, which one of the humans I captured spouted before I ended his life." She said with a snarl. I guess they''ve been through tough times during the civil war in this Kingdom.


    "I understand." I said, nodding in her direction before I regarded her eyes seriously once more. "But for your second request, I will not be able to. Finding a mate is up to you, but please, don''t bring conflict into my Dungeon. Otherwise, there will be consequences."


    I brought out the Monke Staff and slammed it to the ground, right after imbuing it with mana to make it larger and more fitting for my size. I also stood up on my hind legs to further the impression that I do not tolerate violence within my Dungeon, unless it is against invaders.


    "V-very well¡­ You have our promise that we shall not commit any sort of misbehavior while we reside within your Dungeon, Oh Great One." The Mother Alraune sweatdropped as she flinched from the loud sound of the staff smacking the ground. Domino, who was clinging to my back, fell down to the ground, causing her to pout and try to climb back up once more.


    "Good, then I welcome you to my Dungeon. May you have a nice stay, and please, play nice with the other monsters, even if they look bad." I placed the Monke Staff back in my inventory as I regarded Gund, who was looking at me with awe and worship at my display. "Gund, guide them to the city. Give them a brief tour, and ask them where they would like to settle down. Send me the details once they do so, understood?"


    "Y-Yes Big Boss!" Gund saluted once more as he approached the Mother Alraune, while the other primates took their positions around the group of alraunes, those with normal legs, and flower lower bodies.


    "Then, for now, I bid you adieu." I nodded towards the Mother Alraune, who nodded back before opening her mouth once more to ask one last question. "M-may I have your name, Oh Great One?"


    "Sure, it''s not that big of a deal, anyway." I return my gaze back to her eyes. "My name is Jionni, the Dungeon Master of this Dungeon."


    "A-And my name is Rosada." The Mother Alraune, or rather, Rosada, replied back, a bit of a stutter in her voice, but I could chalk it up to her nervousness around a powerful being.


    "Then, Rosada, may you, and your daughters, have a wonderful time in my Dungeon." For the last time, I said to the new monsters, but this time, I also gave them a smile.


    Once that was done, I headed back to the Dungeon Core room.


    ''Welp¡­ Time to browse the Dungeon Store for a good-looking garden¡­''

 Chapter 76 - Monke Plays Surgeon

    After the alraunes were given a brief and detailed tour of the monster city, I immediately set up a garden large enough for the rest of them to stay, with some room leftover for future possible additions.


    It cost me about 1,000 DP, but hey, money well spent if it''s to gain more income, a workforce, and defensive monsters.


    Plus, they''re also giving the orcs, and the horny demi-human, Krag, a good time, if the screen in front of me is any proof¡­


    Why am I peeping at them doing the dirty? Well, the reason is very simple. I don''t want a report about casualty in the process of their lewding. I had asked Merethyl about alraunes, and it turns out, not only do they ingest semen as a part of their diet, but sometimes they get so carried away with their mates that they digest their mates'' entire bodies, although this is only applicable to those alraunes with a flower lower-half.


    And it also turns out, Krag has the hots for those alraunes with flower lower-halfs¡­ Yeah, I''m not questioning him why he has that fetish, I''d dump burning oil in my ears and go deaf rather than hear the reason.


    Anyway, closing the screen to avoid watching Krag and an alraune make out, I barely avoided seeing them undress ¨C although the alraune was already naked. She had big boobs, not gonna lie ¨C and was going to the next base.


    I sighed. ''To each their own, I guess¡­''


    DP: 9699


    I think it''s time to reward Merethyl for all her hard work. Since the potion for reattaching her sister''s limb only costs 5,000 DP, I could''ve bought it before, the moment she accepted to do my bidding, but I was a little low on DP at the time, as well as my low income prevented me from taking that route so early.


    But now, with me gaining about 6,000 DP a day ¨C if my calculations are correct ¨C I can afford a single-use 5,000 DP potion without that much of a decrease in my DP reserves.


    Purchasing the potion, I quickly stuffed it inside my inventory. Once that was done, I opened the Dungeon Menu and accessed the Communications tab to contact Merethyl.


    "Hm? Jionni?" Merethyl asked through the screen, a confused expression on her face before she turned it into a mask of focus. "Do you have a job for me?"


    "Not quite." I said, causing no further reactions from her. She waited patiently for my next words, and once she heard them, a hopeful and joyous expression came on her face.


    "You have done well so far, and such dedication entails a fitting reward, does it not." I stroked my chin, my trolling spirit forcing me to say those words. "Go meet your sister. I''ll be there soon with the potion to reattach her leg."


    She nodded at me, tears pooling in her eyes as she gave me the warmest smile she had ever given me during her stay here in my Dungeon. I smiled back, feeling a bit good about myself for helping an amputee recover her lost limb.


    I cut the connection off and got off my lazy ass, which imprinted a visible spot on the grass on which I sat. Amusing, but otherwise, useless information now when I''m about to do a good deed.


    A good deed that I am not doing to land me at least a loyal elf serving me until the day she dies. Nope. Nuh-uh.


    My motivations aside, it just feels wrong to see a somewhat innocent person suffer this kind of pain, and even if I can''t empathize with the person suffering, the least I could do is give my sympathies to the person suffering.


    Sometimes, religion can go a bit too far. Back on earth, I still remember the topics of witch hunts and crusades some religions back on that planet did in the past.


    Luckily, I wasn''t alive during that timeline.


    Removing those thoughts from my mind, I proceeded to make my way towards the Human area, where Merethyl should now be waiting after her daily job of ensuring the goblins and orcs don''t mess up some construction details.


    Domino was nowhere to be found right now, and that''s because she is back in our house, playing some games. More specifically, Pandemonium Infinite. The metal without guitar just sounds so good, and it seems Domino agrees.


    Creating another passageway heading to the Human area, I checked my inventory to see if Mariona''s dismembered leg was still good.


    Time being essentially stopped in my inventory was a literal boon. No spoiling of food, no weight, nothing to hinder you, even when you carry an arsenal large enough to fit a continent full of weapons and still have some leftover.


    Plus, it makes it impossible to notice the things I have in my inventory through normal means.


    "Welp, time to play surgeon."


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    ~ Third Person POV ~


    It was time. Finally, the day her leg comes back to its rightful place is here. Mariona could not help but kiss her sister lovingly as she celebrated the day her leg was reattached, after those damned human fanatics cut it off.


    "M-Mari, not now¡­!" Merethyl squirmed and struggled as she did her best to separate herself from her sister, who was giving her loving attention. "Jionni might come at any moment!"


    "Aw¡­ Fine, we''ll reserve it for later." Mariona chuckled at the sight of her blushing older sister. No matter what, teasing her normally formal sister ¨C as well as getting her to her bed ¨C was a favorite pastime for the younger elf twin. "But, are you okay¡­? You look haggard."


    "It''s nothing to worry about." Merethyl instantly countered, not wanting her twin sister to know she''d been breaking her back just to fulfill Jionni''s requests so her sister could have her leg back. ''Not anymore, it isn''t.''


    Merethyl smiled. Mariona noticed this smile wasn''t that tired and depressed one she kept on bringing whenever she came. This one was a relieved smile. A smile that showed that her worries were beginning to fade, and in light of said worries fading, joy and happiness were taking place.


    Seeing this smile, Mariona couldn''t help but smile back, a few tears slowly cascading down her cheeks as she stared at the only person she could give her full trust in this rotten world.


    "Merethyl?" Merethyl looked at her sister, her smile getting more radiant the moment she saw the smile on her sister''s face. "Thanks... For being my big sister."


    Merethyl couldn''t do anything but hug her twin lovingly in response. They spent a few moments basking in each other''s touch, until a sound broke them from their reverie.


    "I''m here." Jionni, Merethyl''s trustworthy boss, spoke out loud, a smile gracing his lips as he watched the family bonding. "Don''t worry, this won''t take too long. I''ll get out of your hair soon enough."


    Jionni hummed, understanding that the two twins wanted some alone time after having finished healing.. Merethyl and Mariona could only smile in response.

 Chapter 77 - Monke Gains More Monsters, Again

    Reattaching the limb of Mariona wasn''t a hassle, or anything too strenuous. Just grab the limb, carefully align it with the part where it was severed, and dump the contents of the potion into where the two were separated and watch the magic happen.


    Sure, this did cause Mariona some discomfort, as evident from her face making some strange expressions, but all in all, the operation was a success.


    After being thanked by the twin elves, with Mariona having a bit of difficulty using her now reattached limb, I waved them goodbye and went on my way back to the Dungeon Core room.


    That was until, Domino contacted me through the comms.


    "Papa¡­ More primates back¡­"


    "Alright, tell them I''m on my way." And with that, I waved the screen away. Instead of a clean schedule, now I have to deal with more monsters being added to my Dungeon¡­


    I hope they''re not orcs and goblins. Ideally, I would like to have some more lizardmen, but I can only hope.


    Making my way through the passageway connecting the Human area, as well as the Monster area ¨C I''m calling them those to differentiate the areas fairly easily ¨C I decided I might as well check up on the rest of the city while I travel.


    Once again, walking under the giant gate just outside of the passageway, I entered the city looking lively as ever. Even with this many monsters working on building the city, there still wasn''t enough time to finish it completely, but at least there was enough to at least build decent housing for the entire population to rest in once break came.


    Greeting the monsters while I was walking was a pleasant experience. True, some of them might be here because of fear, but mostly, now that Nicholas was in charge, they were at least more accepting of the fact that I was their ruler, and I treated them fairly, even if Nicholas was the one giving the orders.


    They must believe that even if Nicholas was the person giving the orders, if those orders came from me, then I was their true leader, and I was also accommodating them, giving them more than what they had before.


    A smile growing on my face, I continued my trek as I finally made it out of the city and onto a path heading towards the entrance of my Dungeon, and it was there I saw the group of primates, along with a group of monsters I was not expecting to show up here.


    Arachne¡­


    Monsters with a human half on top, and a spider half below. All of them also looked damned gorgeous, both male and female.


    "Boss, we back." Gong, my right-hand gorilla, said with a smile. He gave me a salute, to which I responded with a nod.


    "Good, I see you''ve invited some Arachnes into my Dungeon." It was at this point, a female Arachne, their leader, I presumed, approached me and bowed.


    "Greetings, Dungeon Master." The Arachne leader said with her head bowed. "My name is Aratella, and I am the leader of our Arachne tribe, The Steel Thread Spiders."


    She raised her head back, giving me a good view of her beautiful face. She had eight eyes, each colored lavender without pupils, luscious red lips that had a tiny jut of a fang showing, and hair as silver as real silver.


    She only had a few garments on, barely covering her modesty, but accentuating the curves of her human body.


    The spider-half, however, was a terrifying sight to behold. Now, I don''t have a fear of spiders, but seeing an insect that would normally be the size of your pinky, be the size of a large dog?


    It gave me chills.


    "Greetings, Aratella." I greeted her back, not showing her my tiny fear of her spider-half. "My name is Jionni, and as you suspected, I am the owner of this Dungeon."


    I approached the Arachne, standing up on my hind legs to close the distance between our height.


    "Now, I''ve sent my followers," I gestured towards the primates who were standing guard, "to go look for some monsters who would gladly place themselves under me for protection, in exchange for their services. I assume that you''ve considered my offer?"


    "Yes, quite." Aratella replied with a shake of her head, her numerous spider legs fidgeting about. "You see, humans are pushing through the forests, hunting any monster they can see to extinction."


    Aratella clutched the pendant hanging on her neck. "They''ve already taken away most of our loved ones."


    The rest of the Arachnes looked downcast at their situation.


    "It seems that not only the alraunes are facing the same threat." I mused to myself, to which Aratella focused her gaze back on my face.


    "Indeed. Humans nowadays are pushing their boundaries, proclaiming ourselves as none other than dumb animals, vying for the taste of their flesh." Aratella scoffed, rage slowly consuming her emotions as she recalled the death of her husband and child at the hands of those humans.


    "It is as you say." I replied, fully understanding what the humans ¨C those in the Human supremacy faction, that is ¨C actions were causing.


    The destruction of life itself, in an attempt to make themselves look superior amongst the thousands of species living on the surface of this world.


    "Forgetting those depressing topics for the moment." I coughed into my hand. "What services can you offer us, other than being defenders in case of an incoming invasion?"


    "A steady supply of silk and thread the strength of steel." She replied quickly, wanting to change the topic as well as the depressing thoughts. "We just need a sizeable forest to live in, and we''re good."


    "On that topic though," I stared at her spider body. Aratella, noticing the stare, sighed and spoke the answer to my question.


    "Yes, we eat meat and blood, but we can sustain ourselves with just animal meat and blood."


    "Perfect." I smiled once all those issues were out of the way. "Gong here will show you around the city. After that, you can pick a place where you want your tribe to set up homes, and I''ll create a forest where you want it."


    "Thank you, Master Jionni." Aratella said with a sultry voice as she slightly pulled on her top, barely covering her breasts. "Though, if you''d like, I can offer more than just thread and silk."


    "¡­ Erm¡­ No, silk and thread are enough. Thank you for the offer though." I said while fidgeting. Why the fuck would a woman, who had lost a loved one, maybe a husband or child, ask that kind of question towards a man she had just met¡­? ''Although, I''ve been wondering what a literal spider-monkey could do¡­''


    I shook my head at those thoughts. "Well then, it has been a pleasure to meet you, Miss Aratella. I hope you enjoy your stay in my Dungeon."


    "I see. Thank you for your generosity, Master Jionni." Aratella pouted.. I quickly got the fuck out of there before I lost more of my sanity and brain cells.

 Chapter 78 - Monke Almost Gets Laid

    A/N: Warning, a bit of borderline NSFW, what with the topics about to be discussed, but nothing too extreme, such as r-18 scenes. Just hints.


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    After having gotten out of that predicament, I quickly went back to the Dungeon Core room and lied on my hammock to compose myself.


    ''She''s not bad looking. Hell, she''s prettier than the top-tier models back on Earth, what with her exotic looks and everything¡­'' I covered my eyes, a bit of sweat rolling down my palms as I wiped them on my fur. ''But¡­ That giant spider body¡­ Is a damned turn off for me¡­ The same could be said for some alraunes with a flower lower-half.''


    I sighed.


    ''I should probably get some PP enlargement pills, just in case someone jumps my bones when I''m distracted¡­'' I cringed, imagining myself in that kind of situation with an inch-dong¡­ ''Yeah, no, where are the permanent PP enlargement pills/potions?''


    I accessed the Dungeon Store and perused its contents for the items I was looking for.


    "Let''s see¡­ Temporary potion¡­ Temporary pill¡­ Aphrodisiac¡­ Aha! Here it is!" I checked the price and saw that it wasn''t anything expensive. Just 696 DP.


    DP: 4699 -> 4003


    The item in question popped out of thin air and into my hands. It was a glass container with intricate designs, with pinkish-white liquid sloshing about within.


    ''No time like the present.'' I opened the cap and downed its contents. It tasted like cherry. A few seconds later, the effects took place, causing some minor discomfort around my crotch area.


    Looking down, I smirked.


    ''8 inches, and a sizeable girth.'' I tapped my dong with my finger, just to see if it wasn''t an illusion.


    Yep, it''s real, alright¡­ Now to the real problem. Why isn''t it going down¡­?


    ''Shit¡­ Don''t tell me it was also an aphrodisiac¡­?''


    I facepalmed. ''Next time, read the fine print before downing anything related to sexual activities¡­''


    I lied back down in my hammock, this time, browsing the Dungeon Store for anything that could curb my inner horniness. Buying a potion which did just that without any side-effects, I quickly downed it and watched as my dong slowly shrunk into its dormant state, but still noticeably bigger than before.


    ''I need a new pair of pants.''


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    ~ Third Person POV ~


    After a night of celebration, spurred on by the younger elf twin inside the bedroom of the place of residence given to them by Jionni, the two elves were back in their normal attire, their attire fixed because of Jionni and his mysterious magic.


    "What a night, huh?" Mariona said, practically glowing, her mischievous smile back on her face full force as she smirked at her older twin sister, who was busy ignoring the minx in favor of cleaning up the mess they had made on top of their sheets.


    "Yes, now if you''ll excuse me, I need to clean this mess up before it gets even dirtier and impossible to wash." Merethyl tilted her glasses upwards since they were sliding down because of bending too much.


    "Bah, you''re no fun." Mariona pouted as she mock-glared at her twin-sister for being such a prude, despite being the opposite during the act. She looked around the room, a bit proud of herself that even without doing the dirty for a while, she still had it.


    Case in point, various spots with damp areas due to their intense sessions of lovemaking.


    It wasn''t until a few moments later, when Mariona checking the ass of her dear twin sister, that she had an idea that would be totally fun, and would probably give them some kind of benefits for the near future.


    "Hey, I''ve been thinking." Mariona placed her finger on her chin as she adopted a thinking pose. Merethyl, noticing the pose, sighed, then faced her sister, who she knew was up to no good.


    "Yes? What is it?"


    "How about we have some fun with our dear Dungeon Master, Jionni?" At this, Merethyl sputtered in indignation, her face scarlet red due to embarrassment, humiliation, as well as rage because of the words that came out of her sister''s mouth.


    "Absolutely not!" Merethyl scowled, her face twisting into a rageful glare as she focused on Merethyl, who was innocently whistling while looking everywhere but at her sister.


    "Well, it is immoral, not that we aren''t, being blood-related siblings having sex when there''s time." Merethyl''s already red face became even redder at the embarrassing, but entirely true statement. "But hear me out. We already owe him our lives, even if you''ve already bent over backwards for him just to heal me, right?"


    "¡­" Merethyl was silent, listening to her sister, who she trusted with her entire being.


    "Why not make it seem that we''re returning the favor, but in turn, we''ll be making him dependent on us, so we can live our lives in peace without anymore conflict?" Mariona said with a tired smile. Merethyl could not refute her twin sister''s words, no matter how immoral and plain wrong they were.


    ''She''s not wrong¡­'' Merethyl reminisced the time she spent as a Hunter, risking both of their lives day-in and day-out, just to make ends meet. Compared to that, being concubines, or lovers to the undeniably strong Dungeon Master, who commanded a somewhat small army of his own, made up of monsters several times stronger than humans, was like heaven.


    She could see the benefits, but how could she? Not when they''re talking about whoring themselves to the monster they fought in the past? Sure, they reconciled some time later, with Merethyl being a direct subordinate to said monster, and now with Mariona able to move, she would also be tasked with working to make their residency here permanent, but it''s their lives they''re talking about.


    Would she, and her sister, be happy living with Jionni for the rest of their lives, or until they are inevitably killed by an invasion?


    The answer, was a mix between a yes and no. Yes, to being able to live happily, somewhat, since their only goal is to live without too much fighting, conflict, or risking their lives. No, because whoring themselves to the Dungeon Master didn''t feel like a good idea.


    They didn''t love him, and he, in turn, didn''t love them. Sure, they could just be sex buddies, which could guarantee their safety in case of an attack, but the problem is, he''s a monster! They''ve been taught to kill monsters at a young age, due to how threatening they are to their society, and now they''re going to sleep with one?


    It was one thing to work for a monster because you had no other choice, but to willingly make love with one?


    That was a whole new level of depravity and a mind-boggling experience.


    "Hey, sis, no need to overthink this." Mariona shook Merethyl out of her deep dive into her consciousness. "We could just, you know, work for him like normal workers."


    Mariona, seeing the look on Merethyl''s face, rescinded her earlier statement.


    "¡­ Haaahhh¡­" Merethyl gave off a tired sigh. "You know, let''s just pretend that this conversation never happened¡­"


    Mariona gave a meek nod, a bit anxious since whenever her sister was in this state, it could end badly for everyone around.


    And by everyone, she meant herself.


    "But¡­" Mariona looked at her sister with a confused look. "We can¡­ keep that option on the backburner for now. We might need to do it in the future."


    The two sisters went silent, before continuing with the tasks and jobs for the day.

 Chapter 79 - Monke And Dungeon Games

    Dungeon Resident Income:


    Day 1: 7,907 DP, 4,016 EXP


    Day 2: 8,751 DP, 4,394 EXP


    Day 3: 9,711 DP, 4,850 EXP


    Day 4: 9,887 DP, 4,898 EXP


    Total: 36,256 DP, 18,158 EXP


    DP: 4,003 -> 40,259


    Milestone reached!


    Reach 250 amount of residing Dungeon Residents!


    Rewards: Dungeon Spin; 5,000 DP; 2,500 EXP; Perk [Landlord]


    DP: 40,259 -> 45,259


    [Level Up!]


    [Level Up!]


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 13


    Exp: 1793 / 13000


    HP: 6700 / 6700


    MP: 2228 / 2228


    Str: 69 = 191


    Vit: 106 = 220


    End: 71 = 174


    Agi: 47 = 75


    Dex: 51 = 94


    Int: 42 = 155


    Wis: 41 = 154


    Cha: 32 = 40


    Luc: 1 = 1


    Landlord - Increases DP gained from Dungeon Resident Income by 10%.


    It''s been four days since the day my dong got enlarged, and four days since I started wearing some clothes to cover my dignity. The clothes weren''t anything special, but since Domino looked at me with her cute puppy eyes, I had to match my style of clothing to hers, no matter how much of a fashion disaster it was on my person.


    But during that time, I was able to sate one of my curiosities ever since Domino started to live with me without looking like a creep, since she showed it to me when I just woke up, and it was her black undershirt.


    Yeah, turns out, it wasn''t just sleeveless, it was goddamn backless. How the hell it stuck to her body without falling off, I had no idea, but I guess it was due to her jacket.


    Then again, it was somehow like the theme of a gorilla. Black front, silver back, you get the idea.


    So, I got a hoodie jacket with an open front, silver shorts that reached up to my knees, and white sneakers, just to match with Domino''s outfit.


    Sad to say, my clothes were incredibly bad to look at on a gorilla, so I had to change some things about my body, something I wanted to do before, but didn''t have enough DP to do so.


    It cost 30,000 DP to buy one, but all in all, it was worth it.


    DP: 45,259 -> 15,259


    And that, my friends, was the [Body Alteration + Strengthening] potion. A bit of a mouthful, but its effects were legit.


    Drinking its contents, I was able to modify my body, though not to the point where I could change my size however I wanted. I could not be too different from my original form, so what I did was lengthened my legs, gave myself better thumbs, and overall, made myself a little human-ish.


    I was still a gorilla though, a modified one. Plus, it had the bonus of increasing the density of my bones and muscles, which gave me a boost to Strength, Endurance, and Vitality by two each¡­


    Damn, this System be stingy with potions that give stat points¡­


    Anyway, with my new body, I was finally able to use the Monke Staff without difficulty, my legs giving me a newfound respect for species that had stubby legs for being able to function with them properly.


    Of course, because my legs were longer, my torso had to get smaller, which made Domino pout and cling to my body with all her might as she tried to assert dominance over my chest. An amusing sight, but a very dangerous one, if I was back on Earth. There are no FBI agents here, right¡­?


    Right?


    Anyway, during those four days, each primate squad came back bringing monsters from their mission, except for the last group, which had to eradicate the ones they were supposed to bring due to how hostile they were.


    Of course, I congratulated them nonetheless, and accepted them with open arms, regardless of their mistakes. I was just glad none of them died, and I wasn''t too sure about the primates reviving if they died outside the Dungeon.


    Which begs the question, will I revive if I die in my own Dungeon¡­?


    A scenario I do not want to test with every fiber of my being.


    The monsters the primates brought back were nothing new. Goblins, orcs, kobolds, but hey, at least one group brought in about ten lizardmen, so that''s a plus. The bad news is, I had to accommodate them, and the city was running out of space, as well as my Dungeon, so I had to buy more rooms and merge them with the existing rooms to expand their space, reducing my DP by about 5,000.


    DP: 15,259 -> 10,259


    With a bigger room, as well as more workforce ¨C counting the primates that spawned from the rooms ¨C the city was expanded day-by-day, although the city was still far from finished. At least the walls were done.


    Also, since I alone wasn''t able to keep up with the demands for weapons and armor from the ever-growing population of monsters, I had to teach someone how to craft weapons and armors, and since I also had no time to do so, I had to buy the [Blacksmith Skillbook] and give it to someone.


    DP: 10,259 -> 8,759


    And I gave it to Gund, who I also tasked with teaching the other primates how to smith so they could help me with the workload.


    I granted them access to my workshop, and it didn''t take long for them to settle in. Even if their work is crap right now as opposed to my standard grade (My weapons are still crap, by the way), it won''t be long before they are able to smith at my level.


    Just a little bit of grinding and voila, more blacksmiths.


    The alraunes and arachnes had all but integrated into our little society. With the alraunes tending to the gardens, giving us more vegetables and fruits, and the arachnes, giving us materials for either sewing or smithing, my Dungeon, at its current state with no invasions, was flourishing.


    But that could all change today.


    "It''s finally time¡­" I cupped my chin, feeling a little awkward about having to permanently get used to being bipedal again. Today was the day the Dungeon Games would start, and I was extremely nervous and anxious due to going in blind without any information.


    I asked the humans and demi-humans, but even they had no idea about these Dungeon Games. Hell, even Domino, who was a gift to me by the System ¨C now my surrogate daughter ¨C had no idea about the Dungeon Games.


    I had to steel myself for whatever might happen, but it couldn''t be all that bad, since it''s called Dungeon Games, right¡­?


    I just jinxed myself, didn''t I?


    [Commencing teleport sequence¡­ Welcome to the Decennial Dungeon Games, Dungeon Master Jionni¡­ May your enemies sing praises with their blood as tribute to your victories¡­]


    ¡­ I am so screwed¡­

 Chapter 80 - Monke And The Welcome Committee

    My eyes were blinded as I felt myself being deconstructed and reconstructed in the span of just a second, but felt like fucking hours. Pain the likes of which I have never felt before assaulted every part of my being. My screams silent as my vocal cords were whisked away earlier than my time to process the entire thing.


    And suddenly, the pain vanished, and what I saw next completely blew my mind.


    "Welcome, Dungeon Masters, to the Decennial Dungeon Games!"


    I had to squint my eyes due to how bright everything was. Gilded walls, white marble columns, floating sources of light, expensive looking furniture.


    It was like I was invited into the realm of the Gods.


    Everywhere I looked, everything was so perfect, that not all of the resources back on Earth and in this world combined could match even a sliver of percentage to make this area possible.


    That''s just how unrealistic and out of mortal hands it was.


    ''Although, couldn''t the teleportation not be that painful¡­?'' I was sure I had already stopped screaming the moment I arrived at this place, along with the other Dungeon Masters who were looking a bit fearful of the giant man sitting on a throne in front of all of us.


    And I can''t blame them, not when my danger instincts are literally telling me to bow down and submit to his every whim.


    "A fine number this year, wouldn''t you agree, Uius?" The giant man spoke to another man dressed in a typical butler suit ¨C a very fine one at that ¨C with an excited grin.


    "Quite, m''lord." He said this as he noncommittedly scanned the entire area with his eyes, his gaze resting on my figure for a tad bit longer than the others.


    "Well then, don''t keep them waiting." The giant laughed heartily, garnering no response from the butler, who tilted his glasses upward, causing light to reflect, making it impossible to see his eyes.


    "Greetings, Dungeon Masters." The butler strode a few steps forward, his posture never breaking once. "For those Dungeon Masters who are new to this event, my name is Uius, a servant of the God of Monsters, Chythos."


    "Call me Thos." The giant, now known as the God of Monsters, piped up from his throne, a bit of a frown on his face as he stared at his servant.


    "Right. Continuing on." Uius cleared his throat. "We are gathered here today to enjoy the festivities held by Dungeon Masters all around the world every decade. There will be rewards for every event winner, as well as consequences for the failures, depending on their performance."


    ''I hope it''s not anything close to the loss of my Dungeon, or worse¡­'' I thought nervously as I kept rapt attention to the words uttered by Uius.


    "But for now, let''s not dull you with any of the rules" Uius tilted his glasses up once more, for no reason at all. It is probably a habit. "We are here for a celebration, and every celebration has a feast."


    Uius clapped his gloved hands, the silent hall making it easier for the clap to be heard all throughout.


    In an instant, all around us, tables, chairs, food, drinks, and entertainment spots of all sizes appeared without any sort of cause. It was like it wasn''t there, then bam! Now it''s there.


    ''Can I do that too?'' I mused to myself. Imagine the possibilities I could do against invasions and trespassers if I had the power to do that.


    "Enjoy the food. It is cooked to perfection by the best chefs our realm could offer." Uius said, his monotone voice now drowned out by the hungry Dungeon Masters all over the hall, and quite frankly, I was too after that painful teleportation trip. "Take your time. The feast will end a few hours from now, and the events will begin tomorrow. Fights here are not encouraged, and those who do so will be immediately disqualified from the events, barring them from any kind of rewards, as well as serving a punishment from the God of Monsters'' choosing."


    "As you heard from my servant." Chythos stood up from his throne. "Those who disobey the no-fighting rule will be disqualified and punished. Now, before we leave you to your devices, I would like to make an announcement, as well as a reminder."


    This got every single Dungeon Master in the hall to clam up and provide their undivided attention towards the God who could probably erase all of us from the map with but a flick of his pinkie.


    "Do note that, while some events may be practically harmless to the participants, some might end up with deadly injuries, sometimes, even death." Chythos spoke, deadly serious about the death part. "This may be a celebration, as well as an event to remember for years to come, but the rule that is most prevalent in this realm, and your realm, is ''Survival of the Fittest.'' Not even us Gods are an exception to that rule."


    Hearing a God speak that line instead of a random dude, was weighing a ton on my conscious. So, Gods can also die from another God who is stronger than them? Are there hierarchies in the Divine Realm ¨C I''m calling it the Divine Realm for now until I get a more concrete name from those who live in said realm ¨C that even Gods follow? And if so, just on what level is the God before us? Is he the weakest? The strongest? Or just average?


    Before my questioning spree began to spiral downwards, Chythos once again opened his mouth, garnering my attention, as well as the Dungeon Masters who were also speculating about the Divine Realm.


    "A little advice: Good Luck, Have Fun, Don''t Die." And with that, Chythos, as well as his servant, vanished into thin air, leaving us Dungeon Masters with more questions than answers, as well as an entire hall filled with food, including raw meat for some species, as well as gourmet food for others.


    ''Welp, no use in pondering over that matter. How about I eat first, mingle with some Dungeon Masters, prepare for the events, and when I''m back inside my Dungeon, I can ponder the topics however long I like.'' I hummed, my hand cupping my chin as I took a good look around the hall. ''Speaking of which, where is my Dungeon anyway?''


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Domino was not having a good day. First, her Papa had to attend to some matters concerning the other primates. Then, he had to ensure the loyalty of the new monsters, and when he was done with those and about to spend time with her, this happened.


    "Papa¡­" Domino angrily snarled, her expressionless mask breaking as she glared towards the exit of the Dungeon, or more specifically, the golden swirls and ripples of aura instead of the forests the Dungeon was situated in. "Come home quick¡­"

 Chapter 81 - Monke And Other Dungeon Masters

    Forgetting my Dungeon for the moment ¨C since there is probably a reason for separating the Dungeon Masters from their dungeons currently ¨C I made a beeline straight for the food table.


    Grabbing a plate, a spoon, and a fork, I instantly filled my plate with a bunch of food that was enough to curb my appetite. Spotting a vacant spot without anyone sitting beside it, I took a spot as the first Dungeon Master to seat on this table. Looking behind me, I saw various other Dungeon Masters scrambling for food, their stomachs now probably guiding their bodies instead of their brains.


    Like I''m one to talk, seeing that I''m already devouring the food as the delicacy it is. Like, seriously, the food here could give Gorram Donsay a run for his money back on Earth.


    "There a free spot here, Mr¡­?" A voice piped up from behind me. Looking behind, I saw a slim, petite woman that looked like a cross between a snake and a human carrying a bunch of food piled up on a single plate.


    She had silver hair reaching above her neck, and a silver, slithery snake-half. She wore what seemed to be modern clothes on top, and a skirt at her waist, seeing that pants or shorts would not fit.


    "Jionni, and yes, there is a free spot, Ms¡­?" I wiped my mouth before speaking to the lamia with some napkins. I may be a monster, but at least I have some manners and class.


    "Prixais." The lamia said as she plopped her scaly butt on a seat opposite to me as she let her snake-half coil around the chair to take up less space. "A wee bit on the small side, but nothin'' I can''t handle."


    Prixais, after taking her seat and making herself comfortable, began eating the food on the plate like there was no tomorrow. Chunks of food quickly go into her mouth, and a few moments later, get swallowed and into her belly to be digested.


    ''Well, snake-half, a plausible reason as to why she could stuff that much food in her mouth and not destroy her jaws due to how wide her mouth was open.'' I sweatdropped as I continued to watch the lamia demolish the stack of food on her plate, before I also went to finish mine. ''No way in hell am I leaving this plate of food here, it''s just too delicious!''


    A few minutes of eating and silence between us, the two of us managed to finish our meals together. A burp came from my mouth as I sighed contentedly.


    "This¡­ was a good meal¡­"


    "Tell me ''bout it." Prixais looked stuffed, her belly slightly protruding due to how much she ate. "Nothin'' like a good meal to brighten our days, eh?"


    "Heh, right you are on that, Ms. Prixais." I chuckled slightly, amused at the lamia in front of me making some noises of contentment.


    "Call me Prix, darlin''." She winked at me with a smile.


    "Then call me Jion, dear." I winked back. She looked at me with a shocked face, before she burst out into laughter.


    "Y-you¡­ Khahehehah!" The lamia held her sides, her chest heaving as she tried to get her breathing back in order. "Y-you''re a strange one, ain''t ya, darlin''?"


    "Well, I aim to please." I looked into her face, a bit in awe of her pretty face. Her bluish-red eyes make her look even more exotic.


    "By the way, ain''t ever seen one of your kind before." She looked at my form, not minding how I looked, or how hairy I was, considering that there were a lot of monsters in all shapes and sizes.


    I mean, there''s a slime Dungeon Master just a few tables away. Hell, there are even humans, elves, and demi-humans as Dungeon Masters.


    ''Can anybody be a Dungeon Master?'' A question that just might have some proof to it, as seen by the number of species decorating the halls.


    There''s no dragon though, but maybe they''re in disguise. A bit reasonable, seeing that this hall may be big enough to fit all of us, but a bunch of dragons?


    Yeah, no¡­


    "I''m what you call a gorilla. A sub-species of a race called primates." I said, trying to recall the information about gorillas I had read before in my free time back on Earth. "However, a heavily modified one. Gorillas have stubby legs. I don''t."


    I state this fact proudly. Ha! Take that Charles Darwin!


    "Damn. That''s cool!" She spoke excitedly, the tip of her tail shaking slightly due to her excitement. "So, how long ya been a Dungeon Master?"


    ''Hmm¡­ She''s fishing for information. True enough, Chythos and Uius said there was no fighting, but information gathering was a go. Is sabotaging also allowed, though? Bah, better not risk it.'' I thought as I tried to decide whether to answer her or not. ''Hmm¡­ I''ll ask her a question next, maybe try to get a better understanding of how Dungeon Masters work their own Dungeons.''


    "Not long, about a few weeks, give or take."


    "Well, that''s a short period. I''ve been managing my Dungeon for a while, though I can''t recall how long it''s been." She knocked her head with her knuckles.


    "Well, I would like to ask you a question, if it isn''t any trouble."


    "Go ahead, darlin''. Like anythin'' here could stop ya from askin''." She snorted, gesturing around us to show me that some Dungeon Masters had formed their own cliques, not unlike schools back at home.


    ''Hmm¡­ I guess those are the Dungeon Masters who''ve already been acquainted with each other¡­'' I was a bit nervous due to my disadvantage as a lone competitor without any connections.


    "How''s your Dungeon like?"


    "Eh, nothin'' big. A bunch of rooms, a bunch of monsters to guard them, you know, same old, same old." She brushed off the question like it was nothing, shrugging her shoulder as she gave me her answer.


    ''¡­ I''m getting nowhere¡­'' I mentally sighed. ''It seems like I need to brush up on my conversation skills.''


    "Hey, ya theah. Cahah ta give me some of yah time?"  I was brought out of my musings as I focused my gaze on the one who had called me. He was big, he was buff, and most of all, his horns looked pointy.


    Garbed in somewhat non-restricting armor, he looked like a gladiator ready to lop off heads. Except that he isn''t human.


    Instead, he''s a 10-foot-tall minotaur.


    ''What have I gotten myself into now¡­?

 Chapter 82 - Monke Back To Dungeon

    "Yes, what do you want?" I asked the minotaur, my muscles paling in comparison to his.


    "Nothin'' much mate." The minotaur shrugged, taking a seat on a chair beside the table. "Just a bit fahkin'' curious about yah race. Ya look nothin'' liyyke the bloody pansies scattered ahround the bloody damn ''all."


    "You''re the second person to ask me that today, funny." I chuckled to myself. My ego is inflated by a little due to how different I am from the others. Looking around, I realize that I''m the only gorilla in the damn place, as well as countless curious gazes focusing on me. "And it seems that you aren''t the only curious one."


    "Of course, I''m fahkin'' curious. I''ve joined the bloody dungeon games three times now, ''n this is the bloody first time I''ve evah seen one of yah kind. Fahkin'' bloody oath mate." The minotaur slammed the mug he was holding on the table, laughing his heart out at my silly remark.


    Well, he''s not wrong. That was a stupid sentence to say, what with me being the only gorilla in the place, as well as garnering the attention of other Dungeon Masters¡­


    My ego suddenly took a plummet, and instead, what grew was my paranoia and nervousness. I may be a bit used to crowds, but when you''re the only person everybody in the whole room is focusing on, I tend to be a little anxious.


    "So, wat''s yah race?" The minotaur took a big gulp from his mug and roughly set it back down on the table with a grin. "Come on, don''t keep me waitin'', fahkin'' bloody oath cobber."


    ''Not like it''ll be disadvantageous. I''ll just be revealing my species'' name, not my strengths and weaknesses.'' I thought to myself before grinning at the minotaur. "Well, if you must know, my race name is called Primate. I''m also a sub-species of the race called Gorilla."


    "Damn, that''s fahkin'' interesting, not gonnah porkie. Fahkin'' bloody oath cobber." The minotaur cheered as he raised his mug. "Heahr that fellas? Give it up fawr the bloody first primayyte ta join the bloody Dungeon Games!"


    The minotaur stood up and raised his hands, his shouts echoing across the hall, causing every Dungeon Master inside to cheer out loud, whether with enthusiasm or not, it didn''t matter.


    Not when the hall literally boomed with sound that I had to cover my ears to stop the ringing.


    "Heh, you''ll get used to it, darlin''." The snake woman in front of me chuckled as she relished my pain. I''ll have my revenge, no matter how petty it is. Just wait.


    []


    []


    []


    "I''m back." My vision slowly returned as I returned to my Dungeon after Uius and Chythos sent us back to our respective Dungeons after the feast. I hovered for a few moments before gravity decided she was jealous of the air and brought me back down to earth.


    And if that wasn''t enough, Domino tackled my body while I was still stabilizing myself, causing both of us to topple to the ground.


    "Papa¡­ Papa¡­" Domino tried to crush me in her grip, but her tiny frame, as well as her non-existent strength, made it impossible to feel physical pain. Not that my mental state didn''t take damage, oh no.


    Hearing Domino utter her pained but soft cries made my heart turn to mush. All I could do was pat her back and stroke her hair as I whispered into her ears words that she needed to hear.


    "Don''t worry, I''m here. I won''t leave you."


    A few minutes of soothing the worried and pouting Domino, we now found ourselves playing against each other on the console inside the house. With my better thumbs and fingers, I was able to improve my skills, but Domino still kept on beating my ass with her raw talent and skills.


    Like, seriously, a fighting game shouldn''t have infinite combos, right? RIGHT!?


    Moving on from my humiliating defeat against my surrogate daughter in a fighting game, I then went on my way towards the human area to relay the news about the Dungeon Games, which I haven''t told them about yet¡­


    Why the fuck did I forget about that?


    Once again, creating a passageway leading towards the Human area, I left Domino to play by herself for the moment while I dealt with important affairs.


    A few minutes of walking later ¨C thank whatever deity is out there hearing my pleas, ''cause the stairs no longer scare me with my new and improved legs ¨C I arrived at the Human area, and quickly came in contact with Luke, who was making his rounds around the desolate, but not unoccupied city.


    "Sir Jionni! We''ve been looking all over for you! Where have you been?" Luke quickly ran at me, his armor clinking against his body as he made his way towards my position. "Something''s happened. Your Dungeon seems like it has been teleported through unknown means while you were gone."


    "¡­ Right, forgive me for this, but I haven''t told you about what was going to happen a few days go." Luke froze as he stared at me, then he sighed.


    "You know, a little heads up wouldn''t have hurt, Sir Jionni." Luke facepalmed while I mentally kicked myself for not informing them about the Dungeon Games happening today.


    "Sorry, I was just a little caught up with my work that I had forgotten to notify everyone about the event." I opened the Dungeon Menu and contacted every human, demi-human, and monster leader to meet in the Planning Quarters, which was situated in the monster city. Once I was done with that, I focused on Luke once more and nodded. "Follow me, I''ll explain on the way."


    []


    []


    []


    ~ A few minutes ago ~


    "Well, I see everyone has been busy." Chythos suddenly appeared back on his throne without any hint that he had returned. "And I see that no one has started a fight. Good, that''s good."


    All of us went silent and looked at him, providing our full attention to his figure.


    "The feast has come to an end, and it is time for you to return to your Dungeons. Tomorrow, the events will start, and only then will the rules be revealed. All the Dungeon Masters will be participating, and there shall be no excuses."


    "Now, it''s time for us to part, but worry not, all of you will be transferred once the time to start comes. I bid you farewell, and may the best win."


    After that short speech, everyone in the hall began to transform into motes of light, before they vanished. It wasn''t long until I was subjected to the same treatment, and holy fucking hell did it hurt.


    ''Well, at least I''m getting used to pain, so that''s a plus, I guess¡­?''

 Chapter 83 - Monke And The Order Of The Round Table Knock-off

    "So, you remember the time I asked you about the Dungeon Games?"


    "You mean a few days ago? Yes, why?" Luke looked confused for a moment, before he realized what I meant with that question. "Don''t tell me, the Dungeon Games are real, and it''s happening now?"


    "You assume correctly." I scratched my chin as we continued on the path, the ground beneath our feet changing from cement and pavement to soil and dirt. "An interesting event, since I''ve seen a lot of other Dungeon Masters during my time in the Divine Realm."


    "Wait, wait, wait¡­ Uhh¡­ Sir Jionni, did you just say the Divine Realm?" Luke looked at me like I was crazy. I tilted my head, a bit confused by his reaction.


    "Yes, why?"


    "Oh dear. Orotl give me strength¡­" Luke muttered as his hand came above his mouth, causing his words to come out a bit muffled, but still hearable. It wasn''t long before he looked at me once more and opened his mouth. "Well, allow me to explain, assuming that you have no knowledge of the realm you have just been in. The God''s World Above, or more commonly known as The Divine Realm, is the place where all Gods reside."


    "I''ve met the God of Monsters." I offhandedly commented while Luke began explaining, causing him to freeze in his tracks and stare at me with his jaw hung wide open. "What? It''s called the Divine Realm for a reason. Plus, I don''t think transporting a hundred or so Dungeon Masters, some being creatures beyond human strength, into a single place at the same time, forcing them to be docile or suffer would be anything short of a God''s work."


    "¡­ Haaahhh¡­ Right¡­" Luke facepalmed as he mentally kicked himself for being a tad bit stupid. "Anyway, not much is known about the Divine Realm, but it is said that mortals who enter the place, either by force or invitation, are instantly killed and their souls eradicated, which is why, most of the time, Gods themselves descend upon the mortal plane to relay their messages and prophecies."


    Well¡­ That is concerning, seeing that I was invited ¨C and also forcefully, if you think about it ¨C into the Divine Realm. That said, the Dungeon Games are held every decade, and the other Dungeon Masters, or more specifically, the minotaur who claimed that he had already participated three times, are still alive after going back and forth from the Divine Realm, where most, if not all, have died and had their souls destroyed.


    ''Huh, does that have something to do with the pain I experienced when being in mid-transfer?'' I hummed to myself as both of us continued with our walk in silence.


    "Let''s put this topic on hold for now." I said suddenly, garnering the attention of Luke, as evident by his head turning in my direction. "Until I gather more evidence, this topic about me being alive from going to the Divine Realm and back will be put on hold until I say otherwise. Is that clear?"


    "Yes, Sir Jionni." Luke nodded, all too happy to drop the frankly controversial and headache-inducing topic.


    It didn''t take too long for us to reach the monster city. Greeting the monsters there, we head straight for the Planning Quarters. Being let in by the guards - who happened to be two lizardmen at the time ¨C we stepped into the building, and what greeted us was a scene you would see fairly common in a fantasy setting.


    Oak floors, wooden furniture, although the addition of electricity and the light-bulb broke the theme, it could still be counted as fantasy.


    In the middle of the room, a giant table rests, with the humans, demi-humans, and monster leaders already sitting around it, waiting for me to arrive.


    "Ah, Jionni. Good to see ya back." Nicholas laughed heartily as he slammed his palm on the table, causing it to emit a sound that echoed around the chamber. Besides him, Alexa sat silent, a cup of tea in hand as she took a sip from it, ignoring her father''s boisterous attitude.


    "Y-yes, quite good to see you, Lord Jionni." Bentley, who also sat beside Nicholas, greeted me with a strained smile. I have no idea why he was smiling, but I put it on hold for the moment. We have bigger fish to fry.


    "Damn, you look like you got an upgrade." Krag, who was with his group of demi-humans, save Alice, who was left behind with Shirley and her two children.


    "I, for once, agree with the horny idiot." Lara pouted as she glared at the tall gnome, to which Krag looked embarrassed and a little miffed about his fellow kin ratting him out on his sexual activities.


    "Thee behold liketh thou art stout''r." Anduin commented as he beheld my new figure. Well, I can''t blame him. I really do look stronger than before¡­ Maybe I should incorporate martial arts, huh¡­ Maybe there''s a skillbook.


    "Quite. Oh how lovely it would be to be young again." Gobun, the elder leader of the goblins, smiled as he tapped his cane on the floor. I provided it to him, by the way, since he''s getting on in years.


    "Mngh¡­ A fitting warrior to be our leader." The orc leader, whose name I learned to be Qog, spoke gruffly, his eyes closed and his arms crossed.


    "A little on the savage side, not that I complain." The lizardman leader, who also happened to be female and named Shonah, said shyly in her soft voice, unfitting for her looks.


    "Agreed." The kobold leader, named Vas, nodded his head in agreement.


    "Indeed, he looks even better now." Aratella licked her lips as she stared at my figure, or more importantly, my lower half.


    "For once, I agree with you, accursed spider." Rosada kept her stare on mine, even as she snarled at Aratella, to which the arachne responded with a shrug.


    "I see¡­" I sighed to myself internally, and quickly took a seat at my designated spot. "Well then, shall we start with our debriefing?"

 Chapter 84 - Monke And A Bit Of Foreshadowing (Jionni No Likey)

    After relaying the same information I gave to Luke before we even got here, we all went our separate ways, each with a job in mind to fortify my Dungeon for the oncoming event.


    Their reactions were somewhat what I expected. However, that didn''t mean that their minds were blown. Since there was talk about divine intervention, it is totally reasonable that I went missing for a few hours. However, me getting transferred to the Divine Realm was what got most of them worried.


    Apparently, it was a well-known fact, even to monsters, that a mortal traversing the Divine Realm was complete and utter suicide.


    After discussing a bit about the Dungeon Games and what to expect, all of us bid our goodbyes and went on with our duties.


    And here I am, inside the Dungeon Core Room preparing myself for some more training ¨C or grinding, however you want to put it ¨C with Domino watching from the sidelines with a banner that had my figure printed on it with some "Fight!" captions.


    Where the hell did she get that anyway?


    I am currently grinding my [Lightning Manipulation] skill, since no matter what, my Fire and Earth manipulation skills wouldn''t increase, even with the hellish training.


    [Earth Manipulation] Lv. 7


    [Fire Manipulation] Lv. 7


    It must have something to do with my experience ¨C probably live-combat experience ¨C so it wouldn''t level up, no matter how hard I trained... Or, it could be just me since I seem to have hit a wall with how I use the magic.


    ''Is there something I''m missing?'' I thought inwardly as I readied myself to once again go into Thundergod mode and keep it from consuming too much of my mana.


    "Okay¡­ You can do this¡­" I breathed in, then let the magic take over. Lightning crackled around my body as the air around me began to fluctuate. I felt my mana dropping quickly, and I tried to find the reason why in this short time of using Thundergod mode.


    I wasn''t able to, and my body landed on the ground with a thud. Domino, once again being the worrywart girl she was for my well-being, dropped the banner and rushed towards me with a concerned look on her expressionless face.


    "Papa¡­ You alright¡­?" Domino placed her hand on my fur, her hands rubbing my back as she tried to massage my body with her non-existent skills.


    "Mngh¡­ Just fine¡­ Still need to get this mode under control though¡­" I took a glance at my remaining MP and winced. ''Yeah, this is gonna take a long while to master¡­''


    MP: 228 / 2228


    I''ll stick to some lightning bolts for now. I''ll level up the skill first before attempting Thundergod mode again¡­ That reminds me, if I can do this with [Lightning Manipulation], can I try it with the other elements¡­?


    I pushed myself off the ground and assumed an Indian seat position. ''I''ll have to wait for my MP to regenerate itself first, which would take about an hour if I don''t use my MP anymore than now.''


    Taking a stand, Domino stood up with me as I did so. I decided to train my physical skills for the moment.


    Like that [Canon Blow] I only used once against the goblin leader back when I was on a quest with that damned demon¡­


    "RAAAAGGGHHH!!!" I let out a yell as I used about 75% of my HP to fuel my attack and punched a nearby boulder, causing a loud crash to be heard all across the room. The boulder, however, instead of being dented by my fist, or being thrown, what happened next was it was obliterated, tiny chunks and bits of stone raining towards the direction where I punched.


    [Canon Blow] Lv 1 -> 3


    HP: 1,724 / 6760


    Ah, fuck¡­ I needed that¡­ Even if it hurts like a bitch¡­ That said, at least the skill leveled up by two.


    "P-Papa¡­?" Domino looked at me, scared as to why I suddenly let loose my anger and directed it at an innocent boulder.


    ''Ah, shit¡­'' I grimaced, looking at Domino as apologetically as I could. "Sorry about that, Domino, I needed to vent¡­"


    Domino nodded shakily, her eyes starting to tear up as she tried to inch closer to me. Well, I can''t blame her. One second, we were sharing a loving hug. The next second, I was punching a giant boulder the size of a car into smithereens. That would probably be traumatizing for any young girl¡­ Even if said young girl had no qualms with killing.


    "Come here, you." I dashed towards her and landed her in a crushing, but not too crushing that could break bones, hug and lifted her in the air. Domino was startled and let out a little ''eep!'' as she was lifted off her feet and faceplanted directly into my chest. "No need to be scared. I was just a little angry because I thought of something bad."


    I continued hugging Domino as she tried to hug me back with her entire being. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes before I let her down to her feet. She looked a bit sad, pouting even, that I let her down, but I needed to train more for the upcoming games.


    "Alright, I''ll be training again, so stay a few meters away. I don''t want to hurt you if one of my skills goes haywire." Domino nodded as she reluctantly distanced herself from my position. Thanks to my [Tank Body] perk, I only had to wait for a minute before my HP was fully regenerated.


    ''Uhhh¡­ Wait¡­ Wasn''t I forgetting something¡­'' I hummed in my head, and the fact that I had a Dungeon Spin and hadn''t used it yet was somehow irritating, yet reasonable. ''I guess this is what happens when you get too nervous or excited¡­''


    I sighed, accessing the Dungeon Menu for a quick minute to use the Dungeon Spin I had.


    Spinning¡­ Spinning¡­ Spinning¡­ Platinum prize rewarded!


    Congratulations! You have obtained [Monkey King''s Garb]!


    ¡­ Well shit¡­ It seems fate wants me to become the Monkey King of this universe¡­ And if the lore was right, I was going to fight the Gods in the near future¡­


    Yep¡­ I am so screwed¡­

 Chapter 85 - Monke And The First Event

    Briefly forgetting about the ''Prize'' I was just awarded, I focused on my training, since this was more important than some outfit ¨C that I knew was fucking legendary.


    After an hour of using my HP bar as a goddamned resource, my MP had finally regenerated, and it was time to test my theory.


    Calling upon the flames, I let the magic flow through my body and into the air, the temperature rising as wisps of flames danced around my figure. My fur went untouched as the fire brushed against it, the grass beneath me set alight.


    In an instant, a brief wave of hot air pushed outwards in all directions, with my body as the center. Domino hid behind a rock to avoid the incoming wave of heat.


    I opened my eyes, seeing the fire dancing around my body like I was some kind of torch, although the flame didn''t encompass my entire being. Think of it as a dress. The fire hovers around me, its heat not harming me or my clothes in the slightest.


    I had to suppress an urge to laugh. It worked, it really fucking worked!


    Looking at my MP, I had to suppress the urge to laugh even harder. It wasn''t draining like the Thundergod mode. Hell, this Flamegod mode ate my mana like crumbs instead of a giant bite.


    MP: 6560 / 6760


    If my calculations are correct, I take about 25 MP for every second this Flamegod mode is active, and since the level of [Earth Manipulation] is like my [Flame Manipulation], I would assume that the mana intake is quite similar.


    Lo-and-behold, my theory rang true. Currently, instead of fire dancing around me, this time, earth encased my body like living armor. It was flexible, easy to move in, and most of all, it was as hard as a fucking diamond.


    Not to levels of adamantium, though. Maybe when I max the skill, but until then, diamond hardness it is.


    Canceling the flow of mana. This time, I focused on [Lightning Manipulation].


    ''Well then, time to grind this like a pro gamer.''


    []


    []


    []


    It was a few hours later that I stopped and rested for the first event. My grinding earlier brought better results than I thought. I was a bit baffled though, since I was able to max two skills that I thought would take a little more time.


    [Canon Blow] Lv. 3 -> Lv. 4


    [Rolling Thunder] Lv. 1 -> 3


    [Lightning Manipulation] Lv. 1 -> 2


    [Gorilla Go Smash!] Lv 7 -> Max


    [Gorilla Fighting Tech] Lv 8 -> Max


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 13


    Exp: 1793 / 13000


    HP: 6820 / 6820


    MP: 2255 / 2255


    Str: 71 = 216


    Vit: 108 = 224


    End: 73 = 178


    Agi: 47 = 77


    Dex: 51 = 96


    Int: 42 = 157


    Wis: 41 = 156


    Cha: 32 = 42


    Luc: 1 = 1


    Yes, [Gorilla Go Smash!] and [Gorilla Fighting Tech] have maxed out quickly, jumping from level 7 and 8, respectively. I have a theory that it''s because of my modified body, as well as my current strength. It seems that these two skills are beginner techniques, that when you get stronger, it becomes faster to level up.


    And let''s face it, [Gorilla Fighting Tech], no matter how good it was for my stats, was supposed to be easy to level up. I mean, how does a gorilla fight? Grappling, biting, slapping, sometimes punching, and flinging poop. The same could be said for [Gorilla Go Smash!]. All I had to do was use it with my full strength and boom, easy levels.


    Also, the bonus Strength damage from [Gorilla Go Smash!] changed from 200% to 400%, a massive increase if you ask me, and I''ll take any advantage I can get for the oncoming events.


    That said, it was time. I''ve been resting for about an hour now, and it was almost time before I was introduced to that torture called teleporting again in a few minutes.


    ''Shit¡­ The butterflies in my stomach are getting worse¡­'' I thought about using some stomach cramp medicine I could get from the Dungeon Store, but frankly, it was unnecessary and a waste of my DP.


    Toughing out my extreme anxiousness, I was once again assaulted by the familiar pain of having your body deconstructed and reconstructed in the span of only a single second. It wasn''t long before I was standing inside the same hall we were welcomed into, but this time, there were no tables.


    In fact, the halls looked incredibly barren, save for the Dungeon Masters, who were quite noticeably fewer than before.


    "Ah, welcome back, Dungeon Masters." Chythos, this time not accompanied by Uius, spoke from his throne. "I see you all are already asking yourselves why the quantity is less than before."


    Most Dungeon Masters nodded, me included, as we gazed towards the figure of the sitting giant man.


    "Well, that is simply because all of you currently in this hall are new entrees, or in simpler terms, first-timers." Chythos stood up, his regal figure making me subconsciously submit. "It''s time to pop your cherries. The first event starts now!"


    Suddenly, my vision went black, but I was still conscious. What¡­? What the fuck¡­? What''s happening¡­?


    I heard a scream from beside me, and it slowly spread, making me want to cover my ears and rain down hell on whoever was making the damned racket!


    It wasn''t long until my vision returned and I was strapped to some kind of chair, my body unable to move, even with all of my strength.


    "Welcome to the Simulation Event." I heard Uius'' monotone voice from all around the tiny room, now that I got a good look at it. It was incredibly barren, not a single piece of furniture in plain sight. Hell, there wasn''t even a door in this room! "During this event, all participating Dungeon Masters will be strapped down on a chair, unable to move until the battle is over. The rules are simple. You control a replica of your own Dungeon. Everything inside, monsters, humans, and demi-humans are also replicated down to the finer details. They are, however, not living beings, so it is safe to say that they are more like puppets. Fret not, they are not connected to your real Dungeon."


    I was about to have a panic attack, but having reaffirmation that this replica wasn''t connected to my Dungeon was a fucking relief.


    "Two Dungeon Masters will fight each other using only the replica Dungeon. Those fighting will be selected at random. The battle ends when your replica self, or the Dungeon Core is destroyed."


    Alright¡­ I can work with this¡­ But¡­ Is this strapping to a chair really necessary¡­?


    "The battle will commence in 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ Good Luck, Have Fun, Don''t Die¡­"

 Chapter 86 - Monke And Simulations (1)

    Since this is a replica of my own Dungeon, probably taking the power levels of each inhabitant, I have no idea what the Dungeons of the other Dungeon Masters have in store for me.


    So, taking that to heart, I''ll have to react accordingly to my opponent, who I''m also sure has no idea of what my Dungeon has inside.


    ''So, how do I control my monsters and humans?'' I wanted to scratch my chin, but being strapped down to this damn chair was not making my life any easier. ''Hmm¡­ Let me try¡­''


    I mentally thought about controlling one gorilla and having it move towards a specific spot. He complied and moved towards the said specific spot with everything he had.


    And by everything he had, I mean sprinting like a damned lunatic on all fours.


    ''Okay, everyone will run when commanded to do so.'' I mused to myself as I checked the contents of the Dungeon Core room, seeing the replica of Domino standing still beside the house with an expressionless face doing nothing. ''Okay, she may be my surrogate daughter, but damn if that isn''t creepy.''


    Satisfied with my initial findings, I quickly commanded to create a group of goblins and have them run towards the entrance to scout the opposing side''s Dungeon.


    Now, here''s the thing. I could view the entirety of my Dungeon with just a thought, but the moment my monsters went inside the replica Dungeon of another Dungeon Master, all I could see was what they were seeing in real time.


    ''That''s fair, I guess¡­'' Being able to see the enemy''s home base without restriction was bound to be unfair due to how much information you could gleam from just a few moments of understanding¡­''


    The group of goblins, numbering five, slowly inched their way through the dark, damp caves. They didn''t run this time since I specified specifically not to run, and instead walked slowly to get a good view of what the enemy Dungeon looked like.


    It wasn''t until a few seconds later that the goblins came out of the tunnel and were greeted by cliffs, hills, and a mountainous region. In fact, I had one of the goblins look down and see that it was a bottomless pit.


    ''We can do that¡­?'' I wanted to cup my chin¡­ But alas, the restraints gluing my arms to the chair said no.


    Filing that thought for later, I had the goblins look around the somewhat deserted hilltop. There was a single suspension bridge sturdy enough to connect this hilltop to another hilltop.


    I had one goblin traverse the bridge and left the other goblins behind, just in case the bridge has a weight limit. The goblin stepped on the bridge fearlessly, not minding that he might be heading to his death, but I guess that''s what would''ve happened if he was just a puppet with no emotions.


    A few seconds of silence passed by as I watched the screens of both the goblin vision, as well as my Dungeon vision, fully expecting an attack by now, either on their side or on my side, hence why I had the orcs, primates, and lizardmen fortify the city.


    Nicholas, who I''m sure would be a real powerhouse, would be leading the defense if ever an enemy came around.


    The replica of me will also defend the city, as well as every single human and demi-human in the Human area. Of course, I wouldn''t leave my Dungeon Core defenseless, so I had a group of primates watch over it with extreme and constant vigilance.


    Domino, I had her stay cooped up in the house. Replica or not, I have no intention of seeing a little girl get mutilated and die horribly in a fight, much more if she was my surrogate daughter.


    Plus, she''s incredibly weak, the same level as a goblin, so she''s just as much more of a liability in a battle than an asset.


    Looking back at the goblin vision, I finally realized that the goblins had all but traversed the bridge and were now heading towards the next hilltop. I will admit, the first area is incredibly huge, incredibly so compared to my Dungeon first area with the monster city.


    They traveled in silence until a shout from the side brought their attention towards the source of the sound.


    In an instant, one goblin was brutally clobbered and sent straight down into the depths of the bottomless pit, which wasn''t a bottomless pit but a very long fall, only stopping when they reached the bottom full of spikes, some skeletons here and there signifying that yes, there were already victims of the long fall and gravity''s mischief.


    The goblins snarled as I commanded them to attack the lone figure attacking them. It looked like a giant ¨C in the eyes of the goblins due to how tiny they were ¨C with a club looking mean enough that an adult would tremble in fear just by looking at it.


    The beast roared, and the goblins shrieked back. Their custom-made weapons were now used to try to skewer the giant beast within their vision, the giant scoffing at their attempts to kill its mighty self.


    The first goblin to strike was the frontmost one ¨C his buddy who was punted off a cliff was before him at first, but orders change when in the heat of battle ¨C and the other goblins followed suit. The giant made no move to defend himself, and blatantly let the goblin''s sword pierce through its gut, making no move whatsoever to react to the pain.


    Instead, it scoffed and grabbed the goblin by the head and used him as a makeshift bat, swinging his tiny body in the air and hitting another goblin, sending them flying and into the spikes below.


    The remaining two goblins who saw this weren''t fazed and continued to charge at the giant. In response to this, the giant violently ripped out the sword stuck in his gut, and used it as a throwing dagger towards a goblin, which the goblin dodged and continued his assault.


    That''s where things get interesting. However, when the wound in the giant''s gut began to rapidly heal, I finally found a name to put on him.


    "Troll."


    It wasn''t long until the troll killed the last goblin by smashing him into a pulp with his club.


    "Well, this is certainly very interesting."

 Chapter 87 - Monke And Simulations (2)

    After witnessing the one-sided beatdown, I had to quickly implement countermeasures against a unit the opponent had that was, quite frankly, problematic, to say the least.


    Incredible strength, high durability, regeneration and a mean looking face to boot.


    Since the fight was against goblins, I had no idea how my gorillas would fare against a troll. Sure, an orc or lizardman could kill it, but not before sacrificing some of their men, however.


    Nicholas though¡­ Wasn''t he an A-rank Hunter back when he was still on active duty?


    Anyway, since I had one enemy unit I knew would probably be a staple in the enemy''s Dungeon, I had to devise some countermeasures.


    And by countermeasures, I mean gorilla wall. No matter how strong a single troll is, a wall of giant iron would be enough to stop them in their tracks. The problem is with their regeneration. It doesn''t matter if you can wound a troll, their regeneration will be up in a matter of moments and their wounds will close a few seconds later.


    What I needed was either a one-shot kill, or something that could halt their regeneration, even if temporarily, and let''s face it, a one-shot kill attack is impossible right now, unless you''re Nicholas, or me with my [Canon Blow].


    I refrained from sending another scouting unit, and focused on developing the defenses for my Dungeon. Since DP can not be used to lay traps in this simulation, I had the goblins, kobolds, and lizardmen create some new ones and place them around the area, since I had removed them when I first planned to create the monster city.


    Who knew that decision would bite me in the butt in the future? Goddamn Murphy¡­


    "For now, I''ll just have to wait for an incoming attack and brace myself." I said to myself, since I was getting a bit unnerved by the silence of this room.


    []


    []


    []


    It wasn''t until about an hour later that an attack came from the opposing side, and it wasn''t just a scouting troop. It was a fucking army¡­


    Like, holy fucking shit served on a platter for guests at a wedding. Just look at how many they are!


    A few dozen trolls, a bunch of goblins, some wolves, orcs, and kobolds. Counting all of them, they seemed to number about 500 or more.


    Like what the fuck? I just started a few weeks ago! Don''t come crashing down on my door when I was just starting!


    Anyway, a major attack was incoming. I had some chimp archers stationed on top of the wall. Thanks to the mines, we had an ample supply of stones, so the walls were replaced with stone, although this was only applicable to the side facing the entrance.


    We still need more time to replace the wooden walls with stone ones in my real Dungeon.


    Anyway, on top of the walls where the chimp archers were stationed. I also placed some braziers so the chimps could fire some flaming arrows.


    This was one of the contingencies I had thought of when battling against a horde of trolls. There was a lore about trolls being weak to fire in fantasy novels and books ¨C most of them had the same weakness, mind you ¨C and if it is true, then fire is a good bet.


    I also had my replica self ready to cast some fire magic just in case the trolls overwhelm the archers.


    I looked at the incoming attack force and was left jaw-hanging by what I saw.


    ''Is¡­ Is he fucking serious¡­?'' I wanted to facepalm¡­ I really, really do¡­ But¡­ ''Is he underestimating me? Is he really fucking doing that?''


    The trolls were at the front, all of them charging towards the city without nary a thought to themselves. The trolls blitzed past through the traps, and followed were the other monsters that were weaker than them.


    ''Holy shit¡­ He is¡­'' Now this might sound strange, but why would a charging force of 500 be called underestimating an enemy?


    Well, it''s because that''s all they did. Charge and charge, with no self-preservation. Hell, some goblins, kobolds, and orcs were victims of some of the traps, reducing their previous number from more than 500, to just a little bit more than 400.


    That''s at least 100 killed, and they''re still charging¡­


    ''Welp¡­ No need to look a gift horse in the mouth.'' I commanded the chimps to release their arrows and watched the arrows fly. Even if I didn''t want to, I had to, but hey, it was just a replica of my Dungeon, so there was no need to grieve for the loss I was about to commit.


    And that loss was about dousing the entire forest in oil, and having the chimps fire at them with flaming arrows.


    Needless to say, a veritable firestorm was conjured from the reactions of oil and fire, and it spread across the entire battlefield. Thanks to the efforts of the elf and Luke, we were safe from the raging blaze just a few dozen meters away from the city.


    The trolls and the rest of the enemy, however, not so much. If they weren''t outright killed by the traps, then they suffered a horrible and gruesome death by burning alive. There wasn''t even a way back, not with the fire blocking their escape route, so all they could do was charge forward, and be burned to a crisp, or shot to death by an arrow.


    The trolls and monsters had no other choice other than to fall down on the ground and screech in agony as they felt their entire bodies set aflame and pierced to death. I even ordered my replica self to add to the fire by draining about 50% of his mana to intensify the ongoing fire.


    I watched the raging fire with dark amusement as I snickered to myself at the stupidity of my opponent.


    ''See? This is why you don''t go charging straight at an opponent without a plan.''


    "Congratulations, Dungeon Master Jionni. You have won the first event against Dungeon Master Tekkar." Uius voice caught me in a stump as my bindings were magically released. I, however, didn''t move from my spot because of the sheer surprise and bafflement I was experiencing right now. "Follow the directions given to you and you will be redirected to the area where the next event will be held."


    Uius'' voice faded away, but my surprise and shock did not.


    "What the fucking hell? Did the Dungeon Master seriously just charge in with that force¡­?"


    I''m torn about whether I should laugh at his blatant stupidity, or be thankful that his incompetence gave me an easy win.


    ''¡­ Don''t look a gift horse in the mouth, as they say¡­'' I buried that thought deep within my mind and trudged through the now visible conjured for me, disappointed that I wasn''t given much of a challenge.

 Chapter 88 - Monke And The Rundown

    "Yo, congrats on the win, even if it was a disappointment on your opponent''s side." I was greeted by the lamia, whose name I remembered to be Prixais, slithering towards me.


    "Hah, at least I won." I sighed and facepalmed at the same time. Seriously, how big an ego could you have to charge an enemy with full force without any prior information?


    "True that!" The lamia chuckled slightly as she slithered around me, inspecting me from top to bottom. "So, you know magic, huh? For a brute-looking monster like you, I never would''ve thought that you could magic adeptly."


    "Heh, what can I say? I love breaking down expectations placed on me." I jokingly said to her, but in my mind, I was cursing myself for showing one of my hands so early. ''I didn''t think they would be watching our fight, but I dug this grave myself when I decided to show one of my magic by adding more fire to an already raging firestorm.''


    "That be some fine magic control ya got theah, bloody oath cobber!" The minotaur, whose name I still don''t know, skipped towards me like a young girl on a mission to deliver some basket of treats to her sick grandmother in the woods. "I don''t believe we''ve introduced ourselves befawah. Name''s Arekhus, but ya can call me Arek."


    "Well, Arekhus¡­" I was stopped by the minotaur grabbing my shoulder forcefully, an innocent smile still on his face.


    "Arek." He said, his tone cheery, but it was anything but that.


    "Er¡­ Arek." Arekhus released my shoulder and continued smiling at me cheerfully. "My name''s Jionni. Pleasure to meet you."


    "The bloody pleasure''s all mine, fair dinkum cobber." Arekhus wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I was a head shorter than him, since he was a tall buff cow and all, but he didn''t apply too much pressure on his arm. "Now, wy don''t we go celebrayyte yah win, eh?"


    The minotaur dragged me along, Prixais accompanying me with a hint of a smile as her lower half slithered across the ground.


    ''Play along¡­ Just play along¡­ No need to make enemies out of these folks¡­'' I smiled, not showing how forced and strained it was to the other Dungeon Masters. ''Hah¡­ In for a penny, in for a pound¡­''


    []


    []


    []


    "The first event has finished, and the second event begins." Chythos suddenly appeared on his throne, his ever-regal self, planting his ever-regal ass, on the ever-regal throne. "All participants should be advised, that death in this event is a very plausible outcome."


    Chythos nodded towards Uius, who stepped forward and addressed all of the remaining Dungeon Masters. Apparently, those who failed in the first event were sent back to their Dungeon, back on the Mortal Realm, and barred from returning until the next Dungeon Games.


    Not a very harsh punishment, but since during our stay here, time is slowed outside, which makes this place a place where I could advance my Dungeon maybe a week, or even a month, with only a few minutes having passed back into the Mortal Realm.


    I would be an idiot to not take advantage of this fact.


    "As per usual, for those new Dungeon Masters who have only participated in the current Dungeon Games, the rules and event will be explained by me." Uius tilted his glass up with his gloved fingers. "The second event is a battle royale, with a 30-kilometer diameter map area that will be held in two days. The rules are simple, be the last man standing. Anything goes, even killing your opponent. Those knocked unconscious will be instantly disqualified and sent back here to recuperate from their wounds."


    The new Dungeon Masters instantly piped down and paled when looking at the powerhouses. Well, who can blame them? I can see a Dungeon Master who is a fucking goblin, so yes, that''s an easy loss.


    Hell, I''m still sure that there are dragons here, albeit disguised as other races.


    "A ring will form around the map, slowly shrinking with time passing. Those caught outside the ring will be instantly disqualified and sent back here to recuperate. Only the top 300 Dungeon Masters can advance to the next event."


    ''Well, at least I can still try for the top 300. That way, I can still stay and increase my Dungeon''s repertoire in this time-dilating realm.'' I thought to myself realistically. There''s no way I can fight for the first spot, now when my enemies are leagues above my own power.


    What''s more, this event solely relies on the individual Dungeon Master instead of his summons and monsters.


    ''Good thing I had the sense to level up my skills before coming here.''


    "Now, without further delays, all of you will be sent back to your Dungeons. Once again, the event will be held in two days, so I suggest you train yourself for it." And with a clap, I was once again deconstructed and reconstructed, falling on my ass when I teleported back to my Dungeon.


    "I can never get used to that¡­" I rubbed my head to stop the ringing in my ears.


    "Papa¡­!" I heard Domino rushing towards me with her tiny steps and glomping me at the back. "Domino missed you¡­"


    "¡­ I missed you too¡­" Even if I was sure I was only gone a few hours at most, it seems Domino really likes to be in my presence. Well then, it''s time to train my ass off, as well as get my Dungeon it tip-top shape when the event calls for it.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "How many Dungeon Masters are left for the second event, Uius?" Chythos rubbed his chin as he stared at the goblet in his other hand, the liquid swishing back and forth as he tilted his hand.


    "Only 704 left, m''lord." Chythos sighed at the number.


    "The Dungeon Masters are slowly dwindling. That damned bitch¡­" Chythos cursed as he threw the goblet full of liquid to the ground. "I thought we Gods and Goddesses made an agreement to not directly support a faction on the Mortal Realm?"


    "M''lord, it seems that this bitch you speak of not only does so herself, but also some others are participating too." Uius offhandedly commented as he tilted his glasses upward.


    "¡­ Hahh¡­ Damn Gods and their false promises." Chythos cursed and sat back down on his throne. "Uius, if they make their move against the Dungeon Masters one more time, tell me so I can give them a piece of my mind."


    "Very well, m''lord.." Uius bowed as Chythos grabbed another goblet full of wine Uius gave him to replace the one he threw.

 Chapter 89 - Monke And The Second Event

    Dungeon Resident Income:


    Day 1: 9,887 DP, 4,898 EXP


    Day 2: 9,887 DP, 4,898 EXP


    Day 3: 9,887 DP, 4,898 EXP


    Total: 29,661 DP, 14,694 EXP


    DP: 38,420


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 14


    Exp: 3487 / 14000


    HP: 7090 / 7090


    MP: 2322 / 2322


    Str: 78 = 223


    Vit: 116 = 233


    End: 81 = 186


    Agi: 51 = 81


    Dex: 56 = 101


    Int: 47 = 162


    Wis: 46 = 161


    Cha: 35 = 45


    Luc: 1 = 1


    Over the span of two days ¨C three if you count the day I was sent to the feast, back to my Dungeon, and then back again for the first event ¨C I literally did nothing but train and resupply the monsters with new equipment.


    Plus, it leveled up my [Blacksmithing] skill, so that''s a plus.


    [Blacksmithing] Lv. 4 -> Lv. 5


    That wasn''t the only skill I worked hard for.


    [Canon Blow] Lv. 4 -> Lv. 5


    [Rolling Thunder] Lv. 3 -> Lv. 4


    [Lightning Manipulation] Lv. 2 -> Lv. 4


    [Apprentice Mana Manipulation] Lv. 4 -> Lv.5


    This time, I focused on leveling [Lightning Manipulation] instead of [Canon Blow] and [Rolling Thunder]. The main reason is that I was trying to even out my [Fire Manipulation] and [Earth Manipulation].


    I''ve only shown [Fire Manipulation] to the other Dungeon Masters, so I could keep [Earth Manipulation] and [Lightning Manipulation] as a hidden trump card.


    While doing so, however, I also leveled up [Apprentice Mana Manipulation]. It''s been a while since I''ve been able to level up that skill. In fact, I almost forgot about it.


    I guess that''s what happens when you can''t level up for ten days.


    It was also a testament as to how excruciating it would be to level up that particular skill, since I''ve been using Fire and Earth, as well as Lightning Manipulation, and it was only now that this skill leveled up.


    Imagine what would happen if I was able to max this skill, and judging by the title [Apprentice] in the skill name, I would assume that there is a next rank for the skill.


    Also, instead of gearing up my monsters with sub-par weapons and armor, I used DP to buy them state-of-the-art weaponry and defenses, as well as add more rooms to expand the total area of the monster city, and get more summonable primates.


    Which costed me no less than fucking 35,000 DP¡­


    DP: 38,420 -> 3,420


    It hurts, you know, seeing that much DP go down to only about a tenth of its total value in a matter of seconds¡­


    Also, with those rooms, as usual, I expanded the first-floor monster city, but on the second floor, instead of merging it with the rooms already generated, I made a new room and merged all five floors together, as well as changing them into an Acid theme.


    If the skin invaders don''t melt, then their weapons would probably degrade due to the corrosive substance in the air, if they are made of normal metals.


    I have no idea if it would work on fantasy metals, or the harder metals, but you can see the point.


    I also held a discussion with the others about the oncoming event, and to be prepared in case the next event would include my Dungeon, so the production of the city-building was increased three-fold, with most, if not all monsters, even those from the second floor since I don''t usually call upon them to help with the first-floor construction because I was letting them build resistance towards their harsh areas.


    The training was also intensified, and the monsters that were once normal, run-of-the-mill monsters that only knew how to swing, cut, chase, and rape ¨C even if I didn''t condone the last one ¨C now know how to form formations, use some kind of fighting technique, even if they are a bit crappy, and make tactical decisions on the spot¡­


    That last one''s an exaggeration, but hey, at least they''re learning.


    And now, two days later, I am here back in the Dungeon Core room waiting for the start of the second event.


    "Papa¡­ You going to be¡­ Okay¡­?" Domino tilted her head worryingly as she gazed upon my figure. I had to force my body to stop trembling a few minutes ago, ever since Domino found me after playing some games back in the Monke house (I''m calling it that).


    ''No¡­ I am not going to be daijoubu¡­ Hell, everything is not daijoubu¡­'' I mentally screamed as I thought about going up against a dragon the moment I landed in the arena. ''Fuck RNG! I need some RNGesus if I want to survive this and reach the top 300¡­''


    "Yes, I''m alright." Contrary to my thoughts, I had to show a strong front to Domino so she could stop worrying about me. "I''ll win this, and come back home to my Dungeon, to you. That''s a promise."


    Domino stared at me before she nodded and glomped me with her tiny body. While she was doing that, though, I had an internal crisis, a huge one at that.


    ''FUCKING HELL!!! I MADE A FUCKING DEATH FLAG!!! I AM SO FUCKED!!! I''M SO BONED!!!''


    It wasn''t long until I once again felt my body deconstructing and reconstructing as I felt Domino''s warm touch fade away into nothingness. Even as the pain went on, one phrase kept on ringing in my mind.


    ''I''M SO BONED!!!''


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Here he was, Kazanpan. After running from that damned town full of ingrates and idiots, he finally found a safe haven where he could rest for about a few days and be off once more to where the wind would take him.


    Oh, how wrong he was.


    ''I''m getting a feeling of some massive Deja vu here¡­'' The robed man sighed internally as he found himself once more surrounded by guards, calling him a heretic and wanting to capture him just because he didn''t conform to their religion.


    "This again¡­ This is, what, the second time this week?" The man asked no one in particular, but just hearing him speak gave the guards an aneurysm.


    "Seize the heretic! Cut off his tongue and make sure he never speaks again!" The guards yelled as they charged towards the unarmed man, fully intent on decapitating him if capture was not an option.


    "Great¡­ More idiots¡­" The man facepalmed and quickly activated his weapons.


    [Skirmish Mode Activated]


    [Deploying Gauntlets of Sharok]


    It wasn''t long until the once crowded streets became littered with blood and corpses of the fanatic guards, the single man nowhere to be seen among the brutality.


    "Now, what was that about a Dungeon nearby?" The man wondered aloud, his eyes gazing upon the massacre he had conducted from atop a nearby building. ''They said that there was a Dungeon here with an intelligent Dungeon Master¡­ Why not pay him a visit and make a deal¡­ I''m sick of fighting¡­''


    The man slowly made his way out of the town and into the forest.. His destination was a Dungeon where he could drown his worries away.

 Chapter 90 - Monke And Battle Royales (1)

    After the third excruciating trip back to the Divine Realm, I landed on my ass inside a seemingly normal forest. I stood up with my hind legs and scanned the surroundings for anything amiss.


    "Welcome to the second event for this decade''s Dungeon Games. Here are the rules that all of you will be following during the duration." Uius'' voice echoed all around the forest, some leaves rustling due to how powerful the voice was. "The Battle Royale Event will take place in a 30-kilometer arena, filled with various biomes where Dungeon Masters with no disadvantage will be placed initially. This is so that upon deployment, nobody will be immediately disqualified to provide fair treatment to all participants."


    Well, at least the deployment part is fair. Imagine what would happen because of my horrendous luck that I was, instead of being deployed in this forest area, I would be deployed in a lava area¡­ Yeah, monke no like¡­


    I immediately equipped the [Monkey King''s Garb], feeling the robe hang around my body without any type of discomfort. Hell, it feels like it was made for me, and just me.


    The garb didn''t look like anything special, if you don''t count religion, that is. It had baggy pants fashioned out of tiger skin, iron plated boots that were also outfitted with iron toes, a robe not unlike a monk would wear, colored green, and some gauntlets made of brass, iron, and steel.


    Too bad there wasn''t a crown. It''s probably another piece of equipment.


    But that begs the question, though: is there a set bonus? If there was, then even if it was goddamn expensive, I would buy it from the Dungeon Store.


    "The event will take up until a clear winner is decided, which is about a week. Until then, there are no specific rules to follow, other than survive for as long as you can." Well, that is certainly relieving. No rules mean I can just stay cooped up in one area, avoiding the closing ring, and survive against any attacking Dungeon Masters. If I do lose, I need to find a way to lose consciousness without any fatal wounds, so I''m sure I can stay alive when I get back to my Dungeon. I just hope that I can get the top 300 so I can advance to the next Dungeon Event. "For every day a Dungeon Master survives, a bonus will be awarded to their Dungeon."


    Once I heard that, I was extremely determined to not get disqualified until I lasted for a week. Bringing out the Monke Staff, I found out that it was perfect for my body in its base form. After doing a bit of moves with the staff (which I''m sure a professional staff user would laugh at and beat me with a stick), I nodded and grinned that it wasn''t very cumbersome to use.


    I need a skillbook for a staff, and I''ll buy it once I return¡­ Why I didn''t buy it before, I have no idea. I''ll chalk it up to my nervousness and anxiousness.


    ''I should really stop fucking up so much¡­'' I sighed to myself as I bonked my head with the staff.


    "As we have stated before, killing is allowed, which when done, will integrate the fallen Dungeon Master''s Dungeon with the killer."


    Wait¡­ What the fuck!? That''s a thing!?


    I had to plant the Monke Staff on the ground just to calm my nerves. ''It''s like they''re encouraging the killing of Dungeon Masters¡­''


    Holy fuck¡­ I also had a very dangerous realization. Aren''t I the only primate Dungeon Master in the entirety of the Dungeon Master population¡­?


    ''Holy fuck! I shouldn''t have made that death flag! Fuck you Murphy!'' I screamed internally as I scanned my surroundings once more to see if there were any Dungeon Masters that wanted to take my head.


    I bonked my head with the Monke Staff once more and tried my very best to calm my nerves.


    ''Alright¡­ Calm down, and think things through¡­ I''m pretty sure those that would gun for me are the low-level Dungeon Masters, since I''m sure they would be desperate to gain a new type of monster to defend their Dungeons.'' I cupped my chin as I leaned on the Monke staff. ''Also, I''m pretty sure the higher-level Dungeon Masters would care no less about me, since they''ll probably think of me as a somewhat average monster in terms of capability, unless they''re a collector of sorts¡­''


    "The ring will gradually shrink, until it only covers about a hundred-meter diameter at the center of the Arena. With all that said, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don''t Die." And with that, Uius'' voice slowly went silent, until only the breeze flowed into my ears as the only form of sound in the area.


    "¡­ Shit¡­ I need to find a place where I can hide out for the rest of the day¡­" I grabbed the staff and made my way through the forest. It wasn''t any different from a normal forest, other than the unnerving silence, since there weren''t any sounds coming from animals or insects, because there weren''t any. I assume that they didn''t place any living beings ¨C aside from plants, of course ¨C other than us Dungeon Masters.


    It wasn''t until a few minutes later did I spy a familiar figure slithering on the ground.


    "Prixais, is that you?" I asked from my spot, the slithering figure stopping in her tracks as she turned to regard me.


    "Well, didn''t think I would see you this early." Prixais said, her eyes glaring at me with her hand on a wooden spear. She was on guard against me, an obvious thing to do given that we were just acquaintances.


    "Now, now, no need to get hostile." I raised my hands above my head, my Monke Staff nowhere to be seen since I had placed it in my storage before speaking towards her. "I''d like to make a deal with you."


    "A deal?" Prixais lowered her guard slightly, but was still tense. "What kind of deal you talkin'' about?"


    "Just a mutual beneficial deal." I shrugged, my hands now coming down as I regarded her with my eyes. "We agree to ally ourselves, so our survival rate increases. I scratch your back, you scratch mine."


    "¡­ And how do I know you won''t backstab me?" Prixais glared at me, her spear pointed towards me.


    "I won''t since I''ll be more a target than you, so I need every help I can get." I said with a sigh. I could see Prixais working her brain to get what I was talking about, before a metaphorical lightbulb lit up above her head and she looked at me with pity.


    "Well, that''s gotta suck for you." She said this to me with an indifferent face. "But, since you asked nicely, I''ll be accepting your offer. Just make sure when we lose, you knock me unconscious before I get killed."


    "Deal." I approached her and she lowered her spear.. Once we were close to each other, the both of us shook hands and we went on our merry way deeper into the forest.

 Chapter 91 - Monke And Battle Royales (2)

    "So, what are we gonna do now?" Prixais asked as she held the spear in her hand tightly. Her snake-half was slithering on the green grass, making sounds as she moved.


    "What we are going to do is¡­" I said with a hum, my eyes scanning the area around us, before settling it on a sizeable tree large enough to make for a good spot for a fort, providing we have the materials on hand. "Hold up in an area and wait for the time to pass."


    "But, isn''t there a ring that will slowly shrink towards the center?" Prixais stated, forming her doubts about my plan.


    "And we''ll use that to our advantage." I said, recalling the memories of battle royale games back on Earth. How the Gods managed to come up with this incredibly familiar challenge was anyone''s guess. Actually, maybe they pried out of some reincarnees'' memories. "Most of the Dungeon Masters would probably rush into the center of the arena just to run away from the ring to lower their chances of disqualification."


    I said as I checked the surroundings once again, using my arms to grab a sizeable branch and break it off from the tree.


    "That''s a quick way to be disqualified and risks the highest probability of being killed in combat." I broke another sizeable branch off another tree and hefted both branches on top of my shoulders. "Sure, some might realize that making allies is a loophole in this event, which I''m sure the Lord Chythos left for us Dungeon Masters, but would that be enough if several common Dungeon Masters such as humans, goblins, orcs, and kobolds, fight against a single dragon, who also happened to have the same idea of running into the center of the arena and making it their base of operations?"


    Prixais cringed at the view I gave her.


    "Yeah, don''t remind me." She shivered, probably recalling some memories she had from the last Dungeon Event about lower rabble fighting against a higher being. "So, all we''re going to do, is move when the ring is visible, as well as avoid fighting as much as possible, gathering allies along the way if they agree to it?"


    "Pretty much, yes." I said and looked at the giant, but not humongous tree in front of me. Using my arms specifically made for climbing, I scaled the tree in record time and arrived at a branch that was thick enough to support about five of me with a bunch of weights strapped on. "Remember, we''re here to survive and ensure we can get to the next event. Sure, you can increase your Dungeon''s size as well as monsters if you kill another Dungeon Master, but are you really willing to fight against another Dungeon Master who you have no prior information about? Plus, we can''t even get the top spot in the first place. To do that, we''ll have to fight the strongest being in the entire arena, and I''m pretty sure we''re like insects compared to them."


    After my lengthy rant, I look at Prixais, who is staring at me with a dumbfounded expression that quickly changes to an accepting nod.


    "... I don''t have anythin'' to say about that."Prixais sighed and shrugged, using her snake-half to slither across the tree trunk and scale the tree like a snake would. "By the way, what are you doin''?"


    "Just gathering some thick and strong branches so I can start building our temporary shelter." I said while I dropped the branches on top of the very thick branch. "Though, I''m pretty sure I''ve fucked up somewhere¡­"


    "Yes¡­ Those branches will not be able to support our body weight¡­" Prixais sighed as I facepalmed due to my idiocy.


    What? I died when I was still a young adult, who had no experience with carpentry other than the basic use-nails-to-stick-wood-together. Although, I should''ve known that branches would not support my weight as I am right now.


    You would think that living as a gorilla for a few weeks would get you to learn about your weight, but I''ve been pretty busy just surviving the weeks to give a shit.


    And that''s showing my complete and utter stupidity to this female lamia. It wasn''t my best or worst moment, but it wasn''t my worst either. That was when I didn''t accept Lennon''s and Kayla''s apology¡­


    I was a stupid asshole that time, what with being close to death a few days earlier from their companion¡­


    Anyway, the past is the past, and no matter how much I would want to redo it, I had to accept the fact that I fucked up and had to live with the consequences. Too bad, I could''ve gotten two more humans as manpower and DP income, plus some leadership tutoring for the various monsters in my Dungeon.


    I climbed back down and looked up at Prixais, who was giving me a disappointed glare. I had the right to look a little embarrassed at that.


    Shaking my head off of those thoughts, I looked for a tree that wouldn''t be that hard to topple.


    A few minutes later, a tree was uprooted from the ground and was now serving as logs for the foundation of our tree house.


    "You done over there yet?" Prixais called out from her spot, perched up on the very thick branch.


    "Just give me a moment." I shouldn''t show her this, but hey, it''s just a fraction of what I can do. If she turns traitor in the future, I''ll show her what I''m completely made of.


    Grabbing an iron axe from my inventory, I hefted it up above my head, and swung it down with an application of my [Gorilla Go Smash!] skill.


    MP: 2312 / 2322


    The log was cleanly cut where iron met wood, and separated into two parts. The axe went through the wood like it was paper, and the blade sunk itself a good few-inches in, the pole also somehow sinking into the dirt, the earth shaking slightly as a result.


    "Holy shit, that was loud!" Prixais exclaimed from her porch on the thick branch, her snake-half gripping the branch tightly.


    I had to wince at that exclamation. That was indeed, loud. About as loud as a bomb going off¡­


    "Get ready, we''re probably going to have some visitors pretty soon." I warned Prixais as she glared at me due to my fuck up.


    "Gah¡­ So much for bein'' quiet and not kickin'' up a fuss¡­" Prixais sighed as she kept a look-out, in case any Dungeon Master would want to try their hand against me.

 Chapter 92 - Monke And Battle Royales (3)

    Alright¡­ Even with my crap standards, even I could tell when a solid foundation was built for a treehouse.


    It''s been an hour since I started working with building the foundation, using some rope from my inventory I stored (just in case) as the bind that held all the wood together. Prixais was impressed by my work, even if she was extremely disappointed earlier with my embarrassing showing.


    "Well, I''ll say that''s lookin'' as stable as it''ll ever be." Prixais shrugged as she glanced at the wooden foundation that was a few meters in the air, clinging onto the tree trunk tightly and firmly.


    It was about 15-feet high, with a bunch of leaves covering it, so unless a Dungeon Master looked up and squinted their eyes to get a good look in between the leaves, it would be near impossible to see.


    "I just need to make the platform and add some walls." I hummed to myself as I looked at the foundation that was large enough to accommodate me and Prixais with still room to spare. "After that, we''ll just hold out here until the ring is visible, and look for a new place to hide."


    "Sounds like a plan, ''xcept that you forgot to take into account food and water." Prixais stared at me with a deadpan. I chuckled at her rebuttal, nodding at the fact that we also need food and water to survive.


    "Don''t worry." I said with a shrug, causing her to glare, then raise her eyebrow in confusion due to my dismissing voice. "I have about enough of a week''s supply worth of food right on me at all times."


    "¡­ Do you mean [Spatial Magic]?" She asked, trying to hide her fear by stiffening up and not causing her body to tremble.


    "You could say that." I chuckled, internally reprimanding myself for unveiling one of my tricks so early. ''Bah, my inventory will be enough to reveal for now. Plus, she''s overestimating my abilities, which will get her in line and make it less of a probability that she would stab me in the back.''


    She went silent as I went back to gathering some wood to make flooring. Planks would be easy enough to make, but the problem lies within the sound it would produce when making them, or more specifically, toppling down trees to use as the source of said planks.


    "¡­ No choice but to do it¡­" I sighed as I looked for a tree far enough from the treehouse and began to topple it with the axe I had on hand. A few swings and loud echoes of falling wood later, a tree was now ready to be processed for making some wood planks. With the thickness and length of this log, I''d say I''d be able to make about 15-20 planks, with each plank being big enough to cover the entire length from one side of the foundation to the next.


    Yep, these are some big-ass trees¡­


    Hauling the logs back to camp, I heard a snap of a twig coming from the direction of a bush.


    "Show yourself!" I dropped the two logs and took a fighting stance, quickly bringing up my Monke Staff in case an enemy decided to go on the offensive. I glared at the bush as it started to rustle, shake, move.


    A moment later, a figure came out from within the shrub. It was a kobold, that much was certain, but it was no ordinary kobold.


    In fact, it was as large as a normal human.


    "What do you want?" I asked, but there was no use in asking what he was doing there. It was a no-brainer that this kobold was a Dungeon Master participating in the Battle Royale.


    "¡­" The kobold was silent as he regarded me with cautious eyes. I narrowed my eyes at him and began to open my mouth once more.


    "If you won''t state your business, leave." I snarled out as I gripped the Monke Staff tightly, my eyes never leaving his body. "I will not hesitate to kill y-"


    I wasn''t able to finish my sentence as the kobold leapt at me with frightening speed, his claws ready to tear a chunk out of my throat. I quickly brought up my staff to push the clawed hand out of the way, before injecting mana into the staff and lengthening it towards the direction of the attacking kobold.


    The kobold was hit on the nose, a crack resounding across the trees. His face was full of surprise at the suddenly lengthened staff, blood spilling out of the broken nose.


    Not leaving him any sort of recuperation, I quickly used my free hand to grab the kobold''s body, which was not pushed that far due to his collision with the staff while he was charging, and brought him close to my face.


    Using one of the gorilla''s strongest forms of weaponry with its natural body, I bit down on his jugular and ripped his throat out of the kobold''s neck, his screams of pain going silent as he choked on his own blood.


    I let go of the kobold, who collapsed on the ground, trying to keep the blood from pouring out of the fatal wound, but I cut it short by slamming the staff at his head again, this time enlarging its thickness as his head was crushed beyond repair.


    The kobold twitched once, before it succumbed to its injuries and ceased to move, the grass and ground beneath us soaking up the blood gushing out of the headless kobold, its gray matter sticking to the end of my precious Monke staff.


    250 EXP gained!


    I cringed in disgust. The smell of urine and feces assaulted my nose as I tried to wipe the brain matter and blood off of my staff.


    It wasn''t long until Prixais came and looked at the body with her jaw dropped.


    "Is he¡­" Prixais trailed off, her nose picking up the scent of the bowel discharge of the kobold before he died, and barfing out the contents of her stomach on a nearby bush.


    "What do you think?" I replied, a bit moody due to the smell, and the sight of the ruined log that was supposed to be wood planks by now to place the flooring on our temporary base. "Come on, finish your retching and get back to the treehouse. I think we''re not out of the woods yet."


    I said while looking at the screen that popped out in my vision with grim, but joyful eyes.


    Dungeon Master Killed!


    Rewards:


    7 Rooms


    12 Wild Boars


    23 Rabbits


    12 Deer


    8 Wolves


    53 Kobolds


    12 Humans


    3 Elves


    4 Beastmen


    4,995 DP


    The Dungeon Master''s entire treasury


    ''Shit¡­ If this is held every year, then¡­'' I shuddered at the thought of Dungeon Masters killing one another to strengthen their Dungeon by this much. Imagine what would happen if a low-tier Dungeon Master was able to accidentally kill a high-tier one¡­ ''Yeah, there''s going to be a lot of killing, but I doubt the high-tier ones would do such a thing, only the low-tier ones would. They probably have a code of some sort.''


    I''ll have to ask Prixais about this later, right after we return and she feels good enough to stop looking so green. She probably lets her monsters and defenders do the work for her, so she should probably be a bit more like a ruler than a front-line fighter.


    "You good?" I asked her as we headed back towards the treehouse, which would be put on hold for the moment while I sorted things out with Prixais.


    "I''ll live." Prixais said while still looking green, her eyes refusing to meet mine.


    ''Welp¡­ She''s scared to do anything now, so that''s a plus¡­'' I sighed internally as I regarded the scared lamia slithering beside me.


    It didn''t take too long for the both of us to arrive at the treehouse, which was still a foundation without any type of flooring and walls.


    "I''m going to have to ask some questions about the other Dungeon Masters. That okay with you?" I looked at Prixais, who was still looking everywhere but at me, but suddenly snapped her gaze back at me when I asked her a question. Her body trembled slightly as she slithered a few inches back.


    "Y-yes? What t-type o'' question you askin''?" She asked with a stutter, her metaphorical fear meter rising by the second as she looked into my impassive gaze. You would think that as a returning Dungeon Master, who would''ve probably participated in this Battle Royale event a decade ago, would be a bit tempered, but all I see is a girl too scared of a monster before her.


    "I want to know if there is any code-of-conduct, any unwritten rules, hell, anything that the returning Dungeon Masters follow in these events." I asked sternly. Prixais trembled a bit more, before getting her shaking body under control as she stared at my eyes with determination.


    "Y-yes¡­" The lamia squeaked out, but was able to regain her voice a few seconds later. "The returning Dungeon Masters do have an unwritten rule. They are not allowed to kill, unless they are attacked first."


    "That''s all?"


    "Yes, that''s all¡­" Prixais once again went back to the shivering girl she was. In the end, I tuned her out in favor of thinking up my next move in this event.


    ''I can work with that. Plus, as long as I don''t antagonize any Dungeon Master, I''m good. All I have to do is survive until the last day and I reach the top 300. Killing Dungeon Masters for their Dungeons will only happen if they attack me without any reason.''


    I mused to myself as I stared at the foundation of the treehouse.


    This was going to be a long week¡­

 Chapter 93 - Monke And Battle Royales (4)

    After learning about the unwritten rules of the returning Dungeon Masters, I went back to constructing the flooring of the treehouse, as well as its walls. Finding another tree that was far enough from our base of operations, I felled it and quickly grabbed the logs and huffed it back to the treehouse.


    Once there, the next step was forming the planks, and with these huge-ass logs, my current body made no sweat with carrying. It was just enough to fit the entire foundation.


    After a grueling hour of using my axe to chop through the wood (it was made simple by discreetly using Earth magic to measure the planks, making sure the Prixais doesn''t notice while she keeps a look-out above), I was finally able to gather enough planks to place all over the foundation.


    Then, the next problem comes: how am I going to place the planks as well as nail them to the foundation without any nails?


    Simple, have Prixais use her magic.


    I asked her earlier about what she could do, and it turns out she''s good at manipulating plants, though not to the level of growing trees in an instant, much less creating a treehouse by manipulating a tree to make it hollow.


    But she was able to weld two pieces of different wood together, so I had her do it with the flooring. Now, you might be wondering, why didn''t I have her use that kind of magic when tying the foundation of the treehouse to the giant tree?


    Easy, she can''t weld a still living plant together with wood, and a rooted tree with green leaves indicates that it is still very much alive, so I had to do it the old-fashioned way, during the time when there were no nails.


    After the flooring was done, Prixais and I decided to try and see if it was good enough to use as a floor. It was, and the foundation didn''t even creak when I jumped on the platform.


    Overall, it was a good platform. All that''s left are the walls.


    I set out once more in search of a tree large enough and far enough away from the treehouse, making my way through the dense forest where there isn''t a single living being or insect. That begs the question, though: how are we going to eat?


    Food is a necessity. It''s on par with water and shelter.


    Water is not a problem. I saw a stream earlier and it was very easy to store some of it in my inventory. Whether it''s drinkable or not could be solved with a bit of fire, since the stream was very clear with no hints of pollution or any kind of toxin to the body.


    Shelter is already going to be provided by me working my ass off to make that treehouse.


    Food, however, is a major problem. There are no living animals in this forest other than Dungeon Masters. Unless our hosts want us to kill each other to procure some food via their corpse, there must be another way to get some supplies.


    And just as I was pondering the question, lo-and-behold, the solution to my problem came across in the most baffling manner possible.


    My eyes squinted as the sun tried to blind me with its dangerous, shining rays. I could see a faint silhouette through the brightness, slowly falling down into the ground. It looked like a box attached to some kind of chute that made its descent to the ground slow.


    ''A goddamned air-drop¡­ Like¡­ What the fuck¡­?''


    I had no idea whether to be surprised, shocked, or in disbelief. Like, where in the world did the Gods get this idea? Actually, never mind¡­ That was a stupid question anyway¡­


    ''Damn reincarnees and their references¡­ Not like I''m one to talk¡­'' I grumbled as I made my way towards the spot where the drop would land.


    It wasn''t long until the crate landed on the ground with a thud, the chute laying itself flat on the ground. The crate also had something strapped on top of it. It was cylindrical in shape and had a hole in the top.


    Moments later, it spewed out smoke. Not the kind of smoke that goes *poof* and slowly dissipates. No, I''m talking about big fire smoke, the ones that goes high above into the sky, darkening the area around it, but instead of black smoke, what came out of it was red smoke.


    ''The Gods do be referencing a bunch of games, lately¡­'' I mused as I quickly opened the lid in hopes of stopping the smoke from emitting so that those who didn''t see the initial puff of smoke wouldn''t be alerted to this crate''s presence.


    Which worked, by the way¡­


    Inside the crate, there were a bunch of supplies, from rations, water, armor, and weapons.


    And I''m not talking about small children''s weapons like knives, swords, and maces. I''m talking about big daddy''s weapons like a motherfucking Thor''s hammer replica, a buster sword, a staff I was sure belonged to some game, and a crossbow that shoots bolts like a fucking machinegun.


    Looking around the area in case anybody was present when the crate landed, I quickly and silently stashed the crate into my inventory.


    I''m going to have a blast inside my Dungeon with these weapons and armor.


    That said, there was another Dungeon Master nearby, but they didn''t seem to come out. Instead, they hightailed out of there like a predator was coming for their behind.


    Shrugging, I looked for a tree that could be used as material, and found one. Chopping it down, I grabbed the logs and made my way back to the treehouse.


    At least the food problem is solved¡­ For now¡­


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "You know, I''ve been thinking, who''s this Drakhan guy you keep referencing when I deploy Sharok''s Gauntlets?" The man who ran away from Kazanpan spoke to nobody in particular. His gaze focused on the back of his right hand, where a red jewel lay inserted.


    =Drakhan: A legend borne from countless feats of awe. A mortal being said to be on par with the Gods and Goddesses ruling Praeccathae. Rumored to have died of old age. Sharok was his hometown=


    The gauntlet let out a series of texts only the wielder could see floating above his hand. The man hummed, his other hand grabbing a flask hanging from his waist and taking a huge gulp from its contents.


    "Puhaa~ Nothing tastes better than some good alcohol¡­" The man said woozily as he hung the flask back on his waist, a hint of a smile gracing his lips.


    ''If he''s on par with the shitty Gods of this world, I wonder if he''s still alive..'' The man thought as he kept his pace towards the Dungeon a few kilometers east of Kazanpan.

 Chapter 94 - Monke And Battle Royales (5)

    After bringing the logs back to camp, it took another hour to turn the logs into planks and have Prixais meld them with the edge of the flooring.


    Looking up at the treehouse I made, with the help of Prixais, of course. I almost shed a tear from the wailing child spirit in my heart about wanting to build a treehouse once in my life.


    Even if it wasn''t my human life, what mattered the most was that I was able to make my very own treehouse, no matter how shit or temporary it looked.


    I''m gonna build a treehouse in my Dungeon without using the Dungeon''s auto-place building feature, dammit. Then, me and Domino could move in there, with my trusty hammock hanging from a thick branch strong enough to support my weight multiplied ten-times over.


    "Well, it''s not the most eye-catching building I''ve seen in my life, but it''ll do." Prixais commented as she stared at the temporary shelter I had made with her help.


    "Then it means I''ve done my job perfectly." I replied with a glare, my inner mind raging at the thought of this scaredy-cat lamia dissing my work, even if I knew and accepted that it was indeed dogshit levels of design. "It''s supposed to be not eye-catching. We''re supposed to hide there, you know?"


    "I get it." Prixais sighed as she once again scaled the tree like a snake would. Once she was up there, she peeked through the gap I provided to get a good look at the ground below, which was hard to see due to the thick foliage and leaves. "By the way, do you have anything we could use to sleep in? I''d rather not lay my back on hard wood if I can help it."


    I hummed, my mind agreeing with her words. "Yes, I have. Luckily, I found this earlier when looking for some wood to chop down."


    I scaled up the tree with my modified gorilla body and arrived at the entryway of the treehouse. It was a door hidden by leaves that was located beside the trunk. Entering the treehouse, I inspected the surrounding area with my eyes. It was barren, but at least the walls and floor were smooth.


    "Here, help yourself out." I grabbed a sleeping bag from my inventory that I had indeed found inside that supply crate, and tossed it to Prixais. She caught the bag and looked it from top to bottom, her eyes giving me a deadpan stare once she was done.


    "You expect me to fit in this tiny bag?" She gestured towards her snake-half with her eyes still bearing on mine. I shrugged, slipping into the sleeping bag and trying to test out if it had a feature for the comfort of any user.


    And I was right.


    "Wow, this is comfier than my hammock¡­" I said to myself as my giant body fit perfectly inside the seemingly cramped sleeping bag, which enlarged itself to accommodate my giant gorilla body.


    Prixais looked at the scene with her jaw dropped, an amusing sight for me, if my grin was any indication.


    "¡­ You win this round¡­" Prixais muttered under her breath as a light-tint blush covered her cheeks, an obvious giveaway of her embarrassment.


    "Aw. Look at that, she''s blushing." I said this with some kind of false-mocking in my voice. The blush on the lamia''s cheeks turned into an even darker shade of red as she stuffed herself into the sleeping bag.


    Her blush soon faded away until a relaxed and dreamy expression took over her face as she lied down on the floor, still inside her sleeping bag.


    "You know, this bag isn''t all that bad¡­" Prixais said with a yawn, her eyes fluttering. A few moments later, she was in dreamland, with light snoring coming out of her.


    "¡­ Welp¡­ I guess I''ll take first watch¡­" I sighed to myself as I pulled myself out of the sleeping bag without much effort, my eyes staring into the sleeping figure of the lamia wrapped in a sleeping bag like a cocoon.


    I shook my head and headed towards the window where I could see the ground just fine with minimal risk to me being seen.


    ''Time to play the long game¡­ Let''s see how much time it would take for the Dungeon Master I let go earlier to come looking for me.''


    []


    []


    []


    I scanned the area once more, before sighing and going back to resting inside my sleeping bag.


    It''s been a few hours already since me and Prixais started rotating our sleep, or watch schedules to determine who would watch and when. It was currently my turn and the sun was long gone from the sky. In its place, a pale moon was accompanied by thousands of stars.


    It''s been getting boring lately, what with nothing to do but hold out and check to see if any Dungeon Master would pass under the treehouse and determine whether they would be a threat or not.


    Thankfully, the Dungeon Masters who did pass under the treehouse, who we counted only two, were in a hurry. Probably making it to the center before anyone else does, or maybe just running away from whoever''s chasing them¡­


    Yeah, probably the latter, which made me keep my guard up almost all of the time when it was my turn to keep watch. I''m also 100% sure that even when I was resting, I kept a single eye open, just in case something happened, which I''m also sure that Prixais is doing right now.


    God, don''t you just love paranoia.


    I decided to peek once more through the window, and this time was awarded with something exciting, as well as terrifying. Exciting because it won''t be boring anymore. Terrifying because it was looking straight at me, I think¡­


    He was a Dungeon Master, no doubt about that¡­ But his form was what creeped me out the most: pale skin, a thin as a stick but tall body, and a faceless head that was pure white.


    All that was left was static and a business suit and the Dungeon Master would be cosplaying as someone from a well-known horror franchise.


    It tilted its head, then vanished from its spot, leaving no trace of it being here. Hell, there wasn''t even a sound when it vanished nor moved there.


    I frantically took a look around the area (even the treehouse) in case it was anywhere nearby. Minutes of searching flew by and Prixais started to stir from her sleep.


    "Jionni, time to swap." The lamia spoke groggily, her eyelids partially open. "Jionni?"


    She looked at me once more and noticed my state of distress.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "We may be compromised."

 Chapter 95 - Monke And Battle Royales (6)

    "Is there an attack?"


    "Not yet, but there may be soon." I looked out the window for any sign of that faceless entity that semi-cosplayed a horror franchise character. "We have two options."


    I returned my gaze back to her, who was still trying to rouse herself up from her rest and getting out of the sleeping bag.


    "Okay, any of those countin'' we keep these sleepin'' bags? They''re comfy as hell." Prixais said with a hint of a coo as she hugged the sleeping bag to her chest once she was out of it.


    "I''ll just put it in my hammerspace, then we''ll discuss the two options." I deadpanned as I got out of my sleeping bag myself and quickly stuffed it in my inventory, doing the same for Prixais'' bag. "So, two options. We run now and look for a new spot to camp, or we stay here and defend the area. Personally, I''m leaning on the former option since I''m sure the ring is about to reach our position in a day or two."


    "I agree with you on that front." Prixais declared as she also looked out of the window to see if there was anything to keep an eye out for. "I can provide a look out since I can somewhat ''see'' with my eyes in the dark, although it''ll only be for a few meters. Other than that, I''ll be next to useless at this time."


    I recalled a topic I searched for in the internet because I was curious about it back on Earth. It turns out, snakes have poor vision, but if you give them a prey¡­ I think it was a meter away¡­ Then it will directly get its attention.


    The range must''ve extended due to having a human upper-body.


    "So, we''ll have to wait until the morning before we can move without any detriments¡­" I cupped my chin once again, my mind running on all fours as it tried to find a solution to our predicament. "Shit¡­ I didn''t want to have to do this, but it''s alright if there''s light, right?"


    "Hm? Yes, as long as there''s light, I''ll be able to see well and see our surroundings for our safety."


    "¡­ Haah¡­" I sighed out, a pit forming in my belly as I decided to commit war crimes against environmentalists everywhere. "Welp, no fun like the present."


    I psyched myself up as I grabbed Prixais by the waist and quickly scaled down the massive tree. Her screams next to my ear were ignored as a grin slowly formed on my face at the thought of retaliating against what someone might call a scouting party with an overreaction.


    "Let it burn!"


    I conjured a flame with a snap of my fingers and had it scatter across the area, the flame starting out as a cinder before spreading like the plague within the forest.


    "SHIT! YOU''RE CRAZY!"


    "I''m a fucking gorilla troll! Of course, I''m crazy!" I shouted out in glee. For once in my lifetime, I was able to forget the baggage keeping me tied down to the word known as reality. I had to think up ways to survive, implement them, and train like hell just to make sure I''m stronger than my future enemies. I''m also sure I haven''t had a good fight during my stay here in this world.


    At most, they were just curb stomps on weaker enemies, and during the major turning point of my life in this world (I''m talking about the damned demon''s betrayal), I was hit with a surprise attack instead of a head-on attack.


    I may not want to die, but here, in this place where countless other Dungeon Masters like me were fighting, my inner fantasies were being craved.


    Plus, I always wanted to burn something. My parents back on Earth never let me burn anything. Hell, they wouldn''t even let me burn paper just to fucking light the stove up when it was on the fritz.


    "Well then, time to bail!" I laughed out loud maniacally as I carried the lamia like a sack of potatoes on my shoulder. All the while she kept hissing at me for my over-the-top performance. "Keep a look out for any pursuers, if there are any!"


    "HOW THE HELL ARE THEY GOIN'' TO PURSUE US!? YOU MADE A FUCKIN'' FOREST FIRE!" Prixais screeched out as the fire that once started as an ember became a raging flame that was consuming more and more trees in its path. "OH FUCK! THE SMOKE! THE SMOKE''S GETTIN'' IN MY NOSE!"


    "Tough it up." My initial high now slowly subsiding, I focused on running away from the raging inferno that was growing right behind me. ''Shit¡­ I normally have control over that part of my personality¡­ I guess the stress is getting to me¡­''


    I thought tiredly as I continued running with Prixais trying (and failing) to get the smoke out of her system. Once it was out, however, she glared at me for a moment, before scanning the area just to adhere to our agreement that she would watch the surroundings in case anything happened.


    And with the raging inferno behind us generating a bunch of light, she wasn''t hard pressed to see during this dark night.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Vell¡­ I didn''t zink he vould do zat¡­" A tiny figure covered in a black scientist coat muttered as they watched through their familiar''s eyes the running primate. "Such an interestingkt specimen, don''t you agree, Herr Goldwasser?"


    Goldwasser, who was just a stuffed toy with a bunch of stitches here and there showing a bunch of rips and tears across the body, silently sat still on the lap of the figure.


    "Yes, yes. You''re right, Mr. Goldwasser." The figure stood up, their hand still held on to the arm of the stuffed toy. "Zey must be kaptured, undt schtudied. Oh, how it vould adfance mein r-r-research so."


    The figure drooled and stuttered the last word out due to how giddy they were. If the figure wasn''t wearing any mask, a sane person would be able to see a deranged grin on the face of the coated figure.


    The figure''s eyes turned into pinpricks, however, the moment they saw the primate through their familiar''s vision stop when approached by another Dungeon Master they knew all too well.


    "Nein! He''s mine! Don''t you dare touch him, Oshurkova you bitch!" The figure shrieked as they quickly ran through the forest, Goldwasser fluttering in the breeze as the figure zoomed faster than some could perceive.

 Chapter 96 - Monke And Battle Royales (7)

    We ran through the forest, the light from the inferno a few meters behind us giving us a clear path to follow through the dense foliage.


    "If we make it through this, I''m going to hit you so hard with my tail that you''ll see your ancestors!" Prixais hissed as my arm held her tight against my shoulder.


    "Can''t. From what I can see back in the Mortal Realm, and my suspicions have been confirmed when I was brought here to the Divine Realm, I''m sure that I''m the first of my kind, making me my own ancestor." I rebutted, causing her to sputter at the facts thrown straight into her face. My legs were still not feeling the burn after a few minutes of running, even if I was moving more than 40 kilometers an hour.


    "¡­ Fine, be that way, smartass." Prixais grumbled as she admitted her loss in our verbal battle. This wasn''t the first one during my run. In fact, I was sure this was the fourth topic we''ve been juggling around just to lighten the tension.


    "Heh, the score''s tied two-to-two." I laughed while my legs continued to carry both me and Prixais away from the spreading forest fire behind us.


    "Oh, shut up you¡­ Up ahead!" Prixais screamed as her senses signaled to her brain that someone was hiding behind a tree a few meters in front of them. "On the left!"


    I quickly snapped my gaze towards the tree that held the figure that the lamia on my shoulder noticed. Pumping more power into my legs, I quickly jumped past the tree and saw that the figure that was hiding was the same being he saw when they were back in the treehouse, which was now unfortunately burning to a crisp due to my hasty actions.


    A few hours of work I''ll never get back.


    The faceless Dungeon Master tilted its head at my speeding form, and a moment later, I sped past it, not giving it a time to make a move.


    I also noticed that it didn''t follow us. Instead, it stayed there and continued observing us, not minding the growing fire behind it.


    "Damn¡­ That''s a creepy Dungeon Master¡­" Prixais commented as she turned her gaze away from the creepy horror-franchise-cosplayer.


    "Then you haven''t seen anything yet." I off-handedly commented while I continued with my running, causing her to glare at me with a bit of nervousness and fear.


    "¡­ What do you mean by that?"


    "Oh, nothing much." I said with a shrug, causing her body to shake a bit. "Just thinking about a brain-spider the size of a car with ballistae mounted on its back."


    Giving her the mental image of another game character that was meant to be killed by the main character over and over again over the course of the entire storyline¡­ Which wasn''t much, seeing that the main character never spoke, only grunted while he kicked ass, Prixais turned green and shook her head to get rid of the monstrosity her brain managed to conjure under this stressful situation.


    "Geh¡­ Send me another one of those mental images and I''ll barf all over you." Prixais threatened me with her mouth wide open, her tongue lolling out as some build-up saliva began to trickle out.


    "Uh¡­ No offense¡­" I stiffened, but still continued running the moment I felt the wet, slimy appendage caress my back. "But even if I can''t see you, I can still feel you¡­ And please¡­ Don''t make me fucking horny right now¡­"


    ''Little John''s gonna burst! Retract that [REDACTED] now!'' I had to censor the word, otherwise, my little Johnny will become big Johnny.


    Prixais, hearing my blunt message, quickly retracted her [REDACTED] and blushed up a storm, even if I didn''t see it. How could I tell? Easy, body heat. I could feel her heating up in embarrassment.


    "¡­ We never talk about this¡­ Understood?"


    "Yes, ma''am." I''m not normally one to follow somebody''s instructions, but if that gets me out of another equally or worse situation, then I''ll follow them just for the moment.


    I continued running in silence, with Prixais using her senses to scan our surroundings for any immediate threat. We continued like that and the fire, which was by now a raging firestorm, was far away from our position. We could only see smoke rising from where the fire is still spreading.


    It was only until a few minutes later that we stopped when Prixais sensed another figure right ahead of us. I tried to make a turn, but was stopped when the figure immediately approached us with a quick, simple step, and cupped my chin with her hands.


    "My, now this is surrrprrrising." The figure purred as she stuck her finger in my mouth, brushing the tips of my teeth with her skin. "Strrrong canines, sturrrdy jaw, and a body only a hunk could match."


    By this point, my brain was already fried from the sexual violation this figure¡­ No, this woman was giving me. I dropped the lamia on my shoulder to the ground due to the shock, and I''m Prixais'' brain was also fried at the sight of a gorgeous, but deadly woman currently giving me oral check-ups, since she didn''t move an inch.


    "J-Jionni¡­ W-we need t-to run¡­ N-now¡­" Prixais squeaked out as she felt the gaze of the woman bearing down on her skin. She paled and hoped that whatever awaited her in the afterlife, it wasn''t hell.


    "Now, now, no need to be in a rush." The woman said it cheerfully, but her face was anything but. "I''d like to take this fine piece of work off your hands, and reward you for bringing him here."


    "Yes! He''s all yours!" Prixais stood straight up and wasted no time throwing me under the bus the moment her life was threatened.


    "Wha¡­!?"


    "Wonderful." The woman smiled. Her beautiful features contrasted with the long claws forming on her hand. Her smile then vanished as her cold eyes bore into the shivering lamia, and with a flick of her wrist, decapitated the lamia, causing her now lifeless body to fall to the ground. "Filthy animal. If you accept an alliance, make sure you don''t betray them."


    She spat out, her beautiful features remaining beautiful, even with her terrifying claws slowly receding back into her hands as her smile returned in full force once she got her gaze back on mine.


    "Ah! Sorry about that. Just have a bit of a problem with turncoats." The woman said cheerily, her claws nowhere to be seen, and if it wasn''t for the blood staining her dress, she would''ve looked like a fashion model on her way for a shopping trip. "My name''s Oshurkova, but you can just call me Kova."


    The woman, Oshurkova, put her hand out towards me, a smile still gracing her lips. Now that I take a good look at her, she was dressed in a black, tight, sleeveless shirt with a brown, fur jacket covering the rest. She also wore leggings that provided no simple protection against the elements and a surprise attack.


    I glanced back down at the head of Prixais, who still wore a terrified and anguished expression on her face, and back to Oshurkova.


    Reluctantly, I grabbed her hand, and the two of us shook.


    "¡­ Nice to meet you, Oshurkova." I momentarily breathed in before greeting her with calm words. "My name is Jionni."


    Kova smiled at my introduction, a tiny bit of a fang jutting out from her upper lip.


    "Well met, Jion-"


    "GET AVAY FROM HIM YOU HUSSY!"


    A loud voice and a tiny frame slammed into Oshurkova, punting them a dozen or so meters away and into the black of night.


    "¡­ What the fuck¡­?" I voiced out my confusion, a bit lost, and perplexed at the sudden situation, but then came the rage. I looked at the headless lamia for a moment, before spitting on the corpse.


    "¡­ Rot in hell¡­" I spat out as I discreetly made my way out of the area.. I needed to find another spot to camp.

 Chapter 97 - Monke And Battle Royales (8)

    I silently crept away from the headless body of my previously allied lamia (who was now in my hate relationship book, even though it didn''t matter ''cause she was dead) and hoped that whoever those two were didn''t find me.


    ''I''m pretty sure I heard the small figure, which sounded like a female, now that I think about it, call the woman a hussy¡­'' I cringed, and swore to whatever FBI god that I was completely innocent.


    I plead innocent and solemnly swear that I am not a pedophile, so please don''t put me in horny jail where other inmates could shank me in the ass.


    Jokes aside, I had to quickly run for the hills so those two wouldn''t dream of finding me, if only for a few days. Attention here and there is unescapable, that I admit, but this kind of attention makes me want to dig a hole and hide there for the rest of my life.


    "Ah! Don''t you dare run away mein test subchec!" I heard a squeaky but familiar voice coming from behind me, followed by large footsteps that shook the earth. "Come here so I kan dissect you!"


    I didn''t stop to turn around and picked up my speed. No way in hell am I doing what most characters in horror movies do when they hear something behind them.


    So, I ran, dodging the trees in my way, and if not possible to dodge, powering through them with my own body while using the [Rolling Thunder] skill. I also realized something when I trained with this skill.


    Before, when I used this skill against the goblin shaman (or mage) who created a quagmire, all this skill did was make me an unstoppable force as I charged forward. Now, however, some sparks as well as motes of electricity appear all around me as some of the vegetation has caught fire.


    And boy was that a bad/good move to do now. Good since I could hinder the progress of the beings behind me, and bad since I was once again burning another part of the forest down.


    ''At this rate, I''ll have to look for another biome where I can make my temporary base, and this time, without any allies¡­'' I growled lightly as I recalled the face of the lamia who decided to backstab me the moment her life was threatened.


    I can''t help but draw parallels with the damned demon every time I think of betrayal.


    I shook my head at those thoughts and stopped myself from going into a blind rage again.


    ''Fuck. I got betrayed again and now I feel like I want to punch something¡­'' Sure, the lamia wanted to stay alive, and her flight or fight response was operating at full capacity. She also wanted to live, and in all seriousness, I would''ve probably done the same as her if I was in her position, just not too obvious, but hey, emotions can get the better of you sometimes.


    But what really ticked me off was the fact that the lamia betrayed me. No reason mattered. As long as a person agreed to be my friend, only to betray me at the last moment, I will literally go on a hunting trip just to hang the fucker''s head on a pole while pissing on it¡­


    ''Okay, calm down¡­ Calm down¡­ Just focus on running and ramming through these flimsy trees.'' I breathed out as my left foot stomped hard on the ground, causing a depression within the earth the shape of my foot. Ramming my body against a tree in front of me, I breathed in once more, before exhaling, my heart pumping faster and faster as my feet rushed me through the somewhat dim forest.


    "Get back here! You''re mein! MEIN!" The squeaky voice of the tiny-bodied female slowly got quieter and quieter as I burned my HP to keep on using the [Rolling Thunder] skill.


    ''Yeah, no¡­ Find someone else to be your guinea pig¡­'' I sighed the moment I was far enough to not hear the tiny-bodied female''s screams. I waited for a few moments as I hid within the thick natural canopy provided by the massive trees, while eating a fruit.


    All that running was making me hungry, and I needed some food in my system after that stressful encounter.


    "That looks delicious. Mind if I had some?" A sultry voice piped up from behind me. I quickly jumped to the ground below and grabbed my Monke staff that was sitting in my inventory, ready for some action. "Aw, now that''s not the proper way to greet a lady."


    Oshurkova, who I was sure was tackled by the tiny-bodied female earlier, licked her lips and narrowed her eyes at me with a seductive smile.


    "¡­ Didn''t your parents ever tell you not to frighten strangers? Also, what do you want?" Prodding her for information, she grinned at me while dropping down to the ground as well, her cape fluttering dramatically as she landed on one knee.


    "What I want? Nothing much, really." Oshurkova slowly stood up, her blood-red eyes glinting under the moonlight. A moment later, her grin widened, sharp fangs jutting out from her upper lip. "Just a trickle of your blood and I''ll be on my way."


    "¡­ Why?" I had to gleam more information out of her before deciding whether giving her a drop of my blood was worth it or not.


    "Simple," Oshurkova said as she strode sexily in front of me, her fingers brushing the side of my face as she cupped my cheek with her hand, "you look, quite frankly, like the most exotic being I have ever had my eyes on in the millennia I have lived for."


    She released my cheek and parted her lips, her face coming dangerously close to mine, before she settled her mouth right beside my right ear.


    "Besides, a trickle of blood won''t hurt you, and I''ve been alive long enough to learn the consequences of cutting off the root of a budding plant." She whispered, her honeyed tone causing myself to get lost in her wonderful voice. "I''ll also give you something as a gift, to ensure our friendly dispositions within the Mortal Realm, and the Divine Realm."


    She separated from me and walked back a few steps, her eyes looking at me expectantly as she waited for my answer.


    I had to think quickly on whether or not to agree. On one hand, handing her something that might be too important for my well-being for an unknown reward, as well as a temporary alliance with Oshurkova, or I decline and bid her farewell while I hightail it out of there, not knowing whether I made a potential ally neutral or hostile.


    The choice was incredibly obvious.


    "I accept." I nodded, my stance slowly slackening as my grip on the Monke Staff relaxed.


    "Wonderful." Oshurkova smiled delightedly as she approached me once again, her hand held out as she waited for me to take it. I obliged and held her hand in mine. "Now, brace yourself, this will be a little disorientin---"


    "STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU HUSSY!" A familiar, squeaky voice graced my ears as Oshurkova stopped herself from casting whatever she was about to cast. "HE''S MEIN! YOU HEAR ME! MEIN!"


    ''Oh, for the love of¡­'' I sighed deeply as I saw the tiny-bodied female looking at me like some kind of exotic meat.


    "Odette¡­ Fancy meeting you here." Oshurkova dryly greeted the clearly insane loli wearing a lab coat.


    "Schut up you harlot! You made me chump against anozzer ein uff your klones! Du dummer idiot! Du hurenschlampe!" The insane loli, now named Odette, glared at Oshurkova with deadly eyes.


    "Oh, did you enjoy the time the clone spent some time with you?" Oshurkova smirked sultrily at the raging loli, who kept on throwing a tantrum by smashing her hand down on the giant Earth Golem she was riding on.


    ''Holy lord¡­ That''s bigger than even Arekhus by twice his size¡­'' I gaped at the giant lump of earth remodeled to be eerily similar to a humanoid creature.


    "NO! IN FACT, THE KLONE VAS ONE OF THE VORST KLONES YOU HAFE EFER MADE! DU ALTE HEXE!" The loli screamed out as she slammed her fist against the earth golem, who fell to one knee due to the force generated.


    ''¡­ Yeah, I''m not fighting that loli anytime soon¡­''


    "¡­ Did you just call me an old hag?" Oshurkova let go of my hand as she approached the insane loli with a dark smile.


    "So, vhat if I did?" The loli had a deranged grin plastered on her face as she kept on slamming her hands on the earth golem. "Isn''t zat right, Herr Goldwasser?"


    "¡­ Hehe¡­" Oshurkova chuckled innocently, before her face turned into a stoic mask of indifference. "You''ll regret that."


    "Ha! As if grentma fampire zinks zat sche''s schtill young. Du alte hexe!"


    "Da¡­ Time to kill¡­" Oshurkova toned neutrally as she vanished from sight, and right behind the insane loli, her claws already fully lengthened as she swiped it across the loli''s body.


    "Too slow, grentma!" The insane loli giggled as she punched Oshurkova with her tiny fist.


    Her fists must''ve been filled with dozens of TNT, ''cause Oshurkova was sent flying a few dozen meters, her figure stopping as her back hit a tree for the nth time.


    While all that was happening, my mind was processing the entire happening at a snail''s pace.


    ''What the fuck am I watching¡­?''

 Chapter 98 - Monke And Battle Royales (9)

    I had to metaphorically take the eyeballs out of my eye sockets and drench them in bleach, before wiping it clean with an antibacterial cloth, just to make sure I wasn''t hallucinating the obvious catfight between these two females.


    And oh boy, what a catfight it is.


    "You take zat back, old hag!" The insane loli shrieked with a vengeance as she butted heads with the seductive woman.


    "Oho? And why would I do that, shrimpy?" Oshurkova sneered as she retaliated with a shove of her arms, causing the insane loli to get pushed back a few meters. "Isn''t that what you are, shrimpy? Do I need to call Mama Doctor to get her good, little girl back in her crib?"


    "Don''t you dare bringkt mama into zis!" Odette all but shrieked once more, but this time, I saw a couple of tears threatening to spill from her eyes.


    "And why should I?" The seductive woman looked down upon the tiny figure of the insane loli, her eyes gaining a dangerous glint. "Wasn''t it you who made sure that Mama Doctor isn''t a doctor no more?"


    "SHUT UP!" Odette rushed towards Oshurkova, who was ready for the impending charge and grabbed the insane loli by the head, crushing it in her grip. "OW OW OW OW!!"


    "You know, Odette¡­" Oshurkova''s sneer and demeaning behavior vanished as soon as she got a good grip on the insane loli. "As much as I love interacting with you, your brand of crazy is just too draining for me. Come agitate me when we''re back in the mortal realm."


    Oshurkova then snorted as she knocked the insane loli out, and as soon as she did so, Odette turned into motes of light, before vanishing into thin air.


    "Haah¡­ I''m sorry you had to see that, Jionni." Oshurkova deeply sighed as she held a palm to her face. "My sister may be an insane doctor, but she means well, even if it reduces the guinea pigs into vegetables."


    Oshurkova muttered that last sentence out, but my enhanced hearing was able to pick it up. I shivered at the thought of being braindead for the test of my life. I hadn''t even lasted a month in my new life, and I suddenly became a vegetable because I got the attention of an insane loli doctor.


    ''Yeah, no¡­ That''s some next level unfairness if I ever thought of one¡­'' I cringed as my eyes gazed towards the seductive vampire, whose sultry expression had seemingly disappeared.


    "Wait, she''s your sister?" I had a shocked expression the moment I processed the words she had said, specifically, the part about that insane loli being the sister of this seductive vampire.


    "Yes, sisters by blood, in fact." Oshurkova stated a bit depressed. "Come on, follow me. A deal''s a deal, I get your blood, I give you something in return, but not here. It''s not safe."


    I quickly clamped my mouth shut as I tensely followed Oshurkova through the dim forest. The only sound accompanying our travels was the burning of wood a few hundred meters behind us.


    Yes, the forest fire has grown to that size while I was watching the two blood-related sisters have a catfight.


    "You see," Oshurkova started to speak amidst the silence, garnering my attention as I shifted my gaze towards her back, "Currently, we aren''t sisters by blood. Before, however, we were. Born to the same mother who had the profession of a doctor in charge of her own clinic."


    She began to retell the tale with a gloomy atmosphere around her, and I couldn''t help but be drawn to her voice.


    "Little Odette was a genius in the medical field, being able to find cures to seemingly impossible diseases when she was just a teenager." Oshurkova stated proudly, her shoulders raised high, but then as fast as her pride in her sister arrived, it went away as fast as well. "But sometimes, being a genius could lead to some unsavory characters to enter and meddle with your lives."


    Oshurkova hissed as she slammed her hand down on an obstructing branch in front of her. The branch landed on the ground with a loud crack as it splintered into a bunch of different parts. I stayed silent, however, intent on listening to the tale of these two sisters as I followed her along the dim path.


    "Those damned royalty¡­" Oshurkova all but spat out, her hands balling into fists as her nails dug into her skin, but not enough to penetrate it. "They thought that if they controlled the country, they controlled the masses. Well, they were right¡­"


    "They took my sister away from us and forced her into training with a bunch of medical courses. She excelled, of course, and was able to graduate the course with flying colors." By this time, Oshurkova had lost all emotion in her face, but still held onto her voice. "And then she was forced to find the cure to every seemingly impossible disease to cure that plagued the world."


    "Now, you may be thinking that it was probably a good thing, right?" I had to stop my head from nodding at her question. She''s not wrong, if that''s what she was thinking. The fact that finding a cure to every disease was probably a great thing to celebrate, but I knew there was a catch. "It was a good thing, until they started to exploit her with the word ''For the greater good.'' Greater good my fucking ass."


    Oshurkova sighed once more and stopped, her head twisting around as her eyes gazed upon me, judging me with every move I made.


    ''What have I gotten myself into now¡­ I thought this was just a quick ''I give you this, you give me that'' kind of thing¡­?'' I had to stop myself from wincing under the judgmental gaze of the vampire.


    "You know, anyone ever told you you''re a great listener¡­?" Oshurkova said, a hint of a smile creeping up her face before she turned around once more, opting to walk the rest of the way in silence.


    Without much hesitation, I followed her, and this time, she didn''t speak a thing about her and her sister''s past.


    ''Okay¡­ What the hell was that all about¡­?'' My face was permanently locked into a stoic gaze, but internally, my mind was going haywire with the sudden tension in the air.


    We continued like that in the dimly lit forest for an hour before we arrived at a clearing. At the center of a clearing, I could see a camp with a few figures inside, with one familiar-looking figure waving at me with a huge grin on his face.


    "Oi! We''ve been waitin'' fawr ya!" Arekhus greeted us as his jovial smile illuminated the dark, metaphorically speaking, that is. His bulging muscles glistened with sweat as he stood up from his chair a few meters away from the fire.


    We walked towards the camp with a bunch of tents set up and a few other Dungeon Masters greeting the seductive vampire and the new member, me.


    "Good ta see ya agayyn. Say, where''s that lamiah who approached ya durin'' the bloody feast ''n afder the bloody first event. ''Aven''t seen hah much lately." Arekhus asked innocently, a confused expression on his face.


    "Dead." If my scowl was any indication, I was still salty about the whole being betrayed thing.


    "Shame, she was a lookah." Arekhus sighed into his palm before regarding me with a smile once more. "Don''t wawrry yah sawrry little ass heah fawr any kind of betrayal. We heah tend ta our members with cahre, so don''t think that we won''t be takin'' cahah of ya too durin'' the bloody Dungeon Games mate."


    And with that, I was unofficially invited to join this group of Dungeon Masters.

 Chapter 99 - Monke And Battle Royales (10)

    I woke up, a streak of light from the outside piercing my eyes as I slowly got up from my sleeping position, the comfortable sleeping bag wrapping around my body like a blanket.


    ''Ugh¡­ Where am I again¡­?'' I looked around to see a barren sleeping space with thick cloth for walls and a rug blanketing the ground underneath me to make sure the dirt didn''t touch my sleeping form. ''Ah, right.''


    I dragged myself out of my sleeping bag and hurriedly stuffed it back into my inventory. A fuckton of bad case scenarios blitzed through my head as I cautiously made my way out of the tent.


    I raised the flaps of the tent overhead as I made my way out, the sun rays blinding my vision for a moment before I finally got to see the area around me.


    "Good to see you''re awake." I twisted my head in the direction of the familiar voice I heard. "Now, now, don''t look at me like that. We had a deal, remember?"


    "Right, I remember." I nodded and looked at Oshurkova, who was dressed in incredibly thick robes that covered all of her body, with a hood that covered half of her face so the sun didn''t shine on her skin. "So, where are we doing this?"


    "Follow me to my tent." Oshurkova sultrily smirked as she turned around and walked, putting in a bit of sway to her hips as she did so.


    ''¡­ Not gonna lie, that''s some nice ass she got there, even with thick clothes.'' I thought as I followed the vampire to her designated spot. During our walk, I was able to greet some other Dungeon Masters who were also part of this small group. If I was given free reign to explore this camp right now, I would say there are only about 12 Dungeon Masters in this camp, including Oshurkova and Arekhus, so 10 other Dungeon Masters, which I met about four of them since the rest were still sleeping since it was still early.


    "You know, for a silent guy, you speak well towards others." Oshurkova commented while not looking back.


    "What can I say? I love breaking expectations." I responded with a teasing smirk. This woman was a troll and a teaser, a fellow I can get along with. Last night was an exception because I was incredibly stressed out.


    "Oho, then we''ll get along just fine." This time, Oshurkova looked back slightly, her smirk visible under the hood which covered half of her face.


    The rest of the trip was made in silence as the both of us arrived at a tent bigger than the others in this camp.


    "Well, here we are." Oshurkova said as she went through the flaps and invited me over. "Come in, make yourself at home."


    I nodded and followed her in, a bit of a joke going off inside my head about vampires and being invited into houses for passage.


    Once inside, I had to try hard not to make my jaw drop at the astonishing sight.


    "Holy¡­" Nevermind, my jaw dropped and I had to struggle to pick it up from the floor, which was proving difficult with the smug looking vampire right in front of me with her hood lowered.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" Oshurkova said with a smile. Now that I got a good look at her, she had platinum-blonde hair that was long enough to reach her back, her blood-red eyes incredibly pronounced due to her pale skin, and luscious red lips that accentuated her heart-shaped face.


    She was tall, not taller than me per-se, but definitely taller than the average human female.


    "It is." I finally picked my jaw back up from the floor as I scanned the area around us. Luxurious rugs, antique furniture, a motherfucking hanging chandelier, and space which I was sure was bigger than the tent shown outside. "Spatial magic?"


    "Indeed." Oshurkova replied, a smile gracing her lips making my lower johnny stiffen quite a bit. "Me and my sister made this, although I''m pretty sure she had one just like this, but instead of this kind of rich decor, I''m certain that she had a lab full of dangerous apparatuses."


    And instantly, my little johnny deflated at the thought of the insane loli.


    "Yes, I can imagine that." No, I don''t want to imagine that¡­ Please stop, my brain. I don''t need any more nightmares!


    "All right then. Take a seat, and I''ll begin extracting your blood." Oshurkova guided me to a seat and she pulled out a syringe from her robes'' pocket.


    "You won''t use your fangs?" I asked, a bit curious since I''m extremely aware of her race.


    "And risk turning you into a thrall? No way." Oshurkova snorted as she waved her hand back and forth. It was at this point that I began to have a smidgeon of faith in the vampire. "Now, do you know what this is?"


    She waved the syringe in front of my face to see, prompting a confused expression to appear on my face.


    "A syringe?" I said this in the most confused way possible. Not in the sense of "I''m not sure it''s a syringe," but rather "Yes, I know it''s a syringe. Why are you waving it in my face?'' kind of deal.


    "Hmm¡­ I thought your race wouldn''t have been able to lay eyes on this kind of tech." Oshurkova hummed lightly as she readied the needle and syringe. "What with you being monsters and all, not being able approach any human or demi-human country without having the Adventurer''s Guild come down on top of you with extreme prejudice."


    I raised my eyebrow at the Adventurer''s Guild part, but dismissed it for the time being. I can ask her later, once the Battle Royale is done.


    Oshurkova placed the tip of the needle against my skin, and pierced it, my pain receptors not working properly due to the negligent damage it gave me. Once she was done extracting my blood, she quickly placed cotton on top of the prick, which healed the moment she removed the needle from my skin.


    "That one fast regeneration there is almost on par with us vampires." She smirked lightly before placing the syringe inside a container. "A deal''s a deal, and your reward, is this."


    She then took a container from out of thin air and handed it to me, probably another inventory, but with magic instead of the inherent abilities the System gave me.


    I accepted the container and attempted to open it, only for Oshurkova to stop me and look me in the eye.


    "Open it once you''re in your real Dungeon back in the Mortal Realm." She said this with all the seriousness in her voice. "You don''t want the Gods up here to get alerted with this thing I have in my back pocket."


    I hesitatingly nodded and placed the container inside my own inventory, prompting a grin from Oshurkova.


    "Well, well, it seems that I''m not the only one who knows Spatial Magic."


    "Like I said, I like breaking expectations."


    "And you''ve done a mighty fine job at that one." Oshurkova laughed and I followed suit with a chuckle. "Anyway, I think it''s time you leave. We''ll be having a meeting later to formally introduce you to the rest of the Dungeon Masters in this camp, so don''t be late."


    "Hehe, I won''t." I grinned back as I showed myself out of the admittedly luxurious tent. Once outside, I heard Oshurkova say something.


    "By the way, if you do me some more favors, I won''t be averse to giving you any rewards, even some that most others wouldn''t dream of being possible." Oshurkova licked her lips and my little Johnny once again stiffened slightly.


    "¡­ I''ll bear that in mind." I said with a sweatdrop. ''Down boy! Down boy! You''re gonna rip my pants!''


    Welp, a great start for the second day. I wonder what''s in store for me this time¡­

 Chapter 100 - Monke And Battle Royales (11)

    After I had exited the luxurious and magically spacious tent of the seductive vampire, I made my way towards the center of the camp to get a good look at my surroundings. Looking around, I could easily relate this place to that of a nomad tribe''s camp set up for the week.


    A bunch of tents with their flaps still closed due to how early it is, some Dungeon Masters here and there walking around doing their jobs, be it either procuring water from the well in the middle of the camp, to foraging some food such as berries and plants.


    Since there was no wildlife during this Battle Royale, we had to settle for some Dungeon Masters called Runners to immediately head to the supply drop once one dropped.


    Which Arekhus explained to me yesterday night after a hearty meal with the other Dungeon Masters giving me a suspicious glare, but not hostile, since they were just wary of a new face.


    Give them a few days, they''ll warm up to me¡­ I hope¡­ Because if not, then I''ll be seeing myself out and looking for a spot to camp solo. I would hate to get disqualified, or worse, killed while I was asleep.


    Treading the rough ground that made this camp a little easier to set up, I finally reached the center of the camp, my figure directly next to the well with the sole Dungeon Master operating within sight.


    "Ah, good ta see you''ah awake fair dinkum cobber." Arekhus bellowed loudly, but not too loud to let the other sleeping Dungeon Masters rise from their slumber. "Just doin'' my daily chawres, a bloody trip, ayyn''t it mate?"


    "I can see that." I mused as Arekhus hefted the larger than a fucking human jug and carried it on his back.


    "Cahah ta take a stroll with me?" Arekhus suddenly said with an excited glint in his eyes. "Doin'' this all on my lonesome is quite a bloody bore."


    "Sure, why not." I shrugged as Arekhus chuckled like a gleeful idiot. "Not that there is anything for me to do in this camp during this time."


    "Not unless you''ah on guard duty, but you''ah still new here, so you''ah off the bloody hook mate." Arekhus focused his gaze elsewhere, settling on a lone Dungeon Master sitting atop a watch tower.


    "Well, I better count my lucky stars then. I''m tired after all that has happened last night." I sighed as I recalled the time I was thrown under the bus by the lamia, who was then killed by Oshurkova. Then, the loli vampire, who was Oshurkova''s once blood-related sister, but for whatever the fucking reason, lost those blood ties, got into an argument with Oshurkova, who then proceeded to knock her into unconsciousness, disqualifying her from the event.


    "By the way, something''s got me thinking." I suddenly piped up after thinking some things through during this event. "The Gods said that once a Dungeon Master is rendered unconscious, then they''re disqualified and immediately transferred to a medical wing before being transferred to the Mortal Realm, right?"


    "Right ya are on that mate." Arekhus nodded, the huge jug of water not impeding his walk.


    "Then, what about those who are killed without being unconscious? Why don''t they disappear as well?" I''ve noted this strange occurrence the moment I killed that kobold Dungeon Master, as well as the Prixais death from decapitation.


    "Ah, so that''s wat you''ah thinkin'' about, eh mate?" Arekhus'' eyes opened wide as he slowly dropped the jug in front of him. I looked at the reason why and saw that during our walk, I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I never noticed we were already at the water station, or so they call it. It was basically a place where the Dungeon Masters could get drinkable water after being filtered through a series of filters handmade by some of the Dungeon Masters.


    Arekhus looked left and right for a moment, before leaning in close to my ear. "Look, nawrmally, no one heah yabber about this, but it''s an open secret that the bloody Gods that run these Dungon Games ahah also dungeon masters themselves, ''n we ahah their trespassers."


    I had my eyes open wide at this revelation, Arekhus'' whispers slowly filtering into my brain as the words got processed and digested into facts.


    "So basically, they''re getting DP from all of us participating, and those that died are also converted into their DP." I concluded and Arekhus nodded in agreement with my statement.


    "Right ya ahah on that, mate." Arekhus lifted the jug once more and poured all of its contents into the large container that was about to be depleted.


    "But then, why would they assimilate the Dungeons of those we have killed to ours if they''re also gaining DP from us?"


    "Don''t know, I ain''t a God." Arekhus shrugged and finally placed the jug back on the ground. After that, he looked into my eyes with the most serious face he could muster. "In all seriousness though, you''ah treadin'' a fahkin'' dangerous path here, mate. I suggest ya stop befawah ya go ahead ''n get yah head chopped off."


    And with that, Arekhus left me to my pondering, eager to get away from the dangerous topic I had discussed with the minotaur.


    "A dangerous path, huh¡­" I had to stop myself from imagining the System laughing at the roadblock he had set up to stop me from asking too many questions and following like a blind sheep heading towards a slaughter. ''¡­ Shit, do I risk it, or not¡­?''


    I pondered that question for a few moments before ultimately deciding not to risk it and to bury that topic into the ground for now.


    ''Until I''m at least stronger than an average God, then I won''t be tackling this topic ever again.'' I cupped my chin and headed back towards my tent to rest. ''Well then, it looks like I''ll be re-enacting the Monkey King here after all¡­ Fighting Gods and whatnot¡­''


    I sighed, a bit of a headache beginning to make itself known in my head. Goddamn it, why can''t things ever be simple?

 Chapter 101 - Monke And Battle Royales (12)

    I opened my eyes, my eyes stinging a bit due to the light that was shining in through the open flaps with a visible, but shadowy figure looking down on me with a smile I could barely make out with my half-tired eyes.


    "Well, I didn''t think you would go back to sleep-ta." The figure, who I now noticed to be feminine in structure, said with a slightly excited voice. "Come on, get up. Lady Oshurkova is waiting for you at the Meeting Tent-ta."


    I yawned loudly, forcing my body to follow my brain and get up, and was finally able to shake off the grogginess out of me.


    "¡­ Sorry, I sometimes have trouble waking up once I go back to sleep on the same day." I honestly said this towards the female Dungeon Master, who was wearing maid''s clothes, the skimpy ones, I might add.


    She had brownish-red eyes, with freckles decorating her cheeks. Her scarlet-bronze hair slightly reflects the light off of it, with rectangular glasses perched atop her cute little nose. Her mouth was formed into a smirk, with a slight tip of a tooth protruding out of her upper lip.


    What''s more, she was also tanned, making her look all the more beautiful in my eyes. I''m also sure that she''s in her late teens. She was flat though, a bit of a shame.


    I was instantly smacked on the head with a hard object, causing my head to bob down due to the force, but not hurt since I was made of sturdier stuff.


    "Well, I think you might''ve been thinking of something inappropriate there, Lord Jionni-ta." The female maid had her smile still plastered on her face, but was now surrounded in a dark-type of aura.


    That said, she had a verbal tic. The -ta at the end of her sentences made her cuter than before.


    "Sorry, anyway, it''s about time, right? My introduction?" I asked and the maid nodded, her previous chilly smile now replaced with that of a child''s.


    "Yes-ta! Lady Oshurkova is expecting you within the next few minutes, and it is my duty to bring you there in the most dashing way possible-ta!" The young maid chirped excitedly as she began to measure my body with a measuring tape she had on hand. "Ohhh~ You''re big-ta! Though, not as big as Sir Arekhus and Mr. Tanjin-ta."


    The female maid excitedly measured my body, and not so subtly made an innuendo about my size.


    ''Maybe I should enlarge my PP again, just in case¡­''


    A few minutes of measuring and the maid was finally done. For whatever purpose, I had no idea, and I was about to get ready to wear the Monkey King''s Garb, right after I placed these ordinary modern clothes back in my inventory when this maid left my tent, but it seemed she had other plans.


    With a snap of her fingers, my body felt instantly cooler, and then warmer. Looking at my body, I noticed that my modern clothes were gone and were neatly folded on top of the hands of the maid in front of me. What replaced them was a motherfucking tuxedo that fit my size just perfect, accentuating my hairy biceps. I also had black shoes on, with slacks that fit well, yet loose enough that I could parkour through this forest without being hindered by the fabric, or better yet, without it tearing and showing my privates for the whole world to see.


    "Ah~ You just look so dashing-ta!" The maid exclaimed happily. My folded modern clothes are propped up on the ground just beside my sleeping bag. "Lady Oshurkova is going to love this-ta!"


    The maid then bowed and waited for me at the entrance of my tent, all the while I was still in confusion about the whole ordeal.


    ''¡­ What the fuck just happened¡­?'' A floating question mark appeared over my head as I gazed upon the smiling maid, who just smiled even brighter as she waited for me patiently. ''¡­ Welp¡­ At least I get some free clothes, good ones, even.''


    At least there''s a silver lining in this chaos, and that''s free clothes.


    []


    []


    []


    Both of us walked through the deserted camp, with the exception of the watch guard on shift as evident by the Dungeon Master sitting in the watch tower.


    "So¡­ Why the get up?" I asked the maid, who smiled and showed me her pearly whites.


    "It''s to impress Lady Oshurkova-ta!" The maid skipped merrily as her skimpy skirt flipped up ever so slightly, enough to give me a view of her delicious thighs, but not enough to let me see her undergarments.


    ''Whoever made that skirt is a goddamned tease¡­'' I grumbled inwardly, my inner male lashing out at the unfairness of it all.


    "That''s it?" I asked, a bit dumbfounded by the reason. "It''s not because it''s a formal event?"


    "Nope-ta!" The maid skipped her way merrily while I sighed at the overly-excited maid. It wasn''t until a few minutes later did we arrive at the Meeting Tent. Looking over it once again, I realized that it was even bigger than Oshurkova''s tent, who I''m pretty sure is high-up in the chain-of-command in this camp. "This is where I stop-ta. Please, head on in, Lady Oshurkova awaits-ta."


    The maid bowed once more and stepped aside. I raised my eyebrows at the display, before shrugging and approaching the flaps.


    "By the way, I never got your name. Can I ask you?"


    "It''s Reia-ta!"


    "Reiata?" I asked with a head tilt, and she shook her head, a bit of a pout on her face.


    "Reia, Lord Jionni-ta!" I ahh''d and nodded, giving Reia a smile as I headed inside the Meeting Tent.


    Once inside, I saw about 10 Dungeon Masters sitting around a large table with a large-scale map of some kind of area in the middle.


    "And he finally arrives. Goodness, youngsters these days are all tardy¡­" A Dungeon Master who looked like an overgrown mushroom sighed as he breathed out some smoke from his pipe.


    "Now, now, give the man some credit. He looks presentable towards the crown." Another Dungeon Master, this time a female who had two wings right behind her and bird legs, chirped from her seat.


    "On that, we agree, you insufferable crow." Another Dungeon Master this time piped up from her seat, with very real cat ears perched on her head.


    "What did you call me, slutty whore?"


    "I called you chicken crow, sound good enough?"


    "Why you cat in heat!"


    The two then began to argue, to the irritation of the other Dungeon Masters within the Meeting Tent. It all stopped, however, the moment another figure entered the room.


    "My, oh my~ I didn''t think you would''ve dressed up for the occasion." The familiar, sultry voice whispered in my ear as I turned my body towards the person invading my personal space.


    "You can thank a maid for that." I sighed, a bit confused as to why I needed to be dressed in this particular get up.


    "¡­ Now I know why." Oshurkova sighed as she grumbled. "Damn Reia and her match-making habits."


    "Anyway, we need to get this all sorted out, so first, please take a seat, Jionni." Oshurkova strode ahead and sat her pretty little ass on the giant empty throne that was obviously reserved for the highest standing official in this camp. I looked for a vacant seat and sat there, all the while most of the Dungeon Masters'' attention was on me.


    "Now then, shall we begin today''s agenda?" Oshurkova stated, a serious expression plastered on her face.

 Chapter 102 - Monke And Battle Royales (13)

    "First of all, I would like to welcome Jionni to our humble little group of Dungeon Masters." Oshurkova nodded towards me while the whole group of Dungeon Masters clapped and greeted me with their own way of showing their acknowledgement. "Welcome Jionni, to the¡­ What was our group called again?"


    "Wasn''t it called the Hemoglobin Council, fair madam?" Arekhus said with a huff.


    "Ah right, I''ve been delving into too much work lately." Oshurkova said with a sigh. "Anyway, welcome to the Hemoglobin Troupe, Jionni."


    The various members of the group clapped their hands once more as they greeted me with some smiles, or otherwise expressionless faces. Some even had some minor scowls as they glared at my figure.


    "Once again, may I formally introduce myself as Oshurkova, the leader of this here council. May I call upon the others to formally introduce themselves to our newest member?"


    ''Now, hold up a sec¡­ I didn''t sign up to join a group¡­ Actually, let me see the pros and cons to this¡­'' I screamed internally, before my rational side decided to exploit the scenario to its fullest so I could gain some advantages in my otherwise precarious situation.


    Now, as for the precarious situation¡­ I''m surrounded by a bunch of Dungeon Masters, who I know that most are definitely stronger than me, I''m also the center of attraction in this area. Plus, one wrong move and I can say goodbye to my free trial of living since I''ll be wiped off the face of the map in one move, if not by the Dungeon Masters I''m not acquainted with yet, then by Oshurkova.


    We may have made a deal, but I know she doesn''t fully trust me, and some of that trust developed by us making the deal, as well as listening to her vent about a part of her past.


    The Dungeon Master right next to me, who was also Arekhus, stood up and faced me with a beaming smile.


    "Hey, ya already know me, but I''m Arekhus, the bloody toughest of all Dungeon Masters theah ahah in this group!" Arekhus bellowed cheerfully, his thick Australian accent echoing throughout the walls, which I''m sure are just cloth. "Hope we''ll get along, mate."


    And with that, Arekhus sat back down on his chair, his eyes lingering for a short while on mine, before focusing on the Dungeon Master right next to him, who, in turn, stood up.


    He wasn''t anything extraordinarily looking, like Odette or the damned lamia, but he was unique, I''ll give him that.


    And by unique, I meant swirly glasses kind of unique. You know, those swirly patterned glasses that some of the anime use for their nerdy school characters? Yeah, those are the types of glasses.


    He was also dressed in some kind of blazer, with black slacks clinging to his lower half loosely, and had curly, grayish hair, the same look as that of a messy mop.


    "G-g-greetings, Jionn-n-ni." The man stuttered horribly as his breathing began to turn rapid and his body began shaking.


    "Uhh¡­ Is he alright?" I asked, a little bit worried at the sight.


    "Oh, he''s like that all the time. Just ignore it." The Dungeon Master beside me, who had the cat ears and argued with the harpy lookalike Dungeon Master I noted, piped up while yawning. "That dude''s got horrible stage-fright."


    I deadpanned the moment I heard about stage fright¡­ I mean, yeah, stage fright is a horrible thing, much more if you''re on the radar of thousands of thousands of people, but with a measly 12 people inside this tent, with most of them focused on me, I have no idea why would you have stage-fright with that¡­


    Actually, screw that. I just recalled a memory about my past-life freezing in front of my friends, who numbered about 6 when it was my turn to show them something. They also broke off all relations once high school began¡­ So yeah¡­ I''m not one to talk about stage fright.


    "My n-n-n-name is P-P-Pilips¡­ N-n-nice to meet y-y-y-you¡­" And with that, he hastily took a seat to calm down his beating heart. I had to resist cringing at the sight, before I settled my gaze towards the next Dungeon Master, who was the harpy lookalike.


    "Good morning, Mr. Jionni." The harpy lookalike Dungeon Master stood and bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle, before straightening her posture. "My name is Typhial, and as you can see, I am of a race called Harpy."


    Once she was done introducing herself, I nodded and she sat back down on her seat, all prim and proper. Beside me, the catwoman was busy snickering to herself about the comical sight of the harpy trying too hard to appear formal in front of the so-called ''crown'' who was actually just Oshurkova.


    The next one to introduce themselves was the overgrown mushroom guy who was smoking a pipe. Based on his countenance earlier, I would assume that this mushroom is an old guy, a VERY old guy.


    The mushroom guy stood up, a hand on his cane I didn''t see earlier as he smoked once more from his pipe. Oshurkova crinkled her nose in distaste, but let the mushroom continue to smoke.


    "Good day to you, young''un." The mushroom spoke after he breathed out a puff of smoke from his gigantic mouth. "These old bones of mine are called Shrum, not that I have any."


    "Ever the comedian, eh, old-timer?" The Dungeon Master right next to him smirked.


    "Bah, you youngsters have no senses of humor." The mushroom guy, who I now know to be Shrum, grumbled for a bit before sitting back down on the chair.


    "Nah, you''re just demented and keep on cracking that joke all the time." The Dungeon Master beside him replied with a deadpan. "Anyway, I think it''s my turn to introduce myself to the greenhorn."


    The Dungeon Master stood up, and I had the urge to gulp due to how gigantic he was. He was definitely bigger than Arekhus, if that''s what you''re wondering.


    He was dressed in baggy trousers that went all the way to his shins, but was otherwise, naked, his bulging muscles free for everybody to see.


    "The name''s Tanjin, and obviously, I''m a giant." The giant man introduced himself with a pound of his chest. "Nice to meet you, greenhorn."


    Before he was able to sit down, however, a horn sounded off in the distance.


    "Shit. Let''s halt this session for the next day. Everybody, get ready!" Oshurkova sounded a bit tense, if her voice was any indication. The next moment, all of the Dungeon Masters in the room went into action, each of them quickly leaving the tent, either through the main entrance, or another method. "Jionni, come with me."


    "Is it an attack?" I asked, a bit worried about the scale if their tensed expression was any indication.


    "Yes.." Oshurkova wasted no time in grasping my hand and dragging me along.

 Chapter 103 - Monke And Battle Royales (14)

    "I''m going to ask you this, since I haven''t seen what you''re capable yet." Oshurkova said as she dragged me through the small, but spacious camp. "Do you know how to fight?"


    "Yes." A simple and curt answer left my lips, fully understanding why she was asking that question. I am not that full of myself to be in disbelief at the fact that this woman here does not know I know how to fight.


    "Good." Oshurkova flashed a brief smile, before her eyes turned icy and sent it towards the forest. "Shit, him again¡­"


    I tilted my head. ''Him again¡­? Does that mean this is a reoccurring event?''


    I shook my head off from those thoughts. Less pondering, more attention to the vampire lady.


    Oshurkova whirled around as she stared into my eyes, a bit of a hesitation going through her psyche, before she sighed and placed her hands around my shoulders.


    "Listen to me, Jionni¡­ I''m going to ask you this since it will decide whether you live or die." Oshurkova asked, a bit of disgust trailing under her words. "Do you agree to join my group?"


    "¡­ Haah¡­ I can see why you''d ask this type of question¡­" I had to fight the urge to lash out at the underhanded tactic this woman was giving me to force me to join her group. I''m pretty sure it goes like this:


    (If you join us, we can protect you; if you don''t, we are under no obligation to do so.)


    Yep, that''s the kind of scenario I could see happening, and since I still don''t know the capabilities of the other Dungeon Masters, I''d rather not risk myself not having protection.


    "Sure, I''ll join." I sighed, not knowing any other option to avoid this kind of scenario. Sure, I might''ve been forced, but I was planning to join them anyway, since there is strength in numbers. Also, I''m sure that having connections in this Dungeon Community will be an incredibly viable asset in the near future.


    "Good to hear that." Oshurkova smiled, this time, relief washing over her as she let go of my shoulders and dragged me once more to her tent. "I''d love to officially welcome you to the group, along with the other Dungeon Masters, but I''m afraid we have more pressing matters to deal with."


    "Yeah, I can kind of see that¡­" I looked at the watch tower with the Dungeon Master who looked a little like Reia, but with an inverted color scheme on her maid''s clothes.


    ''Twins¡­? Maybe¡­''


    "Anyway, there''s an initiation within our group all members have to undergo to be a fully fledged member." Oshurkova stated with finality. "The initiation will give you a unique aura signature, which when sensed, will be closely related to those of our group, so no mistakes could happen during one of these events."


    "¡­ I''m guessing that the ones attacking us are also a part of another group which, I''m also guessing, that you have a feud every decade¡­ Am I right?" Oshurkova sighed the moment I gave out my deductions.


    "Hit it right in the bullseye." She opened the flap leading to her tent and dragged me inside. "They''re named Lewko, a group that has a particular interest in my sister. That''s also the reason why I mostly knock her unconscious during these events so she can return to her Dungeon unharmed."


    Well¡­ I didn''t think of that¡­ What a world¡­


    I stayed silent as Oshurkova rummaged through her belongings in a giant chest located right next to her desk. She looked through its contents for a few seconds, before bringing out some kind of goblet with intricate, golden designs, a bright red skull adorning one of the sides of the goblet.


    She also took out the container containing the syringe full of my blood.


    "Well, if you wanted to know the reason why I extracted your blood, then here it is." Oshurkova took the syringe and dumped its contents into the goblet. Next, she placed the syringe down and grabbed a knife before slicing her wrist open and letting the blood flow down to the goblet. Moments later, her wound healed and the goblet was full of blood mixed between the two of us. "Drink this, and the initiation will be finished."


    I looked at the goblet full of blood, before looking at her face, plastering my most serious expression on my own. "I''d like to ask this first; are there any side effects?"


    "None whatsoever." Oshurkova smiled lightly. "You see, this ritual is designed to bond a being to another being. That way, they are always aware of one another. In this case, you and me will be bonded, and will have my aura signature slightly wafting off yours, which is what I did with all of the other members."


    "As to which, some took it a bit too far¡­" Oshurkova winced, clearly referencing to Reia and Typhial, who treated Oshurkova like a queen. She then shook her head once more and looked at me with expectations in her eyes. "Now, drink this!"


    I took the goblet and peered into its blood-red contents; no pun intended. I look at the vampire lady once more, before steeling my nerves and downing the blood right into my system.


    I opened my eyes wide the moment I tasted the blood.


    ''What the fuck¡­ Did blood always taste this good?'' I looked at Oshurkova, who was simply smiling at me due to my expected reaction.


    "Don''t worry, it''s only the blood in that goblet that tastes good." Oshurkova reassured me that I wouldn''t turn into a blood-drinking gorilla, which I was a bit relieved about, not that I won''t admit it.


    A moment later, I felt a pulse within me. A warm, fuzzy feeling was flowing through my veins as I felt refreshed, like I had taken the best nap in the world.


    "Wow¡­ That felt better than I expected." I mused loudly, causing Oshurkova to snicker.


    "You''re not the only one to think that." She then proceeded to exit the tent, prompting me to place the goblet on the table and follow her out. "Come on, we need to greet our uninvited guests at our temporary home."


    I shrugged then followed the vampire. Clearly, she had a bone to pick with the offender, judging by her ice-cold exterior under cover by all of the robes she had on right now.


    ''¡­ When life gives you lemons, make lemonade¡­''

 Chapter 104 - Monke And Battle Royales (15)

    We both exited the tent and came across a scowling Reia waiting for us outside. She didn''t look at me, nor complemented my looks, even if she did so multiple times the whole time we were going to that Meeting Tent.


    "Lady Oshurkova¡­ Xel''gon is waiting for you at the entrance of the camp-ta." Reia intoned neutrally, her indifferent mask sometimes slipping into a scowl as she reigned in her features.


    "Ugh, of all the times¡­ That man is too stubborn sometimes¡­" Oshurkova facepalmed and hissed as she glared at the direction of the entrance of the camp. "Follow us. This''ll either take a short time to finish, or this will end again with us knocking each other out of the event."


    "I take it this happened before?" I asked, a bit curious about their circumstances as to why this happened before.


    "Oh, plenty¡­ I''m pretty sure this is the¡­ sixth¡­ maybe seventh time we had a skirmish in this particular event." Oshurkova replied, annoyed at the number of times their skirmish had happened in the once-in-a-decade Dungeon Games.


    ''Damn¡­ She''s old¡­'' I looked the vampire woman up and down, her entire figure radiating youth as she strolled angrily towards the entrance of the camp.


    "Lord Jionni, please stop staring at Lady Oshurkova, otherwise, you''ll make her blush-ta." Reia teased slightly, her indifferent face giving way for the all-too-cheerful maid who woke me up earlier.


    "Reia¡­ Now is not the time." Oshurkova wanted to facepalm, she really did, but otherwise refrained from doing so, even if she felt her brain cells slowly disintegrate at the personality of her self-proclaimed maid.


    "My apologies, Lady Oshurkova." Reia bowed, her verbal tic vanishing into thin air and lagged behind us intentionally, giving me and the vampire our space. Looking back, I saw her give me an encouraging grin as she gestured a not-so-christian hand signal to me.


    It involved making a ring with your thumb and index finger, and poking your other index finger through the hole.


    Briefly ignoring the blatant signal, I focused my gaze back on the front, my peripheral vision catching Oshurkova''s somewhat unreadable face.


    ''I can''t tell if she''s mad, or annoyed¡­ It could be a combination of both, though¡­'' I mused within my head as I continued on following the vampire lady.


    A few minutes of walking later, and we finally arrived at the entrance of the camp, with a black-skinned demon waiting at the front of another group of Dungeon Masters wielding a bunch of weaponry.


    It took me all I had to not rush towards the smiling demon and quickly kill him with everything I had.


    ''No, don''t let your emotions control you¡­ Last time that happened, it cost me potential Dungeon Residents¡­'' I took a deep breath in and exhaled through my mouth. Oshurkova noticed my behavior, but ignored it in favor of the black-skinned demon right in front of us.


    "Aha! There''s my love!" The demon declared, his flamboyant demeanor already irritating me and reminding me of the outgoing demon who had betrayed me...


    ''Deep breaths¡­ Think of Domino¡­ Think of the primates¡­'' I breathed in deep once more, before exhaling the air through my mouth,


    "Yes, your love, not my love, so kindly fuck off and leave me alone." Oshurkova spat, to which the demon laughed merrily and strolled forward a few meters before bowing.


    "Ah, ah, ah¡­ Now that would be just rude of me to do so." The flamboyant demon bowed and gave the vampire a grin, causing her to fume with metaphorical steam coming out of her ears. "As the male trying to court you, it is my right to do all I can to woo you and receive your feelings."


    "And it is my right to also ignore you and dump you in a garbage bin somewhere in the world where you can''t reach me." Oshurkova didn''t give a fuck about burning the flamboyant demon, who seemed to not have been affected by the verbal abuse the vampire was dishing out every few seconds or so. "And as I have requested earlier, please fuck off and leave me alone. You''ve been at this shit for more than five decades. Don''t tell me you don''t get bored trying to court a woman who clearly has no interest in you?"


    "As a matter of fact, I don''t get bored trying to court you." The demon twirled in place, waving his arm around like a magician as he beheld the eyes of every single Dungeon Master present to witness him. "For what is a challenge to a man who won''t stop at reaching for what he desires?"


    "A creep, a pervert, a stalker¡­ I could list down many other labels, but I''d rather you leave here with your dignity intact." Oshurkova deadpanned, causing the Dungeon Masters in our group to howl in laughter. Even the mushroom dude, whose name I was pretty sure was Shrum, chuckled at the deadpanned response of their leader.


    "Oh, how you wound me, my fair lady." The demon twirled in place once more, his arms making exaggerated gestures to showcase his ''Frustration'' at the fact that the person he likes does not reciprocate his feelings.


    ''¡­ Okay, when I thought of a threat, I didn''t expect this¡­'' My rage slowly simmered down into an icy tundra as I glared at the black-skinned demon.


    "And who is this supposed to be? Your new member?" The demon asked, a malicious glint forming in his eyes.


    "Yes, his name is Jionni. Xel''gon, Jionni. Jionni, Xel''gon." Oshurkova gave us a brief introduction, before glaring at the demon and opening her mouth once more. "Now please leave us the fuck alone, and be on your merry way to bother someone else."


    "I shall not leave, for I haven''t received your love yet!" The demon then approached us once more, before being stopped by Arekhus with a giant axe.


    "Sawrry, mate, but as amusin'' it is ta see this display, you''ah a threat ta us, ''n I''d rathah not av ta spill some blood right now." Arekhus voice was now several decibels lower, giving him a proper, terrifying visage, as a minotaur should.


    "Now, don''t be like that, Arek. We''ve been friends for the past decades. The least you could do is help a bro out." Xel''gon pouted, but Arekhus didn''t budge, even going so far as to position his axe into a swinging position.


    "Last wahrning, mate."


    "Alright, alright. As much as I love the fair lady over there, I''d like to have my body still intact for when the day my love will awaken her love towards me comes."


    "Never in a fucking eon." Oshurkova gave Xel''gon the middle finger as the demon Dungeon Master began to leave, along with his posse of armed Dungeon Masters. A few minutes later, the demon was nowhere to be seen, and the alarm was finally over.


    That was, until an explosion racked the side of our camp.


    "What the fuck was that!? Leia! Report!" Oshurkova screamed as she glared at the person who was currently in charge of keeping watch.


    "We''re being attacked by a different group! It''s the Lewko group this time!" Oshurkova howled as she quickly donned her gear.


    "Understood." I nodded and followed Arekhus, who was already on his way towards the action, huge battleax in hand.


    And with that, the rest of us began to defend the under-siege camp.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Something''s wrong¡­ He could feel it¡­ The balance was slowly crumbling, his sights set on the various beings feasting on divine goods.


    His feet and hands, bound by ethereal chains as his body floated around the abyss, his eyes shifting every time a new change of scenery appeared in his vision.


    Until his eyes went back to a certain Dungeon Master who was rushing towards his current enemies with the help of his newly found allies.


    ''Soon¡­ I will be free, and all it takes, is a single piece to fall, before it all comes crashing down¡­''


    The being thought, his imagination giving him free reign as to what to do to the other pathetic Gods who neglected the world below them, seeking materials and possessions only for their own entertainment.


    The being couldn''t be helped but to be enraged at the state of the Divines that currently resided in the Divine Realm. Yanking on its chains, he felt his arm move a little, only for the chains to put it back to where it was restrained.


    "Ugh¡­ The least they could do was allow me to scratch my back¡­" The being cursed, the itch in his back worsening by the minute. ''How the fuck am I even able to feel being itchy, when I don''t even have a physical body¡­?


    Yanking on the chain once more, he was finally able to extend the chain a bit longer and quickly scratched the itch on his back, before the chains realigned themselves, causing the being''s hand to once again remain repositioned back to where it once belonged.


    ''¡­ Please come here sooner¡­ I don''t think I can take much more of this humilitation¡­''


    The being focused its gaze once more on the Dungeon Master, who was bashing his staff against another Dungeon Master, causing it to slump down on the ground unconscious, as well as kicking him out of the event.

 Chapter 105 - Monke And Battle Royales (16)

    "That''s one down¡­" I said aloud as I quickly retracted my Monke Staff after I knocked a goblin Dungeon Master unconscious with a quick smack to the face. "Dozens more to go¡­"


    I winced as I saw some of the Dungeon Masters battling it out, most of the cannon fodder already kicked out of the event within seconds of the clash. Most of the disqualified Dungeon Masters were low-level species, such as goblins, kobolds, some orcs, and trolls.


    From an average human standpoint, those species sound terrifying, but for my current allies?


    "Ha! I''ve been bawred fawr quite a wile. It''s been ages since I ''ad a good scrap!" Arekhus bellowed as he swung the backside of his axe towards a poor orc, causing the orc to be sent flying and promptly turned into particles of light, before vanishing, disqualified from the event, as well as sporting a good few broken bones and bruises, which should be fixed up by the medical team, if the Gods are to be believed.


    I dodged an incoming attack from a panicking arachne with a quick sidestep, and brought my Monke Staff to bash her head, causing her to fall tumbling to the ground and causing her to turn into particles of light as she was quickly whisked away from the battlefield and into the medical field.


    ''Ugh¡­ I really want some EXP from these guys¡­ Too bad we aren''t allowed to kill¡­'' I thought darkly as I blocked an incoming sword slash with my Monke Staff, before pushing it upwards and grabbing the offender with my free hand.


    The troll''s eyes went wide, before I promptly, and forcefully bashed his head on the ground, causing it to lose a few teeth and turn into particles of light, a clear indication that it lost consciousness the moment it hit the ground.


    ''Plus¡­ I could assimilate their Dungeons with mine, causing my own to be stronger than before¡­'' My rational and logical side of my brains came up with another brilliant idea, one that my moral side heavily disagreed with.


    ''¡­ I''ve wasted too much by being taken over by my emotions and morals.'' My mind recalled one of my regrets in the form of Lennon and Kayla dying right outside my Dungeon due to me being an asshole to the wrong people. ''Never again.''


    ''Sadly, killing these Dungeon Masters will be put on hold, since I wouldn''t want the group I''m with to suddenly turn their backs from me.'' I dodged another attack, this time from a magical projectile made of water, while I thought a bit disappointed. ''Oh well, at least this way, I can create some connections with clearly stronger Dungeon Masters than me.


    ''Like that giant over there¡­'' I smacked the end of my Monke Staff against the aggressor who threw a ball of water at me by extending the length of my staff and having the sudden extension hit the caster, who was an elf (to my surprise) square in the face. It seemed that the elf didn''t expect my Monke Staff to extend and bonk him on the face with the force of a ball batted by a professional batter.


    The elf soon turned into particles of light and promptly vanished from my sight, which made me look at the giant causing havoc within the enemy lines.


    "FI FI FO FUM! MY HAIRY LEGS WILL STOMP YOU ALL!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Tanjin, who grew at an enormous rate once in the heat of battle, raged across the battlefield with only his body as his weapon, particularly, his giant, hairy legs.


    Good thing he had baggy trousers on¡­ I wouldn''t want to see a giant nutsack hanging from a giant dude¡­


    Taking my gaze off the giant, I then spotted Oshurkova within walking distance making a brief, but tense conversation with another Dungeon Master, who was also female.


    Punching a Dungeon Master in the face with my [Gorilla Go Smash!] skill active, since it was a troll this time, I creeped in closer, all the while making sure that no attack snuck up on me within this chaotic battlefield, to eavesdrop.


    "So¡­ Lupu¡­ How many times does it make now?" Oshurkova asked, a bit annoyed, but mostly, enraged at the sight of the female Dungeon Master, who happened to be a Wolf Beastman, if her furry ears and tail were any indication.


    "Meh, lost count after the eleventh¡­ Damn, we''re old." The werewolf (I''m calling her a werewolf for now) shrugged while placing a hand on the hilt of her sword.


    "And why won''t you stop?" Oshurkova asked, her eyes closed and nose scrunched as she readied herself for a fight, her arms making sure that the robes she had on were fastened tightly to make sure that not one ray of sunlight made contact with even a centimeter of her skin.


    "It''s good training for those under me." Suddenly, her demeanor changed from bored to serious, her eyes giving off a dangerous glint. "Plus, your sister has been messing with some of my subordinates, causing some of them to lose their lives in the process. I''m here to collect your dues."


    "¡­ Goddamn it, Odette¡­" Oshurkova cursed under her breath, her whispers carried by the wind and into my ears. "I take it you wouldn''t settle for any other than my disqualification, or the blood of some of my members?"


    "Pretty much, yes." The werewolf then went back to her usual bored demeanor. "The last time I raided your camp, it was just for training. Now, it''s personal."


    Oshurkova bit her lip, a bit of blood trickling down from under her dark hood. In the meantime, I blocked another Dungeon Master''s attack and used a quick flame punch (derived from my Flame God Mode, only partially active) to the gut and smacking him on the head with my Monke Staff, causing the Dungeon Master, who was a human to crumple to the ground and turn into particles of light.


    ''Welp¡­ It''s a good thing Oshurkova told me not to kill during the attack. Otherwise, I might''ve made it a bit harder for her.'' I gave my condolences to the vampire, who was suffering the consequences of her sister''s actions.


    "¡­ Hah, fine¡­ I''ll disqualify myself, just leave my members out of it." Oshurkova sighed, defeated. I had to do a double-take at the sudden submissive tone of the vampire.


    "Sure. Just make sure this doesn''t happen again, otherwise, I''ll come back, and I won''t be as merciful as before." The werewolf once again changed her demeanor into serious mode, before settling back into bored mode the next moment.


    "Hey, wait for a second." I, however, had to make a very huge gamble. "How about a deal before you let my leader disqualify herself?"


    "Hmm¡­? Who are you?" The werewolf looked at me a little surprised, but nonetheless, bored as usual.


    "Jionni? What the fuck are you doing?" Oshurkova behind me hissed with a whisper, her enraged face giving me chills.


    "Just trust me with this." I reassured Oshurkova, who, for all intents and purposes, looked as if she wanted to strangle me and hang me from a noose. However, she remained silent, her gaze settling on mine as she nodded the go-ahead.


    "Greetings, fellow Dungeon Master. My name is Jionni, a new member of my leader''s group, Hemoglobin, and I wish to make a deal." I bowed towards the werewolf, garnering her attention, as well as stopping the nearby fighting, with Arekhus looking at me funny while Tanjin was grinning madly. "In exchange for my leader''s disqualification, I ask for a match. You and me. I win, you let my leader off the hook. You win, you get to have me as your subordinate, or whatever you call them."


    I had to stop shaking from the enraged glare bearing down on my back from behind. I was sure that Oshurkova was not happy with my decision, but she kept quiet, since she didn''t want to interrupt my deal-making with the werewolf in front of me.


    "¡­ And why would I accept that? As far as I can see, you hold no value. You''re a nobody, a starting Dungeon Master with delusions who thinks he is stronger than a century-old Dungeon Master." She said mockingly, her bored expression slowly shifting to that of a mix of pity, disappointment, and contempt.


    "Care to make a bet?" I made my exterior as natural as possible, making sure that I reeked of self-confidence that no other Dungeon Master could exude when talking to a being higher than them. This gave the werewolf pause, and she decided to humor me a bit.


    "¡­ Very well¡­ I don''t sense any arrogance within you. What are the rules?" She asked, a bit interested in me as her initial contempt faded away.


    ''Heh, a confident exterior will always fool people into believing that you have something to back it up.'' I had the urge to thank some of the teachers I met personally back in my old life. They were wrecks in their personal life, but the business side, they prospered. ''It all comes down to appearances. Show them your confidence, then they''ll believe you, somewhat. Show them your weaknesses, however, and watch as you find yourself crashing down to the ground.''


    "I choose how we fight, and we do it now. That''s all." I named my terms, causing everybody here to raise their eyebrows up in confusion.


    "¡­ You''re an interesting one." The werewolf blinked, before nodding. "Alright, deal. So, what do we do now?"


    "Well, I''m glad you asked." I smiled, a bit glad that my ploy worked. This was a huge gamble, and it fucking worked.


    I phased my hand through space, causing no small amount of shock from the weaker Dungeon Masters, and raised eyebrows from the other higher-ranked Dungeon Masters.


    ''Might as well show them a reason why I''m valuable..'' I grinned, and took out a table, with a board game right on top of it. "Ever heard of the game chess?"

 Chapter 106 - Monke And Battle Royales (17 - Chess Edition)

    "¡­ This is the fight you''re giving me? A board game?" The werewolf asked in a deadpan, her disappointment levels rising through the roof. "And here I thought you were a purebred warrior."


    "I do love breaking expectations." I said with a wink, my grin never leaving my face as I put on the best impression of a confident, mischievous person/gorilla. "Besides, you already accepted. Would you turn your back on the promise you made?"


    "Well, aren''t you a schemer." The werewolf sighed, her lips arching up ever so slightly. "Alright, fine. So, how do we play?"


    "Simple. Take a seat and I''ll give you the rundown of how the game goes." I took a seat on the side where my fellow allied Dungeon Masters gathered after noticing the temporary ceasefire between the two groups. It looks like some of them were disqualified, and judging by the lack of blood staining the ground, I would assume that there were no deaths on the either allied and enemy side either.


    I can''t rule out internal injuries, but I''ll just assume that they were healed during their short time in the medical bay¡­ Wherever it was.


    The female werewolf took a seat right in front of me. Now that I saw her up close, and wasn''t blinded by the sheer anxiousness I was having currently, I could see that she was quite a looker.


    She had tanned skin, brown, messy short hair, and two wolf-like ears atop of her head. She had heterochromatic eyes; her left was a pale silver, and her right a chocolate brown. She also wore something akin to a belly dancer''s attire back in Egypt, with a gold-themed pattern. She even had the veil, something I noticed earlier, covering her mouth and her neck from view.


    "Before I go about the rules first, how about we introduce ourselves first. Once again, my name is Jionni, a recent addition to the Hemoglobin group." I said with a bow. "May I have the honor of hearing my lady''s name?"


    "Quite the charmer too." The werewolf noted, but otherwise, was unperturbed and unmoved. "Greetings, Dungeon Master Jionni. My name is Salama, the leader of the Lewko group."


    "Greetings, Lady Salama." I smiled politely. "Anyway, as for the rules, there are a bunch of them, but otherwise, simple and easy to learn."


    "First, the winning condition of the game." I said as the board was quickly set up in a matter of seconds by my deft hands. "Each of us has a king which we must protect. In order for a player to win, he must make sure the king piece has nowhere else to move while being under the condition called check."


    Salama looked at the board and grabbed a white king, inspecting it for any kind of suspicious magic. Once she observed enough, she put it back down on the board.


    "How does this ''King'' piece move? I assume that they are the strongest unit in the game based on their name and position." Salama tapped the white king piece with her finger. At that, I chuckled a bit and grabbed the black king piece from my side of the board.


    "On the contrary, though, the king is the weakest piece in the entire board." I said, placing the black king piece back on the board in its initial spot.


    "Oho? And why is that?" Salama asked, intrigued that such a piece with a fitting name was the weakest of all pieces. All around, the other Dungeon Masters who were watching the exchange nodded, some even scratching their either bald or hairy heads.


    "It''s because of how the king piece acts. Under no circumstances can the king be placed in danger when it moves, so they can''t act as a viable fighting force when you sacrifice pieces for your offense or defense." I stated, causing the rest of the Dungeon Masters to ooh and aah at the rather realistic statement.


    I mean, let''s be real for a moment. Most kings stay behind while they watch their soldiers march forward. Those who led the charge themselves could be said to have nothing to lose, or were too stupid to see that in war, he was just a normal person with an army against another army, while he was at the front, a prime target for his enemies.


    "Next, let''s go over the units, or pieces, as they are called in the game." I picked up a well-placed pawn on the board.  "These pieces are called pawns. Each of us has eight pieces lining the front, as you can see on the board."


    "They can only move forward one space at a time. Although, it could use three special moves during certain situations." I placed the pawn back on the board, Salama''s eyes focused on the pawn. "The first time a pawn is moved, they can either move one or two spaces ahead."


    I demonstrated moving the pawn forwards two spaces, or one space. "Do note that once the pawn has moved once, they can only move one space at a time on future turns."


    I placed the pawn back on its initial spot and looked up to see Salama looking at the board with increasing interest.


    "So, this piece is the cannon fodder of the game?" Salama asked with a genuinely curious expression, a far cry from her indifference earlier.


    "You could say that, but they are also a game changer. I''ll be tackling that later after I discuss all the other pieces." I said as I took some pawns from each of our sides and placed them strategically at the center of the board. "Now, as for how pieces attack the enemy, or in this game, capture, the pawn is a special case."


    I used the pawn to diagonally take a black pawn. "The pawn can only take an opposing piece if they are diagonally in front of them. If there is a piece in front of them, however," I place the pawns back, only this time I place a black pawn in front of the white pawn. "The pawn cannot move, and will be stuck on that tile until it can take an opponent''s piece, or if the obstruction is gone."


    I returned the pawns to their original positions and cast a glance at the werewolf, whose interest grew stronger by the second.


    "The next special move of the pawn is called the ''En passant.''" I once again set up the positions of the pawns without much hassle. "Now, this is a special rule that can only be used during special circumstances. It could only be done if, and only if, the opponent''s pawn moved ahead two spaces and landed adjacently to the already positioned pawn."


    I demonstrated a pawn capturing another pawn that was adjacent to its position, due to it moving ahead two spaces on its first move.


    "As for the third special move of the pawn, I''ll discuss it later after we go through all of the other pieces." I placed the pawns back in their initial spots. I felt the gazes of dozens of Dungeon Masters on me once again after I had placed the pawns back on the board properly. Hell, even Oshurkova was interested in this board game, if her shining, blood-red eyes were any indication.


    Next, I picked up the rook piece, holding it up high for everybody to see. "This here, is called a Rook. As for how it moves and captures, it can only move horizontally, and vertically without limit, as long as it''s on the board. That''s it."


    I demonstrated how the rook moved by showing them a few moves, as well as capturing pieces. Once that was done, I placed it back on the board, with Salama looking at the board intensely.


    ''I think she''s captivated by the board game.'' I had to resist the urge to chuckle. ''Had no one invented this game here before? Even the reincarnees?''


    I put a stop to that thought and went back to introduce them to another chess piece. "This is known as the Bishop, and yes, I''m referring to religious bishops." I sighed once I saw some of the Dungeon Masters, who were either human or demi-human, their faces darkening at the word.


    "This moves like a Rook, but instead of vertically and horizontally, it can only move and capture diagonally." I made some demonstrations and promptly placed them back on the board properly.


    Next, I picked up a piece resembling a horse. "Now, this right here, is probably one of the most infuriating pieces in the entire game." I held it out, causing all of the Dungeon Masters to look at the horse piece. "This is called the Knight, and unlike the other pieces who could move straight, either diagonally, horizontally, or vertically, this piece travels in a very unorthodox manner."


    "Unlike most pieces, the Knight can hop over pieces, meaning that its movement is not restricted when it comes to pieces body-blocking their route." I demonstrated a knight hopping over a pawn to their destination. "Now, as for how they move, they move in an L-fashion, with three steps forward, and one step to the side."


    I showed them all of it''s eight possible moves when nothing was blocking it, and when some were also blocking it. I placed the knight back on the board, and picked up the piece right next to the king piece.


    "Now, for every king, there must also be a queen, and in this game, the queen is the most powerful piece, making it able to do what a rook and bishop can combined, meaning that a queen can move vertically, horizontally, and diagonally if the need arises." I demonstrated once again the moves of the queen, how it captured pieces, and promptly placed it back on its original spot. "The next is the King piece, and as I said earlier, is the weakest piece in the game. It can move one space in any direction that isn''t in the line of fire of one of the opponents'' pieces."


    I grabbed a King and placed a pawn right next to it. "So, let''s say there''s a pawn here. A King can capture it no problem, but if you put a supporting piece, such as another pawn," I placed a pawn diagonally behind the forward pawn, "the King piece cannot capture it, otherwise it would be an illegal move and the game would end."


    I placed the King back on the center of the board, and had a pawn move into capturing range. "And in this example, I show you that a pawn is attacking the King, or in this game, placing the King under check. Now, if there aren''t any supporting pieces, the King can retaliate," I let the King capture the pawn, "and capture the offending piece, but if it has one," I undid the move and had the pawn place the King under check with a rook behind it, "then the King has no other choice but to move away, unless there is another move which can disrupt the line of fire from an opposing piece."


    I had a rook check the king from a few spaces away, and had a bishop block it. "Sadly, this does not work for the Knight, since it can hop over pieces."


    "Now, as for that pawn''s third special move?" I made a pawn do a beeline from one side to the other side. "When a pawn reaches the last line of the board, it has the ability to promote into any other piece. Meaning, yes, you can have multiple queens on the board, making the life of your opponent a living nightmare."


    I couldn''t help but make a joke about that last sentence¡­ Ah, good times against scrubs¡­


    "Anyway, that sums up about the rules of the game we''re playing. As for how we play, we each take turns after every move, with the white piece starting first." I finished, and Salama was looking at me with a very intense expression on her face. "¡­ Uhh¡­ Do you have any question?"


    "¡­ Yes, do you have another one of these?" Salama asked seriously, her eyes bordering on insanity as she looked at me with.


    "Y-yes¡­ Of course, I''ll gladly give you one after the match." I said with a sweatdrop¡­ Just by introducing the game, I seemed to have turned someone into a chess fanatic... Damn, I guess her boredom was catching up¡­ In fact, I think her bored face was literally her being bored¡­ "Anyway, shall we play the game now?"


    "¡­ Yes, remember the deal we made."


    "Yes, you win, you get me, I win, you let my leader off." I said once more, our terms were set. "I''ll let you be white and have the first move."


    Once we both nodded and shook our hands, the match was on, with Salama opening with a pawn move forward to e4. I made my pawn move to e5, in response.


    Next, she moved her knight to c3, and I moved my queen to h4. She then moved her other pawn to d3, and I quickly moved my bishop to c5. It was at this moment that Salama observed the board for a few seconds longer than usual, before settling on moving her other horse to f3 to pressure my queen.


    And then I quickly captured the pawn on f2, at the same time causing a checkmate.


    "¡­ You planned this, didn''t you¡­?" Salama said, once she realized that she had been caught in a checkmate.


    "It was a 50-50 gamble, honestly¡­" I replied, scratching the back of my head sheepishly.


    "¡­ Haaah¡­ A deal''s a deal." She stood up and gave me her hand. We once again shook on it, before she grabbed the chess board on the table. "And I''ll be taking this, as compensation for humiliating me in front of my subordinates."


    She then looked at Oshurkova, her eyes momentarily shifting into serious mode once more, before she sighed.


    "You better not let that happen again. Keep a proper leash on your sister, otherwise, if this happens again, I won''t be as merciful, got it?"


    "Crystal." And with that, the Lewko group left, not before Salama sent me a tiny smile as she mouthed the words ''rematch'' towards me. I nodded, and then they were gone.


    I then felt a hand grasping my shoulder, and I turned to look at Oshurkova, who looked like a mix of thankful and livid.


    "So, care to explain why you did what you did?"


    ''Welp¡­ When life gives you lemons¡­ Make motherfucking lemonade with it¡­''

 Chapter 107 - Monke And Battle Royales (18)

    Both Oshurkova and I went back into the Meeting Tent, along with the other Dungeon Masters who weren''t disqualified during the deathless skirmish. All in all, we only lost about four Dungeon Masters, which was a low number when we were suddenly besieged by a force greater than ours.


    ''It seems that this group isn''t any run of the mill group after all, and judging by the conversation Oshurkova had with Salama, they were at least a century-year old¡­'' I took a seat where I sat earlier before all this fiasco happened. This time, however, there were three more vacant seats, and both Reia and her sister were out guarding the premises.


    I still have no name to put on the other maid, Dungeon Master, but I can learn her name later. Right now, I am in deep shit, and if Oshurkova''s face was any indication, there''s a chance I might be castrated, then healed afterwards, just to give me a reminder not to do any surprising thing ever again.


    "First of all¡­ I would like to thank our new member, Jionni, for giving me another chance to lead you into the Dungeon Games event." Oshurkova started out with a heartfelt thanks to me, which was reciprocated by the other Dungeon Masters as well. "However, I would also like to reprimand him for spurring his plan from the get go. Let''s just be thankful that Salama was that kind of person, otherwise, we wouldn''t be here."


    This caused the Dungeon Masters, and I, myself, to go silent about the mention that I had provoked a Dungeon Master who was maybe on-par or higher than our leader.


    "Heh, this kid''s got guts, I''ll tell you that." The old mushroom, Shrum, laughed cheerfully as his lips twisted into a smile.


    "Indeed, if it wasn''t for his courage, bravery, and guile, Queen Oshurkova would have been forced to retire from the Dungeon Events." Typhial piped up from her seat, her wings fluttering about as she bowed her head towards mine. On the side, I could see Oshurkova groan at the mention of her being called Queen, but evidently shrug it off like there was nothing she could do.


    "Bloody oath! Jionni''s got balls of steel, I''ll tell him that!" Arekhus couldn''t help but bellow out happily as he slammed his right hand on the table, along with Tanjin, who was also roaring joyously.


    "Aye! You found yerself a keeper ''ere, Lady Oshurkova." Tanjin laughed merrily along with Arekhus.


    "I-I-Indeed¡­ Such a-a-a valiant display o-o-of w-w-wit and deception¡­"  Pilips said with the usual stutter.


    Holy shit, either he has bad stage fright, or he''s really not good with words¡­ I''m leaning on the latter, since no one is paying attention to him.


    "He may look like a brute, but I guess he''s brain is bigger than the usual brute." The catwoman, whose name I still haven''t heard of yet, spoke out loud with a snicker. I was torn whether to categorize that as either an insult, or praise.


    "The jerk Catalina, praising someone? Has the world gone mad!?" Typhial screamed out in horror. Pure, genuine horror graced her face as she looked at the catwoman, who was on the verge of jumping from her seat and launching herself towards the harpy with malicious intent.


    "Oi! You coward crow. I think that you need a reminder of who runs the show, eh?" Catalina hissed, her claws showing slightly from the tips of her fingernails. As a response, Typhial went back to her usual noble demeanor.


    "Oh, so the jerk is still a jerk after all¡­ I was worried for nothing¡­" Typhial sighed out, her horror-stricken face now gone to where the sun doesn''t shine.


    "¡­ Okay, that''s it¡­!" As Catalina was about to pounce on the harpy, Oshurkova slammed the desk with her monstrous strength.


    "All right, enough with the banter." Suddenly, the entire Meeting Tent went silent the moment Oshurkova''s voice came out. "You can praise him later, but for now, I would like to issue a warning to our new member."


    I tensed, now ready for whatever warning would be heading my way.


    "It''s just a simple warning, nothing really major. Just tell us if you have a plan or something, don''t just suddenly go ''I have a plan, time to make something happen'' when you have your allies with you." Oshurkova said sternly, causing me to sheepishly rub the back of my head.


    "Noted." I nodded, and placed my hands back on the table.


    "Right, with that out of the way, let''s return to our agendas for the day." Oshurkova looked around the meeting table and sighed. "And since some of us have been disqualified, we''ll have to allocate certain jobs to the others."


    She then looked at me, an innocent smile plastered on her face as she stood up. I stiffened, recognizing that type of smile anywhere, be it in real life, or in anime or manga.


    "And since Jionni here is still a, as Tanjin calls him, greenhorn, we can freely allocate the jobs of the missing Dungeon Masters to him, to avoid increasing the workload of other Dungeon Masters." At that, I relaxed slightly.


    ''Okay, that''s fair.'' I nodded and Oshurkova sat back down, her smile still not leaving her face.


    "You can count on me." I replied with a nod. "Everybody''s got to earn their keep, and starting members are the most anticipated of the bunch to do so."


    "Heh, right ya ahah on that one, mate." Arekhus snorted, a few chuckles leaving his mouth as his chest heaved up and down.


    "Which then leads me to the jobs Jionni will have to undertake." Oshurkova pulled out a piece of paper, then began to read its contents. "Let''s see here. He will have the job called the "Runner", alongside Typhial, and the "Watch", right after Keia''s shift."


    "Oh, you''re with me then?" Typhial asked gracefully, her actions warranting another groan from Oshurkova.


    "It seems that I am."


    "Then, I hope the both of us get along, partner." I had the urge to smile, and didn''t resist it.


    "Likewise."


    Both of us shared pleasantries with each other once more, before we focused back on the vampire lady.


    "As for your other job, you will be standing watch inside the watchtower looking out for any type of threat in our immediate vicinity." Oshurkova said, her fingers tapping on the wooden table. "I will explain the specifics during your shift, but otherwise, this meeting is dismissed and the rest of you all can go back to your specific jobs."


    Everybody nodded, including me, and I watched all of them head out of the tent to do their tasks for the day. I was about to as well, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me from doing so.


    "Jionni." Oshurkova whispered, her sultry voice back in full effect. "Thanks, for saving me from forfeiting. It really means a lot to me."


    "¡­ You''re welcome." I replied curtly, my head bobbing down as she let go of my shoulder. She smiled once more, her seductive looks vanishing, and replacing them was a very thankful one.


    "Anyway, your first job is called a Runner." Oshurkova stated. "It''s simple really. All you have to do is look where some supply packages drop, and haul them back here. The problem is that there will be competition, and most times, it will lead to a fight."


    "I will not lie. There will be deaths¡­" Oshurkova sighed, remembering her days as a mediocre Dungeon Master. "Though, most of those would be independent Dungeon Masters. Just make sure that you do not kill a Dungeon Master who is affiliated with a group. They are easily discernible by their aura. You will know why."


    She patted my back and ushered me out of the tent. "Now, go meet up with Typhial, tell her that you''ll be running with her today. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have some other important duties to get back to¡­"


    She said that last bit tiredly as she looked at the light seeping out from the outside. "Damned sunlight and vampire heritage¡­"


    Oshurkova walked out of the tent, not before securing her outfit, however. I watched her walk out of the tent and into the light, the sun''s rays not bothering her due to her very thick clothing that covered 100% of her skin.


    As I stood there alone, a figure appeared beside me with a grin, her skimpy maid outfit clinging to her tighter due to the sweat she secreted during the skirmish.


    "My plan to hook Oshurkova with a potential mate is a success-ta!" I had to suppress the urge to facepalm at the matchmaker.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I''m here to bring you to Typhial-ta!" Reia gave me a thumbs up as she waited for me by the exit. "Come on-ta! You can''t keep her waiting-ta!"


    I sighed, and followed the skimpy maid out of the tent, and into the sun. The sunlight blinded me for a moment, before my eyes got used to the light and I saw the result of the skirmish earlier. Not that I didn''t know, only that I was too busy wallowing in my own thoughts that I wasn''t able to get a good look at my surroundings.


    Destroyed tents, some charred ground, some wet ground, some sinkholes, and other obstructions.


    "Follow me-ta! Typhial should be waiting at the east entrance-ta." I followed the skimpy maid and thought about my current circumstances to date.


    ''¡­ When all this is over, I''m taking a break¡­''

 Chapter 108 - Monke And Battle Royales (19)

    Moving through the now less-populated camp, we finally arrived at the East entrance where Typhial was waiting with her wings flapping up and down as she waited with a pout on her face. When she saw us coming, her face lit up as she restrained herself from soaring towards us. Instead, she approached us with formal steps, her wings flapping every so often.


    "Finally, you arrive." Her face was stern as she glared at me, her soft features hardening as she turned around. "Follow me, I''ll show you the ropes."


    "I''ll be leaving then-ta!" Reia saluted cheerfully before she turned around as well before bolting off towards the tent of Oshurkova. "Lady Oshurkova''s duties may require some help-ta!"


    And with that, the skimpy maid turned a corner and vanished from our vision. Looking back to the front, I noticed Typhial was shivering slightly.


    "Uh¡­ Typhial, are you okay?" When she didn''t give me a response, I approached her warily as her shivers became more pronounced. It didn''t take too long for the shivering to transform into shaking. It was then I felt an aura that gave me chills deep in my spine. I froze up and couldn''t help but stare at the harpy in horror.


    "That damned maid thinks she can take the time of my precious Lady¡­" Typhial''s dark whispers of rip and tearing entered my ears as she wished death and torture upon the skimpy maid.


    ''Holy shit¡­ I just stumbled upon a real-life yandere!'' I had to force myself not to blurt that out lest the very-obvious yandere turn her wrath upon me. I''m not saying that I cannot defeat her, but I''m sure that she''s way more experienced than I am that she could probably beat my ass and hang it out like a rag after said beating.


    It took a few moments for the enraged harpy to calm down and steady herself. She then turned around and addressed me with the sweetest smile I could have ever seen in my entire life.


    "Sorry for that. Shall we continue?" Feeling my very life threatened by the smile she was giving me, I quickly nodded and off the both of us set towards the forest.


    []


    []


    []


    We walked into the forest in complete silence. Typhial had already cooled down into a friendly standard as she led me through the forest she had already scouted the day before.


    "Look, sorry you had to see that side of me earlier." She broke the silence as she stopped in place, her body turning to face me. "I normally have that under wraps, but that side of me is already an open secret among our group, so they, more specifically Reia, try to coax it out of me whenever they can."


    "It''s fine." I shook my head as she gave me a smile, not that kind of sickeningly sweet smile earlier. No, a genuine smile, although it quickly became sickeningly sweet again as her pupils turned into pinpricks, her facial features forming those of an unhinged, female young adult.


    "Although if you try and lay a hand on Lady Oshurkova¡­ I don''t know what I''d do¡­" She said this in the most sing-song tone possible, which honestly, sent more chills down my bones and my spine.


    "Crystal clear." I gave her an okay sign with my fingers and she dropped the topic. Her previously pinprick pupils enlarged once more as she took on a normal, female young adult look.


    "Great!" She clapped her hands as she gave me another genuine smile. Turning around once more, the both of us continued with our search for any drops around the forest. If I''m not mistaken, we''ve already been walking for about an hour, so we''re pretty much a distance away from our own camp.


    "I''ll fly up and look for any beacons. Stay here, and don''t move." A good 30 minutes into our walk after the hour spent on walking away from the camp, Typhial suddenly spoke aloud as she regarded me with her stern gaze. I nodded and she took off, her wings generating wind enough to make my fur, and the leaves hanging on the trees to rustle harshly.


    I looked up, trying to see her figure through the tree line, but wasn''t able to tell how thick the foliage was. Refraining from continuing a lost cause, I climbed a tree and rested myself on the tree branch to hide myself in case another Dungeon Master not affiliated with our group decides to move through here.


    It was about a few minutes later that I heard a rustle from the tree line above. A few seconds later, I saw Typhial flying downwards as she slowed her descent into a crawl and landed safely, her feet touching the ground as she skidded about a few meters.


    I dropped down from my perch and landed a few meters next to her. She tensed and readied her weapons, a short sword she had sheathed on her waist now sitting comfortably in her grip. Once she got a good look at the offender, she sighed and sheathed the sword back in its sheath.


    "Sorry." I had the decency to apologize for surprising the battle-hardened harpy, which I was sure was a bad decision on my part.


    "Don''t surprise me like that next time. If I didn''t get a good look at you, I could''ve injured you right here and now." She sighed as she shook her head. "Anyway, disregarding this blunder, I''ve found a drop. It isn''t too far from here, probably a 20-minute jog."


    "I can run, and not be out of breath when we arrive." I supplied, my hands tapping both of my meaty legs as I stretched them both out.


    "Good. I''ll run with you until we can get into a clearing I found in our direction. From there, I''ll fly and scout the area around the drop and wait for you. Sounds good to you?"


    "Pretty much." I nodded and braced myself for an upcoming jog.


    "Alright, let''s go." Both I and Typhial jogged in the direction where she found the supply drop. It wasn''t long until we found the clearing she was talking about, and she took off, using the jog as a boost for her takeoff. Looking at the direction of her flight, I grinned once I saw what was lying in wait.


    ''Well, giant trees? Don''t mind if I do.''

 Chapter 109 - Monke And Battle Royales (20)

    Flinging myself through the scores of giant trees and branches, I felt a grin creep up on my face as I felt the air rush past me in this never-ending game of jumping, running, and weaving through the inanimate forms of flora all around me.


    "Ahahaha!" I felt myself laughing at the absurdity of me feeling the burn and adrenaline pumping through my veins. "This feels so fucking great!"


    I grabbed another branch and swung into a vine that was conveniently hanging a few meters away. Letting go from the vine, I found myself flying through the air once more and into another thick branch which I was sure could support my weight.


    Landing on the branch, with my hand-like feet grasping it, I felt myself stop, my body tilting forward, but the grip force of my feet prevented me from tipping over. Pushing myself back straight up, I looked down at the ground and saw the supply drop sitting pretty, its lid still sealing its contents from any would-be scavengers.


    I felt my previous high die down and, moments later, reduced to nothing but a seed, planted inside my body, ready to grow once the proper catalyst was given.


    I felt the branch shake a bit, before I looked at the person who made it do so. Typhial crouched silently, her gaze locked on the supply drop, before addressing me with her eyes.


    "I saw a couple of movements coming from that way." She pointed her hand in the direction where she saw the movement.


    "I see. What should we do?" I nodded, and looked at her for any kind of plan.


    "We wait. We''ll first check if they are from any group of Dungeon Masters, and then we strike once they have their guard down." Typhial looked down once more, her gaze locked on the direction where some type of sound was coming from.


    I strained my ears, listening for the sound that increased by the second. Once it was clearly audible in my ears, I recognized the sound as footsteps, and it wasn''t just a single pair of footsteps.


    "I count five¡­ Maybe six¡­" Typhial said as she ducked even lower. I followed suit and tried to make myself less noticeable among the foliage. It wasn''t long until the perpetrator of the footsteps appeared from beyond some bushes.


    They were six Dungeon Masters in total, each having a different race. I spotted a troll, an ogre, a lamia, a goblin, an arachne, and a dragonewt.


    "Alright, we''ve seen one land here, and there it is." The dragonewt, a male suited up in slender armor that covered the majority of his body, except his tail and where his scales were located, was the first to pass through. "Check the contents, and let''s haul it back to camp before any other Dungeon Master or group can claim it."


    The troll and ogre saluted, both of them having intelligence on par with a human as they approached the sealed container and meticulously unlocked the locks fastened on it. It wasn''t long before the contents of the supply drop were revealed to the other Dungeon Masters.


    "Hmm¡­ Not a bad haul." The dragonewt hummed and he clapped his hands. "Trog, Orlg, seal it back up and let''s get going back to camp. The rest of you will be with me on guard duty."


    The rest of the Dungeon Masters nodded and they branched out into a formation where the two giant-bodied monsters were at the center carrying the sealed supply drop, with the rest surrounding them at each direction.


    "You can sense them, right?"


    "¡­ Yes¡­ I think so¡­" I nodded at her question. She was talking about the aura that the both of us were feeling from the Dungeon Masters. They were part of a group, that much was for certain, so we both had to play our cards right in order to not prematurely cause the death of one of their members.


    "Good." Typhial stood up and spread her wings once she was sure she was out of sight of the retreating Dungeon Masters. "We''ll strike them once they''re recuperating. Until then, we''ll be following them."


    "Understood." I stood up as well, the thick branch creaking in protest at my weight. Typhial didn''t say anymore as she flew up into the air, this time gently, so as to not alert the retreating Dungeon Masters.


    As for me, I had to minimize the sound I make when I traverse through the treetops. I kept them in my vision, and the moment they were gone, I changed spots.


    It was half-an-hour into our stalking session that the troll and ogre placed the supply drop down on the ground and the rest proceeded to take a break. It was then that Typhial made her presence known to me, as she silently landed on the thick branch where I was standing.


    "It''s time." Typhial said as she readied herself for the conflict that awaited us in the near future. "Give me your thoughts on how we approach this."


    "Well, I can place the supply drop inside my hammerspace if I touch it, and we can quickly bail once I have it inside." I supplied and she nodded, a plan forming inside her head as she directed her gaze towards the resting Dungeon Masters.


    "Okay, I have a plan, and it''s going to involve myself as a distraction." Typhial said readily, risking her life for the sake of supplying our camp with necessities needed for survival. "While I''m distracting them, you''re going to either sneak in, which is impossible with your build, so I''m assuming you''re going to rush in with the element of surprise and snatch the supply from under their noses. Once you get it, we''ll run away. Any objections?"


    "Hmm¡­ None whatsoever. Just keep them distracted long enough, and you can rest assured that I can steal it from them." I replied back with a bit of confidence. Typhial nodded, her smile nowhere present as she separated herself from me. Once we were a good distance away, Typhial mockingly fell to the ground, acting as if her wings were clipped by an enemy.


    This got their attention, and it was time to make my move.

 Chapter 110 - Monke And Battle Royales (21)

    As the Dungeon Masters were busy being distracted by the sudden fall of a harpy Dungeon Master from out of nowhere, I made my way through the treetops and angled myself so that with just a single jump, I could reach the supply drop.


    While I was doing so, the Dungeon Masters guarding the supply drop tensed and brought their guard up against the unknown harpy. One of them, the goblin, I noted, branched off from the rest of the group as she warily approached the downed harpy with her weapon, a steel dagger, in hand, in case a situation occurred.


    Yes, the goblin''s a girl, in case you''re wondering. She has breasts covered with a piece of cloth that could go for underwear by human standards.


    She approached Typhial with slow and steady steps, her dagger ready in front of her if the need arose. While she was moving, I did not stop with my search for a good position.


    It was then that I found a good angle to jump from, that the goblin arrived next to the downed harpy. She approached closer, getting a good look at the downed harpy to see if she was dead. It was that action that caused her to prematurely forfeit the event, as she was struck in the head by a hardened wing.


    The goblin was sent soaring into the air, before she vanished into motes of light. During that, the Dungeon Masters were gob smacked at the sudden attack of a Dungeon Master who could instantly knock out one of their own.


    Using that as the opening I needed, I quickly imbued my legs with the [Gorilla Go Smash!] skill to boost my speed, as well as using [Rolling Thunder] as well, if they were able to react to my sudden lunge.


    Electricity crackled around my body as my fur began to stand up on end due to the friction. A moment later, I lunged, the branch I used as a stepping stone breaking off from the tree and flying to who knows where.


    The loud noise alerted the Dungeon Masters, but only the dragonewt was able to react to my surprise attack.


    With skill, a swordsman who had fought and survived wars, the dragonewt placed himself in my path, his sword glowing a luminescent blue.


    With a yell, the dragonewt unleashed the power stored within the sword to try and stop my advance, and if strong enough, either knock me and or kill me with that single sword¡­ skill? Magic? The point is, he tried to stop me.


    Too bad, with [Rolling Thunder] active, any sort of stopping power it had was rendered null, but I did receive some damage, but with my high Endurance and Vitality, it might as well have been a love tap.


    Powering through the glowing slash that was heading my direction, I grit my teeth as I felt the pain of being sliced on my arms, which I used to block the attack. Blood flew into the air and into the ground, but that didn''t stop me from approaching the supply drop with insane speed.


    My eyes locked onto his, his face rapidly changing from confident to panic in the span of a split-second. He wasn''t fast enough to dodge my incoming body, so he was used as a cushion to soften my landing, rendering him unconscious and out of the event as he turned into particles of light.


    I also had the fortune of landing right next to the supply drop, with the troll and ogre standing next to it, their shocked faces quickly transforming into a scowl of rage and hostility. Not wasting anytime, I touched the supply drop, and quickly threw it into my inventory, surprising everyone, except for Typhial, still present in the area.


    Using their surprise once again, I grabbed the Monke Staff from my inventory and bashed the troll in the head with the lengthening feature. A cringing crack was heard as the troll stumbled back, his hand on his broken and bleeding nose as he tried to bear the pain.


    The ogre, however, reacted to this with a roar, snapping the other Dungeon Masters out of their reverie and into combat-ready stances.


    ''Dang¡­ Surrounded on all sides¡­ Oh well, I should probably use it here, otherwise, I might risk getting disqualified in this event.'' I thought to myself, my subconscious telling me otherwise that I would be revealing more of my hidden tricks to the group I was associated with, as well as the group I was about to disqualify. ''Meh, my participation is more important than a single trick from a few I had hidden away, which I''m sure will grow the more I get my levels and DP.''


    Smirking towards the ogre, who was rushing towards me with a giant axe in his hand, I called upon the Mana within me to flow through my body and into the air.


    The temperature rose in the area, causing some of the grass beneath my feet to get burnt and turn to ash as the fire flickered around my body, my fur remaining unharmed by the flame. The ogre, however, ignored this and still continued with his assault towards me.


    He swung his club, fully intent on cracking my skull open. With my giant build, it would be impossible for me to dodge it, so I tanked it with a shield I had stored inside my inventory. It wasn''t any special kind of shield, it was just one of the mass-produced shields I had the gorillas in my Dungeon use.


    The club banged against the metal shield with a resounding echo bouncing off the trees and around the area. The ogre was stunned once again at the sudden appearance of an item he was sure wasn''t on my person earlier.


    My smirk grew even wider as I pushed the offending club away from me, the ogre flinching from the sudden force that threw his body for a loop. Capitulating on that opening, I engulfed my Monke Staff in flames and promptly hit him in the gut with the end of my staff, causing him to double over.


    That wasn''t the end though. After that initial hit, I tilted the staff upwards with great force, enough to lift the ogre into the air after getting his chin smacked by my staff, his gut a bit burnt from the flames engulfing my staff.


    Since he wasn''t turning into particles of light yet, I assumed that he was still conscious, so I made a decision to continue with my attack, this time leaping into the air and using the staff once again to smash against his gust, causing spit and blood to spew from his mouth, and into my fur.


    ''He''s still conscious¡­'' I noticed it the first time I saw his eyes glaring at me with all the hatred he could muster. I sighed internally, deciding to increase the strength I hit him with on my next attack. ''Sorry, but I need to knock you out now.''


    The ogre landed on the ground with a thud, some spiderweb cracks forming under his huge body as he coughed up blood once more.


    I targeted his gut once more with [Gorilla Go Smash!], this time enlarging my Monke Staff in both width and height to gain the extra weight. The ogre saw this and paled at the huge staff that was about to hit him.


    He tried to crawl away, but was too weak to even attempt it. A moment later, the staff landed on his gut and he felt the most excruciating pain he had ever experienced in his unnaturally long life.


    And as fast as the pain arrived, it quickly vanished, along with his life.


    Looking down, I saw the ogre lying still as a corpse. Realizing that the ogre wasn''t unconscious, but was, in fact, dead, made me have an internal crisis.


    225 EXP gained!


    Dungeon Master Killed!


    Rewards:


    16 Rooms


    1 Floor


    35 Wild Boars


    63 Rabbits


    23 Deer


    24 Wolves


    33 Kobolds


    21 Orcs


    12 Trolls


    5 Ogres


    4 Humans


    1 Elf


    2 Beastmen


    12,334 DP


    The Dungeon Master''s entire treasury


    ''Holy shiiitt!!! I went too far!!'' I looked around the area with my stoic face. The other Dungeon Masters now scared of me as they slowly backed away from my form standing over the dead ogre.


    "No! Orlg!" The troll, however, saw red the moment he saw his fellow colleague on the ground unmoving and with a very fatal wound on his stomach. "Fuck! You''ll pay for that!"


    The troll ignored his bleeding nose in favor of beating me to a pulp, and probably killing me. Reacting on instinct, I dodged the sloppy attack and whacked him on the head with my staff and hoped that he would be knocked unconscious instead of kicking the bucket.


    It worked, as moments later, the troll turned into particles of light and vanished from view. I sighed, relieved that I didn''t kill a Dungeon Master this time. Looking at the remaining Dungeon Masters, however, I noticed that they were all knocked out by Typhial, who stealthily K.O''d them the moment they had their attention on me.


    "¡­ This is not good." Typhial said as she stared at the corpse of the ogre.


    "I know." I replied back, my mind running scenarios about the future that could or not come.


    "We need to report this back to Lady Oshurkova." Typhial flapped her wings, ready to take flight. "Bring the body, we might need it in case a representative from their group approaches ours."


    I nodded and stuffed the corpse into my inventory. With that done, the both of us headed back to camp, my mind still reprimanding my actions as a show of excessive force.


    ''I went too far¡­ I need to learn how to control my strength, otherwise, this might happen to other enemies who I want alive¡­''

 Chapter 111 - Monke And Battle Royales (22)

    Returning back to camp was as uneventful as taking a shower back in my home world. There were no slip-ups, no interruptions, and no drops of the supply (soap), if you know what I mean.


    Instead of walking back to the camp, we were jogging at a steady pace, Typhial being my guide towards the camp without getting lost.


    It took about an hour of jogging non-stop (Thank the System for that, even though I have my gripes with it) to reach back to the camp. Looking around, I saw that the majority of the damage caused by the earlier attack was fixed and the only visible impacts of the raid were some scorch marks on the ground, as well as a few missing tents, which I assume were owned by the Dungeon Masters who were disqualified.


    "Hey, ya both back already? Must be a good as gold find, mates." Arekhus greeted us at the gate, his axe hanging on his waist, a clear sign that he was ready for any kind of assault. Once he saw both our expressions, however, his cheery face transformed into a serious one. "Wat ''appened?"


    "Jionni accidentally killed a Dungeon Master affiliated with another group. We''re on our way to Lady Oshurkova to report and figure out what kind of group we''re dealing with here." Typhial said it all in one breath, her breathing calm and normal, not what you would expect from a person who was on the cusp of a dangerous situation, as well as just fresh off from a jog worth one hour.


    "Damn. Ya bettah hop ta it, then." Arekhus gave us passage, and we wasted no time jogging all the way towards the tent where Oshurkova was currently staying. Outside of her tent, we noticed Reia, as well as the other maid whose color scheme was the inverse of the skimpy maid, not that they were any different since the maid also wore skimpy clothing, guarding the outside of the tent with Reia having a cheerful face, and the other maid having goth make-up and a metaphorical cloud hanging above her head.


    ''¡­ An emo maid¡­? Well, now I''ve seen everything.'' I thought as both I and Typhial approached the two maids, where Reia beamed at both of us, appearing in sync.


    "Lord Jionni-ta! Typhial-ta! Back already-ta?" Reia hopped and skipped towards us with a very bright smile. The other maid, however, remained in her spot, refusing to move except for her eyes staring at us both.


    "Yes, yes, you thieving maid." Typhial growled out as she clenched her right fist. Reia grinned smugly in response to the harpy''s verbal toxicity, a grin she knew was all too visible to the annoyed harpy.


    "Thief of what-ta? Thief of the heart of your beloved-ta?" The skimpy maid tried to hold back a snicker, but failed as the sound was heard by the harpy, who was now visibly sporting a vein on her forehead.


    Seeing that the situation was about to devolve into something dangerous, as well as completely ridiculous, I had to step in, lest the harpy''s mood plummeted further and she decided to commit war crimes against the skimpy maid.


    "Alright, that''s enough." I quickly placed my body in full danger in front of the two females, who were in a battle of glares and wits. "Reia, please call Oshurkova. We have some important news to deliver."


    That made Reia''s bright and sunny behavior to change into a respectable maid befitting of her position, save for the skimpy clothing, of course.


    "Right this way, then-ta." Reia bowed before me and led me, and the still frothing harpy behind me into the tent. The other maid just kept on staring at us, but otherwise, did nothing to halt our advance.


    Once inside, I found Oshurkova buried under a stack of papers, her pout in full force as tears continued on dripping from her eyes.


    "Stupid papers¡­ Stupid logistics¡­ They had to follow me all the way to the events¡­" Oshurkova''s hands blurred on top of the paper, some of the papers getting signed with her signatures, while others were quickly disposed of and thrown into the shredder right beside her.


    It continued like this until Reia made herself known to the crying Dungeon Master with a fake cough.


    "Lady Oshurkova, Lord Jionni and Typhial are here regarding some important news-ta." Reia bowed and Oshurkova stopped her hands blurring any further. She looked at me like I was some kind of savior that saved her from her dreaded mortal enemy.


    "Jionni! Typhial! Come in. Take a seat!I implore you, sit!" Her voice gained a somewhat maniacal edge as her dilated eyes looked at us and quickly prepared a few seats for the two of us to sit on. She also prepared one for herself that was¡­ quite the distance from the stacks of paper. "Would you like some tea?"


    I was about to respond, but my words died in my mouth as Oshurkova quickly prepared a table and made a magical teapot, as well as some teacups, appear out of thin air. Reia looked at the display with dejection in her eyes, probably because she wasn''t able to either serve us as a maid should, or serve her master, and as usual, as a maid should.


    Typhial, however, was over the moon the moment Oshurkova asked about serving tea. I could already picture the thoughts that were raging inside her mind.


    ''QUEEN OSHURKOVA IS SERVING ME TEA!!! THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!!!'' Was the thought I assumed was going through her mind.


    Oshurkova poured us tea, making Reia even more dejected and Typhial go into a higher state of euphoria than she already was.


    I had the urge to cringe, but was able to push it down and take a cup of tea and pour it down the hatch. Not gonna lie, the tea was good, a good blend of sweet and bitter, with a calming fragrance.


    A bit of a trip down memory lane back when I was on Earth. During those stressful times, somehow, tea was able to keep me from going nuts, and I am forever thankful for the tea.


    "This is some good shit." I inadvertently said my mind out loud, causing Typhial and Reia to look at me like some kind of delinquent with horror present on their faces, but Oshurkova snorted and smiled, her previously dilated eyes returning back to normal as she took a sip from her own cup.


    "Right?" This caused Reia and Typhial to once again show their shocked expressions to the world, which both I and Oshurkova promptly ignored.


    We spent time like that for a few minutes, and before long, even Typhial decided to join us in drinking tea, with Reia observing us, before excusing herself to return to her post.


    Once the teapot was emptied, however, Oshurkova''s face began to look serious, her gaze focused on me and Typhial, who flinched at the sudden stare.


    "Well then, what''s this important news you were about to give me?"

 Chapter 112 - Monke And Battle Royales (23)

    "So, you''re telling me that Jionni here," she pointed her hand towards me as she glared at me like a naughty boy who was caught red-handed with his hand stuck in the cookie jar, "Didn''t regulate his own strength and trampled on an ogre Dungeon Master?"


    "That is indeed, what happened." Typhial supplied Oshurkova''s answer with a nod, the both of them now staring at me like a dunce.


    "Hey, for the record, the ogre wouldn''t stay down, no matter how hard I hit him. So, I added a little bit of power to knock him out." I pinched the air, showing a gap between the fingers as the both of them continued staring at me.


    "¡­ Haah¡­ He wouldn''t stay down or not; you should learn how to regulate your strength more. Imagine what would happen if that Dungeon Master was a subordinate to a dragon Dungeon Master who was protective of his/her subordinates?" Imagining that scenario caused me to pale and choke on my own spit.


    ''That''s¡­ I wouldn''t want that to happen¡­'' My overactive mind gave me a bunch of future scenarios where I was either roasted by their fire breath, stomped like an insect, or possibly tortured until I died.


    Typhial beside me was also pale, since she was part of the group that killed the ogre Dungeon Master.


    Seeing the both of us pale, Oshurkova released another deep sigh, before vanishing our worries with a couple of words.


    "Fortunately, though, the ogre," the three of us looked at the limp body of the ogre lying on the ground, a puddle of blood being soaked by the ground as it stained the cloth red, "As far as I can tell, isn''t affiliated with any kind of high-tiered Dungeon Masters."


    Both me and Typhial heaved a sigh of relief as I placed the ogre back in my inventory to keep it from decaying. Who knows, we might need it as a bargaining chip, as well as an apology gift to the ones close to the ogre.


    "However, ready yourselves for any kind of attack during a run. Dungeon Masters here, specifically, those who are part of a group have some kind of surveillance system set up in case something happens to those who are outside of their camp." She stood up from her chair as she walked back to the depressingly large stack of papers, which I noticed was larger than before, causing Oshurkova to deflate. "Motherfucking¡­ Who the hell keeps sending me these¡­?"


    Oshurkova depressingly sat back on the large chair that would serve as her partner of comfort in these trying times to do this paperwork. I sent her a nod full of empathy, her face forming a scowl as she looked at me in jealousy that I didn''t have to do her paperwork.


    "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I have a date with papers." She said this with a very depressed tone, causing me to wince in empathy. Typhial, however, looked like she wanted to go and help the depressed vampire with signing the paperwork, which I''m sure Oshurkova wouldn''t accept because I think that that paperwork is tied to her Dungeon''s security.


    Walking out of the tent, my vision was practically taken up by Reia, who motherfucking jumped on my face with her modest boobs pressing against it.


    "Lord Jionni-ta! Help me-ta!" I practically tore her off my face, my little johnny stiffening and protesting at the heavenly feeling that was abruptly cut off with my hands. "Keia-ta is bullying me-ta!"


    "Do not bring in an outsider to our private affairs-la." The emo maid, whose name I now know as Keia, moved for the first time as she stood in front of me, her piercing glare focused on her maid counterpart as she dangly hung from my hand gripping the collar of her maid clothes, which I was surprised there was one, considering the amount of clothes their outfit had. "Us sisters have to settle our disputes ourselves-la. So, no asking for help from other people-la."


    Damn¡­ For a second there, I thought she was an emo maid. Now, she''s like a strict head maid in charge of all the others.


    "Although, a little whipping is in order for my dear little sister-la." And holy fuck, she is a dominatrix, or dom for short. I did not need to know that, I already have one weird pair of twins in my Dungeon who fuck like rabbits when there isn''t a job to do. I don''t need another one who has S&M fetishes.


    I promptly dropped the skimpy maid, who was shaking her head and mouthing ''Do not!'' to me as she dropped to the ground. A moment later, she was in the clutches of her elder twin sister, and Reia bawled like a child, but Keia was unmoved by the display.


    "Come on, little sister-la." The emo maid grinned maliciously as she dragged Reia kicking and screaming to their designated tent. "It''ll be like old times-la. Plus, our shifts are over, time to have some fun-la."


    "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Reia screamed in despair, her verbal tic now obviously gone due to the torture (probably pleasure) that she was about to endure in the next few hours.


    I looked at Typhial for an explanation, and she shook her head and sighed at the absurdity of it all.


    "Get used to it. Us Dungeon Masters have weird tastes." Typhial shook her head, before a smile crept up her lips. "That reminds me though, be careful with Arekhus. He may not look like it, but he is gay, and he isn''t afraid to advance on a person or monster he is interested in."


    I paled and stiffened up, while Typhial laughed as she walked all the way into a corner. Once she was there, she looked at me and smirked maliciously.


    "You better hope not, though. I heard that Arekhus wrecks the backside of those he fancies." I stiffened and paled even more as she laughed her way out of my sight.


    I was frozen stuck, before a tap on my shoulder slapped me out of my funk. Looking at the perpetrator, I paled even more and looked at the minotaur who was looking worryingly at me.


    "Mate, ya okay?" I nervously chuckled and slowly inched further away from him.


    "Yes, I''m fine." I sweat-dropped and inched ever so further away from the gay minotaur. ''I''m not averse to LGBT. The problem is, if a male wants me, then he better hope that I don''t got a shotgun ready to blast his face in.''


    "I''m off to my other job." I said in a hurry, in which Arekhus laughed out loud.


    "Oh, then you''ah with me, mate." Arekhus'' words made a pit form in my stomach as I stared at the hulking giant.


    ''¡­ FFFFUUUUUUCCCCKKKKK!!!!!''


    My thoughts went unheard as I stood side-by-side with the minotaur, guarding the tent of our vampire leader.

 Chapter 113 - Monke And Battle Royales (24)

    After about two hours of standing guard in front of the tent, with Arkehus surprisingly not trying to flirt with me, both of us were dismissed from our duties and told to enjoy the rest of our day.


    And that included me quickly running into my tent and sleeping like a log, away from the minotaur, who probably had it bad for my backside, and away from the other crazy Dungeon Masters who were now busy with their duties, or slacking off somewhere in the camp.


    ''Sheesh¡­ What a crazy group I''ve gotten entangled with¡­'' I lied on my bed, it''s sturdiness not protesting at my weight with the cushion something I would''ve spent millions on back on Earth.


    Keia and Reia, twin maids who likely have an S&M fetish respectively. Arekhus, the gay minotaur who wants to hump me. Oshurkova, the leader of the group, is swarmed with paperwork (may God bless her soul). Tanjin, a giant who I imagine to be a jokester and laidback. Shrum, a strict old mushroom who prides himself on his age. Typhial, a yandere who loved Oshurkova. Pilips, a nervous Dungeon Master who literally stutters every word or so, and finally, Catalina, the catwoman who likes to diss the harpy, Typhial.


    And then, there''s me, a new Dungeon Master not even a month old who was fortunate enough to join a group before some other Dungeon Masters decided to get his head as a trophy, just because they were interested in him.


    Well, now they''re interested because it seems that [Spatial Magic], or in other words, my inventory, is a rarely found magic skill, and that bumped my worth by several notches.


    My strength and powers over flames, and lightning (I think my [Rolling Thunder] made Typhial think that I also had [Lightning Magic], which is true) were just bonuses to make sure that I could be an asset during a fight or a crisis.


    ''I still don''t know if I can trust all of them.'' I thought as I tossed and turned in bed, trying to tire out my body so I could get to sleep faster. ''Oshurkova¡­ I''ll admit, might''ve gained a bit of my trust, but not all of it.''


    If something happens that jeopardizes my stay here in this group, and was caused by an internal member, then I am running for the hills and never looking back.


    I yawned, my consciousness slowly leaving my body as I felt the warm embrace of sleep consume me.


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    "So, we gonna go for our next run?" I asked Typhial, who was flapping her wings every so often with a bright smile on her face.


    "But of course!" She turned to me with a look bordering on fanatical as she glared daggers. "We must not let Que- I mean, Lady Oshurkova down!"


    "Careful, your thoughts are showing." I tried my best to not retort, I really did, but alas, my trolling nature deemed it unnecessary for the situation at hand.


    "Gah! Erase that from your memory right this instant!" Typhial pouted as she inched ever so closely, her hand on her waist ready to pull out her weapon from the scabbard.


    I was about to try and de-escalate the situation until two other figures de-escalated for us. Keia looked like the emo maid she was, while Reia was practically glowing, her distant muttering and chuckles giving me a thought to what had happened last night.


    ''What the fuck is wrong with twins in this world?'' I had to stop myself from giving myself a migraine from too much thinking about the depravity of twins in this world. ''Please, I beg of you, whoever might be listening, let me encounter normal twins and not depraved ones!''


    After the crisis in my head was averted, I looked at the maids, who were now both focusing on us, Reia''s distant mutters and chuckles still not disappearing as a slight blush appeared on her face.


    "Lord Jionni-la." Keia sounded off from her spot, her eyes shifting to her twin sister for a moment before focusing back on me. "Lady Oshurkova has requested a meeting with you-la. Typhial will be deployed as a scout instead of a runner-la."


    "Wait, what!? No!" Typhial looked at Keia with crazed eyes, her yandere-side showing in full force as she glared at me with extreme jealousy. "Let me accompany Jionni, Lady Oshurkova must have a use for me, right? Right!?"


    "Unfortunately, not right now-la." Typhial looked as if she was given the death sentence by a judge. That didn''t stop her from showing me her yandere-side by giving me a death glare.


    "You! You better not make Lady Oshurkova regret this!" Typhial voiced off like an enraged, angsty teen.


    ''Okay¡­ What the fuck is going on¡­?'' I looked confused at the ongoing mishap that was happening around me.


    "Lord Jionni-la." Keia looked at me, more serious than ever before. The moment her words left her lips, however, Typhial began to froth at the mouth and lunged at me.


    "Lady Oshurkova needs a sex mate right now-la."


    I quickly thrust my hands in front of me, trying to block the incredibly fast harpy from trying to mutilate me into different pieces. She was just too fast that my dodging would have proved non-plausible.


    "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" She was strong too, slightly less than mine though, but she made it up with speed.


    ''Holy¡­ This harpy''s strong, and she isn''t even a strength build!'' I had to rearrange my mind about how strong the members of this group are. ''If Typhial used her speed strategically, instead of brute force like now, I''m pretty sure I would be hard pressed to overcome the battle.''


    "Hey, wait!" I voiced out my complaints, my arms burning as the strength of the harpy continued to push me. ''Come on, think¡­ What''s the best way to calm down this yandere¡­?''


    As my mind rummaged through the options on how to best calm the harpy down, a light thud and a release of pressure on my arms made me blink in surprise.


    "Please-ta. Do not make Lady Oshurkova wait-ta." Reia bowed, her hand clenched as her bright smile threatened to give me chills.


    "¡­ Alright¡­" Deciding to get the fuck out of dodge, I turned around and made my way towards Oshurkova''s tent. ''Uh¡­ hold on a second¡­ Didn''t Keia say she needed a sex partner right now¡­?''


    I had to wrap my head around this sentence, but overall, swept it to the side and left that problem to future me.


    []


    []


    []


    "Ah, Jionni, you came." As I entered the tent, with Shrum standing guard outside like a Royal Guard, I saw Oshurkova with black rings under her eyes. An enormous stack of paperwork threatened to slip off the table and into the ground.


    "Yes." I greeted and sat down on a chair right in front of her. "I heard that you needed a sex mate?"


    "¡­ Who the fuck told you that?" Oshurkova looked pissed the moment those words left my mouth. Well then, it''s time to throw them under the bus. Give me problems, will they?


    "Keia did." I answered quickly, her look slowly turning into a snarl, before a sigh left her lips, and her scowl softened as she leaned back on the couch she was sitting on.


    "That damned maid¡­" Oshurkova muttered darkly as the words that left her mouth were something not rated PG.


    "Anyway, forgetting that previous statement." Oshurkova stood up, her body swaying towards me as she deftly moved around the stack of paperwork. "I summoned you here because the Dungeon Master you killed yesterday? Yeah, their leader, as well as his friend, didn''t take too nicely to that."


    I winced at her words,


    Oshurkova took a seat beside me as she put a hand on my shoulder.


    "As much as they want to kill you right now, they understand that deaths in this event are possible, but that doesn''t mean they don''t hold a grudge." Oshurkova shrugged as she stood back up, her hand leaving my shoulder as she traced her steps back to the stack of paperwork. "They demand his body, and they''ll let this go for the time being. Otherwise, we''re going to have a full-scale fight against their group."


    "When do they want it?" I asked, my head tilting at the question I had.


    "Tomorrow, where you killed the ogre Dungeon Master. Just expect that one of his friends might try to taunt you into fighting, so please, do not fall for their taunts."


    "Noted." I replied back, a smile appearing on top of Oshurkova''s face as she sat back down on the couch and glared at her mortal enemy, the ever-growing paperwork.


    "Now, if you''ll excuse me, these¡­ monstrosities won''t sign themselves¡­" Oshurkova hissed as she glared at the stack of paperwork, that continued to grow larger and larger, causing the vampire to despair at her situation.


    Looking at her made me think of the future where I had to sign paperwork as well, inside an office, with a couch, and a bunch of papers¡­


    ''I need a skill that can auto-sign stuff based on my preferences and necessity.'' Recording that for my mental note, I exited the tent and waved goodbye to Shrum, who didn''t move whatsoever, like a Royal Guard would.


    ''Haaahh¡­ More and more problems just keep on showing up¡­ Now I''m regretting joining this event in the first place¡­'' I sighed as I made my way back to my tent.

 Chapter 114 - Monke And Battle Royales (25)

    After getting called by Pilips, who was my momentary partner during out guard shifts (thank the heavens that it ain''t Arekhus, I''m straight godamnit), we took our shifts atop the watch tower, with Pilips, the ever socially awkward Dungeon Master that he is, refusing to speak with me under any circumstances.


    It wasn''t a bad thing; in fact, it was ideal for allowing me to regulate my thoughts about the entire Dungeon Games shitfest. Was participating in this event worth it? Maybe. Did I make connections with other Dungeon Masters? Absolutely. Did I gain more enemies than allies? Probably.


    The thing is, it''s still too early in the games to determine whether or not I have amassed more pros than cons, and right now, I''m leading to having more pros than cons (if you disregard my mental sanity, that is).


    Sighing as I scanned the area around the camp from atop the watch tower, I relaxed, the calm breeze blowing through my fur and skin, my Monkey King''s Garb fluttering in the wind. Pilips noticed my relaxed state, and visibly calmed down as well, his fear of other people (I''m claiming it that, no way in hell that''s normal social anxiety) turning down a notch as his shivering lessened, even if his shivering didn''t completely disappear.


    We both stayed like that in silence. Nothing dared to break the deafening silence that had engulfed us two introverts. We seldomly checked the ground and tree lines for any suspicious kind of movement with a critical eye, but nonetheless, once we were done with our observation, we went back to calming ourselves and relaxing without a care in the world.


    ''Aahhh¡­ I could get used to this¡­ A shame Domino isn''t here¡­ I''m pretty sure she would love this view, even if she showed her distaste towards the other Dungeon Masters.'' The silence continued, until Pilips, the socially defunct man who I''m assuming has Anthrophobia, or social anxiety if you want a somewhat less cruel term, opened his mouth and began to speak.


    "Wonderful view, isn''t it?" He said it without a stutter, my eyes wide as I looked at the man who had had a stuttering problem ever since I met him (which was only a few days ago, but still!). "The randomly generated forest we are currently camping in now. Imagine, we have this kind of power at our fingertips, to mold our Dungeon into any type of paradise we want."


    I listened closely, afraid that his sudden speech would be cut short and I would be left with less information about the socially inept man.


    "Too bad that those who live outside of our domains only think about what kind of treasures are hidden deep within the recesses of our domain, or just how much of a threat we are to their very existence." Pilips sighed, his youthful face suddenly looking like he was an old man stuck in the body of a teenager, which I''m sure is not far from the truth. "The only people who understand our plight are those who are in similar situations as we are, and even then, they are afraid of those who are stronger than they are, and will also suppress those who are weaker than they are so that no one can rise up against their rule."


    Pilips then looked at me, his face no longer holding that socially awkward vibe he had back in the Meeting Tent, or when he was just normally conversing with the other Dungeon Masters.


    "Can I ask you a question, Jionni?" His eyes bore into my face as he scanned for anything that could tell him about my inner thoughts. "Is it possible for Dungeon Masters to co-exist with the other races not from the Dungeon?"


    At his question, I grew silent, my mind grinding to a halt as I contemplated his question.


    ''Well, if my experience is anything to go by¡­ It is possible, what with the Shaiydon''s giving me some sort of respect when I first came to their doorstep¡­ But¡­'' I looked deeper into his eyes, my brain sending signals to my mouth to give him my answer.


    "With a certain group, it is possible, but for the others, it is not." I gave him my two-cents and his face stayed the same, until a few moments later when he chuckled and gave me a warm smile.


    "Hehe, you''re completely right on that one." Pilips shrugged and he once again scanned the area around us for any potential threats, before looking back at me, a kind smile gracing his lips. "You know, Jionni. The reason I joined this group is because nobody here is violent towards newcomers, or members from other groups if they weren''t given a reason to do so, unlike others where they kill first and ask questions later. Of course, these Dungeon Games are an exception, so if one of them dies to our hand, then they die, and we try to make amends so we don''t piss them off even further."


    "Like what you''re about to do tomorrow." Pilips approached me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Please, make amends with the group you''ve made a mistake on. Who knows, it might give you an opportunity for a new ally to come into your life."


    The sound of someone coming up the stairs brought the two of us from our staring contest. A very skimpy maid''s outfit came into view as a cheery grin hung on the face of the wearer.


    "Lord Jionni-ta! Pilips-ta! Your shifts are over, it''s our turn-ta!" From behind her, Keia arrived, her emo look hung loosely on her face as she ignored the both of us in favor of looking over the watch tower for any kind of suspicious material or signs of slacking.


    "A-a-a-a-ah¡­ Reia a-a-and Kei-i-ia¡­ We w-w-were just about t-t-t-to leave¡­" Pilips quickly returned back to his usual stuttering self, his hand letting go of my shoulder as he released a squeak and I had to doublecheck whether his serious self, or this one right here was his true self¡­


    ''Actually, forget that shit¡­ I have a very important mission tomorrow, and what Pilips said earlier was true, in all regards.'' I nodded and bid the two maids and Pilips goodbye as I walked back down and into my tent to rest up for tomorrow. ''Make amends, huh¡­?''


    I recalled Pilips'' words about us having power over our domain like Gods would have in their own. That begs the question: Are Dungeon Masters a type of God? Or are they something like an infant God, where they would have to struggle and survive to even get noticed as a true God?


    ''Bah, too much thinking.. I''ll leave that to future me¡­'' I snorted and then laid on my side, my vision slowly darkening as I was whisked away one more time into dreamland.

 Chapter 115 - Monke And Battle Royales (26)

    Today''s the day, and I''m currently facing Oshurkova who was still stuck dealing with the never-ending amount of paperwork stuck at her desk. Her eyes continued to gain more dark rings under them as the days went on.


    It''s been about four days already since this Battle Royale started, and I haven''t seen a sign of the ring yet, which means that this camp is probably near to the middle of the entire area.


    Which is good, I suppose¡­


    Forgetting that topic for a second, I stared at the incredibly haggard vampire, whose looks continued to degrade due to the paperwork that continued to pop out of nowhere and into her desk.


    Right beside me was Typhial, who was looking incredibly torn between respecting Oshurkova''s privacy and duties as a Dungeon Master, and rushing to her side and getting rid of the problem that plagues her idol with fire.


    Lots and lots of fire¡­


    "Jionni, Typhial, it''s good you''re here early¡­" Holy shit¡­ Even her voice sounds like it''s been through the wringer. Typhial got hit by it the worst, the upper half of her face being shadowed out by her hair. "Typhial, none of your yandere tendencies right now. Paperwork won''t kill me, and I''ll spend time with you once I get these motherfucking pieces of papers off my desk and into the sun."


    Typhial instantly lost her edge and quickly morphed into lovey-dovey mode, an extreme bipolar characteristic, if I have to add.


    "Heh, always works." Oshurkova snickered, but Typhial was too deep in her thoughts to even hear her words. "Anyway, Jionni, you and Typhial are to meet up with the rival group with whom you''ve accidentally killed one of their members and return the body. After that, apologize, and leave."


    "And please, for the love of our entire group, do not give in to their taunts." Oshurkova warned, and Typhial suddenly had her whole serious aura returned in an instant. "They won''t attack first, since if they do, it would leave a mark on their reputation. If you, however, attack first, that would leave a mark on our reputation, and give them a reason to attack us and also kill us, if possible. Not that they would be able to since I''m pretty sure most of them are just weak and starting Dungeon Masters, but the reputation part is the most important part of the deal."


    I was about to ask about the reputation system with the community of Dungeon Masters, but was stopped by Oshurkova''s raised hand.


    "Just know this, Jionni. Reputation in this community gives you armor. The more rep you have, the more armor you have, since more Dungeon Masters would flock to your side and join your cause, and no one would dare mess with a group of Dungeon Masters with a bunch of strong members, and their leader who is also a monster in their own right."


    Her explanation gave me all I needed to connect the dots, and I nodded, my question and my curiosity satisfied.


    "Well then, if that is all, good luck. Please do not mess this up."


    []


    []


    []


    It''s been three hours since that discussion with Oshurkova, and both I and Typhial were now waiting for the rival group representatives to arrive and claim the body of one of their members, which I accidentally killed.


    Our travel here wasn''t anything too flashy, nor exciting. Just using the quickest path to get to this area without talking and stopping.


    We arrived here only a few minutes ago and decided to pass the time by talking to one another, revealing our preferences in food and what type of hobby we each have.


    It was about ten minutes into our talk that Typhial sensed movement a few meters away. We both descended into silence as we prepared ourselves for any kind of ambush or attack, but weren''t met with any, and instead, were met with a group of Dungeon Masters that numbered four, with very threatening looking armor and weapons, and I use the threatening term loosely because...


    ''¡­ My [Armor of the Primates] looks way scarier than those cheap knock-offs of a Knight of Spikes.'' I couldn''t help but be disappointed at their tactic of trying to draw us into a fight by taunts. If I was a normal Dungeon Master, I would be scared shitless and refuse to fight, no matter how much taunting they did.


    "So, this is the Dungeon Master who killed Orlg? He looks like nothing much." One of the Dungeon Masters in armor quipped, a mocking laugh exiting from underneath his helmet as the rest of the armored Dungeon Masters followed suit.


    I remained silent, however, and so did Typhial, thoroughly not amused at the sight.


    "Oh, look, he''s frozen in fear that he couldn''t even speak!" Another voice piped up and their laughter redoubled in volume. I ignored them and brought the corpse of the ogre, of Orlg, as they called him, out of my inventory and promptly dropped the corpse on the ground.


    "Here''s the body, and I sincerely apologize for accidentally taking a life from your group." I was sure sarcasm was dripping with every word I spouted out, but who cares? They won''t attack because their reputation is on the line, and it would make them a target for other Dungeon Master groups.


    Plus, Oshurkova said that they aren''t strong enough to compete with us¡­ So¡­


    "Please, let us forget this transgression and hope that we can forge bonds anew from the pits of our mistakes and foolishness." Once I was done saying my piece with a smile, I left, with Typhial following suit, her face showing the blatant disgust she had at the group of four, heavily armed Dungeon Masters that were making fools of themselves.


    "What a stupid bunch of clowns." Typhial remarked as we made our way back to the camp.


    "I couldn''t agree more." I said, my face cringing in disgust and annoyance at the very stereotypical ''thugs'' of the isekai genre, but this time, in full gear and was deadlier than the normal thugs.


    We both continued like that for another three hours and arrived back at camp without much hindrance.


    ''I wonder what''s in store for us the next day?''

 Chapter 116 - Monke And Battle Royales (27)

    As the event continued on, the seconds blended into minutes, and minutes into hours. It wasn''t long until a day passed full of uneventful happenings, save for the visibility of the ring shrinking ever so slightly every second.


    Once we alerted Oshurkova about the enclosing ring, she quickly made the decision to pack up and move deeper into the area. All of us obliged and began to pack up all of our stuff and belongings, with Reia being the main carrier of all of our folded tents (except mine) inside a tiny bag.


    It probably had some kind of enchantment to enlarge its storage capacity, as well as the reduction or nullification of the weight it had of the items currently stored inside.


    For the other belongings, however, such as the various furniture I had seen placed inside Oshurkova''s tent, as well as the Meeting Tent, each Dungeon Master had some kind of hammerspace or storage space ready to be used, whether it be [Spatial Magic] or just plain enchanted backpacks.


    Once we were all done with our packing, we moved as a group deeper into the forest, the foliage getting thicker and thicker as we moved along.


    We continued for the whole day without stopping, none of us feeling fatigued due to our enhanced bodies and stamina. By the time the sun fell, it was time to once again set up a temporary camp, but not the huge one we had earlier on, more like a natural camp campers use in the wild.


    A few conversations here and there, some feasting (Arekhus and Tanjin were the main participants, with a surprisingly socially awkward Pilips right behind them in terms of ravenous hunger), and some very embarrassing situations due to some teasing and goading.


    Safe to say, I got to see some boobies, mostly, Oshurkova''s, Reia''s, and Typhial who refused to let her queen suffer this embarrassment alone with the masochistic maid.


    Oshurkova didn''t care, though. It seems she''s very proud of her figure, and isn''t afraid to flaunt it. It also appeared that Shrum, the strict, old guard type of guy, was a pervert, trying his best to cop a feel on either of the three girls.


    It looks like the vampire isn''t afraid to show her assets, but touch, and you better wish that you hadn''t been born during this time era. As is evident with Shrum being buried in the ground next to a tree like a normal growing mushroom would.


    Typhial''s words about Arekhus being gay were completely spot on. When I asked him about the boobies, like any normal man would do for the sake of social science, he denied that it gave him a pleasurable feeling.


    Which made me quickly move away from him. Again, I''m not against the LGBT community, but please, I''m straight. If a man wants me, he better hope I don''t got a shotgun ready to blast his face in if he doesn''t get the hint that I''m straight.


    After admiring the female bodies for the night (I''m still a male, and I also get horny goddamnit) I retired for the night and tended to my more¡­ personal needs.


    Plus, Domino was always nearby¡­ So, yeah¡­


    How I didn''t do this for the rest of my life in this world (which still isn''t a month) I have no idea, but I''m pretty sure it''s because of trying too hard to survive and not fucking things up.


    Tomorrow morning, after Typhial got over her embarrassment of showing her naked top half to the rest of us males, we packed up and continued on walking towards the center. It took a good part of the morning to finally notice that the foliage was beginning to thin and, an hour later, we finally made it out of the blasted forest.


    The first thing that greeted me when we were out of the forest without any hiccups, was a giant arena reminiscent of the Colosseum back on Earth in Rome, although looking brand new and without any kind of weathering or any type of damage.


    All in all, it would seem like it was made just today, something I''m sure Rome back on Earth would like to happen.


    "Uh¡­ Is that supposed to be there?" I asked Oshurkova, who looked at me confused before facepalming.


    "Ugh, forgot that you''re new here." The vampire spoke up, her breath brushing against her palms. She removed her hand from her face and looked at me like some lost child. "Yes, every Battle Royale ends in that arena. If there are already less than 300 Dungeon Masters still competing, then the event will end once the ring touches the edge of that arena, but if the Dungeon Masters still exceed the number, then everything will be settled inside that arena, whether by the host, or us participants."


    "Well, I certainly did not think of that." I scratched the back of my head, causing Oshurkova to offer a smile in return.


    "No worries. I was the same as you back when I first participated in this event." She laughed and the rest of the group made no hesitation to set up camp a few meters away from the colosseum. I looked at the preparations of the camp with a confused look, before Oshurkova sighed once more and gave me the reason. "Don''t worry, this place is mostly neutral grounds as agreed by the higher-ranked Dungeon Masters. Those who fight within this area without any permission from them will suffer dire consequences."


    "¡­ Why¡­?" I had to ask that question. Everything here had been running on some sort of hidden rule. I was content before to let my curiosity go and focus on my jobs and resting, but now, I needed to know.


    "Easy, enemies or not, all of us are Dungeon Masters, and out of all the sentient beings living in the Mortal Realm, who do you think relates to us the most?"


    "¡­ None." I said and she nodded.


    "Yes, none. Enemy or not, we are all Dungeon Masters, and to survive the hostile beings outside of our Dungeons, sometimes, we have to turn to those we loath for aid."


    I remained silent as I processed the words Oshurkova gave me before she continued to set up her tent, with Typhial, Reia, and Keia helping with the set-up.


    ''¡­ This is getting more complicated the more I learn more new things¡­'' I sighed and proceeded to set up my own tent, by placing it down on the ground with a quick mental command.


    There was no need to set it up, just place it and bam, easy tent filled with a bed and some other stuff a normal room would require.


    "¡­ Lucky¡­" I heard the catwoman, Catalina, mutter from behind me as I gazed upon the tent that was mine for the day.


    ''Well¡­ I should probably check to see if things are still the same inside.''

 Chapter 117 - Monke And Battle Royales (28 - Goodbye Cherry)

    A/N: No lemon, just suggestive language.


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    []


    After making sure that there wasn''t anything missing from my tent, which I''m pretty sure had no value to me anyway, since I keep most of my valuable stuff in my inventory, I headed back out to see if I could help any others with their tent set-ups.


    Looking at Oshurkova''s side, I saw that they were almost done, Typhial beaming at the praise Oshurkova kept sending her way, with Reia''s face twitching at the excessive praise being sent to the harpy.


    Keia¡­ was being herself¡­ I guess¡­ I still can''t figure out how she acts, other than she is a dominatrix in the¡­ intimate part of a relationship¡­


    Although, what I can say about her is that she is serious about Oshurkova''s well-being, as well as her twin sister''s.


    Moving away from the group of girls who I''m sure would give me a headache if I were to approach, I made my way towards the only lone Dungeon Master who was having trouble with setting up her tent.


    "Catalina, need help?" I spoke up from behind her, her cat ears perched atop her head twitching at my voice. She stopped what she was doing and looked at me with a glare, before she looked back at her unpropped tent.


    "Sure." She stepped to the side a bit so I could get a better look at the tent she was trying to prop up. I noticed that nothing was inside, so I had a very stupid idea, but if it works, I may as well be a genius. Yeah, right, I just need more practice with it¡­


    "You know, let me try something." Catalina looked at me with a raise of her eyebrow, before shrugging and stepping away from me as I focused on the heap of cloth lying on the ground. Without much hassle, I stored the unpropped tent inside my inventory, and placed it back on the ground.


    And it seems that my plan worked.


    "¡­ Once again, allow me to say this¡­ Lucky bastard." Catalina half-scowled, half-pouted as she touched the tent that was now fully propped up. "Think you can teach me that?"


    "¡­ You''re rather blunt, aren''t you?" I looked at her with a raised eyebrow, which prompted her to shrug once more and snicker.


    "Yeah, well, get used to it. This cat''s trademark is bluntness cranked up all the way to eleven. You want something said, run it by me, and we''ll see if I can announce it to the others." Catalina smirked as she slapped my butt cheeks with her hand. "Damn, you could grind iron on those."


    "¡­ Pretty bold too." In response to this, Catalina just laughed as she made her way towards the entrance of her tent.


    "Ha! You callin'' me bold? Well, you''re right." The catwoman smiled as she tugged on her tight shirt, a little bit of cleavage showing as she sultrily smirked at me, my eyes being drawn to those valleys, causing Catalina to laugh. "Well? Care to have some fun? It''s been a while since I''ve had some, and frankly, it''s frustrating."


    My mind grinded to a halt as the words that left Catalina''s mouth entered my ears.


    ''Is she seriously asking me to¡­'' My mind rebooted and I looked at her with suspicious eyes. "Are you really sure?"


    "If I ain''t sure, then I sure as hell ain''t inviting you over like this." Catalina scoffed as she opened the flap wider, another sultry grin hanging up her face. "Come on, don''t be shy, I won''t bite, much."


    At this rate, I wasn''t thinking with my brain, but rather, with my little johnny. I nodded dumbly as I followed her into her tent, her soft skin and seductive purring entering my ears as she led me deeper and deeper into the tent.


    We spent some time talking to each other, before making out and getting into the fun stuff. Needless to say, that was one of the best moments I have ever had in my life.


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    []


    "Well, well-ta. It seems that Lord Jionni and Catalina have done the dirty-ta." Reia laughed smugly as she looked at me with a congratulating look, Keia right beside her looking the same as ever, except for the tiny amount of respect she held for me hidden in her eyes.


    If I were a human, I''d be blushing like crazy right now, but because I''m a primate, albeit a heavily modified one, blushing isn''t in my genes.


    That said, that didn''t mean I wasn''t embarrassed.


    "W-well¡­ You''re not wrong." I said shyly, my normally booming voice now a tad quieter as I tried to quell my embarrassment.


    "Not wrong-ta? You fucked like rabbits all night-ta!" Reia howled loudly as she held her stomach due to the amusement she was receiving from my obviously embarrassed form.


    "My word, such barbaric actions." Typhial arrived not a moment later and gave me a disgusted glare. I had the sense to look offended due to her statement.


    "Excuse me, I''m not the girl who showed my boobs to every male in our camp." I snarked back, causing the harpy to blush up a storm as she reflexively covered her already covered breasts with her arms.


    "Please erase that memory from your mind right this instant!" She yelled out, her wings flapping and kicking up dust due to her embarrassment.


    "¡­ Closet pervert yandere-la. You don''t have the right to say that, not when you clearly said, ''I will share the embarrassment Queen Oshurkova is feeling so she doesn''t feel the brunt of it,'' that night-la." Keia, who was perfectly content with staying silent awhile ago, piped up with a roll of her eyes at the harpy, causing said harpy to be embarrassed even more.


    "Ugh, what the hell is with the damn noise this early in the morning?" Catalina emerged from her tent, her figure glowing and dressed in a very casual pair of tight shorts and a tank top.


    "Nothing-ta. Just congratulating Lord Jionni for getting laid with you-ta." Catalina sighed and returned to her tent as Reia said it without a hint of awkwardness.


    "Then pipe the fuck down. After that night, my crotch is still sore." Catalina then looked at me, licking her lips in the process. "You banged me up rough. I''d love to have another round. Just call me, and we can set up a date."


    She threw me a container, something very similar to what Oshurkova gave me back in her tent after she extracted some of my blood.


    "Well, Lord Jionni-la. Congratulations again for scoring Catalina as your sex friend-la." Keia said this with a tiny hint of a grin threatening to uplift her lips.. I quickly retreated from that area and back into my tent to save myself from the embarrassment I was currently feeling.

 Chapter 118 - Monke And Battle Royales (29)

    After a brief nap inside my tent, I made my way to my first job as decided by Oshurkova a day earlier, and that was guarding her tent, along with Typhial, who was still giving me the stink-eye for being such an, in her own words, uncouth, barbaric imbecile who lays with a stinky street cat.


    "Is it because of the sex?" I had the mind to ask that question, with my entire curiosity centered on it. Looking at me like I was some kind of lower-class dweller in a cave, she nodded fervently and opened her mouth.


    "Yes, it was because of the sex. Plus, you made too much noise the whole night!" She yelled out loud, not being able to control her voice as her pitch went an octave higher. If there was a glass nearby, I''m sure it would''ve shattered. Harpies have naturally high-pitched voices, after all.


    "Who the fuck shrieked?" The flap to Oshurkova''s tent flew open and out came an enraged vampire wearing incredibly thick robes that had a few shards of glass sticking out from it and penetrating the cloth, but not that deep to reach the skin.


    ''Well¡­ I spoke too soon¡­'' I looked at Typhial, who had gone incredibly pale as she watched Oshurkova with a horrified expression. Seeing that this was entirely her fault, but her shock was still hampering her decision-making, I decided to make the decision for her.


    "Typhial did." I quipped from my spot, gripping my Monke Staff in hand like a spear. Oshurkova glanced at me for a moment, before she narrowed her eyes at Typhial, who continued to grow even paler. Her wings now slumped to the ground as she refused to move due to the guilt, fear, and disappointment she felt at her sudden outburst that nearly caused her queen harm.


    "Oh, she did, did she?" Oshurkova smirked menacingly, Typhial now taking a step back in fear, her body trembling as her wings wrapped around her body for comfort. "Well, a suitable punishment is in order, and since a unique harpy like her is extremely sensitive with her wings, I know just the punishment we could do."


    Typhial paled even further, the color now completely gone from her face as she looked like a ghost. Oshurkova''s words, however, made me pause as I stared at her.


    "What do you mean by we?" Oshurkova simply laughed and grabbed the frozen harpy and pulled her into the tent, leaving the entrance wide open.


    "Follow me. She''s been rude to you, hasn''t she?" She chuckled menacingly, the harpy quivering and jumping in fear and terror. "Just after you had lost your virginity, no less. The day should be celebrated, instead, you were mocked and belittled by this girl."


    I froze in my spot as she casually mentioned the part about my virginity.


    "Okaayyy¡­ Not that it''s that important, but how did you know I was a virgin before Catalina?" Yes, the question about being a virgin or not is stupid, even back on Earth (except if it has value for other people¡­ Damned arranged marriages, politics, and business families), but for a person who was a stranger just a few days ago learn about your apparent virginity was¡­ a little unnerving and plain awkward. Not anything too embarrassing or life-threatening, however.


    "I have good eyes." She replied vaguely as she led the resigned harpy to her fate. I stayed in place for a moment, before shrugging and following the vampire.


    ''Well, if she has a secret she wants to keep, then it''s not my place to pry.''


    Once inside the tent, Oshurkova instructed me to close the flaps and I humbly obliged.


    "Now, how about we start?"


    What happened next would be amusing, yet somewhat horrifying, as well as traumatizing.


    []


    []


    []


    After the brief torture (tickling) session, I was then sent to guard the outer parts of the camp with Shrum, the perverted old mushroom with the discipline of a Royal Guard. How those two combined together, I would never know, but hey, back on Earth, U.S. Marines were anime otakus, as well as the JSDF, where I''m sure they painted an anime girl on a fighter jet, forgive my lack of vocabulary regarding military terms.


    "So, how was it?" The old mushroom squinted his eyes at me, his thin lips pursed even tighter, making them almost non-existent.


    "How was what?" I asked, my mind already beginning to tire from the start of this line of questioning.


    "Why, the banging, of course. You and that catwoman were loud." The mushroom nodded his head like there was some kind of hidden message in there somewhere. "Youngsters these days¡­ Aahhh¡­ How I wish to be young again¡­"


    "¡­" I remained silent, not wanting to answer that specific type of question and hoped that it would be swept away under the mutterings of the old mushroom about youth this, youth that, how he wished he was young, and some other stuff.


    "So? How was it?" Sadly, this old mushroom may be suffering from some type of muttering spree, but he sure as hell ain''t suffering dementia.


    "Let''s just say it was heavenly." I stopped it at that and Shrum nodded wisely.


    "Indeed, why, let me tell you about a time where I had my first time." Shrum was about to start his tirade about his early sex life, and I wanted none of that, so I quickly tried to deny him.


    Tried being the keyword.


    "Wait, please don''t."


    "Nonsense. This story will blow your mind, young''un." I had to resist the urge to scream as I had to listen to every detail this damned mushroom was giving me about his sex life over the course of an hour. I couldn''t even tune it out, since every time I did, he would notice and bring my attention back.


    ''What the hell is up with this day!?''


    []


    []


    []


    About two hours into this damned mushroom''s storytelling about his private affairs and the women he''s banged, I spotted movement from beyond the tree lines.


    Quickly grasping at this olive branch to escape this mental hell, I grabbed my Monke Staff tighter and raised my voice.


    "Hey! Whoever is out there, show yourselves!" Shrum noticed the movement as well, and finally stopped with his mental torture, his air quickly turning from a perverted old man to that of a Royal Guard''s.


    We waited for a few seconds in silence, before the bush rustled and out came a figure I thought I would see not that far in the future.


    "Well, this is a surprise. I thought I would''ve gotten first dibs at this spot.." Lupu, the werewolf leader of the Lewko group, said with an amused grin as she stared at me, her furry ears twitching and fluffy tail swishing in the air.

 Chapter 119 - Monke And Battle Royales (30)

    "Lupu." I muttered her name under my breath as I gripped my staff tight, before loosening and returning back to my post. "Well, I guess we were just faster."


    "True that." She snorted, and from behind the bushes came her entire entourage, numbering more than two dozen. I looked at the group with an indifferent gaze, my physical exterior not showing any sign of intimidation.


    Inside my mind, I was a bit at a loss at the numbers of their group. ''I''m pretty sure they can wipe out our group, but they would also suffer casualties, so they''re not making any hasty moves.''


    "Well, if you won''t mind us, we''ll just be making camp a few meters away that way. Tell Oshurkova I said hi." With her piece said, she went towards the spot where she designated her camp would be, her subordinates following suit with some of them glaring at us like their mother''s killers.


    Both Shrum and I observed them move through the foliage and into the plains as they set up their camps about a 300-meter distance away from ours.


    ''Looks like we''ll be neighbors for the time being.''


    "Oi, young''un. Go tell Lady Oshurkova about this development. I''ll handle this place." I looked at Shrum and nodded as I quickly traversed our camp and into Oshurkova''s tent, where the maid twins were once again guarding.


    "Oh, Lord Jionnia-ta. Anything happen-ta?" Reia was the first one to approach me, her usual bright smile hanging on her face, with Keia not moving from her spot but nevertheless looking at me as a guard would.


    "Yes. Lady Oshurkova must hear of this news ASAP." I brought out my serious face, causing the skimpy redhead maid to lose her cheery smile and adapt the persona of a subservient maid.


    "Well then, follow me-ta." Reia gave me a bow and turned on her heels, moving towards the entrance where Keia stood waiting, her eyes still not leaving my form. I followed Reia and once we were next to the flaps, Reia pushed it open to get her lady''s attention. "Lady Oshurkova-ta. Lord Jionni is here to see you regarding some important news-ta."


    "Come in." Oshurkova''s voice sounded from inside the tent, Reia raising the flap higher, making it possible to see inside. I gestured a quick thank you to Reia before entering the tent by myself. Once inside, Reia let the flap down and returned to her post. "Well, Jionni, what kind of news do you have for me today?"


    "Oshurkova, the Lewko group has settled about 300 meters away from our camp." Once the words left my mouth, the vampire stopped signing the still growing stack of paperwork sitting right on her desk. After that, she got up from her couch and approached me with a strange look on her face. "Also, Lupu sends her regards."


    She stopped suddenly after that last sentence. A moment later, she snorted and laughed a little, stray tears falling from her eyes.


    "Well, I kind of expected that." She then began to plop herself on the chair beside me and laid her head on my shoulder, causing me to stiffen at the action.


    "Uhh¡­ Oshurkova¡­?" I squeaked out. I may have felt the body of a woman, but that did not make me used to their touch all of a sudden.


    "Shh¡­ Just let me have this¡­" She leaned in even closer, the entire side of her body now touching my arm. "You know, Jionni, somehow I feel safe around you. Have I ever told you that?"


    "¡­ Ermm¡­ No, Oshurkova, you didn''t." She chuckled and poked at my furry arm.


    "Didn''t I tell you to call me Kova when we first introduced ourselves?" She snorted as she continued to poke my arm with her fingers.


    "¡­ Yes, Kova." I sighed and relented, giving in to her wishes at the moment since I could see she really needed this. Her eyebags had eyebags for fuck''s sake. That is not healthy, no matter if you''re an ageless vampire.


    "Hehe¡­ Good¡­" Her voice grew weaker and weaker until she finally fell asleep, her arms clutching into mine like a hug pillow. I sighed and leaned back on the couch.


    ''Welp, might as well take a nap as well¡­'' I closed my eyes and waited for the blissful agents of sleep to take me to their domain.


    []


    []


    []


    My nap did not go so well. I was more tired than I was when I was trying to take a nap. The reason?


    Motherfucking dreams about Shrum''s sex life¡­ Why? Why did it have to follow me there¡­?


    Anyway, once I woke up, I realized that Oshurkova was still deep asleep, clutching onto my arm that was beginning to go a little numb. Looking around, I saw Reia peeking from the flaps, along with Typhial who was giving me a death glare and Catalina giving me a thumbs up with a lecherous smirk.


    Keia¡­ was being Keia as she continued to stand guard outside the tent.


    They continued to stare at us, but made no noise. I mentally shrugged my shoulders and focused my gaze on the sleeping vampire. She looked so harmless, unlike the vampire who killed the betraying lamia in cold-blood.


    I stroked her platinum-blonde hair, causing her to snuggle deeply even more. I heard a tiny squeal from the direction of the entrance, as well as a cry of rage, but that was ignored as I continued to stroke this vampire''s hair.


    It''s just so silky¡­


    As the time went on with stroking her hair, Oshurkova began to stir, her eyes slowly fluttering about, until they opened and she looked at me with confused, blood-red eyes. Taking a look around, she zeroed in on my face after her quick scan, and gave a dazzling smile.


    "Thanks for letting me rest, Jionni. I appreciate it." Oshurkova let go of my arm as she stood up and stretched, her dresswear clinging tightly onto her lithe form, accentuating her bust and ass more.


    If I wasn''t sure, I''d say she was doing this on purpose, which judging by the knowing smirk on her face, made me conclude that she was doing it on purpose.


    "Anytime, Kova." I shrugged and stood up, nodding towards the vampire who beamed at the use of her nickname.


    We traded our goodbyes and one last direction on what to do about the new camp of the Lewko group nearby, and I made my way out of the tent, where Typhial was ready to strangle me to death for being able to stroke her queen''s hair and be used like a body pillow.


    ''Sheesh¡­ I need some more sleep¡­''

 Chapter 120 - Monke And Battle Royales (31)

    Briefly heading back to my post after the so-called strangling Typhial gave me, which I''m sure could''ve given pro wrestlers fighting in the UFC a run for their money. Thankfully, I''m made of sturdy stuff (thank you, Tank perk), so I was relatively unharmed by the otherwise deadly force Typhial was trying to subjugate me with.


    Then again, she wasn''t even trying her best at trying to choke the lights out of me, so I can''t say for sure whether or not I would''ve gone unharmed if she ever decided to really choke the life out of me.


    "Ah, mate, yah shift ended an hour ago. Don''t wawrry, we all know ya weah occupied with our leadah." Arekhus greeted me with a smile. A few steps beside him was the socially awkward, yet philosophical, Dungeon Master Pilips, who was trying his best to not be noticed by either of us.


    "Is that so?" I hummed, my hands rubbing my chin as I shrugged. Turning around, I gave them a single glance with a smile on my face. "Thanks for telling me."


    "Anytime, mate." Arekhus gave me a two-finger salute and went back to his post, his body plopping down on a seat provided to them so they don''t get tired too easily.


    Walking back deeper into the camp, I decided I needed to catch some more Z''s since my nap earlier left me more tired than before. Making my way back to my tent, I encountered a grinning Catalina, who was absent after giving me a thumbs up when I was stroking Oshurkova''s hair while she napped.


    "Well, didn''t think you had it in ya. I''m impressed." Catalina placed her hands at her side, her mischievous eyes bearing into me like x-ray vision. "Keep at it then you''ll be able to seduce our dear old leader. What a show that would be, eh?"


    Catalina approached me and patted my shoulder, giving me an encouraging nod as she gave me a kiss on the cheek and a whisper into my ear. "Call me back in the Mortal Realm if you want to have some fun, alright? Nobody back in my Dungeon can satisfy me anymore."


    Leaving it at that, she left with a visible sway to her hips, her cat tail swishing about in the air as her form vanished into her tent. I was left standing alone in the middle of the path with a tight expression.


    ''Goddamn it! Little Johnny! Down boy! Down boy!'' My libido acting up again, I quickly dashed through the path and into my tent a few seconds later. "¡­ Shit, it''s not going down¡­ Fuck it, time to let my right hand do the work¡­"


    []


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    []


    The next day, which also marked the last day of the Battle Royale event, had me nervous about what would happen. Exiting the tent, I looked around, noticing the very visible ring just about 200 meters away into the forest.


    What I also noticed were the few more camps here and there scattered about nearby, and let me tell you, there were a lot of Dungeon Masters, and by a lot, I meant a LOT.


    I even saw some species I had no recollection of or knowledge of, other than they were incredibly unique looking. Hell, there was even a Dungeon Master who was a complete, sentient robot! How that works, I have no idea, but I''ll just chalk it up to reincarnees and bullshit magic powers.


    "Those are a lot of Dungeon Masters, huh?" A voice piped up from behind me, and I realized it was Oshurkova, who was once again dressed up in a giant robe that covered the entirety of her skin to prevent the sunlight from directly touching it. "Good morning, by the way."


    "Good morning, Kova." I greeted her back with a tiny smile adorning my face. She gave a gentle smile in return and nodded in delight.


    "Also, I''m here to tell you that to pack up your stuff. We''ll be heading inside the arena soon after I finish with my preparations."


    "Heh, the Battle Royale is finally coming to an end. Honestly, other than the fighting, surviving, and looting aspects, this whole event felt like a vacation from my Dungeon related problems." I smiled and noticed the pout Oshurkova was forming the moment she heard the word ''vacation.''


    "At least one of us is having a good time at this event, unlike your leader, who has to deal with the enemy of all Dungeon Master-kind in her office all day long!" She shouted that last bit, but not too loud that the other Dungeon Masters could hear.


    "What can I say? I have my ways." I snarked back, but soon realized that if my Dungeon continues to develop the way it is, even I won''t be exempt from signing the damned papers¡­ ''Actually, let''s have Bentley do that. He''s better at signing papers than me.''


    This caused her to pout even harder, a tiny red blush appearing on her face from under the hood. Finally, she turned heel and began to walk, already out of patience with my teasing tone.


    "Just get packing. If you fall behind, we''ll be leaving everything you forget." Oshurkova then disappeared into her tent, where I saw Reia and Keia for a glimpse inside, packing up the stuff inside her tent into enchanted packs.


    "Heh, she forgot that I have an inventory." Snickering in place, I made short work of my preparations for the move by placing the entirety of the tent, as well as the things inside said tent, inside my inventory without any repercussions or side-effects. "Damn, this is such a useful ability. What I would give to have this back in the modern world, no more heavy backpacks."


    Once I was done with that, I looked around for somebody else to assist with their packing, as Oshurkova decided to call it. Spotting my friends-with-benefits catwoman Catalina taking down her tent, I approached her and waved an arm.


    "Yo, need help?" Catalina stopped what she was doing and turned towards me, an eyebrow raised before she returned a smile.


    "Sure thing, big guy." She stood up and stretched, her back making some popping noises in the process. "The damned thing sometimes won''t give me the time of day."


    I raised an eyebrow at her sentence, but one look at the tent she was folding away made me nod in sympathy.


    "Well, that''s certainly not how a tent should fold." Catalina gave me a mock glare as she raised a hand to smack me on the shoulder.


    "Of course not. Why the hell is it supposed to look like that when I''m supposed to be folding it, not smacking it with a sledgehammer and dropping it into a blender." Catalina dropped to one knee and ran her hand across the rough fabric.


    "¡­ Welp, I guess I should help you out. We''re leaving soon, and I don''t want you leaving this good piece of tent out here like some kind of cheap piece of hardware." I placed my hand on the rough fabric myself and placed it inside my inventory, then quickly got it out and into a folded state. ''Damn, this inventory is very versatile¡­ I wonder if it could also cook if I just add the ingredients in and recite a textbook cooking recipe to it?''


    "¡­ Once again, you motherfucking lucky bastard." Catalina pouted, before giving me a quick kiss on the lips as thanks for helping her out. "By the way, can you teach me that?"


    "Sorry, but I can''t." I replied instinctively, even if my brain was short circuiting because this woman kissed me out of the blue like that.


    "Bummer." Catalina shrugged, but was obviously disappointed. I couldn''t help but empathize with her. It was an incredible feeling to have on-the-spot inventory that could store your things for you. I''m sure that if I lost this skill, I would have a freak out and possibly try everything just to get it back.


    That''s how good it is.


    "So, what do you want to do?" I looked at Catalina, who was giving me another sultry look, her tongue licking against her lips seductively. My little Johnny stiffened at the sight, but my brain was stronger in this moment, so I was able to resist the horny.


    "Sorry, but not now. We''re about to leave." My words made Catalina feel a little unhappy, but accepting. "Plus, we have no private place to do it."


    Catalina blinked, then looked around her for a moment, before blushing. "Yeah¡­ Looks like it."


    I chuckled at her response and she blushed even further. So, this catwoman, who is mostly a jerk towards Typhial, could look this cute?


    My little Johnny softened at the wholesome look.


    "Well, anyway, we should probably look for some others to help with. I can see the other Dungeon Master group camps in the distance already packing up and moving into the arena."


    "You''re right. I should probably go help Tanjy with his tent."


    "Tanjy?" I asked, a bit curious as to who that was.


    "Sorry, I meant Tanjin." Catalina explained. "A bit of a nickname I use for the giant guy. He''s nice."


    "Ah, alright." And with that, we both spent our morning working with the others to finish our preparations for the trip inside the arena, with Typhial and Catalina getting into a minor fight, but overall, nothing too serious.


    ''Well then, I think it''s time this Battle Royale ended.''

 Chapter 121 - Monke And Battle Royales (32)

    "Well, this is one dark and long tunnel." I commented as our entire group moved as one through the passageway, the sounds of footsteps big and small echoing around the walls.


    "Reminds of me and my sister''s Dungeon-ta." Reia supplied her own two-cents as she glomped her older twin sister, if what Keia said about being the older sibling is true.


    "Such a narrow and dim crevice such as this is a staple in our Dungeon-la. Numerous traps await those foolish enough to venture forth into unassuming danger-la." Keia then nodded with pride as she revealed to us one of their main traps being utilized inside their Dungeon, not that it isn''t a secret since I''m pretty sure these two already revealed this feature to the other Dungeon Masters who joined before me.


    Well, at least I can take that as inspiration if I want to make a trap for those pesky trespassers. Actually, I just got an idea.


    One long room, maybe a kilometer in length and only a few meters in width, filled to the brim with traps, chokepoints, and the ever-fabled rolling boulder.


    Yes, I can see it now. Trespassers being caught in an ambush and killed by the mobs, or them being caught in a trap and succumbing to their death due to the injuries they would suffer.


    Or my personal favorite, being mashed to a pulp by rolling boulder.


    ''I''ll have to find a way to make that boulder indestructible, or sturdy enough to withstand an incredibly powerful attack from a trespasser.'' I mused in my mind some options, such using a giant boulder made of adamantium, which is a huge waste, but then again, all I had to do was place the boulder back in its main spot after use, so it would be a reusable trap with no cost.


    ''Yep, adamantium boulder it is. Shit, I wonder how expensive that will be.'' I cut that thought off since, in the near future, I''ll be rolling in the dough because I''ll have a lot of monsters in my Dungeon. Too bad I can''t access the Dungeon Menu, otherwise, I would be able to check how many residents I have currently residing inside.


    As we walked in near darkness, the only source of light coming from the various floating balls of flame hovering all around us as a byproduct of Oshurkova''s magic, we spotted a tiny speck of light coming from the front.


    "We''re almost there. I''m sure all of you will be ready if they announce that we still have over 300 participants." The Dungeon Masters around me, who were content to walk in silence, nodded with determination. Seeing that I was new to this, I raised my hand to ask a question I''m pretty sure all of them had asked once before.


    "Yes, Jionni?" Oshurkova pointed her finger at me to acknowledge my question. I brought my hand down and nodded.


    "What do you mean by be ready if they announce that there are over 300 Dungeon Masters left? Of course, I can garner a guess, but I would like to be corrected if what I''m assuming is wrong." I saw her tap her chin once with her thumb, a habit I had noticed she does when she was about to answer.


    "I think what you''re guessing is on the mark, Jionni. Since this event is a Battle Royale, if there are still over 300 Dungeon Masters left in the event, then another Battle Royale will be held inside the arena. There, only until 300 Dungeon Masters are left, they will force us to fight with our lives on the line." Oshurkova shrugged once she was done answering my question. "Of course, the previous rule of ''get knocked unconscious, get disqualified'' still applies. There is no need for needless killing. Knock them out, and try not to get knocked out yourself. Just keep in mind that there will be some casualties since some other Dungeon Masters are not part of a group yet and might jump the gun."


    I nodded, satisfied with the answer I was given. I gave her a quick thanks, and she smiled in response, before the rest of the group sunk back into silence and proceeded through the dim tunnel.


    As the speck of light grew brighter and brighter, I began to hear sounds. Neither are they ordinary.


    I could hear chanting, screams of excitement, and some other yells I didn''t want to go too into detail.


    Damn my sensitive hearing. They''re both a blessing and a curse.


    The light was now blinding, a few minute details of the ground being recognized in my vision as we walked. The details became even more vivid as we traversed the line separating the tunnel and the area beyond.


    Once we were through, we were blinded for a few seconds, before we saw the entirety of the arena we were supposed to be fighting in.


    A vast expanse of hard soil covered the ground, with reinforced brick walls at the edges of the ground arena. Above those walls were the seats where the audience would watch those inside the arena duke it out with each other, and boy, were the seats full.


    It was a goddamn full house.


    The roaring shouts of thousands upon thousands of monsters, humans, and demi-humans alike assaulted my ears, my eardrums threatening to burst because of the noise they were generating.


    ''Who the hell are these people?'' I covered my ears in a vain attempt to dampen the sound, noticing the other Dungeon Masters doing so as well.


    Looking at the audience stands, I spotted something incredibly familiar, as well as equally surprising.


    "Gong¡­?" Up on the stands, I could see Gong, my right-hand gorilla, waving at me with a shy smile on his face. Beside him was Domino, who was also giving me a cute wave while making sure none of the unknown monsters, humans and demi-humans came close to her. Hell, I think she''s even avoiding the humans and demi-humans who were residing inside my Dungeon, as from what I can tell with Lara pouting at not being able to approach the cute human girl.


    ''What the hell¡­? Were they brought here?'' My face must be incredibly obvious as Catalina hung her arm around my shoulder as she snickered right next to my ear.


    "Heh, get used to it. During events like these, the God hosting the event will sometimes invite those residing inside our Dungeons to come and spectate our struggles. At least they won''t get bored waiting for us." Catalina then gave a quick peck on my cheek before she separated from my body. Looking up at the stand, I saw Domino casting a murderous gaze at the catwoman, who didn''t seem to notice.


    ''Well, that''s one thing I''ll be explaining to my surrogate daughter¡­ This is going to be a disaster.''

 Chapter 122 - Monke And Battle Royales (33)

    Looking around the arena ground, I noticed that we were only a few dozen heads waiting for the rest of the Dungeon Masters to arrive. It seems that even the spectators above got tired of yelling and screaming about how their lords/masters/kings/queens/leaders would be the ones remaining to advance to the next event. Some others were worried about them, while others plainly wanted them out of the event so that they wouldn''t die due to an accident.


    Like the ogre I accidentally killed because he just wouldn''t be knocked unconscious, but that''s probably my fault since I refused to hit his head because there was a high chance I would''ve smashed his head instead of knocked him out.


    So, we waited, my fat ass plopping on a couch that was big and comfortable enough to accommodate my fat ass.


    "¡­ Lucky bastard." Catalinla quickly hopped on my lap and gave me a light-hearted verbal lashing. Up on the stands, Domino glared even more murderously at the catwoman, who still hadn''t noticed. "Don''t mind if I do."


    Catalina gave me a mischievous grin as she stretched herself across my lap like a cat would. Oshurkova looked at me with jealousy in her eyes, before reminding herself that she also had a couch inside her hammerspace of a bag.


    She set the bag down and inserted both hands into the hole, and with one swift pull, pulled the couch she sat on when signing those damnable papers. Plopping her pretty little ass on the couch, she let out a moan of relief and ecstasy.


    Typhial quickly blinked to Oshurkova''s side and asked if she needed any sort of drinks or snacks she could get for her queen. This unique harpy be simping hard, her chicken legs tottering about on the ground.


    Reia and Keia also saw it fit to serve their mistress, who was relaxing on the couch, her heavily robed figure hiding her bare skin from the sun.


    Tanjin and Arekhus opted to sit on the hot ground, however, and took out some mugs before filling them with drinking alcohol from bottles within their hammerspace. Arekhus was a giant tankard, while I''m sure Tanjin was using a barrel for his mug.


    Pilips opted to dive behind my couch and out of sight from the gazes of the audience, a very Pilip''s like move regarding the situation.


    And so, we waited, with me initiating small talk with my sex mate, Oshurkova being served drinks by Typhial and Reia, with Keia serving as a lookout in case any other Dungeon Master approached our group, Pilips was hiding behind my couch, and Tanjin and Arekhus were drinking alcohol in broad daylight.


    What a fine bunch of Dungeon Masters.


    As we waited, the other Dungeon Masters slowly trickled into the colosseum. If before, the number of Dungeon Masters in the arena was only a few dozen, now, we number more than a few hundreds.


    We also encountered Lupu, who waved us a hand and decided to stick near our group. Her subordinates gave me the stink-eye, probably from tricking their leader into a setup.


    We talked about stuff, like some advanced moves in chess and tips and tricks. We also played one game of chess, with me still stomping on Lupu, causing her subordinates to glare at me harder, but Lupu was otherwise excited about playing again.


    We played a few more games, and Lupu noticeably got better at reading the board. She was able to predict one of my moves with only a few games under her belt, impressing me at the speed she was picking up the game.


    She still lost though. I''m more experienced than her.


    It wasn''t until about an hour and a half later that the last of the Dungeon Masters finally entered the arena and the ring settled around the colosseum.


    At that moment, Chythos appeared once more, sitting on his throne, his eyes boring into everyone of us. I hastily placed my couch back into the inventory, while the rest of our group who brought out some of their stuff did the same.


    Lupu decided to stick with us as an alliance of sorts so we don''t accidentally fight each other. Now, we''re a few dozen heads stronger than before.


    I saw Chythos stand up from his throne and move to the edge of the podium, with Uius trailing behind him as always in his butler uniform. Chythos approached the edge of the podium, his hands raising above his waist as he welcomed us with a gesture.


    "Thank you all for coming, Dungeon Residents. Today marks the end of the Battle Royale event, the longest of all events structured into the Dungeon Games." Chythos'' voice sent the entire colosseum into complete and utter chaos, fearing some, and awing others. "But before that though, we still have to do a head count to make sure that the number of currently participating Dungeon Masters does not exceed 300. Uius."


    "Immediately, m''lord." Uius bowed and grabbed the scroll that was hidden in his pocket. "As of this moment, only 524 participating Dungeon Masters are left still in this event, a few hundred higher than the required number count."


    "As you heard from my subordinate, there are still 524 participating Dungeon Masters left, and as basic math dictates, is greater than 300." Chythos turned around and walked back to his throne, before sitting back on it as a king would. "To reach the desired number of participating Dungeon Masters, we must first cull the numbers. The moment this coin touches the arena ground-" Chythos grabbed an orichalcum coin from his pocket and held it at the tip of his thumb, "-is the moment the fighting starts. Anything goes, from killing, maiming, to just plain knocking out your opponent and having them kicked out of the event. Until we reach only 300 Dungeon Masters, the fight will continue."


    Chythos flicked the coin up into the air and into the arena. The coin descended from his perch, and Chythos let out a deep rumble.


    "Go nuts, and may I impart to you, my motto. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don''t Die."


    The coin hit the ground, and all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 123 - Monke And Battle Royales (34 - End)

    The moment the coin hit the ground, chaos ensued. Dozens of Dungeon Masters in their own groups quickly took out individual Dungeon Masters with them trying their best to survive. Other Dungeon Masters who were still new to this could only stare and gape, before their participation was cut short by an attack from another Dungeon Master.


    More noticeably, casualties began to ramp up, but most of them came from the Dungeon Masters who had not joined a group yet and were also new, thus their lives were cut short due to the participation they probably had no intention of joining.


    I, however, was also the same as the other new Dungeon Masters, shocked beyond belief at the carnage that was going on around me, but unlike them, I was able to snap out of it quickly and block a stray attack from another Dungeon Master who knocked another Dungeon Master out of the competition.


    "Holy shit. This is going to hell really fast." I off-handedly commented as I blocked another stray attack with my arm, a tiny tuft of my fur getting singed due to the projectiles'' flame property.


    "Heh, just hold on and don''t get knocked out or killed." Oshurkova replied as she nonchalantly blocked an attack coming from a Dungeon Master, a newbie, might I add, who thought that a stationary target was easy to kill during the chaos. For his efforts, the Dungeon Master, whom I noticed to be a human in his middle twenties (appearance-wise) was rewarded with a kick to the groin, effectively stopping him from fighting and knocking him out due to the pain he experienced.


    His body turned into motes of light as Oshurkova stifled a yawn. Witnessing that attack made me clench my buttocks and tighten my thighs, my balls feeling a sort of phantom pain.


    "Oh, is big and mighty over here scared of getting his crotch kicked in?" Beside me, Catalina cheerily taunted as she tapped my giant arm over and over again. "If so, then I can nurse it back to full health with my special¡­ technique."


    And now, that phantom pain became real pain, although a different kind, as my little Johnny strained against my pants, threatening to be released from its confines.


    "¡­ Why must you do this to me right now?" I wanted to facepalm, but the very hectic situation currently happening around us made me stay my hand as I struggled with the pain in my lower half.


    "''Cause it''s fun." Catalina shrugged with a grin, her cat-like eyes focusing on my body, before turning around and addressing another Dungeon Master who was about to pounce on us because she saw us seemingly distracted by one another.


    Catalina dodged the pounce attack of the female Dungeon Master, her hands grasping some type of weaponized claws as they shredded the ground once they made contact. Using this as an opening, I pounced on the stuck female and bonked her in the head¡­ Hard.


    Her face smashed against the hard ground, and moments later turned into particles of blue light before vanishing into thin air.


    "Nice follow-up." Catalina gave me a thumbs-up before dashing towards Pilips, who was having a very bad time because of the audience in the stands, and due to it, was making it very hard for him to fight effectively.


    I mean, just look at him. He''s diving away from the attacks like an idiot!


    Quickly tossing the barebones blueprint of a plan on how to get rid of his social anxiety at the back of my mind for the moment, I focused on another Dungeon Master who was able to get close to me during the chaos. Scoffing at his vain attempt to knock me out or kill me, I blocked his blade with my staff, then coated it with flames, causing him to jump back and crash against another Dungeon Master.


    The result was them tumbling to the ground in a heap, and capitalizing on that moment, I had my staff enlarge and further embedded them into the ground. Luckily, both of them were sturdy, so all that happened was them being knocked unconscious and kicked out of the event.


    ''Now this is more like a Battle Royale, except that I have a team.'' I looked around and saw the various fighting, stray attacks (I dodged and blocked two more, my fur now standing on end like a giant puffball because it was made of electricity), yells and cries of agony (I saw one get dismembered, yikes), and of course, bodies of the fallen.


    Those bodies were those Dungeon Masters who were killed during the ongoing chaos, and boy, there are a lot. I can count a few dozen, which means that it won''t be long until this Battle Royal within the Battle Royale is over.


    "You doin'' fine there, greenhorn?" Tanjin, who opted to grow bigger in size, smirked at me, his weapon resting on his shoulder.


    "Just fine. Most that come to me are weaklings." I stated this as matter-of-factly, causing Tanjin to bellow out.


    "Hahahaha! That''s one way to put it." Tanjin snickered as he brought his leg back, before kicking a Dungeon Master in front of him, sending them flying and vanishing into particles of blue light. "I''ll see you then. Pilips is getting even more distressed."


    Tanjin then made his way towards Pilips, who was now hyperventilating and looking around the area with crazed eyes.


    ''Yikes¡­ I feel sorry for the dude.'' I thought in my mind as I refocused back on the Battle Royale. ''You know what, how about I cut loose? Nah, I would be revealing my cards then, so I''ll just wait this out.''


    Nodding to myself at my decision, I held out with my group to survive this Battle Royale. The audience in the stands was now getting smaller as every time a Dungeon Master was disqualified, those monsters/humans/demi-humans in the stand associated with said Dungeon Master were instantly brought back to their respective Dungeons. As for the Dungeon Masters who died¡­ Yeah, I have no idea where they go, unless they are sent to the Dungeon Master who killed theirs¡­


    Which reminds me¡­ I killed two Dungeon Masters, and their residents are probably inside my Dungeon now¡­ Does that mean that those loyal to the Dungeon Master I killed are now inside my Dungeon?


    ''Well, once I get back, I''m immediately placing them under suspension until I''m sure I can trust them to roam freely without causing any undue harm.'' I mused in my mind, and at the same time, blocked another overhead slash from the Dungeon Master right in front of me. Not taking any chances, I quickly pushed his offending weapon to the side with my strength, causing him to stagger heavily to the side, and smashed my staff into his face via the lengthening feature.


    Needless to say, the Dungeon Master fell down on the ground but was still in the fight. I, however, quickly made sure that he wouldn''t get up anytime soon.


    And that was by bonking him in the head with my staff, knocking him out like a light.


    "How long is this event going to take? I''m pretty sure more than 20 minutes have passed." My words went unnoticed due to the noisy background fighting. I sighed, and shook my head. ''Just tough it out, and make sure to not place a target on yourself. Just stick with your group, and everything will turn out fine.''


    Sticking with Oshurkova, Reia, Keia, and Typhial, we covered each other''s backs and made sure that none of us would be disqualified prematurely. A few minutes into the fighting later, Tanjin, Arekhus, Catalina, and Shrum joined us after having dealt with the Dungeon Masters who were pestering Pilips. The poor guy was shaking on his feet as he dealt with the fact that there was an audience watching him.


    "Is this still going to take long? It''s already 30 minutes into this non-stop fighting, and we still haven''t reduced ourselves to 300 participants?"


    "Some are just too stubborn to quit." Oshurkova looked at the various corpses, giving them a frown full of pity. "Anyway, it won''t be long now. We''ve already cleared up a lot."


    Just as she said that, a gong sounded out, causing all fighting in the arena to stop. Looking at the podium where Chythos sat, we saw him clapping slowly, a small smile hanging on his face at the display of carnage we showed.


    Beside him was Uius holding a comically giant hammer used to sound the gong. Focusing back on Chythos, the God stood up and continued with his slow clapping.


    A few seconds later, the rest of the applause was heard throughout the colosseum. The audience now joined in, giving us praise and respect for surviving this long.


    "Marvelous. It seems that even though you are in a ruler type of situation, your fangs haven''t dulled." Chythos stopped with his clapping and raised his hands in front of him as if trying to hug the air. "This display of power and skill, the mindset to persevere, and most of all, the freedom to enjoy what you have currently. All the Dungeon Masters still participating, I applaud you."


    The colosseum grew silent at the praise of the God before us.


    "Yet, it is with a heavy heart that I send you all back to your Dungeons. The next event will not be an easy one. It will also be the last one for this decade, so rest up and prepare. The next event will start in two days." Chythos then walked back to his throne, taking a seat on the regal looking chair. "Also, your rewards will be automatically given once you are back in your own Dungeons. Until the next time we meet, farewell."


    And then, the transfer started again.


    Shit, I am never going to get used to this sensation¡­

 Chapter 124 - Monke Returns To Dungeon With Gift Bags On Hand

    After the excruciating teleportation, which I''m sure everyone who was present within the colosseum (except for the two head honchos) experienced, I landed back on my two legs inside the familiar room of the Dungeon Core Room.


    "¡­ It''s good to be back." I exhaled a bit of air from my lungs as I let all of my guard down, my body finally feeling at ease (I was sure I still had some of my guard up during my night with Catalina) the moment the familiar scenery greeted my eyes.


    "Papa¡­" And lo and behold, my surrogate daughter approaches with her tiny footsteps known to otaku-kind as the ''pata-pata'' onomatopoeia. In short, she was cutely approaching me with her usual expressionless face. "Welcome back¡­"


    "I''m home." I managed to muster a smile and rubbed the top of her head, her silky, smooth hair rubbing against my palm. She mewled for a bit as she leaned into my touch, but suddenly froze for some unknown reason.


    Her tiny, cute, little nose twitched slightly, her mind focused on determining the scent that was coming from me, is what I assumed from her current actions. She then looked me straight in the eye, her expressionless visage now truly expressionless as she beheld my eyes in hers.


    "Papa¡­ Where''s Mama¡­?" I froze, my mind grinding to a halt due to the innocent, but soul-tearing question.


    ''What the hell does she mean by that!? Does she mean about my fling with Catalina!?'' I panicked, and for a good reason too. I''m not looking for a relationship now, not when I''m currently trying to find my bearings in this unforgiving world, but when a little girl, your surrogate daughter no less, asked for the whereabouts of her non-existent mother, I''m pretty sure all green lights are a go for panicking yourself to sleep.


    "U-uh¡­ Domino¡­? Why do you ask?" Trying to ascertain her current thought process, I pleaded towards the tiny loli who was looking at me with an expressionless gaze much harsher than before.


    "Papa¡­ I smell it¡­ I smell her¡­ Mama¡­ You found me a Mama¡­" I wanted to clutch at my head and bang it on the wall nearby to effectively kill myself from this torture, but doing so in front of Domino would be horrible. The former, mind you, not the latter. The latter will never be done.


    "E-err¡­ H-how about we talk about it next time, alright? I still have important things to do." Salvaging this situation with a quick topic drop, I sighed in relief the moment Domino gave me an accepting nod. I let my pounding heart relax as I straightened my posture, approaching the loli with outstretched arms. "Now, come here and give good ol'' papa a hug."


    She didn''t resist as I scooped her up in my arms and proceeded to give her a gentle squeeze. Her own arms tried, and failed, to wrap themselves around my body to reciprocate the gesture of affection we both shared. We stayed like that for a few moments, before I let her go and placed her back on the ground.


    This caused her to pout, however, and I settled for carrying her once more on top of my shoulders, her legs swaying back and forth as she leaned against my head.


    "Papa~" I heard Domino coo from the side of my head, a smile gracing my lips as I basked in her warmth. The previous situation now gone from my mind, I focused on the present situation with both of us basking in each other''s warmth.


    ''Yep¡­ It really is good to be back¡­''


    []


    []


    []


    I was now back on the hammock, with my entire body snugly fit inside the sleeping bag I had brought from the Battle Royale event.


    What? They didn''t say it wasn''t allowed to bring some items you liked from the events back to your Dungeon. Right on top of me, Domino laid spread eagle, her back facing front as she happily dozed off, using my body and sleeping bag as a cushion.


    As I lay there, my mind was racing with various thoughts about my Dungeon and its current situation.


    Such as the rewards from the Event, or rather, how there was no winner. I thought for sure they were going to force us to fight until the last man, but it seems it was not so.


    Was there a change in plans?


    Shaking my mind from those thoughts with no answers, I focused on the prizes I got from the event for surviving until the end. At least that part was true, with seven gift boxes, each of them corresponding to a day survived, snugly placed inside my inventory.


    How they did that, I would never know, but I''ll just chalk it up to them being Gods with bullshit powers that I currently have no way of fighting against.


    ''Seven boxes¡­ Let''s open the first day box¡­'' I mentally picked the box and had it brought out from my inventory via telekinesis. Disclaimer, I don''t know the magic on how to do so, but for some reason, when it pertains to taking things out from my inventory, I can exact my will upon it with just my thoughts, no magic needed.


    Basically, I have telekinetic force over an item that was inside my inventory, but only until it touches something solid after getting taken out. To return items or place them back, however, I needed to do it manually, meaning using a part of my body to push them into the portal that connects with my inventory, something that could be quickly solved by learning Telekinesis.


    But¡­


    [Space Manipulation Spellbook] 250,000 DP


    Yeah, I''m not getting that anytime soon¡­


    Anyway, I''ve been going on a rant for a couple of minutes now, I think it''s time to open the first giftbox.


    Using the brief surge of telekinetic power I had over the giftbox, I quickly unwrapped its bowtie that was cutely wrapped around the box, and watched as the contents flew out slowly.


    It was a wheel. You know, the ones that appear on game shows.


    I also noticed that there were a bunch of infinitely small spaces covering the front of the wheel, an arrow on the top that would be used to determine the prize the contestant would get via RNG.


    The wheel began to spin, some fanfare blaring out in the background, causing Domino to shift and open her eyes. She looked at me for a few seconds, before staring at the turning wheel in front of us with childlike wonder.


    Eventually, the wheel slowed, and as my breath hitched, it stopped. It landed on a tiny space, with a very tiny logo, making it next to impossible to discern.


    Luckily, my notification button was on, since my System oh-so gratefully gave me the description of what I won.


    [Golemcrafting Skillbook] received!


    ¡­ Welp¡­ Industrial Revolution, here I come¡­

 Chapter 125 - Monke And Early Christmas

    Well¡­ Jokes aside, if what I think about this [Golemcrafting] skill is correct, then I can mass produce an item with the same quality without fear of any of them becoming a tad bit lower quality than the others because of human error.


    Just think about it, golems working in a place, each move automated and with a purpose as they worked together perfectly and efficiently, without any pause or hindrances, all to create the item they were programmed to create.


    ''I should probably use it now. My gamer sense is tingling.'' As a general hoarder, I desired to have everything I desired in my possession. Yes, I can part with them, but most of the time, they stay cooped up in my inventory, never seeing the light of day.


    Like the halberd of the damned Demon. Ever since he used it to attack me, it has been here with me, taking a good, long nap inside of my inventory.


    Shaking my head of those thoughts before I blew a fuse, I touched the skillbook and a menu prompt appeared before my eyes.


    Learn the Skill [Golemcrafting]? Y/N


    Naturally, I immediately pressed Y. As the book slowly disintegrates itself and lets its ashes (or particles of light in this case) flow into my body, the information about how to create a Golem, how to manage them, etcetera, quickly fills my brain with ideas.


    That, and a very painful migraine.


    "Ouch¡­" I verbally whimpered as I clutched my head with one hand, worrying Domino over the course of my action.


    "Papa¡­?"


    "It''s fine, Domino. Just a little headache." I patted her head with my free hand, her body now facing towards me as she lay belly-flat on my body. Chuckling inwardly at how this position would''ve gotten me a one-way ticket to the gulag back on Earth, I took out the second reward.


    It looked like the first one, a giant gift box wrapped with some cute wrapping and a cute ribbon. Once again using telekinesis to open the box, the contents within slowly floated into the air, its presence basking in the attention both I and Domino gave to it.


    "¡­ Domino, cover your eyes." Domino quickly obliged as she turned around, her expressionless face gone and completely red from embarrassment, her pupils turning into swirls as she seldomly opened her mouth to form a coherent sentence, only to fail and let out incomprehensible sounds.


    ''Why you bully me?'' I looked at the ''reward'' with a very scrutinizing gaze, the moral side of my brain telling me to dispose of the heinous item at once, while the other side said to keep it for future purposes.


    And if you''re wondering what item was hovering in front of me that got Domino, the ever-expressionless (just a mask, mind you) child that she is, completely red in the face full of embarrassment, forsaking the persona she had tried hard to execute, why let me tell you.


    It was a fucking dildo. A vibrating one with spikes, no less.


    Sighing to myself and quickly placing it inside my inventory (my immoral side celebrating at the thought of a new way to have fun with the horny catwoman), I quickly took another gift box and opened it, not admiring the wrapping and tie this time. I was rushing because the previous mood from the first gift vanished the moment the damn dildo emerged from the box.


    Right in front of my surrogate daughter, no less!


    Sighing deeply once more, I waited for the contents of the box to slowly levitate upwards, my mind bracing at the thought of another sex toy popping up.


    Luckily, it wasn''t, and from out of the gift box, came another book.


    [Dimension Portal Spellbook] received!


    ¡­ Did I strike gold? No, judging from the wording, I''d say I''d struck motherfucking diamond, adamantite, and orichalcon all at the same time.


    ''Holy shit¡­ Do my eyes deceive me?'' I rubbed my eyes with my hands and still saw the same book hovering above the gift box. Slowly reaching out to grab it, I felt the smooth book cover.


    Running my hands over the book, I immediately commanded the System to absorb its contents.


    Unable to learn [Dimension Portal] skill. Stats required¡­


    Base Int: 1000


    Base Wis: 1000


    Yep, I knew it was too good to be true. I felt quite disappointed in myself for getting my hopes up. I kept the book in my inventory for future purposes.


    Who knows, maybe in a few decades, I can use this spellbook and get a plane ticket to Earth, where I can wreak havoc and chaos wherever I go.


    Imagine this: a walking gorilla/human hybrid, releasing a bunch of monkeys from zoos and herding them into a facility where they can fling poop all the time.


    Yep, my inner troll is coming out again.


    Taking the fourth reward from my inventory, I crossed my fingers for a good result.


    But it looks like RNGesus decided my luck was dogshit, and I use the term dogshit because the reward in front of me is a literal piece of motherfucking dogshit.


    [Dogshit''s Idol] received!


    And it has a fucking rare rarity tagged on it¡­ Why is this a thing¡­?


    Looking at its description, it tells me that this piece of dog crap over here can generate limitless amounts... Okay, based on its usefulness, it is trash-tier, but in specific situations, this could actually be a very good weapon.


    Dip your arrows into the never-ending piece of shit and quickly fire them against the enemy. If it won''t kill them, then the tetanus will.


    Taking a box and placing it inside, I tossed it back inside my inventory (not before making sure the box won''t get destroyed).


    The next two boxes weren''t really that amazing. Sure, they are wonderful to have, but currently, not really useful.


    One box had an item that continuously generated gunpowder. If I had guns, this would be perfect, but sadly, I have no idea how to make a modern gun, or even the WW1 era of guns, and the blueprints in the Dungeon Store are hella expensive for my pockets right now.


    I could make a cannon, though, and mount them on the monster city, so overall, that unlimited gunpowder was an incredible boon.


    The other was a never-ending supply of water. I quickly had it installed inside my Dungeon, or more specifically, inside the towns, both human and monster-alike. Now they have unlimited water that I don''t have to generate with biomes and have some of those bodies of water converted into some other types of land, like for farming.


    The final box, however, was currently hovering right in front of me, my anxious gaze sesttled upon its form. Taking a deep intake of air, I opened it, and crossed my fingers for something good.


    [Mask of Drakhan] received!


    ¡­ Is it a jackpot?

 Chapter 126 - Monke And The New Link

    [Mask of Drakhan]


    I stared at the mask that was given to me via reward for surviving a week and not getting disqualified in the games. It had a very plain design, with the mask only having two holes for the eyes and pure black for its body.


    All in all, it looked like an ordinary black, full-faced mask you could find in supermarkets.


    However, I can feel mana pouring off of it like a waterfall. Even with my abysmal sense of mana (which is none, I believe), I can still feel it touching my arms and fur, causing it to stand up on end.


    ''Yes, this is a jackpot item.'' As my curiosity grew, I decided to try donning the mask. Briefly placing it on my face, I felt nothing, other than my restricted vision due to the size of the eyeholes.


    But a moment later, everything changed.


    ''What is this¡­?'' I felt power surge into my body like nothing before, my previous drowsiness fading as vigor replaced it. My fur began to stand on end, power radiating off of every single strand of hair.


    Domino, who was peacefully sleeping atop of me, had her eyes quickly opened wide as she jumped from her spot and down on the ground, sweat cascading down her body. She looked at the source of the power and noticed me wearing some kind of mask, making her tilt her head in confusion, before shaking off those thoughts.


    "Papa¡­ What are you doing¡­?" I directed my gaze at my surrogate daughter, the mask hiding my grinning-like-a-maniac face as I regarded the little girl with loving eyes.


    "Just testing some things out." I replied vaguely. Domino stared at me for a few seconds before shrugging and climbing back onto the hammock. Once again on top of my chest, not caring for the raging tide of power radiating from my very being. ''Based on its initial reactions, I can conclude that this mask gives me a huge boost to my physical strength, if my sudden energized body is anything to go by.


    Picking up Domino from the waist and placing her back on the ground (her pout coming in full force), I got off my lazy ass and walked towards a tree that would not be missed as a test subject.


    Domino''s previous displeasure vanished as she curiously looked upon my visage.


    Coming close to the tree, I decided to give it a little love tap. A light punch to the bark is what I''m going for.


    Not cocking my fist back or anything that included wind-ups, I lightly punched the tree with my right hand. Do note that this tree''s width was about half a meter in diameter, so it is a little thick.


    My light punch, however, easily broke through the bark and sent the entire upper half of the tree flying a few meters away. I looked at my fist, the main cause of the impromptu uprooting of a tree and grinned.


    ''This mask is great!'' Deciding to test my base strength next, I took off the mask and suddenly felt my body turn sluggish. It felt like I hadn''t slept in days and my body was burnt out. ''Okay¡­ I take that back. This mask is a double-edged sword¡­''


    I put the mask in my inventory and decided to carry on with my experiment, even though I was feeling like shit. ''Just a light tap¡­''


    Looking for a tree the same size as the last one I had toppled, I found one nearby and also gave it a love tap. Instead of uprooting the upper half of the tree and sending it flying, what happened was that the bark was punctured, and the tree toppled backwards due to the hole inside its tree trunk.


    ''So¡­ It roughly increases my physical capabilities by about 250%. Not bad for a trump card.'' I mused tiredly inside my head, my vision swimming as my body searched for a way to shut down without my mind noticing. Not keen on falling unconscious on the ground, I huffed it back to my hammock and slipped back inside my sleeping bag.


    Domino also followed me silently and promptly laid herself on my chest, laying spread eagle once more as she dozed off. I smiled, and felt my consciousness leaving my body due to how tired I was.


    []


    []


    []


    A few hours later, and I was awake once more. Apparently, using the mask gives me extreme lethargy which can be remedied with a good nap. How that is possible, I have no idea, but hey, a few hours of naptime are infinitely better than a whole day of dozing off.


    Currently, I was looking at the container that Oshurkova and Catalina gave me the moment I joined their group and the day after I had sex with the catwoman. Picking up the container that the vampire lady gave me, I slowly opened it and scanned its contents.


    It was a glowing orb with a note attached on the bottom of the inside of the container saying ''Please break me.''


    Dangerous innuendo aside, I grabbed the orb in my right hand, and promptly crushed it in my grip, the orb turning into sand as the remains got slowly absorbed by my Dungeon.


    [Linkage Orb discovered! Linking Dungeon with the designated Dungeon found inside Linkage Orb''s database!]


    ''Oho¡­? Is this what I think it is¡­?'' I looked at the glowing lightshow in front of me as the sand continued to be absorbed into my Dungeon via the soil. Once it was all done, my Dungeon shook once, before everything grinded to a halt.


    Incoming Transmission¡­


    I blinked, my mouth refusing to form words due to the suddenness of the situation.


    {Good day, Jionni. It seems you''ve activated the Linkage Orb.}


    In front of me, a holographic screen hovered, showing the face of the vampire woman smiling impishly at me.


    {Let''s have a little talk, shall we?}


    I nodded dumbly as my mind began to recover, the implications the orb gave me now drilling into my brain.


    ''Well, this is new¡­''

 Chapter 127 - Monke And New Connections

    {So, Jionni, I take it you have some questions?}


    Oshurkova practically asked me that question with a grin on her face. I can tell, she''s enjoying this.


    "Eh, pretty much." I shrugged, my mind finally able to process this shit without having to hang, lag, or even the dreaded blue screen. Shaking my head off of those thoughts, I regarded the video call (I''m calling it that) with my entire focus. "About that Linkage Orb, I''m pretty sure our Dungeons aren''t connected via the Dungeon Menu only."


    {Based on your answer, I can confidently say that you''re correct.} Oshurkova said with a wider grin, her red eyes practically glowing in delight. {Our Dungeons aren''t only connected through our menus. Our Dungeons are also connected physically. To cut a long story short, you can enter my dungeon and I can enter yours simply by walking.}


    I did a spit-take, causing Domino to once more topple in surprise. I issued a quick apology to her, not that it caused her pout to go away at having her nap disturbed once more.


    "How do we do that though? Crossing over to each other''s Dungeons?" I asked, my body once again falling flat against my hammock.


    {Simple, really. You felt the shaking, didn''t you?} I nodded in response to her question. {That was the sign of a permanent portal forming on the first floor of your Dungeon, right next to the entrance.}


    Her answer gave me a lot of possibilities that could happen if this portal is permanent as she says.


    "Does the portal disappear if a hostile invader comes knocking?" I had to ask that question, because it wasn''t true, then I can probably expect reinforcements if I will be having trouble against an invading group.


    {No. The portal stays, whether you want it to or not.} I had to force myself to not do a victory dance right in front of the vampire lady, the main reason being that Domino was once more sound asleep on top of my chest. {So yes, what you''re thinking about reinforcements coming to you if ever there was an invader you couldn''t repel, it is entirely possible.}


    "That''s actually good to hear." I nodded, a smile gracing my lips as I proceeded to ask another question. "By the way, care to open up for trades?"


    {What kind of trades?} Oshurkova leaned in from her chair, her full attentiveness hanging on my every word.


    "Simple trading. Are you regulating a town inside your Dungeon?"


    {If you could determine that from the stacks of paperwork I had to do back in the Battle Royale, then yes, I do run a town for monsters here.} The vampire scowled as the memory of the stacks of paperwork flooded both our minds. I shivered.


    Yeah, once I get the town running, I''m delegating all of that shit to the Bentley''s.


    "I can provide some types of food that you may not have heard of yet." I thought of the various foods back on Earth. The instant type ones, like instant noodles, those foods in a can, as well as a childhood favorite, hotdogs.


    {Any type of food is appreciated, what with the diverse species of monsters living inside my Dungeon.} Oshurkova said with a tired smile. I smiled in return, my mind listing off the various food that would be soon heading their way towards my fellow Dungeon Master''s Dungeon.


    "Wonderful. Now, as for our payments, how do we do this?" I asked with a tilt of my head. Oshurkova shrugged and replied with her answer.


    {Depends on what you want, really. I have a bit of everything in here, and frankly, I''m too lazy to keep stock of everything going around my Dungeon here.} Oshurkova shook her head with a sigh.


    "Then, how about some crafting materials. You know, leather, metals, silk, those types of stuff."


    {Oh, you mean production class items? Sure, I can supply you with them. It depends on the quality and quantity of the food you will be supplying my Dungeon, though.}


    "Not to worry, I''m sure your monsters will love them." We both chuckled at the same time. "I have to go now. Even if I look like I''m resting right now, I still have a lot to do."


    {Heh, you''re not the only one.} Oshurkova and I exchanged smirks. {Anyway, nice talking with you. I''ll call you back later, damn paperwork just won''t leave me alone.}


    And with that, our conversation was cut short, with Oshurkova cutting the connection first. Looking at the Dungeon Menu, I spotted the portal hovering in place inside the first floor of the Forest/Monster Town area. It was a ways away from the town, but nonetheless, incredibly visible to the untrained eye.


    I gave all the primates inside my Dungeon to notify those living with us about the appearance of the swirling portal and why it was not to be harmed, touched, or even tinkered with. I also warned them about the possibility of another one appearing in a few minutes.


    After my commands, my eyes then landed on the next container, the one given to me by Catalina after our night together.


    Taking the same steps as earlier, I slowly opened the lid and scanned its contents. Once I was sure it was the same [Linkage Orb] as earlier, I gripped it tightly in my hand as it shattered into dust and fell to the ground, where it was promptly absorbed by my Dungeon to form a new link with another Dungeon Master.


    [Linkage Orb discovered! Linking Dungeon with the designated Dungeon found inside Linkage Orb''s database!]


    Once the lightshow subsided, I braced for another earthquake, and lo and behold, the earthquake did indeed come with the same intensity as the one earlier.


    Looking at the Dungeon Menu, I spotted another portal, a few ways away from the other portal leading towards the Dungeon of Oshurkova, hovering above the ground.


    Incoming Transmission¡­


    "Well, that was quick." I commented teasingly towards the catwoman who decided to give me a call the moment I crushed the orb.


    {Says the man who quickly released the first time during our night together.} Catalina teased back, her eyebrows wiggling, giving me the famous Lenny face.


    "Touche. Anyway, I would like to discuss some things¡­"

 Chapter 128 - Monke And The Missing Residents

    After a few back-and-forth conversations with the catwoman, we decided to also pursue a trade with each other every other week. Namely, the trade of some artificial food from my homeworld, for some other supplies for building the monster and human town.


    Ending the transmission with Catalina, I sighed and promptly lay inside my comfy sleeping bag on my hammock.


    ''What should I do now¡­?'' I may be a sucker for rest, but even I understand that work is important if you want to prosper. ''Oh, I still haven''t checked up on the other new residents¡­ Actually, there hasn''t been a report about it for the last few hours¡­ Why though¡­?''


    Poking Domino''s sleeping face caused her to wake up, her pouty face glaring at me. I chuckled and rustled the top of her hair, her body leaning into my touch.


    "Sorry about that, but I need to do something important." I pinched her cheek, her groans echoing around trees as she tried to pry herself off of me. I released her cheeks, tiny droplets of tears pouring down her face as her indifferent expression looked back at me with a pout.


    "Meanie¡­" Domino harrumphed and took her leave towards the house, presumably to go and play some video games since she couldn''t spend time with her surrogate father.. I chuckled good-heartedly at the retreating figure of Domino, my chuckle dying in the wind as I focused back on the current problem at hand.


    ''I wonder how they''re doing¡­?'' And with that, I quickly got myself out of my sleeping bag and tucked it nicely and neatly inside my inventory. Getting off of my hammock, I walked through the path leading towards another generated passageway that led to the first floor, specifically, near the monster town.


    []


    []


    []


    It took me a few minutes to reach the town, the whole area bustling with activity here and there. The moment the monsters in the town noticed my presence, they all greeted me with a bunch of bowing and thanks.


    I''m pretty sure I didn''t deserve that, since I technically coerced them to live here or face destruction, but hey, they did reason that they wouldn''t have gotten these luxuries if they stayed back where they were before, and would most probably die if they messed with another group of monsters stronger than them.


    That''s just how nature is, survival of the fittest, and right here, I''m top dog, with them being a part of my pack. Also, they lead better lives under me than the whole fight, kill, survive mindset they had. Now, their mindset is pretty much the same, but more on the civilized style than the barbaric style they had back in the day.


    That didn''t mean that they were weaker than before, in fact, most, if not all of them are stronger than they did earlier in their lives. The reason for that is because rather than those low on the totem pole eating less than the ones who excel (trust me, I asked them this question before), all of them are equal here and are given food, enough to satiate themselves and then some.


    They were also given some substantial amount of clothing and armor, thanks to the help of the primates and other monsters who are in charge of tailoring and blacksmithing (the blacksmithing skillbook works wonders for the lead primate, who is not teaching the others how to do so. Tailoring, I had some other goblins, kobolds, orcs, etc, teach the others how to do it).


    Too bad there wasn''t an education system here yet. Once I get enough DP (which I''m sure won''t take too long given that the number of monsters inside my Dungeon is getting larger and larger.


    That said though, it seems that I won''t get Dungeon Income if the Dungeon Master, or in this case, me, isn''t present inside the Dungeon.


    A limitation I could''ve lived without, but as they say, you can''t beat rules enforced on you by the Gods.


    Anyways, I''ve gone off on a rather large tangent, so I refocused my mind back on the topic at hand.


    ''Now, where are they?'' I looked around and saw that there were no new faces because if there were, I would''ve been notified by the primates who had strict watch over the town. I tilted my head in confusion, my ass plopping down on a bench inside a rather large plaza the monsters made inside the town with the materials they had.


    It was rather nice¡­ Giving a somewhat homey feeling.


    I opened the Dungeon Menu and contacted the leader of the watch in this town. I waited for a few seconds, and the person on the other picked up, showing a chimpanzee with a distinct red pupil in his right eye.


    Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Chip, the leader of the Town Watch, who has also gone under a transformation, namely, chuunibyou and edgelordiness in one¡­


    Like, holy shit, he was wearing a goddamn cape, had a cowl, an eyepatch on his left, and he had a signature grin he was showing me without any hesitation.


    "Ah! Greetings, boss. Did you perhaps have something or someone for me to shoot?" Chip grinned darkly, saying fully structured sentences that I''m sure that other primates couldn''t do yet.


    "Nor right now, no." Chip''s grin vanished and, in its stead, was replaced with a dramatic frown.


    "Oh, how disappointing." Chip twirled and grabbed his trusty bow (a new one I gave him, which was a fully functioning compound bow bought from the Dungeon Store) and run his hand over it like a mother would a child. "My partner Primal Shot hasn''t found good prey in weeks. She''s been getting a little antsy, and I wouldn''t want to disappoint my partner that bad."


    Holy lord¡­ The edginess is too much¡­!


    "That said, she can wait, if it''s for you." Chip laughed then hung the bow on his back. "Don''t tell her I told you this, but she''s been harboring a giant crush on you ever since you gave her to me. Hehe, such a bad girl."


    And now he''s imagining that an inanimate object without sentience is in love with me¡­


    "Er¡­ Alright, I won''t tell." I promised to the primate, who laughed good-naturedly, his body bouncing up and down due to his laughter. "Anyway, have you seen any new faces around? Even not in my town?"


    "New faces? Sorry, but no boss. No new monsters have arrived since your Dungeon has been teleported inside this dimension disconnected from our reality." Chip shook his head as he sighed. I sighed back and nodded thankfully to the loyal but edgy chimpanzee.


    "I see, thanks for your hard work, Chip." Chip then gave me a salute, not the normal salute mind you, the one where you bump your fist on your chest kind of salute.


    "Ahhh¡­ Your thanks are enough to power me through a desert savanna! I humbly accept your thanks and praise, boss!" After his tirade, I cut off the connection with the primate, who was getting too edgy I was having a minor aneurysm due to the cringe I was accumulating.


    ''Well¡­ At least he''s deadly with a bow¡­ Still, who the hell taught him how to use that thing?''


    As I contemplated another mystery of the universe, such as a chimpanzee learning how to use a bow in just a day without any guide or previous practice whatsoever, I decided to visit the other communities prospering in my Dungeon.


    Namely, the arachnes and the alraunes.


    ''Shit¡­ This is going to be a horny festival¡­ I just know it¡­''

 Chapter 129 - Monke And The Other Communities (The Alraunes - 1)

    Leaving the town a few minutes after resting on that bench, I made my way directly to the forest where the alraunes were living in. If I''m not mistaken, there are 23 of them currently living inside my Dungeon, with about half of them having legs instead of the usual flower-half.


    How it is like that, I have no idea, but hey, who am I to complain.


    Walking through the silent, but frequently used path, I spotted a herd of deer frolicking in a field not far away from me. Along with them, I also spotted some rabbits grazing in the field not far away from the herd of deer.


    This view got me thinking about how my Dungeon''s first floor was close to mimicking a natural forest made by mother nature. Sure, it wasn''t even close to a real forest since it was missing a lot, such as insects, more variety of animals, and just the plain old things you would encounter in a forest.


    Moving past those groups of animals, I walked slower, taking in the view as I made my way towards the area where the alraunes were currently living.


    ''How large is the first floor anyway? I know it''s about 33 basketball courts combined, 53 now I believe because of the rooms I got from the Dungeon Masters I killed, though I''m still skeptical since the residents are still missing.


    That said though, I''m also sure that the first floor wasn''t big like this the last time I came here, so maybe it was just the residents that were delayed because of something happening on the Gods'' side of things.


    Placing those thoughts back in the back of my mind, I whistled at the forest where the alraunes made their home, the trees looking much livelier than the other areas due to alraunes being something along the lines of a druid, even if they function incredibly different from one.


    Well, technically speaking, they''re plants, so they, of all people, should know how to properly take care of nature like it is their home, which isn''t that far from the mark.


    "Hello, anybody here?" I called out from outside the first grove of trees since it was the outermost part of their forest area.


    It wasn''t long until I was greeted by an alraune with legs instead of a flower-half.


    "Oh, greetings, Dungeon Master Jionni. What brings you here to our humble abode?" The sexy alraune was bringing along a basketful of fruits and vegetables in her arms. I assume the fruits and vegetables were their food for the day¡­ That said¡­


    "Aren''t eating fruits and vegetables considered cannibalism to your species?" I voiced out an honest question due to my growing curiosity about their general livelihood. As the leader of the entire Dungeon, even if I don''t act like one, I have the responsibility to make sure that they are all living healthy lives and content with their stay here.


    All for the sake of DP and efficient manpower.


    The alraune, in response, laughed out loud to my chagrin. Good thing gorillas can''t blush, otherwise, I would be red as a tomato right now. She immediately stopped her laughing, however, and quickly went pale, the basket dropping from her hands and onto solid ground as its contents scattered about.


    "F-forgive me for laughing, D-Dungeon Master J-Jionni." The alraune, now quivering in fear due to the offensive act she had given me (although to me, it wasn''t anywhere near offensive, just my stupidity at play), squeaked out her apology and hoped that I wouldn''t punish her harshly, her green skin excreting some sort of sap as opposed to sweat.


    Seeing the shaking alraune, I sighed and gave her a wave of my hand.


    "No, no, apologies are not needed." I smiled at her, causing her shaking to stop and her light green-colored skin turning a little bit darker. "I admit, that was a stupid question. Even plants are included in the ''Survival of the Fittest'' scheme mother nature has placed upon us mortals."


    Seeing that she was no longer in any sort of bad situation, the alraune let out a sigh of relief, before regarding me once more as she moved to pick up the basket and its scattered contents.


    "No, please. I may have stepped across the line for laughing like that. Please, accept my apology." She quickly gathered the fruits and vegetables, and once she was done with the task, she stood up and bowed before me, her assets jiggling in the air due to gravity.


    ''This alraune won''t take no for an answer¡­ Haaahhh¡­'' I sighed once more and looked at the alraune with a teasing glint in my eyes. ''Well, if she wants to apologize so much, then¡­''


    "Then, apology not accepted." My words caused her to freeze in place, her skin once again becoming a light green color due to her paling features. She looked up at me and gave me a look full of fear as the basket threatened to once again fall from her grasp. "Nah, I''m just kidding. Apology accepted. Seriously, that was my bad for asking a question like that."


    The alraune noticed my grin and gave me a full pout, her skin turning a shade darker, and this time, it wasn''t because of relief. I''m pretty sure if she was a human, she would be blushing red right now, but not out of embarrassment, but a mixture of both anger and embarrassment.


    "¡­ Why would you do that? I thought you were going to kill me?"


    "Hey, you''re a resident of my Dungeon, and I''ll be damned if I let one resident be dissatisfied with my hospitality." I proclaimed, the alraune now turning back to normal as she got her act together. ''Other than those who refused to comply, who I''m guessing is also getting the same treatment as those who complied, I won''t let my residents live a life that could, in any way, lead to a revolt.''


    "Anyway, please guide me to Rosada, I have some things I want to discuss with her."

 Chapter 130 - Monke And The Other Communities (The Alraunes - 2)

    I and the alraune who I scared shitless earlier were now walking down the path leading towards their very own village, which I''m assuming would be like tree houses, only better.


    The trek was silent, the alraune guiding me to their village clamping her mouth shut due to the terrifying experience she had with me earlier. That, and she probably didn''t want to get teased again by her pseudo-landlord.


    I may have gone a little overboard with my teasing, but hey, I''ve been needing something to vent about after the stressful events going on in my current life.


    Mostly, the missing residents, and the realization that two Dungeons were now interconnected with mine.


    Sure, I gave my permission. That does not mean I am not wary of the Dungeon Masters who I have just met in the past week (by Divine Realm standards) screwing behind my back if I let my guard down.


    It was only a few minutes into the trek that we finally arrived at their village.


    "Dungeon Master Jionni, I welcome you to our humble village.." The alraune, whose name I still haven''t gotten, gave me a heartwarming smile as she bowed before me. "It doesn''t have a name yet, and Flora Rosada has yet to come up with a name. I presume she''s waiting for your input before giving the village a name."


    She stood straight back up, her words resonating in my ears as I rubbed my chin with my hands.


    "Hm¡­ That seems fair." I gave her a shrug as I looked around the village. It wasn''t anything too mind-blowing. Just a normal village, with trees being used as the foundation for houses and buildings. ''It looks like that my previous assumption of them using the tree houses wasn''t far off the mark. Also, they do indeed look better than the tree houses I had come across back on Earth.''


    The alraunes going about their day in the Alraune Village (I''m naming the village that for now) noticed my presence and all at once greeted me with charming and lovely smiles. They also synchronously gave me a bow, indicating their complete loyalty to me, their landlord.


    I smiled back, recognizing their show of submission as I waved at them from my position.


    ''Well, at least I''m certain that these alraunes won''t be betraying me anytime soon. Plus, they''re good laborers, since they don''t consume that much resources, not that we''re short of that stuff anytime soon.'' I mused as the alraunes individually went back to do their jobs and businesses, or rest.


    "Nice place you have here." I commented loudly, the alraunes who heard my words puffing their chest with pride as they felt their ego being stroked.


    "Well, Flora Rosada made sure that our home would be presentable to her future husband." The alraune commented wistfully, before she froze up in shock as she heard what she just said. Beside her, even I froze up in shock at the meaning of her words. "You didn''t hear that from me!"


    She squeaked out louder than I initially thought, her voice garnering the attention of the other alraunes who were off doing whoever knows what. Inside my mind, a hamster was busily and furiously running to get the hamster wheel it was using to turn faster to make the gears in my head turn quicker.


    ''Did she just say future husband¡­? I''m pretty sure I haven''t set up a flag that would net me that kind of relationship. I''m also sure this world doesn''t run on harem anime logic where I get the girl the moment I meet her. Catalina doesn''t count. She''s a friend-with-benefits, not a lover.''


    As my mind continued to turn and turn to comprehend what the alraune beside me just said, I heard shuffling to my left. Turning my head towards the west, I saw Rosada making her way towards me, her flower half slithering on the ground as she slowly approached me.


    How that worked, I have no idea, but then again, this is a fantasy world, so anything can happen.


    My mental faculties once again grinded to a halt upon the realization that this woman right here, this exotic, sexy, green-skinned woman, wanted me to become her husband. For what reason, I have no idea, but this did result in me getting my guard up in the presence of this flowery woman, pun definitely intended.


    "Dungeon Master Jionni? What brings you here to my humble, little village?" Rosada tilted her head with a confused expression on her face. Despite her inherent beauty and sexiness, that action made it seem like she was cute instead of a natural beauty. Shaking my head off of the gutter, I steeled my exterior so she wouldn''t notice anything off about my current behavior.


    "Just checking on you alraunes to see if there is anything wrong." I shrugged, my indifferent mask hiding the fact I was extremely on guard against this woman. So much for loyalty. Now I have to remain guarded to make sure that she wasn''t gunning for me to be my lover just so she could have semi-control over my Dungeon.


    Damn¡­ My paranoia be spiking right about now.


    "By the way, this girl over here," I pointed at the alraune who was visibly shaking at her slip-up, causing Rosada to narrow her eyes at the shaking alraune, "said that your village doesn''t have a name yet. Want me to help you with that?"


    "But of course!" She quickly took her eyes off of the squirming alraune as she regarded me with a loving gaze. The question is this: Is that her real feeling, or is she deliberately faking it?


    Only time will tell¡­ That, and a ninja squad of primates. Chip better be ready for some overwork.


    The both of us took a seat on a nearby bench that they built out of the trees they had chopped down and regrown in a matter of days as we brainstormed some ideas for the name of the village. All the while, I noticed Rosada making some gestures toward me that I was pretty sure were seduction.


    My guard only rose higher, but I didn''t let it show.


    We conversed back and forth, my guard rising ever so slightly as her obvious advances became even more and more obvious as we finally settled on a name.


    Florein.


    Florein Village. The village where peaceful, but seductive alraunes lived in harmony with the rest of the monster community living inside my Dungeon.


    "Dungeon Master Jionni, I thank you for giving me the chance to have you help me come up with a name for my¡­ For our village." Rosada gave me a loving smile as she placed her hands on top of mine.


    Outside, I smiled back. On the inside, I was scrutinizing her every move.


    ''This settles it. I''ll have to order a team of primates to stealthily monitor this village for any sort of conniving and plans detrimental to my Dungeon.'' I thought logically about this blatant attempt at seduction.


    "Don''t worry." I stood up and stretched, my back making popping noises. "Anyway, it''s time I took my leave. My other duties are calling."


    "I see, such a shame." Rosada stood up as well, her head shaking back and forth as she looked at me with regret in her eyes. "I would''ve loved to serve you some of our alraunes secret tea, but I know just how busy you truly are."


    Looking back at her, I saw her bow before me, her show of submission and loyalty seemingly fake in my eyes.


    "Heh, you got that right." I chuckled. I turned my back to her and waved my hands in the air. "I''ll come back, though I don''t know when. Just know that this village you have here is nice, a fine addition to my growing Dungeon."


    "Thank you for your praise, and I assure you, we will be waiting once more for your future arrival." Rosada smiled at me, although I didn''t see it due to my back facing her instead of my front.


    Leaving the quaint, little village, I left with my paranoia spiking high.


    ''Will this happen as well in the Arachne Village?''


    My thoughts continued to bring me into a haze as I robotically made my way to their village, which was not that far from here.

 Chapter 131 - Monke And The Other Communites (The Arachnes - 1)

    My walk alone towards the Arachne village was steeped in silence, my mind going over the conversations I had with the alraune leader.


    I was so deep in thought that I hadn''t noticed a figure stalking from behind, the chittering of numerous insect legs breaking me out of my funk. I quickly turned around and got ready for a battle, only to be met with a very curious arachne, who was quite obviously a little girl.


    "Big hairy monster?" The young arachne cocked her head, her ever-curious expression fixed on my perplexed one. As I knelt down, the young arachne did not retreat from my form. Instead, she drew even closer, her curiosity getting the better of her.


    She reached out her slim arms and tiny hands towards my log of an arm, her soft, human skin touching my furry and rugged fur.. She leaned in closer as she brought her entire face into my arm, burying her head in the process.


    She cuddled up to my arm for a few moments before another arachne, this time a more mature, but still young-looking female, rushed towards me with a terrified expression.


    "D-Dungeon Master Jionni! T-terribly sorry about my daughter here. She''s too c-curious for her own good¡­!" Her soft, panicked screams reached my ears, and I looked at the young arachne, who was busy sticking her entire body, human and spider, onto my arm like it was a gigantic pillow.


    Seeing the comical sight, I let out a chuckle as it progressed into full-blown laughter. This stunned the older arachne, while the young one briefly separated herself from my arm as she looked into my eyes with a confused expression. One glance behind her and she saw the older arachne, the younger arachne immediately shrinking back as she sheepishly looked at the older arachne with a fidgeting gaze.


    My laughter died down as I let out a relieved sigh, my conversations with the alraune leader now a long-forgotten memory due to the wholesome experience this young arachne showed me.


    I rubbed her raven-black hair, feeling its silky, smooth texture as the young arachne stiffened in place, before she relaxed and indulged in my touch.


    If I wasn''t any better, I would''ve thought that I was great with kids, starting with the two children from the Shaiydons, to Domino, then Alice, and finally, this little sweety here.


    "Ahaha¡­ Forgive me for my sudden bout of laughter. It was just too funny seeing you looking like you were about to have a panic attack, while this little darling," I patted the young arachne even more, making her dose off as she basked in my attention, "Was snuggling up to my arm like a body pillow."


    The older arachne looked confused for a moment, before she heaved a sigh of relief, her body relaxing as she realized there was no immediate threat to their lives.


    "By the way, I haven''t gotten your name yet, as well as this little cutey." I patted the young arachne even more, the young arachne now leaning into my touch even more. "Care to enlighten me?"


    "Ah! Yes, of course." The older arachne fidgeted in place as she cleared her throat, her legs on her spider-half chittering in place. Whether it was due to nervousness, anxiety, or embarrassment, I have no idea, but I will admit, for a scary looking spider body, it looked kinda cute¡­


    Oh no, something''s awakening in me¡­


    "Greetings, Dungeon Master Jionni. I am called Qhanti, and my younger sister over there is Qhithish." The older arachne, now named Qhanti, did a curtsey, albeit slightly modified due to her lower half. Qhithish, who was basking in my attention, noticed her older sister bowing to me, and she panicked, before calming down and doing the same right after retreating away from me and standing next to her bowing sister.


    "Ah, Qhanti and Qhithish, nice to meet you." I gave them a nod, and they raised their heads, both of them giving me a charming smile. Charming for the older arachne, the younger one was just plain cute, what with their unique, blood-red eyes.


    I approached them and put my hand forward. Qhanti, being the older of the two who dabbled in social gestures (I think), realized what I wanted and let her hand grab mine. We both shook it, and retracted our arms back.


    Qhithish, who was left out of our impromptu handshake, looked jealous and promptly held her hand out, expecting me to grab it and shake it with her. Beside her, Qhanti looked aghast at the straightforward and innocent young arachne.


    In response, I chuckled and also grabbed her tiny and soft hands, giving them a gentle shake and Qhithish gave me a beaming smile.


    "So, what were you two doing out here?" I asked, and Qhandi tapped the giant bag that was laying on top of her spider body.


    "Just bringing food to our stocks." Qhandi shrugged as she tapped the bag on top of her younger sister''s spider body, which I hadn''t noticed before. "Today''s my turn to be the carrier, and I thought why not bring my younger sister to the town. I didn''t want her to stay cooped up in our village for the rest of her life while she grew up."


    "Hmm, nothing I can argue there." I shook my head as the both arachne sisters looked at each other with smiles plastered on their faces. "Anyway, can you take me to your village? I have some things to discuss with your leader, Aratella."


    "Ah, of course. Come, we''ll take you to our village, right Qhithish?" Qhandi smiled naturally as she looked at her sister, only for her smile to vanish and be replaced by a frown, quickly digressing into horror as she saw her sister doing something horrible.


    That thing was climbing on my back with her spider body, which I will admit, creeped me out a bit, but I held on strong. This was just a little girl who is still a little too innocent for the grim world around her.


    She then settled upon my back, her spider legs clung to my body like some kind of rib cage as her human body leaned into the back of my head, her giggling echoing in my ears all the while.


    Meanwhile, Qhandi was horrified at the scene, her spider and human body quivering in fear at my assumed outburst.


    Which did not happen, mind you.


    "It''s alright. I''m used to dealing with children." One look at Domino, who was overly clingy, proved that. "Anyway, shall we get going? I still have some plans to do once my business with your leader is finished."


    Qhandi looked at me with surprise, but she then relaxed as she realized that I wouldn''t harm her sister. She gave me a sheepish look, her face apologizing for the stunt her sister was pulling, but I didn''t hold it against her.


    In fact, if you discount the spider body, it felt like she was clinging to me like some kind of security blanket.


    I shook my head and the three of us went on our merry way towards their village.

 Chapter 132 - Monke And The Other Communities (The Arachnes - 2)

    The trip to the Arachne village with the two sisters wasn''t one steeped in silence like the trip to the Alraune Village, now known as Florein Village. Instead, our trip was lively, with a few conversations and banter between me and Qhandi, the arachne, a surprisingly laid-back type of character.


    I liked that kind of character a lot more than those who always act skittish around me. I ain''t the head of a company that is hellbent on making his employees work harder for the sake of the company. No, instead, I''m more of a boss who likes his employees having fun and being loyal for the sake of a company.


    After all, fun and loyalty is better than fear and domination. The former can have fewer implications since the employees would happily serve you, while the latter would increase the possibility of the employees rising up to remove you from your high pedestal.


    Plus, I''m not the kind of guy to rule with fear. Sure, I may have strong-armed monsters to relocate to my Dungeon, but look at them now. They are well-fed, well-clothed, well-sheltered, and happy with their current lives.


    Some others, however, still hold a grudge against me, and I don''t hold it against them.. After all, I literally coerced them to come and live here so they could serve as the workforce, but I also gave out equal compensation, so most of them stayed quiet, and some of them have also transferred from the grudge-filled hate towards me, to loyalty and respect.


    Anyway, enough of that discussion about employees and management. Right now, me and Qhandi were discussing how I was going to improve the livelihood of everybody inside my Dungeon.


    The truth of the matter is that I haven''t thought of it that far. I scratched my chin and gave Qhandi a rather sheepish look, while Qhithish was still hanging from my back as her spider legs clung to my body, humming up a little tune which I found cute.


    "Haven''t really thought of it that far." I said while patting one of Qhithish''s spider legs, causing her to jerk it back a little, before relaxing to my touch. The texture of her leg felt smooth, not rugged or hairy like some other spider species like I thought it would. "Though, I still have some plans to add to the monster town, like some more advanced technology, but that''s still far in the future."


    "Hmm¡­" Qhandi looked at me with a perplexed gaze, before she snapped her fingers and regarded me with her curious look once more. "How about the Alraune Village and my village?"


    "Oh, don''t worry about that. You all are also included in my advancement plan." I gave her a smile, which Qhandi returned with one of her own. "I''ll give you all a sneak peak as to what I mean. You know that there are also humans and demi-humans that live in my Dungeon, right?"


    Qhandi nodded and opened her mouth to speak. "It was somewhere beyond the monster town if I''m correct. The back gate, right?"


    "Right you are." I nodded back, with Qhithish tilting her head curiously as a strand of fur made itself known to her face. She brought her hand towards the strand of hair and began playing with it.


    The strand of hair looks like an ahoge in anime. You know, the giant strand of hair that kept on poking out of an anime character''s head, preferably female, for no apparent reason.


    That''s what Qhithish was playing right now. I had no idea I had an ahoge, but I''ll just chalk it up to not owning a mirror.


    I looked up, and her gaze followed the ahoge down to her chest. Chuckling lightly at the sight of the cute arachne following the strand of hair, I booped her in the nose, surprising her as she looked at my face with a confused expression, before her face became bright red due to embarrassment.


    Beside me, Qhandi let out a snort at the now blushing arachne, all of her eight eyes looking anywhere and everywhere but my face.


    We continued like that, with both me and Qhandi discussing some more but unimportant topics, and a few minutes later, we finally arrived at their village.


    "Well, here we are. Hope it isn''t too creepy to look at from an outsider''s point of view." Her words rang true as everywhere I looked, huts made of wood came into view, with all of them having giant spiderwebs as their main decoration or furniture.


    Truth be told, I was a little creeped out by it, but I didn''t have arachnophobia, so it wasn''t anything too anxiety inducing.


    "Not at all, at least some pesky insects wouldn''t be abundant in this area¡­ Such as flies and mosquitoes¡­" I grumbled the last part under my breath, my memories filling up with the times I got bitten by a mosquito and my skin getting itchy, which was annoying as hell.


    "Wonderful!" Qhandi smiled as she heard the words coming out of my mouth. She then approached me and gave a tug at the younger arachne clinging on my back like a leech. "Anyway, come now, Qhith. We still need to deliver these to the storage room."


    Qhithish refused to let go, her spider legs and human arms clinging to my body even harder as she brought my head to her still budding chest.


    "No! Big hairy monster is warm¡­ Like pillow but better!" I had to suppress a laugh as the face of one Qhandi morphed into shock, then horror as she heard the words that came out of her younger sister''s mouth.


    "Q-Qhith!" She screamed out, but that was followed by laughter, which snapped her out of her distressed emotional state. Looking at me laughing with confusion, she tilted her head as I continued to laugh for a few seconds.


    Arachnes around us looked at me funny, then realized that I was the Dungeon Master, stopping all they were doing as they looked at me, laughing my ass off.


    Once my laughter died down, I patted the young arachnes head and pried her off gently from my body. Her spider body hung in the air limply as her legs remained still in the air.


    "Now, Qhithish, if you want to use me as a pillow, all you have to do is ask." I smiled at the young arachne, who then furiously blushed crimson as her gaze looked down at the ground, her eyes refusing to meet mine.


    Such a bold youngster, but incredibly shy when embarrassed.


    I put her down, her legs touching the ground for the first time ever since she climbed up on my back and claimed me as some kind of body pillow, her gaze still refusing to meet mine as she looked down on the ground.


    I patted her head, causing her to tense, before she relaxed once more and looked at me with a sheepish smile, her blush still visible in my eyes.


    "But I have something important to do now, so go with your sister and finish your job." I stopped patting the young arachne and shrugged. "If you do so, I will not hesitate to carry you on my back once more."


    The moment she heard my words, she beamed and looked at her sister with pleading eyes.


    "Big sis! Let''s go!" Qhithish rushed up towards her still confused sister, and, with strength I didn''t know a child could possess, straight up dragged Qhandi towards the direction of the storage room.


    At least, I assume it was the direction of the storage room¡­


    I cleared my throat, once more getting the attention of the other arachnes who were a little shocked at the display of the two sisters.


    "Can anyone of you please call Aratella? I have some important topics to discuss with her." My words reverberated across the crowd of arachnes of about 9, before one of them turned around and rushed inside a building which was much bigger than the rest of the huts.


    Moments later, Aratella emerged from the hut looking like she was prepared for something grim. From what I could tell of her expression, I assume that she thought that I was displeased with her and her village, which was a far cry from what I had experienced with the two sisters today.


    I wonder what the arachne, a male, fed her with the moment he stepped inside Aratella''s hut.


    She approached me with determined steps, however, a huge contrast to her grim expression. The rest of the arachnes dispersed the moment her eyes landed on each and everyone of them, her determined, chittering steps moving her body right in front of me.


    "Shall we discuss this in private, Dungeon Master Jionni?" Aratella said this with no hidden emotion. I cocked my eyebrow upwards, a bit intrigued by the actions Aratella was giving me.


    "Sure, not like the public hearing our discussion would be any problem, but alright, let''s speak in private." I agreed with her request, her face turning grimmer and grimmer every time a word exited my mouth. "I assume we will be talking in your hut?"


    "You assume correctly, Dungeon Master Jionni." Aratella nodded and guided me to her private hut.


    Inside my mind, I wondered¡­ Why does she look like the world is ending for her?

 Chapter 133 - Monke And The Other Communities (The Arachnes - 3)

    We both entered the hut where we were supposed to have our ''important'' discussion. Now, when I say "important," I mean the basics: Is there anything I could do to better accommodate them, such as how they were living in my dungeon, or perhaps what they would like to contribute to my dungeon for better accommodations?


    Not the ''looking at my face like the world was ending'' face I was getting from the leader of the arachnes.


    "So," I began as I was provided a seat, where I promptly sat my ass on, while Aratella sat across me on a couch that was specifically made for an arachne''s unique biology, "First of all, why are you looking at me like that?"


    I asked the arachne, who in turn grimaced at my question. She hesitatingly opened her mouth, then closed it right back. A few moments of silence passed, with me looking at her with curious eyes. Aratella, meanwhile, kept on opening and closing her mouth, no sound coming out of it every time she did so.


    I grew tired of waiting and sighed, before narrowing my gaze at her. Aretella flinched and I was sure her spider legs tensed up for an attack.


    "Look, I don''t have all day. Just spit it out, and we can continue our conversation.." I said to her with a low growl escaping my throat. She looked at me with visible fear, but still refused to speak. Sighing once more, I leaned forward and tapped the table that divided the two of us. "Where''s that seductive arachne I met the last time I saw her? Last I knew, she wasn''t like this, a shivering coward who wouldn''t even say what was on her mind."


    I leaned back on the backrest of the chair as I regarded the arachne with contempt. Aratella, for her part, shivered slightly, before she looked at me with a resigned expression.


    "When do you want my children to bed you?"


    "¡­ Excuse me?" My previously domineering aura vanished, and in its stead, a plain shocked and confused expression appeared. Seeing that my reaction wasn''t one Aratella was expecting, she also had a confused expression on her face, her previous shivering grinding to a halt as she froze in her spot.


    "Did¡­ did you not want Qhandi and Qhithish as concubines, Dungeon Master Jionni?" I had the urge to smack her in the face, and slap my forehead so hard I would forget this ever even happened.


    Qhandi is fine, but I don''t have a monster fetish¡­ yet¡­ But Qhithish is a whole other story.


    I mean, come on, she''s a child for fuck''s sake! About ten or eleven fucking years old!


    I looked at Aratella like she was the biggest idiot in the whole goddamned world. Under my scrutinizing gaze, she fidgeted like some kind of newborn fauna that was still learning how to walk.


    "¡­ No, I do not want Qhandi and Qhithish as bed partners. Instead, I want to fuck them silly and treat them as my slaves- What the fuck do you think I was thinking when you saw me with the two of them, huh!?" I stood up and raised my voice. The hut started to shake due to the intensity of my voice, while some giant cobwebs nearly disintegrated out of existence. "Do you think I''m some kind of horny pedophile that would get a boner due to a child clinging to my back!? Or do you think I would stoop low enough to force myself on some innocent adolescent!?"


    With every word, my voice got higher and higher as I grew closer and closer to the terrified arachne. Around the hut, most, if not all, arachnes gathered around to see the situation unfolding.


    I huffed once I was done with my rant and forcefully sat on the chair behind me, my breathing a bit ragged, but not much since I hadn''t let out all of the words I wanted to let rip on the woman in front of me.


    Calming myself as the silence grew thick, I looked at Aratella once more with narrowed eyes.


    "I may not be a saint, but even I have a line I wouldn''t dare cross because it would be unpleasant for everyone involved." I said with a scowl, my voice low due to wanting to calm myself even further. Raising my voice like this would lead me to shouting even more, which I''m sure the arachne in front of me wouldn''t want to happen.


    "M-My apologies t-then¡­ Dungeon Master J-Jionni¡­" Aratella bowed once more, her body still shaking as she pitifully submitted herself to me. "Please punish me in any desire you see fit because of my transgressions and hideous assumptions."


    Her head was still bowed, refusing to lift it even once until I gave her an order. Nodding at her words, a punishment would be fitting for this kind of behavior.


    Carrot and the stick, but this time, a much bigger stick is needed. I didn''t need a misunderstanding in my Dungeon that would lead to me being disliked by the general populace. In the short-run, it may as well be inconsequential, but in the long-run, various horrible possibilities may arise, such as a rebellion, which would be easy to quell with my fully armed primates, but that didn''t prevent them from leaving my Dungeon.


    Which would then lead to a loss of workforce, which means lower DP income and lower defensive properties of my Dungeon. If that wasn''t enough, that would make the monsters that escaped who were once my subordinates to create another group hostile to my Dungeon.


    This was a scenario I didn''t want to have, so I had to put a stop to it here and now before it spreads.


    Was it a little too much? Maybe. Was it necessary? Incredibly so.


    Some may call it paranoia, but it isn''t paranoia if it really would happen, which might as well happen due to emotions being finicky in all sentient beings.


    I mean, look at me. I''m a prime example of having finicky emotions, what with me denying refuge for Lennon and Kayla who were now dead, who I also had a high probability of recruiting into my Dungeon.


    "A punishment is indeed in order." I stood up menacingly, Aratella still refusing to move her head due to the fear present inside her. "Then, I have three punishments for you."


    She tensed when she heard the number of punishments she would have to do to appease my anger.


    "Number one, apologize to your children. I''m sure they would feel betrayed if they heard their mother giving both of them so freely to a stranger, as sex partners, no less." She visibly flinched, but tilted her head slightly upwards, her gaze meeting mine as she opened her mouth but formed no coherent words to speak about. "Number two, make sure you govern over this village, which I will now name Silk Valley Village, and no, the name isn''t negotiable."


    She looked perplexed at the second punishment, but nonetheless nodded her head, her mouth still open at the light punishments she was receiving.


    "And as for number three," I held out my hand, three fingers poking out ominously as I grinned menacingly at her. "You will be supplying the monster city with double the thread production for the next week. Don''t lie, I know the silk you''re producing isn''t nearly enough for your maximum output."


    "¡­ I-Is that all, Dungeon Master Jionni?" She asked me weakly, a mixture of confusion, relief, shock, and fear present in her face and voice.


    "Do you want me to increase the number of punishments?" I asked and she quickly shot up and shook her head frantically.


    "N-No! That is not needed. I assure you I will carry out your orders with utmost faith and loyalty!" Aratella rushed out her words as if her life depended on it. I nodded and turned my back to her.


    "Then, if there isn''t anything else, I bid you farewell." I waved my hand at her as I walked to the door. "Next time, don''t jump to assumptions. You never know what type of character you''re dealing with."


    I exited the door, leaving a flabbergasted but relieved Aratella slumped on her modified chair. Waiting for me at the exit were all the arachnes, all of them numbering 12, Aratella, Qhandi, and Qhithis included.


    None of them said a word as they gave me passage through the wall of bodies. At the end of the passage, I saw Qhandi and Qhithish looking at me with nervous gazes.


    I walked towards them, nary a sound echoing through the artificial (at least in my eyes) forest village. Arriving at the two girls, who looked at me with quivering gazes, I reached out my hands and slowly moved them to their heads.


    They flinched and closed their eyes, but the moment they felt my hands softly patting their heads, they opened their eyes and looked at me, a caring smile adorning my face.


    "Sorry you had to hear that. Your mother, I believe, made some daring assumptions which tested my temper." When I retracted my hands, Qhithish, the curious child that she was, looked at me with a curious gaze as to why I wasn''t punishing them along with their dear old mother. "Don''t worry, I didn''t give her too much trouble, but I''m sure all of you will pull through."


    I spread my gaze throughout the body of arachnes, each of them looking at me anxiously.


    "Just make sure you don''t make the same mistakes, and we''ll be fine." I said with a low growl, my point getting across the arachnes. "Do that, and I will reward you all if you contribute enough to my Dungeon."


    They all nodded and I huffed, satisfied with their answers. I looked at the two sisters who I had somewhat grown attached to in the few moments I was with them.


    "I''ll be going now, and you, you little munchkin," I patted the head of the young arachne, who once again leaned into my touch with a satisfied smile, "It won''t be long before I give you a sneak peek at the advancement plan I have going. I''m sure both of you will love it."


    I retracted my hand, Qhithish letting out a whimper as I left the Silk Valley Village, a cringey name I know, which is why I named it that, and made my way out of the forest.


    Once I was out of sight and earshot, I opened the Dungeon Menu and contacted Chip once again, the edgy chimpanzee saluting at me like a loyal soldier.


    "I have another job for you."


    After relaying to him my intentions, he saluted back and I ended the call. It wasn''t anything too hard, just monitor the arachnes and make sure they were following my orders, which was doubling their silk yield for the week.


    ''Oh well, enough stressful situations, I want to rest and take a fucking nap¡­''

 Chapter 134 - Monke And The New Residents

    ''Remember when I said I wanted to rest and take a fucking nap? Yeah, I lied¡­'' I groaned as I took a quick glance at the numerous new faces right in front of me. All of them were looking at me with apprehension, fear, and hate.


    Props to the Gods who dropped this shit ton of bricks right on my head the moment I was done with two stressful situations with the alraunes and arachnes.


    TL:DR, I want to fucking bang my head on a wall until I pass out so I can take a rest from all of this bullshit.


    "So¡­ Who is the representative among you?" I asked while I held out a sigh, numerous heads looking left and right as they tried to discern who among them was the monster/person to stand up against the frightening monster right in front of them, flanked with a bunch of similar looking monsters armed to the teeth with iron.


    Yeah, in case you''re wondering, the moment these new monsters showed up in my Dungeon, every single primate was quickly alerted by Domino in the Dungeon Core Room about a sudden invasion of more than a dozen monsters/humans.


    Of course, this didn''t come with a bit of head-scratching, since we were currently separated from the Mortal Realm where most, if not all mortals currently lived, and mortals technically comprised of monsters, humans, demi-humans, and some other shit.


    You get the idea.


    Anyway, after a few seconds of silence where the majority of sentient monsters in the crowed searched for their representative, the less-sentient, aka boars, rabbits, and some other normal animals dispersed from the crowd, trying their best to run away from the huge group of dangerous threats to their lives.


    Once the group of less-sentient animals dispersed, the rest of the sentient monsters, as well as a couple of humans and demi-humans remained. After asking Domino their total numbers via Dungeon Communications, I found out that there were exactly 150 in their group.


    It took a few more moments of silence before a hulking, red ogre stepped in front of the whole crowd, the rest of the monsters holding their breath at the intimidating sight of the grizzly ogre.


    The ogre wore a leather jacket that was open in the front and only reached up to the end of the ribs, exposing his well-toned body and six-pack abs. A leather tasset protected his upper thighs, a long piece of cloth dangling in front and back to cover his groin and ass.


    His body was marked with various tattoos; his head was bald with two horns jutting out from his skull, while tusks protruded from his huge mouth.


    He stood in front of me, his eyes looking at me as if he was sizing me up. Recognizing this as a challenge, I didn''t back down. Instead, I walked up to the ogre. His body was built the same as mine, but he was a foot taller.


    He glared down at my face, a snarl taking up the majority of his mouth. He then roared, the roar deafening to any normal person or monster, as seen by some of my primates covering their ears, as well as the majority of the group right behind him.


    There were also some ogres in the mix, about four of them, five if you include the ogre right in front of me.


    Not one to back down from a challenge, I stayed rooted to my spot, my face a mask of indifference as I gazed upon his towering exterior.


    I was not impressed.


    The ogre, as if taunting me to beat his roar, urged me on with a mocking smile. I grinned back devilishly, causing the ogre to flinch a bit, but still hold his ground.


    Gathering some of my mana, I let it coalesce with the air in my lungs, letting it take an element of lightning. Around me, the grass rustled harshly without the presence of wind. This confused the ogre in front of me, making him look at the surroundings with a perplexed gaze.


    He then looked at me, the cause for the brief, magical phenomenon. His eyes widened as a stormy aura gathered around me, his leg stepping back due to the force I was unleashing.


    Then with a shout, I let the air in my lungs out of my body. A loud, deafening shout, not unlike thunder striking close to you, echoed across the entire first floor of my Dungeon. The forest rattled. Most of the monsters, including my primates, fell to the ground due to the force of my voice.


    The ogre who challenged me, however, took the brunt of my shout and was sent flying back into the crowd of new monsters, only to be caught by his fellow ogres, who then crashed to the ground together as they failed to stop the flying body hitting them.


    Once the shaking died down, I looked upon the monsters, who were now looking at me with incredible fear in their eyes. The ogres, however, looked at me with respect, like one would a chief.


    The ogre who challenged me stepped up from his downed position and shakily made his way back to me. Once he was close enough, he kneeled, and made his hands balled into fists, both of his arms bent 90 degrees, with his left pointing at me, and his other arm on top of his knee.


    "I follow the strongest. Long live the chief." The ogre''s deep and raspy voice sounded out across the silent clearing, the rest of the ogres following the red ogre and also taking a knee before me.


    "We follow the strongest. Long live the chief." They repeated the words the red ogre said, their heads still bowed as they gave me the respect one would give to a superior.


    Behind them, the rest of the monsters looked confused, terrified, and anxious, but nonetheless, all of them proceeded to bow before me, expressing their submission to my own.


    A cacophony of voices reached my ears, their words long since garbled under the numerous voices echoing across the field, but the meaning still reached me.


    ''We submit to you.''


    I grinned, and looked back at my now standing primates, who also looked at me with more respect than ever.


    "Gong." I called out my right-hand man who was present for this situation. "You know the drill, introduce the monsters to the Monster Town and get them some jobs, while the humans and demi-humans, escort them to the Human Area and let Nicholas explain to them how living in my Dungeon works."


    "Right away, boss." Gong nodded and commanded the rest of the primates to round up the monsters, demi-humans, and humans to separate them into groups, one where the monsters would be headed to the Monster Town, while the humans and demi-humans would be led to the Human Area.


    Like a well-oiled machine, the primates wasted no time to separate them and went on their merry way towards the Monster Town, which was visible from here, while the humans and demi-humans were also escorted to the Monster Town, but in a different group since they would also be moving in deeper.


    Letting out a satisfied smile, as well as venting some of the stress I had acquired from those two meet-ups with the alraunes and arachnes, I opened the Dungeon Menu to contact one of the people I know that would give me an answer as to why the residents took their sweet time to arrive.


    Outgoing transmission...


    It wasn''t until a few seconds later that the receiver picked up from the other side.


    "Jionni? What a pleasant surprise." Oshurkova smiled from her seat. A bunch of papers could be seen at the edge of the screen. I sent her a sympathizing gaze as she realized why I was giving her the look. "I know, paperwork is a bitch. Anyway, why did you call?"


    "Nothing really important, except why did it take too long for the monsters I acquired from killing a Dungeon Master to arrive?" I asked with a shrug.


    "Ah, that one." Oshurkova sighed and gave me a sympathizing look. "Well, the reason for that is because before they are sent to the Dungeons of the Dungeon Masters who killed their first masters, they are first briefed by God Chythos about their incoming transfer."


    ''Ah, now those gazes they sent me make sense.'' I closed my eyes then nodded. Opening my eyes once again, I was greeted by the smile of the vampire lady on the screen. "Thanks for explaining. Though, I had to wonder, why did an ogre challenge me to a battle of wills?"


    "I don''t know." Oshurkova shrugged, then signed another paper. "Best to ask the ogre who challenged you rather than me."


    ''Hmm¡­ Fair point.''


    "Anyway, I still have some work to do, and by some, I mean a lot." Oshurkova sagged on her couch, her face looking many years older. "See ya, and greet Catalina for me if she ever calls you!"


    And with that, the transmission ended and the area was once again bathed in silence.


    "¡­ Welp, with all that done, my hammock has a sleeping bag with my name written all over it." I yawned and stretched, the events of today catching up to my present form. I may be strong, but I still need rest, and the events today took all of my energy.


    ''I need some rest, and that''s fucking final¡­''

 Chapter 135 - Monke And The Ogres

    My eyes opened and I beheld a Domino leaning on my chest like some kind of pillow, her light snoring bringing a smile to my face. I checked the Dungeon Menu to see if anything was amiss, and found none.


    Other than the new residents adjusting themselves under my rule, everything was moving as smooth as a cruise ship under the night sky with no huge waves.


    I also noticed it''s been a day already, so here comes my daily Dungeon Income. Gimme those yummy, yummy DP!


    Dungeon Resident Income:


    DP: 18,303


    EXP: 8,739


    DP: 12,334 -> 39,052


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 14


    Exp: 12226 / 14000


    HP: 7090 / 7090


    MP: 2322 / 2322


    Str: 78 = 223


    Vit: 116 = 233


    End: 81 = 186


    Agi: 51 = 81


    Dex: 56 = 101


    Int: 47 = 162


    Wis: 46 = 161


    Cha: 35 = 45


    Luc: 1 = 1


    Holy¡­ Didn''t think I would get that much DP and EXP in a day¡­ Now I think I know why there was a jump in exp required to level up in my System.


    Which is still a bullshit move on the System''s part, mind you.


    Because of that, I wouldn''t be OP in just a few days¡­ Then again, the System did mention that their higher-ups love watching me squirm¡­


    ''Once I get strong enough to fight them, I''ll introduce them to a world of pain, Monke King style¡­'' Within my mind, I vowed to myself that I will not let them have the last laugh. It may not be this year, or next year, or even the next decade, but slowly, I will make sure that I will have the last laugh.


    Nerf me will they¡­ I''ll make them regret that decision.


    My plans for vengeance were quickly dashed when I noticed Domino rustling in her sleep, her adorable eyes opening up to look at me with a wink before slumping back on her spot, content to use me as a pillow once more.


    I chuckled and ran my hand over her silky, straight hair, Domino cooing all the while.


    Ruthless Dungeon Helper or not, you''ve got to admit that this girl is adorable if you''re not in her shit list.


    ''I should probably spend some DP on the new arrivals¡­ But before that, I need to check up on that ogre who challenged me a day (or was it hours?) ago.


    Tapping Domino''s shoulder, she opened her eyes once more and looked at me with an expressionless gaze. Noticing the look on my face, she sighed and hesitantly climbed back down to the ground.


    "Sorry Domino, but Papa needs to do some more work." I apologized in advance. Domino was pouting in full force to try and stop me from doing my job as I should. "Look, once I come back, we''ll play another game of Crash, alright? I''ll beat you and your little blocky friend this time. I swear, his moveset is cheating¡­"


    I grumbled that last part out, which Domino noticed but didn''t seem to care. The sentence she cared about was me playing with her in that game which made friendships burn to the ground when using broken characters.


    "I''ll be waiting¡­ Papa¡­" Domino nodded, then skipped merrily towards the Gaming House (I''m now calling it that) to prepare for the ass-whooping she would give me with the controller.


    I hopped down on the ground, stretching my limbs and joints, vowing my vengeance on that blocky character, and placed my sleeping bag inside my inventory while I was still inside, preparing myself for another day, beautiful or not.


    Also, I found out that anything that is currently touching me, whether through clothes or not, I can deposit in my inventory.


    So, say I get tied up by ropes strong and tight enough to hold me, I can just deposit the ropes in my inventory and escape. Still though, there must be counters to that kind of magic, like magic absorbing rope or something like that, so I shouldn''t be relying on that move if I''m in a pinch.


    Once again, forming another passageway heading towards the first floor Monster Town by using the Dungeon Menu, I made my way through the Dungeon-constructed tunnel, my thoughts rambling inside my mind about the deal of that red ogre.


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    Arriving at Monster Town, the usual scene greets my eyes, but it is much larger than before. Monsters were milling about going on with their day-to-day life. Some monsters, who I recognized as the new arrivals, despite their seemingly similar faces to the older ones, were still getting used to the abrupt change from living in their old home to their new one.


    And judging from some of their actions, I can tell that one of the Dungeon Masters did a horrible job at managing them. Like, seriously, there were some monsters that were skin and bones! Much, much different from the other new arrivals, and my older residents.


    I''m guessing that was the work of the kobold Dungeon Master I accidentally killed when I was still with that betraying lamia¡­


    Upon my arrival, the monsters who noticed me greeted and bowed before me, the majority of the monsters, old and new, following suit once they realized that I had arrived.


    Appreciating their gesture, most of them, sans the new arrivals, went on their daily tasks, the new ones still hesitating whether to stay put or move.


    I sighed, ''Looks like it''ll be a while before the new residents warm up to their new daily lives.''


    Calling for a primate who was patrolling the town with a group, I asked where I could find the group of ogres'' current living quarters.


    They happily pointed the way and even asked if it would be alright to escort me. I declined, of course. I''m not some kind of bigshot (though, technically, I am) that required a guard detail when visiting a monster who lives inside my Dungeon.


    I''m also pretty sure that I can beat them to a pulp if ever they try to do something threatening.


    That aside, I thanked the primates who continued with their patrol after a quick you''re welcome.


    Now knowing which way to go, I made my way towards the current living area of the ogres, which wasn''t that far from here, since the Monster Town was still small, like a village instead of a regular town. A couple minutes of walking and I was now finally at their doorstep.


    It wasn''t anything too special, just a regular wooden house that was bigger than the average one, seeing that its inhabitants were five huge, bulky ogres. The house was also big enough for its shadow (I don''t know how the sun is shining in here, but hey, my Dungeon is already destroying my view of basic physics, so to hell with that) to cast over me entirely.


    Knocking on the door, I waited for a few seconds before I heard loud footsteps coming closer. Another few seconds and the door finally opened, revealing a blue ogre wearing the same kind of leather tassets and loincloth as the red ogre, but without any kind of upper body clothing.


    He was also covered in tattoos, but not as much as the red ogre.


    "Chieftain, good to see you. Me name Ugut." The blue ogre, whose name is revealed to be Ugut, gave me a gesture of respect. Said gestures included bumping his hand on his chest and tilting his head down slightly.


    Since I wasn''t that informed about their culture, I gave Ugut a universal gesture that, no matter what species, would be understood as acknowledgement. I nodded.


    Seemingly satisfied by my acknowledgement, Ugut raised his head and stepped aside from the doorway. "Please, come in Chieftain. Ugut brings others. Pick any chair you like."


    Ugut then went on his way to contact the other ogres in the otherwise average, but sizeable house. Looking at the chairs provided, I had to whistle at how huge they are. I''m pretty sure I could sit on one, and still have some room left over¡­


    ''Are their asses bigger than mine¡­? Actually, maybe they are¡­'' I concluded once I recalled that even Ugut was taller than me. Picking a chair that was free, I sat down and waited for the ogres to come.


    Looking around, the house wasn''t all that bad, furniture and decorative wise. Sure, it wasn''t anything a human would try to use for a house decoration in a well-civilized area, but these aren''t humans. They''re ogres, and their culture is vastly different from humans.


    I could see the normal shelves and cupboards. Some desks and stools here and there, but none of them were cluttering the area, making this part of the house an orderly sight. There were no paintings, but there were some wall decorations, which included the skull of a wild boar, a troll, and some others I have no idea what species they were when still alive.


    There were also some tribal engravings on the wall, their style captivating me due to the detail given. It wasn''t long until I heard footsteps and I quickly focused my gaze back on the new arrivals.


    The five ogres, each of them in different colors, I now see, arrived and gave me the same gesture of respect the blue one gave me¡­ However¡­


    ''I''m sensing a pattern here¡­ Mighty Rangers¡­?'' Quickly erasing the kids'' show (except for the movie) from my memory in favor of the situation at hand, I stood up and gave them an acknowledging nod. From there, the ogres took their seats on designated chairs and focused their gaze on me.


    ''Welp¡­ Time to voice my suspicions, and this could go either very bad, or very good. I''m hoping it is the latter¡­''


    My mind was made up. I focused my attention on the red ogre sitting in front of me and opened my mouth.


    "Were you challenging my authority intentionally to get the other monsters to listen to me?"

 Chapter 136 - Monke And Some Talk

    Edit: 13/10/2021 - Mixed up the Ogres colors, fixed!


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    The red ogre stared blankly at me for a few moments, the rest of the ogres also staring at him with blank expressions. A few moments later, the red ogre''s shoulders trembled for a few moments, before he burst out into a roaring laugh.


    The rest of the ogres were silent, but then the dam broke and they also laughed. With me out of the loop, I could only gaze in confusion at the strange reactions of the ogres.


    I waited for their laughter to die down, and finally, they stopped, the red ogre wiping a tear shed from his eye.


    "Chieftain''s eye sharp. No regret following new Chieftain." The red ogre proclaimed and stood up, then bowed before me once more, once again giving me the same gesture he did once he pledged his submission to me.. "Me name Zurug, leader of Colored Ogre Tribe."


    The rest of the ogres also stood from their seats and bowed before me, taking the same position as Zurug.


    "Me name Ugut, I tell Chieftain name already." The blue ogre said this with his head bowed down.


    "Me name Touzig, only female in Colored Ogre Tribe." The yellow ogre, who I noticed to be slimmer and shorter than the rest, as well as sporting a more modest outfit than her peers, but still a bit on the daring side. She wore a leather jacket with some wraps underneath that covered her bountiful mammaries, and instead of a loincloth and tassets, she had a leather skirt with an iron lining at the waist that covered her thighs and ended at her knees.


    She also had tattoos, but not as many as Ugut and Zurug.


    "Me name Igruk, blacksmith of Colored Ogre Tribe." The black ogre, Igruk, supplied his own name with his head bowed down. He wore the same kind of outfit as Ugut and Zurug, but had gloves that covered the entirety of his hands. I noticed a couple of hammers on his waist, which I believe he uses to craft their own gear.


    ''I wonder, could he teach some new recipes to the blacksmiths under my care?'' I had to refrain from asking Igruk at the moment since there was still one more left who had yet to introduce themselves.


    "Greetings, Chieftain. My name is Xek, the only shaman in the Colored Ogre Tribe." Xek, a green ogre with a hint of purple in his skin, spoke fluently, unlike his other tribe members, who had a somewhat broken accent.


    He was garbed in completely different clothes than his peers. Instead of a short jacket that only covered a part of his upper body, he was garbed in a furry leather jacket that reached all the way to his waist. The front was still open though, revealing his well-toned body to the world. Wrapped on his waist was a long, front open skirt that reached all the way to his calves, his legs clothed in leather pants that reached his knees.


    He also had some kind of head ornament, and by head ornament, I meant a skull of an animal with two, pointy horns. I couldn''t recognize the skull, so I assumed it to be some kind of monster they had killed.


    ''A shaman¡­? Hm¡­ Not to jump the gun, but aren''t they the ones who specialize in curses, rituals, and voodoos?''


    "I see. Then, since you have supplied me with your names, I command you to rise and greet your new Chieftain." I may come off as an asshole, but I''m sure that these ogres value strength and cunning over formality and words. I was right, and the ogres wised from their kneeling positions and gazed upon me with respect and loyalty. "My name is Jionni, the Dungeon Master of this here Dungeon."


    They all nodded and I took my seat, the five of them also taking their seats uniformly at the same time.


    Damn, they really remind me of that kid''s show from back on Earth.


    "Anyway, I want to ask you some questions regarding your current occupations in my Dungeon. Xek, you said you were a shaman, right?" I pointed my gaze at the green ogre, his eyes closed and head tilted down.


    "Indeed, I am a shaman." Xek replied with a single open eye, the skull on his head seemingly looking at me like a judge would at a convict. "Why do you ask?"


    "Are shamans the type to focus on curses and rituals?" He nodded, and I grinned. "Then, you will be perfect for defending my Dungeon, and your new home."


    The shaman in question looked at me with barely concealed curiosity, the rest of the ogres also joining in.


    "Well, for the most part, you will be cursing some of the traps that will be placed in some places of my Dungeon, which means you''ll get access to the second floor and so on." His curiosity piqued, Xek leaned down and regarded me with both of his eyes open.


    "I see. Are there any restrictions on the curses I place?" Xek asked, and I flashed back a devilish grin.


    "No restrictions. Go ballistic." I see the light in Xek''s eyes gleam under the light, a manic grin forming on his face, causing the other ogres to sigh in acceptance. "Place the deadliest curse on the first trap right off the bat for all I care. I want to make sure that none, not even residents, step foot on the second floor until I allow it."


    "Done deal." Xek clapped and his manic face calmed down into his usual bored face, the rest of the ogres shifting uncomfortably in their seats.


    "Great, then Igruk, a question for you." The black ogre in question perked up and looked at me with curious eyes, the same type of eyes Xek gave me when he learned he could go ballistic with the curses he place in the future. "Are you okay with sharing your blacksmithing techniques with the others?"


    And suddenly, the curious gleam died a fiery death as all that replaced it was a grimace.


    "Sorry Chieftain, but Igruk no like sharing." The black ogre was adamant about not sharing his techniques with others. "Not because of threat. No, Igruk better than that. Igruk no like share because of weak craftsmen."


    ''Hmm¡­ I guess Igruk has some kind of trauma regarding the teaching of his art. I guess I can put it on hold for now. Traumatized teachers can''t really teach properly, but I think I know of a way to let him get over it.''


    "It''s fine, don''t worry about it. Now then, final question," I looked at Zuguk. His ever-stoic eyes were looking straight at me without faltering, "What was it like living in another Dungeon?"


    "Same, but very different." Zurug said with a far-off gaze. "Follow Chieftain, and survive. Follow Chieftain, and get good food, good gear, good everything. Also, Chieftain strong, stronger than Colored Ogre Tribe."


    "And now you stronger than old Chieftain." Zurug suddenly focuses back at me with an intense stare. "You killed old Chieftain in seconds, no mercy. We ogres follow strong Chieftain, and we follow until death."


    I smiled, and gave out a hearty laugh.


    "Hahahaha! You could say that." My laugh slowly devolved into chuckles, until it all went silent. I then stood up and gave each of the ogres a glance over. "Anyway, I think it''s time I head out. I still have some more work to be done. Igruk, a few days later, I''ll let you see my blacksmiths in action. Xek, I''ll give you more details in a few days. Until then, you can contribute to the town by doing what the primates request you to."


    I then turned around and bid them goodbye. The ogres gave me their personal salute, and I exited their house, their door snapping shut as I left.


    ''Next, I need to talk to the new humans and demi-humans. I also need to discuss some things with the Shaiydons and Gallaghers, as well as that group of demi-humans and the elf twins.'' I made my way through the town, all the while returning the greetings sent my way by the monster residents and primates.


    Heading towards the giant gate that led to the passageway leading to the Human Area, I swiftly dodged the busybodies who were going about their daily lives, whether it be bringing some stuff for an ongoing construction job, or just delivering some food to the other monsters.


    Looking around once more, I noticed that the Monster Town was progressively getting larger and better. Stone roads were being built, new houses were made out of stone, and overall, the situation was improving.


    I mean, just look at the lone kobold sitting on the bench over there. Instead of dirty, smelly fur, all I could see and smell (from a few feet away, damn, my senses are getting stronger) was smooth and fragrant fur.


    It appears that my DP use of teaching some of the basic necessity crafters the blueprints for soap and shampoo was not a waste.


    I left Monster Town with my head held high.


    ''It will continue to grow, and without fail, become a large city. When that would happen, I don''t know, but I will make it a reality.'' Another goal set in my mind, I went through the gate and into the passageway leading to the Human Area.

 Chapter 137 - Monke And The Invitations

    Arriving at the Human Town after traversing the barren passageway rarely used by the monsters, but regularly used by the humans and demi-humans to reach the Monster Town, I looked around and saw some new faces here and there, but I could count all of them with my fingers, and still have some left over.


    ''If I''m not mistaken, I should have about 20 or so humans right about now¡­ Actually, why not check their numbers? And while I''m at it, check the number of monsters I have.''


    Accessing the Dungeon Menu without being seen by the humans and demi-humans, I quickly got a list that showed me the current resident population of my Dungeon.


    Goblin = 119


    Kobold = 109


    Orc = 48


    Wild Boar = 73


    Deer = 59


    Lizardman = 13


    Human = 26


    Beastman = 7


    Dragonewt = 1


    Elves = 7


    Gnome = 2


    Alraune = 23


    Arachne = 12


    Rabbits = 86


    Wolves = 32


    Ogres = 5


    Trolls = 12


    Total: 634


    ''Damn¡­ I didn''t realize that the population was this big¡­ Then again, most of them are just the normal animals instead of the monsters, but still, they are a lot¡­'' I rubbed my chin as I walked my way past the gawking humans and demi-humans, some looking at me with awe and fear, while others were apprehensive.


    That''s fine, at least none of them looked at me with hate-filled eyes. That would be a bigger problem than just regular fear, which can be dealt with by accommodating them properly. While those apprehensive thoughts, I can just give them a reason to not be apprehensive anymore.


    Not minding those humans and demi-humans, I made my way towards the house where the group, which consisted of the two gnomes, the male elf, and the human child, currently resided, with the catgirl also facing rehabilitation and therapy inside.


    Good news about giving those traumatized girls to the humans and demi-humans. I can finally see progress with them regaining their sanity. The human woman was slowly, but surely, regaining some function in her mental faculties which shows that she is no longer a vegetable.


    The catgirl was also making the same progress as the human woman. However, with the absence of her little brother, Eron, I assumed from her pained cries before, hers was slightly lower.


    The Dragonewt, however, still stayed asleep and unconscious. I don''t what happened, but I think she isn''t waking up anytime soon. That said, how is she still alive without even ingesting some nutrients for her body for about two weeks now?


    Maybe it''s because of her non-human body, which is a plausible idea, but I still need to find a way to help her survive while comatose. She is, after all, a strong type of demi-human, if my DP income is any indication. From her alone, my DP income is increased by a whopping 200 plus daily.


    Finally, in front of the door, after a walk with my mind stirring in my thoughts, I brought my hand to the door and knocked gently, making sure that my strength didn''t accidentally destroy the wooden frame.


    "Coming!"


    I heard a shrill voice coming from behind the door. Waiting for a few seconds, I saw the door open and Lara became apparent in my vision, her tight vest and long-sleeved clothing clinging tightly to her tiny frame.


    "Ah, Jionni!" Lara squeaked up from her position, before tilting her head in confusion. "Do you have some business with us?"


    "Indeed, I have. Could you call your group and have them gather at the meeting hall? I''m having the rest gather as well."


    "Oh, okay. I''ll notify them now." Lara nodded her head and zoomed to do her tasks, leaving the door wide open, revealing the interior to me. Nothing too extravagant, except that it''s completely modern.


    Satisfied with the quick action, I turned on my heels and headed for the next house housing the twin elves, which wasn''t that far away from here.


    I knocked on their door and waited for a few seconds before I heard a rustling from behind it. The door opened, and I was bombarded with a lightly-dressed Mariona looking at me like she had just run a marathon, her skin glistening with sweat.


    Upon further instruction, I noticed some sort of liquid leaking out of her pants, as well as the smell of something not safe for work coming from the inside. Connecting the dots, I facepalmed and deadpanned at the sheepish looking elf.


    "Do you two not have anything in your schedule that doesn''t have anything to do with sex?" I asked with my hands still on my face, Mariona looking even more sheepish and embarrassed than before. "Actually, nevermind¡­ You''re not the only twins I know that have this kind of relationship, and theirs are even more kinky than yours."


    Removing my hand from my face, I decided to take on a professional image, even with the distractions littering my eyes and mind, and with a sexy, straight-from-having-sex elf right in front of me, I was having a hard time keeping composure.


    At least having sex with Catalina gave me a bit of a resistance to this type of situation.


    "Anyway, cut you''re fun short, we''re having a meeting at the meeting hall. I''ll tell you the reason once you''re there." I said with a no-nonsense tone, my eyes straining as they focused on the eyes of the elf instead of the scantily clad breasts and groin. "And please, clean yourselves before you go there. I don''t want the atmosphere inside the meeting hall to be awkward because of the smell you twins are emitting."


    "¡­ A-alright." Mariona nodded bashfully. Behind her, Merethyl, clad in her birthday suit, sighed and went straight to the bathroom.


    "Then, that will be all." Leaving the twins to their bathroom session, which I''m sure will devolve into more risqu¨¦ situations, I left the area and headed for the house that was currently inhabited by the Shaiydon family.


    I arrive at the modest, but still extravagant (for this time period, at least...) house after a few minutes of walking and ignoring the gawking from some new faces. Wait, there are modern houses here¡­ So¡­ But there are medieval houses too¡­ Bah, my brain hurts¡­


    Knocking on the door a few times, I waited for a brief second before the door opened and Luke greeted me with a smile.


    "Oh, Sir Jionni. I didn''t think you would be visiting. Can I help you?" Luke asked, all polite and whatnot. I smiled back at his politeness that was drilled into him due to the training a Knight gets in this world.


    "Sure, could you please tell the Shaiydon''s patriarch to come to the meeting hall ASAP? We have some very important topics to discuss, some regarding these new faces that have arrived, which I assume you have already met." Luke nodded when my assumption was given. "Good. You''re also invited, by the way. Let the matriarch take care of their children for the time being. I would like these topics to be settled at a moment''s notice."


    "Right away, Sir Jionni." Luke bowed and closed the door gently, leaving me all alone again at the front door. Satisfied with my work, I then headed to the next, house, which housed the Gallaghers.


    It was beside the Shaiydon''s family house, so it wasn''t that much of a walk. Knocking on their door, I waited again until the door opened, revealing a lightly sweating Alexa wearing tank tops and spats. Her sweat glistened under the light, the light heaves of air causing her chest to rise up and down slowly.


    I assumed she was exercising, since I could also see gloves on her hands.


    "Mr. Jionni? Can I help you with anything?" Alexa''s secretary tone was already greeting my ears the moment she looked at me with all of her focus.


    "Indeed, please call your father and tell him to come to the meeting hall ASAP. We have some important topics to discuss regarding the new faces, so I assume that you know how important this discussion is." Alexa nodded, her eyebrows rising ever so slightly, but followed my words anyway. "Also, you are also invited to come. This includes everyone here, so I''m sure that your input will also be needed."


    Alexa stopped for a moment, but continued to call her father and close the door. Seeing that my work was done, I headed to the meeting hall where everybody would gather and a conference would be held.


    "This is going to be fun¡­" My sarcasm was thick, but so was my responsibility for my Dungeon. This needed to be discussed right now, so that my Dungeon and these humans and demi-humans can flourish and be greater.


    Sighing and forcing my feet to trudge all the way to the meeting hall where I would be discussing with the humans and demi-humans the treatment of the new faces, I mused in my head what the other Dungeon Masters felt in their early days if they decided to try what I was doing.


    ''Pain and suffering, no doubt about it¡­'' I grinned grimly as my feet took me all the way to the meeting hall.

 Chapter 138 - Monke And The Meetup

    Arriving at the Meeting Hall, I noticed that it was still devoid of people. Most, if not all of them must be still getting ready, and I did just spring this on them out of nowhere, so it is understandable if they cannot arrive at a moment''s notice.


    Taking the huge chair which was provided at the end of the enormous round table, I proceeded to get comfortable with the chair and find myself the best spot to lay my huge ass on.


    Since it would still be a while before a person would even arrive, I accessed the Dungeon Menu to see if there was anything I could use my DP on. Currently, I have an influx of DP, and no goals to spend it on, other than hoard it like a true gamer would and use it all to buy the important pieces of Dungeon Defense, Management, and Resources all in one go.


    I was planning on saving DP to buy skillbooks for me and the primates so they could be the lead in teaching the other monsters the basics of said skill. After all, quality trumps quantity in various ways, but then again, quantity is a quality of its own, so if I was able to combine both quality and quantity, I would have a somewhat unstoppable force inside my Dungeon.


    And that was just the beginning. The skillbooks could not only be focused on combat and defense. No, they could also focus on manufacturing and utility, making it possible to supply my own troops as well as upgrade our current technology level if given enough time.


    Which is why, first, we need a good defense so that those that try to invade will regret ever doing so. Once I''m sure our current defenses can hold against potential invaders, I can then focus on other various projects which can make my Dungeon flourish even more.


    Taking a quick peek at the Dungeon Market, I set the tab to only detect skillbooks for armed and unarmed combat mastery.


    Some were very expensive, such as the skillbook that gave you mastery over any kind of weapon, and yes, that includes your body, sitting at a price of 30,000 DP, which is currently buyable with my on-hand DP. That said, I could only buy one of those, and I could either use it on a primate, or myself, and the answer was a no-brainer.


    DP: 39,052 -> 9,052


    The skillbook magically appears in my hand with some light effects. I read the title and it reads [Combat Fighting Arts] in bold letters. A simple name, but it was incredibly broad with how it said "Fighting Arts," which means anything that can be used to fight, maim, and kill your enemy will be included in this skillbook.


    Pocketing the skillbook, I gave an order to Gong to head towards the Meeting Hall in the Human Town I was currently in so I could give it to him. Once he gets it, he can then proceed to teach every single primate the art of fighting, which will bolster their quality.


    ''Although that begs the question¡­ How many primates are there right now¡­? If a room can generate 5 primates, and I currently have¡­'' I check the Dungeon Menu for my total room count on each floor, ''58 rooms, then on each floor, I have 290 primates, which brings the grand total to 870 primates inside my Dungeon¡­''


    Wow¡­ I didn''t know that was the total of my monke tribe inside this cave¡­


    I have quantity down, that''s a fact, but next is quality. If each of them can use any kind of weapon in any scenario, then they will be a force to be reckoned with.


    Top that with them being inherently stronger than humans, the dominant species based on number in this world by about 10 times (or maybe lower), then you can see that they could demolish a human army that is 10 times their current number.


    Of course, that is disregarding the magic bullshit of the humans this world can use, as well as their technology (no matter how crap it is, in my honest opinion).


    That said, I don''t want to risk my primates going outside and experimenting if they can respawn when they lose their lives outside of my Dungeon, my domain, so to speak.


    If they die, and a new gorilla is respawned, but without the memories, then that would be a problem, but not anything a few teachings here and there could help, but if the one who dies is an executive level, let''s say Gong, that would be a huge problem.


    That''s why until I''m sure that my primates can survive against a battle to the death against humans that are on par with them, I will not let them go out of my Dungeon regarding some jobs in human and demi-humans settlements, towns, or cities.


    That also includes monsters that are inherently stronger than primates.


    My mulling was cut short when the door to the Meeting Hall opened and in strode a black-furred beast.


    "Ah, Gong, good to see you." I waved and Gong walked in closer.


    "You need me, Boss?" I nodded and quickly took the skillbook from my inventory. I placed it on his chest, which he obliged, and I patted it down on him. The skillbook sank into his fur, and then his skin, completely vanishing from sight and not leaving behind any memory of it ever being present.


    Gong stood strong, despite his face showing that he was experiencing some type of pain in his head. A few moments later, Gong looked at me with renewed loyalty, his respect for me growing even higher, if there ever was something higher than space.


    "Boss¡­ Best Boss ever¡­" Gong gave me an excited smile, his posture slowly shifting, regulating the center of gravity of his body so that he could respond quicker to any threat. I could also see the way he held his weapon, which he took out once the information surged inside his head, was improving, and deadlier than before.


    I gave him a grin and slapped him on the back hard.


    "I have a new job for you. Everything in your brain, teach the other primates based on their preferred weapons. I''ll give you more rewards the faster the primates can learn anything from you."


    "Understood, Boss. Gong not fail you." Gong gave me a primate salute and left the Meeting Hall, just in time for the demi-human group, sans Alice, to arrive, Krag shooting me an annoyed look, with Lara looking at him like scum. Anduin was the same elf as before, looking at me with respect due to my friendship with Alice.


    "Welcome, please take a seat. We''ll begin once the rest have arrived." Shooting me one last glare, Krag sighed and took a seat on a vacant spot. Lara sat two seats away from Krag, with Anduin seated in the middle of the two.


    This raised a question mark on my head, which got my curiosity piqued.


    "Now Krag, why are you looking at me with annoyance? Did I perhaps do something to annoy you?" Krag flinched and Lara looked at him, her stare blatantly telling, ''Tell him or I''ll rip your dick out.''


    Krag flinched even harder, then sighed before looking away, red dusting his cheeks. Whether out of embarrassment or rage, I do not know, but his body language suggests the former.


    "I''m annoyed because you blue-balled me." He said, and my mind grinded to a halt, before my mind processed it and I let out a loud laugh.


    "HAHAHAHA!!! You¡­ You¡­ Did I seriously blue-ball you¡­? Like, for real?" My mind in tatters, I reverted to casual speech, not the practiced formal one I had been using for the majority of my life here. Krag was about to speak up, his entire face red from shame, but I shushed him with a raised hand. "No wait¡­ Let me guess¡­ The alraunes¡­ right?"


    Krag freezed and I laughed even louder. Lara, two chairs away from him, looked at Krag like scum, while Anduin appeared stoic as ever, before he looked at Krag, still trying to hide his reddening face.


    "Nay shame in declaring thee hadst some excit''ment.  Just beest thee, and it''ll turneth out good now." Aduin said with a small smile, which calmed down Krag. My laughter died down soon enough and the Meeting Hall went back into full silence.


    I was about to apologize when another group showed up, and this time, they included the rest of the people I had been waiting for inside this room for about half an hour.


    "Ah, come in, come in. Take your seats, then we can start." My serious expression now in place, a far cry from the laidback and humorous personality that escaped earlier due to Krag''s confession of being blue-balled by me, I gestured for the rest of the group to take some seats.


    The Shaiydon group decided to stay right beside me, with Luke on my left and Bentley on Luke''s left, and the elf twins sat on my right, with Merethyl, the glasses-wearing elf was the closest to me.


    The Gallagher family sat next in between the demi-human group and the Shaiydon group, which was a bit predictable, seeing that Nicholas is a friend to Bentley.


    "Now then, to get to the meat of this topic, what do you all suggest to do with the new humans and demi-humans in the Human Town?"

 Chapter 139 - Monke And The Order Of The Round Table Knock-off Sequel

    "You mean the new arrivals?" When Luke spoke out from his seat, the rest of the occupants either plastered a frown or indifference on their faces, at least that''s what I would think.


    "Yes, if I''m not mistaken, your approximate numbers are 43, am I right?" I asked, and all of them nodded, with Bentley being the most fervent out of the group, due to his past occupation as a noble who governed over an entire town, small or not. "Then the addition of your entire population by more than half is enough to warrant a meeting, correct?"


    "It is as you say." Bentley nodded from his seat, the rest of the members remaining silent and giving him the stage due to his expertise. "A similar prospect of influx to the population would be refugees, and if what I''m guessing is correct, are what you would label these new residents."


    "Indeed, I''m impressed that you were able to discern that kind of information from just a day of observation."


    "Well, as a noble who has to control his region with utmost responsibility, you tend to notice these kinds of things from just a glance." Bentley looked dignified as he replied, making my respect towards the ex-noble increase. "Anyway, the best way to accommodate them would be to ease them in, instead of suddenly dropping a, in your terms, a bucketload of problems on their laps, which you seemed to be handling fairly well. Not one of them has openly discussed their dissatisfaction, and if I wasn''t able to notice them, then they''re pretty good at what they do."


    I looked at Bentley with confusion for a second, before I recalled that they were already informed about their departure from God Chythos.


    "Ah, no, I wasn''t the one to handle them. It was the God who governs the entire monster race, Chythos." I said honestly. I wasn''t about to take credit for something that wasn''t my doing. Plus, it was better to be honest than a lying bastard, which can blow up in my face with just a single human or demi-human spouting about the truth.


    Bentley looked at me for a moment, before shrugging and looking me in the eye. "Then that is even better. A God easing them in is significantly better than a Dungeon Master who they have no idea about. By the way, and I speak for everyone present here, how did these other humans and demi-humans come about your Dungeon yesterday when we are stuck in a rift of space and time?"


    Everybody in the room nodded, and I breathed out a sigh. What I was about to say wasn''t anything horrible or stomach churning. I just hate explaining how killing another Dungeon Master will award you with the entirety of their Dungeon and their current residents. Generated summons don''t count.


    "It''s fairly simple. I killed a Dungeon Master during the Battle Royale. Two, in fact, and as a reward, I got their entire Dungeon to integrate with mine. Which caused the sudden influx of monsters, humans, and demi-humans, as you can see now." I explained, causing most of them to raise an eyebrow, but otherwise didn''t voice out an opinion or angry reactions, except for Bentley, who had a furrowed brow after hearing my sentence.


    "Then this poses a problem, Lord Jionni." Bentley said with finality in his voice. "You never know who has good relations with the Dungeon Master you killed. For all we know, one of them might be plotting a coup d''etat, which will ultimately result in failure, but the damage it would cause will be no laughing matter."


    "¡­ Remind me to set you up as the Governor of both the Monster Town and Human Town." I deadpanned and rubbed my temples, utterly ashamed of myself due to my nonexistent managing skills. Bentley''s jaw dropped, while Luke nearby was holding a chuckle. Nicholas was already laughing and the rest just sat in shock at my decision. "And no, no one can refute my statement and order. Sorry Nicholas, but it seems your rank in the Monster Town will be demoted in the near future with the inauguration of the new Governor."


    "Meh, that job wasn''t fit for me anyway." Nicholas shrugged as he picked his ear with his pinky, causing a frown to form on his daughter''s face beside him. "I ran a guild full of responsible Hunters, not a mish-mash of monsters you could mistake for the common population in a common town."


    "¡­ I-If that''s what you wish, Lord Jionni, then I will strive to be the best Governor I can be over these two towns, as repayment for you saving me and my family''s lives." Bentley picked his jaw back up and gave me an intense stare, which then converted into grateful glances. "I see it now. Your intervention with my incoming death opened my eyes to what was truly important. What use is a title, if your own family suffers because of it?"


    Bentley bowed before me, refusing to let his tears show, but I could feel them threatening to drip out. Besides him, Nicholas stood up and patted his shoulder on the noble''s, comforting the nearly-crying noble as friends should do. Luke also decided to comfort his master. His arms were also grasping the shoulder of the bowing noble, which he copied and bowed before me as well.


    "Then all I ask is your service in return. Do that, and I can guarantee a fulfilling life with your family, and then some." I replied back, not used to these kinds of talk, with a gentle smile. Bentley and Luke raised their heads and sat back down on the seats. "Anyway, where was I again¡­? Ah, right, the possibility of a coup d''etat."


    The majority of the members all tensed from the heavy topic, with those not invested in management and politics in a town, such as the elves, and the demi-human group, silent the most, their ears listening in with rapt attention.


    "In the Monster Town, we can rest assured that none of them will rebel. The ogres-" the elves and demi-humans flinched, with the Shaiydon group and Alexa doing the same. Nicholas was indifferent, continuing to examine his earwax like it held the secrets to the universe.


    Heh, human behavior. Don''t worry, Nicholas, you''re not the only who does that from time to time.


    "-I''ve already contacted and they are absolutely loyal to me." At least, that''s from what I have observed, but if what Bentley is true, I''ll have to add some surveillance on their group. Welp, Chip, sorry, but looks like I''ll have to give you some more jobs. "And since monsters like them tend to follow the rule of the strong, with the ogres submitting themselves to me, then you can rest assured that there is no real chance of the Monster Town rebelling against me."


    "The problem lies with the Human Town side of things, what with emotion being their guiding light." I said, and most of them nodded, my words hitting a mark close to the heart for some of them. "Right now, they don''t pose a threat, but if their numbers continue to grow, then that would be a new set of problems."


    "I agree with you there." Suddenly, Nicholas piped up from his seat, his earwax now flung to who knows where while his face sported the most serious expression I''ve seen since he arrived here. "I can tell you this, normal humans and demi-humans would be easy to deal with. Trust me, I know."


    He chuckled at his own inside joke, but with none of us knowing the source, except for Luke and Bentley, who was chuckling along with him, we didn''t get it.


    "But if you expand their numbers, they can be hell to deal with, even if you are stronger than them and can effectively deal with the resources on hand." Nicholas let out a long sigh, looking seemingly older than before. "Now that''s just normal humans and demi-humans. How about you add experienced Hunters or Adventurers to the mix? Then you have a recipe for disaster."


    I imagined my Dungeon carved and full of destruction, plumes of fire and smoke rising ever higher, touching the ceiling of the unnatural cave. The corpses of monsters, humans, and demi-humans alike, as well as primates, litter the ground.


    And the cause of them? Overpowered humans and demi-humans who thought I was some big bad that was making life miserable for his residents. The sickeningly sweet smile of that black demon graced my mind as he snickered to himself as he stood in front of me holding the broken corpse of Domino, bleeding from her dismembered limbs.


    I shook my head out of those depressing thoughts. Luckily, I was able to fortify my poker face, making sure that none of them spotted my obvious weakness at this time. Looking at Nicholas for a brief moment, I opened my mouth to ask something that was on everybody''s mind right now.


    "What do you propose we do?"


    "Well, for starters, we can offer them reasons to help you and us with your Dungeon, instead of outright resenting you, if they ever do." Bentley was the first to supply his opinion, with Nicholas pointing at his buddy, mouthing, ''What he said.''


    "I see, then I suppose we can add some type of reward system for hard work." I said and scanned every face in the Meeting Hall. "I''ve been meaning to do this, but with my tight budget on resources before, I wasn''t able to, but now, with this influx of residents, I could begin with the project."


    Murmurs of approval rounded the table as each and every member nodded their head in agreement.


    "Anyway, before we finish this discussion, I would like to add in one more point." I said, and all of them stopped their murmurings. "Due to some actions, my Dungeon has been connected with two other Dungeons. You can find visible proof next to the entrance of the Dungeon."


    "You mean those giant arches that lead into total darkness?" Krag spoke up from his seat, an excited and nervous grin on his face.


    "Yes, those arches¡­ Wait, arches?" I tilted my head with visible confusion. Krag also looked at me with confusion. "You mean to say that those swirly portals turned into giant arches that led to nothingness overnight?"


    "¡­ Yes¡­?"


    "¡­ Haaaaa¡­ Looks like I''ll need to have a little chat with the Dungeon Masters. Anyway, like I was saying, my Dungeon has been connected with new Dungeons, and has entered into an agreement for trade. Every other week, I will supply the Governor, and that means you Bentley-" Bentley nodded, "-with products that we have agreed to trade. I take it you know what comes next."


    "Yes, Lord Jionni."


    "Then, without further ado, dismissed."

 Chapter 140 - Monke And The Preparations

    After having dismissed the meeting, I made a beeline straight to the Dungeon Core Room using the Dungeon-generated passageway that only Dungeon Masters could use. For simplicity''s sake, since there was no real label on the passageway, I''ll call it the Master''s Path.


    With a name that unique (I doubt it), it would be easy to remember.


    Anyway, now that I was done with explaining some things, as well as preparing for the accommodation of the new residents, it was time to prepare for the next Dungeon Event. The event will start tomorrow, and no way in hell will I be caught unprepared.


    Arriving at the Dungeon Core Room, I saw Domino waiting excitedly for me at the doorstep of the house, her normally expressionless face sporting a wide grin, which was breaking her character.


    "Papa¡­ Let''s play¡­"


    ¡­ How can I say no to that? Just a few games, and I swear I''ll prepare my Dungeon then.


    []


    []


    []


    After having my ass kicked for the last hour against my I-swear-she''s-scripting surrogate daughter, I was now sitting in a clearing where nothing could bother me. Domino was still playing the offline games inside the Gaming House, since she was a bit bummed out that I had to cut our gaming session short because of my responsibilities.


    "Haaaahh¡­ Now then, what was it I was forgetting?" There were some things I forgot, which were incredibly important to the defensive properties of my Dungeon, but there were also the skills I didn''t bother to use yet because of my lazy ass, and the admittedly more important affairs regarding the arachne and alraune villages, as well as the new residents.


    "¡­ Okay¡­ remember, what did I get when I killed those Dungeon Masters?" I searched my thoughts for the rewards I had gotten from killing the kobold Dungeon Master and the Ogre Dungeon Master. There were the DP, the monsters, humans, and demi-humans¡­


    And then there was an additional floor¡­


    Quickly accessing the Dungeon Menu to check if what I recalled was correct, I couldn''t help but jump in glee at the new floor I had just received.


    ''No wonder the stairs felt a little longer than usual¡­''


    My mood then deflated because I splurged most of my DP on buying that skillbook, but that was an investment I was willing to make. For the moment, I will leave the third floor as it is. Even if all of the rooms were defaulted to forests, who said that a forest couldn''t be filled with traps and a bunch of other stuff that could screw over a group of invaders?


    "Gong." I quickly opened the Dungeon Communications and called Gong, who I can see teaching some primates the art of fighting. Armed or unarmed, it doesn''t matter, all of them would be taught some kind of fighting style, with Gong being the head instructor and all.


    "Yes, Boss? Need me?"


    "Yes. I''ll send you some new primates. A group of them you will teach how to fight, the rest you will send to our trap specialist." I thought of Chin, the chimpanzee I refused to give the magic staff, which was still sitting in my inventory, who then decided to learn how to use traps from the goblins. He then asked the kobolds to teach him some of their traps, then asked the orcs.


    The result was a combination of deadly traps that I wouldn''t want to wish on any normal invader. That said, what I wish and what I do were vastly different.


    His repertoire expanded vastly, however, the moment the alraunes and arachnes arrived, making him the expert trapper in the Dungeon.


    ''Actually, if I''m not mistaken, Chia and Chin are now lovers¡­ I should probably get some gifts then, if they actually had a baby.''


    "Understood, Boss." Gong gave me a primate salute and I cut the communication.


    ''Next was the [Golemcrafting] skill¡­'' I searched my brain for any kind of information that was imprinted into my mind the moment I used the skillbook. Finding the details I was looking for, I looked at the ground under my feet and proceeded to scoop up a handful of dirt. ''Here''s to hoping this works.''


    MP: 2322 / 2322 -> 2222 / 2322


    Imbuing mana into the dirt, I felt the handful of it squirm in place. The dirt morphed and shifted itself to take on a vaguely humanoid appearance. The dirt hardened to a point where it could form solid objects, but not hard enough to tank a hit like a rock would.


    The process finished, it then looked up at me and stood still. I tilted my head, but the golem continued to stare into my eyes, even if it had no face. I tried giving it a command through my mind, and the dirt golem followed, its hands raising into the air and waving at my general direction.


    ''Okay, first off, this is a goddamn gem. Second, it''s too mana intensive.'' I noted while I gently laid the golem down on the ground, the humanoid dirt hopping off and landing on the grass with nary a sound. ''It took exactly 100 MP from my reserves to make a single dirt golem the size of a small action figure.''


    Looks like I have another skill to grind, but hey, if I do master this skill, then I could make a veritable army out of them, thus expanding the defenders in my Dungeon, as well as using them as meat shields, if an invading force that was on par with my defenses ever arrived.


    Though, this got me wondering about the possibilities of these golems. If I could share my senses with them, then they could be used to spy on targets outside of my Dungeon. What about introducing intelligence into its non-existent brain? If that could be done, then I could use it as a proxy that could travel the world in my place, noting the sights, the different cultures, religions, etcetera, and the most important part¡­


    Noting whether something was a threat to my Dungeon or not. Close or far, it does not matter. If they are a threat, then it must be dealt with as soon as possible.


    There was also the possibility of making it so it had a uniquely human appearance. If I could do that, then infiltration into settlements would be a breeze. No way in hell am I sending some of my residents, even if drastically needed, into the hearts of the enemy''s base.


    I''m also pretty sure that highly defended areas would have some countermeasures in place, so this golem skill could have its uses for identifying it by actively getting caught in the trap.


    But I''ll get there when I get there. For now, I need to grind this skill to lower its mana cost.


    Like seriously, this is probably more mana intensive than any of my elemental magic¡­


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "You know, Uius, I have been having visions of another cataclysm event incoming in the near future."


    "Is that so, m''lord? Then, are we at the heart of it?" Uius asked from his post, his ever-dignified posture set in stone as he served the God before him.


    "On the contrary, though, we are allies with the aforementioned, Bringer of Calamity." Chythos chuckled as he took a sip of heavenly alcohol from his goblet. "I couldn''t see the figure well, but his strength was on par with the mediocre Gods, with a huge army backing him, pushing his strength into the realms of the somewhat stronger Gods."


    "Then, are we to prepare for the incoming future? Or should we cut it off at the roots before it even begins to spread?" Uius poured more alcohol into the goblet made of gold, various jewels adorning its shiny luster that could bankrupt a kingdom on its value alone.


    "Nah. We''ll follow what my visions told me. It''s been far too long since the Gods on that side of the spectrum decided to abandon the Mortal Realm because of their incredibly steep tastes." Chythos gripped the goblet in his hand tighter, but then relaxed as he chugged the liquid inside in just a single second. "Aah~ That''s some good alcohol. Anyway, those Gods better prepare, otherwise they''ll find themselves either exiled into a lower world, where they''ll have to scrounge up some crumbs of their power to rise again, or ultimately have their Godhood extinguished."


    "I''m guessing that you''re leaning into the latter part, m''lord?" Uius refilled the goblet once more, his graceful movements going unnoticed due the Chythos'' drunkenness coming into play.


    "Hah! Of course, I want them extinguished. The horde of lunatics believe that being a God elevates them above the mortals, who serve as their source of power. Idiots, the lot of them." Chythos downed some more alcohol. "Ugh¡­ That''s gonna give me a headache tomorrow."


    "I presume you want me to explain the rules once again?"


    "Atta boy." Chythos patted Uius'' shoulder with a grin on his face, red dusting his cheeks showing his apparent drunk state.


    Uius could only nod at his lord''s command.

 Chapter 141 - Monke And The Third Event

    Today was the day. The beginning of the third, and maybe final event of the Dungeon Games. It''s been approximately a day since I had been grinding my skills non-stop in case it was ever needed in the third event.


    From what my discussions with Oshurkova and Catalina supplied me with, the third event was almost always random, with the last decade''s event being a survival game without any of your powers.


    Basically, a death game, with a lower chance of death, since from what Oshurkova said, we are also the source of power of God Chythos. I can''t understand the reason as to why he allows some casualties in the games, but I''ll chalk it up to either a culling, or survival of the fittest.


    I''m leaning into the former because the latter doesn''t really make much sense, unless God Chythos really valued that moral, but from his appearances up to date, I don''t take him as that kind of God.


    To me, he feels like a God that doesn''t value weakness, so they are disposed of, and their assets transferred to their killer, thus making sure that a Dungeon Master stronger than the defeated will rise high.


    Or maybe I''m reading too into this, and I''m just a paranoid monke¡­ Yeah, maybe I''m just paranoid¡­


    Moving on, I got my daily DP income from the stay-in residents, as usual, and spent all of my remaining DP, yes, I mean all of them, to upgrade the rooms of my Dungeons..


    Dungeon Resident Income:


    DP: 18,303


    EXP: 8,739


    DP: 9,052 -> 27,355


    DP: 27,355 -> 0


    There''s no way in hell I''m going to save some DP when even a single DP mattered in saving my ass. As a result, the third floor got a complete revamp, the forests were all gone, and in its stead, a massive radioactive wasteland made itself known.


    The invaders may have resistance to magic, or even status ailments, but I wonder how they would fair against lethal radiation? To make it worse, the wasteland would always be under a sandstorm, making navigation next to impossible.


    And all it cost was 25,000 DP. Quite cheap, if you ask me, but hey, if the Dungeon system doesn''t know how deadly this area can be, then I am exploiting the hell out of it.


    The primates that were spawned from those rooms were quickly relocated to a safe room that was the entrance to the said wasteland. Of course, it was located just at the foot of the stairs, making the primates on the third floor able to traverse the floors without having to fear death.


    I still need to recruit some primates, however, to see if they can actually adapt to the radiation wasteland. If that was possible, then the invaders arriving on this floor would be ultimately fucked.


    As a sidenote, I leveled up.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 15


    Exp: 6965 / 15000


    HP: 7330 / 7330


    MP: 2390 / 2390


    Str: 85 (+145) => 230


    Vit: 124 (+117) => 241


    End: 89 (+105) => 194


    Agi: 55 (+35) => 85


    Dex: 61 (+45) => 106


    Int: 52 (+115) => 167


    Wis: 51 (+115) => 166


    Cha: 38 (+10) => 48


    Luc: 1


    I call it a sidenote because there wasn''t anything too noteworthy after the level up, except the increase of my stats. That would probably when I reach level 20, where I can switch my classes, and by my fucking balls, I will change it.


    Or maybe just continue with the tank class-line¡­


    Now, the most noteworthy thing that has happened, aside from spending all of my DP on the fortification of my Dungeon... By the way, the leftover DP I spent on purchasing sturdier defenses for the Monster Town, as seen by their stone walls instead of the earlier wooden versions.


    Where was I? Ah yes, that noteworthy thing was grinding my [Golemcrafting] skill to level 3, which was a huge pain in the ass. For one day, all I did was grind, grind, and grind some more. There was no time to rest. I literally vacuumed all of my MP (I saved some, of course, to make sure I didn''t faint) so that I could keep on creating golems.


    The first time I made a dirt golem the size of an average human, it took about 1000 MP from me, which left me feeling parched. I waited for my MP to regenerate and do it again.


    I also experimented with other materials, such as wood, stone, and some iron, which was mined from the mines on the first floor. What I found out, was that depending on the material, the MP drain could either increase, or decrease.


    I''m no expert mage, but I hypothesized that it has to do with how the material conducts the magic. I would guess that mithril or orichalcon would use a lesser amount of MP, due to their highly conductive materials.


    Since I was working with dirt, stone, trees, and iron, you could say that my MP was drained every time I used the skill.


    I repeated that action, only taking some time off to eat and drink, for the whole day, not stopping when even Domino commented on her concerns about me being a workaholic.


    As a result, the [Golemcrafting] skill was finally level 3, and I can now create dirt golems the size of my hand with about half the required amount of MP, as well as construct them twice as fast.


    This grinding also resulted in a bunch of golems roaming about the Dungeon Core Room, which I quickly sent to the first floor so they could help with the building. They are, after all, tireless. It is a good thing that they were also created to last, meaning that they could function as long as their creator was alive, or until they were destroyed by a third party.


    After that quick grind, I jumped on my hammock and rested, to make sure that I was energized the moment they called me back.


    And right now, as I opened my eyes from my slumber, I felt the pain of being deconstructed once more as I was teleported back into the domain of Chythos.


    "Greetings, Dungeon Masters. Unfortunately, God Chythos will not be able to host this day''s events. As such, I shall take over his duty for the meantime." The butler, Uius, if I remembered the name correctly, spoke from beside the empty throne, its occupant temporarily missing due to some circumstances that were probably beyond my comprehension. "As all of you should know by now, today is the day... The third, and final event will commence, and as per tradition, the event will be randomized."


    Uius clapped once and a wheel appeared with a poof on the stage. Incredibly tiny areas dotted the wheel, and a huge arrow was situated at the top.


    "Whatever event this arrow lands on, that will be this decade''s final event." Uius grabbed the wheel by the side, and gave it a good spin, the arrow smacking a protrusion of metal every time a colored area passed by.


    I gazed upon the wheel with bated breath. My eyes focused on the wheel which would dictate the course of this final event. Whether it would be peaceful or bloody remains to be seen, but I hope it''s the former.


    The wheel slowed to a crawl as the time passed, not one Dungeon Master uttering a sound due to how tense the situation was. A few seconds later, the wheel finally stopped turning and the arrow landed on a golden colored area, which was the same size as the other areas.


    "Well now¡­ This is surprising¡­" Uius commented with a raised eyebrow. He then looked at the crowd of Dungeon Masters, all of us staring at him for the results since we couldn''t see what was listed on the wheel due to how small the letterings were. "Ladies, gentlemen, transgenders, hermaphrodites, and genderless, may I present to you, the final event."


    Uius held out his hand as a light shined brightly enough to temporarily blind my eyes. I quickly closed my poor eyes and shook my head, my hands rubbing my eyes the entire time. Once I was sure that my eyes could handle the strain, I opened them slightly and squinted as I focused on the golden letters hovering above the ground.


    What it read made me question the sanity of the God of Monsters, but then again, the comprehension of a God''s is incredibly different from that of a mortal.


    =Dungeon Battle Arena=


    But still, please tell me that you won''t bleach your eyeballs after reading the words floating above the ground that dictated the course of the final events?


    I mean, at the side of the words, I could see an illustration of a motherfucking MOBA map, with the bases on each end.


    ''I want to find the one who came up with this idea¡­'' I facepalmed, but I also noticed that most of the Dungeon Masters around me were scratching their head in confusion. Included in those actions were Oshurkova and Catalina, who were both looking at me as if they knew I knew something.


    Well, they were right.


    "For this event, the Dungeon Masters must group themselves into a team of five." Uius grabbed an hourglass. "You have one hour. Begin."


    He flipped the hourglass.

 Chapter 142 - Monkes Drafting Session

    At this point, I wanted to call out the fact that Chythos was probably trolling the Dungeon Masters population that was able to advance to the finals, but since Uius said that this was a completely random event, which is held every decade, my opinion is ultimately garbage.


    I was suddenly grabbed by my shoulders and pulled into a somewhat loving embrace, save for the fact that the one that was hugging me was my sex-buddy, Catalina, and not some kind of lover.


    "Hey, lover-boy. Oshurkova told me to bring you to her side pronto." She let me go from her quick embrace and dragged me all the way to a waiting Oshurkova, who was conversing with Shrum. The old mushroom person nodded along as his eyes scanned the area for any visible threats.


    "Ah, Jionni. Good timing." Oshurkova noticed me from the corner of her eyes and dropped the topic she was conversing with Shrum, which the mushroom person didn''t mind much and continued to survey the area for any kind of disturbance. "Thanks Cat, I''ll make sure you''ll get some time with him alone once all this blows over."


    "Oh, trust me, we''ll have all the time in the world once these games are over.." Catalina licked her lips as she glanced sultrily at me.


    "Bah, horny youngsters¡­" Shrum muttered, annoyed at the fact that Catalina and Oshurkova were loudly talking about sex. The old-timer resenting the fact that such a sacred union was casually talked about by the younger generations.


    "Riiight¡­" I scratched my head when I felt my crotch area of my pants tightening. Catalina noticed it and glanced at it with the most seductive face and pose she could use. Ignoring her gaze, I gocused on Oshurkova, who was looking at the both of us with an amused smile. "Anyway, what did you want to ask of me, Kova?"


    Before Oshurkova was able to reply to me, I felt my fur getting tugged by a pouting Catalina right beside me.


    "Hey, no fair!" Catalina glared at Oshurkova, while the vampire in question tilted her head in confusion. "If you get to call princess vampire here with a nickname, then why not call me with one too? After all, I''m more intimate with you than she is."


    I was about to open my mouth and retort, but retracted my words when I processed what she was saying.


    ''Well, she''s not wrong¡­''


    "Very well." After a few seconds of silence between the three of us, four if you count Shrum looking around with a watchful glare, I decided to call her the last two syllables of her name, the same as Oshurkova. "I''ll call you Lina then. If that''s okay with you?"


    "Yep, totally fine." Catalina gave my arm a big hug and, at the same time, brushed her hand across my covered hard on, causing my body to twitch at the sudden contact. Looking at Catalina''s face, I saw her slightly blushing as she gave me a sultry smile.


    "Okay, enough of that Cat." Catalina opened her mouth, but was stopped by Oshurkova to prevent the escalation of the situation. "Look Cat, I get it. You''re horny, and you want some release, but please, right now is not the best time to do it."


    "Aw poo¡­ Ruin my fun, will you¡­" Catalina let go of my arm and crossed hers, a pout forming on her face as she refused to meet both of our gazes.


    "Anyway, back on track. I assume you know something about this event?" Oshurkova asked with a stern glare. Catalina and Shrum withdrew their previous actions and listened intently to my incoming words.


    "Yes." My answer made the vampire sigh in relief, with Catalina giving me a smile, and Shrum an approving nod. "First of all, this battle arena, if what I''m assuming is true, is a five-versus-five match. The goal is simple, destroy the base of your enemy. Seeing as we''re Dungeon Masters, we might be tasked to destroy a Dungeon Core at the end, thus eliminating the opposing side from the game."


    "So, not any different from the first event where all new Dungeon Masters compete." Oshurkova remarked with her right hand on her chin. Catalina was staring at the map beside the floating letters with narrowed eyes, while Shrum was intent on listening to my words. "Are there anything else you would like to add?"


    "Yes." I reply immediately, forcing Catalina''s attention back on mine. "The goal may be simple, but a battle arena is anything but simple. Since this is a five-versus-five match, you can tell that we will be attacking their base, as well as defending ours. If that wasn''t enough, I will also assume that there are default defensive structures placed on the maps at key positions. Half of them will be ours, and half of them will be on the opponents'' side."


    "That said, I have no idea what will be used to pose as the defensive structure, as well as the main rules, so I suggest we look for our members for now to build a team that plays to our strengths." I finished, and Oshurkova looked at me with a questioning gaze.


    "What do you mean by playing to our strengths?" I facepalmed.


    "Oh, right, I forgot that part." Undoubtably, this was the most important factor in a battle arena. If your team composition is shit, then you''ll never go far. "The most important aspect of a battle arena are the players. Visualize this: A team consists of 5 mages, and their opponents are a team of 5 assassins. Which team is more likely to win in a fight with no rules?"


    "The assassins." Catalina responded immediately and I nodded.


    "Correct. How about a group of close range hard-hitters against a group of long-range specialization rangers?"


    "Then, the rangers." Oshurkova concluded, and her eyes widened in realization. "So, it''s like a game of rock, paper, and scissors, where a member could be the deciding factor whether your team wins or not."


    "Exactly." I nodded, and looked at the three Dungeon Masters. "We need to build a team that is balanced, so that if ever we fight against an overly-specialized team, we can make sure to adjust ourselves to get an advantage."


    "For the sake of being simple, I''ll assign each member a classification, starting with the Carry, the Initiator, the Assassin, the Support, the Mage, and the Tank." I stared into each Dungeon Master''s eyes with extreme seriousness. "To explain each role, first, the Carry. The Carry is the person who will be our main damage dealer. Think of them as a glass cannon that can wreck the entire enemy team with a well-placed attack. The Initiator is the person who is responsible for making sure that an attack is successful. The Assassin can be utilized to assassinate their Carry, since, as I said earlier, the Carry is most likely a glass cannon. The Support is quite literal. He will support the team, most likely the Carry, to make sure that we don''t lose in a fight. Things such as healing, shielding, and other magic and skills that increase our survivability. The Mage is the person who has a somewhat similar role to the Carry, and last but not the least, the Tank, who is responsible for soaking up the damage and protecting his allies."


    I then pointed at myself after that long speech. "I can categorize myself as a Tank and Initiator. Some others who could fit the role are Tanjin and Arekhus. How about you, Lina, what do you classify as?"


    "¡­ I''d say Assassin." Catalina shrugged and brandished the hidden blades that were hidden on her person. "I prefer hit and run tactics, after all."


    "Mhm¡­" I nodded happily, and focused my sights on Oshurkova. "How about you, Kova?"


    "Maybe a Mage, or a Support. I can cast healing magic, but I heavily lean on my more destructive magic in a fight rather than healing." Oshurkova replied with a grin. "Of course, I''m also strong physically, since I am a vampire."


    "And you, Shrum?" The mushroom person looked at me with narrowed eyes, before his lips parted and gave me his answer.


    "An Initiator." Shrum gave his answer, and I nodded happily.


    "So, we''re missing a Carry." I muttered under my breath before a question appeared in my mind. "By the way, where are the others?"


    "I haven''t seen them yet, but I''m positively sure that they are nearby." Oshurkova looked around the dense forest of monsters, humans, and demi-humans. All of them scrounged up some members for their own teams. "Oh, wait, I see Keia and Reia."


    As I followed her line of sight, I saw the two twin maids making their way through the jungle of Dungeon Masters towards us. The four of us waited patiently, until they arrived, bringing with them Pilips who was close to a nervous breakdown.


    ''Poor bastard¡­'' I nod sympathetically at the nearly catatonic state of the socially anxious Dungeon Master.


    "Ah! Lord Jionni-ta! Lady Oshurkova-ta!" Reia quickly zoomed past the Dungeon Masters in her way and arrived at our fronts and greeted us like a dog would. "I finally found you-ta!"


    "Tch, irresponsible Reia-la. Perhaps I should teach you some manners before you go leaving your sister and a suffering comrade at the drop of a hat-la?"


    I had to hold back a snicker at the rapidly paling face of the scantily-clad maid.

 Chapter 143 - Monke And The Rules

    After witnessing a rather comical scene of Reia bowing before Keia, apologies profusely leaving her mouth, we were now at an impasse on what to do with our team compositions.


    Namely, we now have seven, and three more are missing to create two teams.


    "Reia, Keia, Pilips, have you seen Tanjin, Arekhus, and Typhial?" Oshurkova asked. Her right hand was on her hips as she strutted towards Reia, putting a bit more oomph on her swaying hips.


    Reia, noticing the notedly seductive allure Oshurkova was releasing, quickly stood up from her submissive pose and stood ramrod still, her pose not unlike a stiff twig.


    "Y-y-yes, Lady Oshurkova-ta." With a huge blush dusting her cheeks, which got an annoyed ''tsk'' from her sister, Reia blurted out the answer with difficulty. "I-I-I saw them n-nearby as a-a-a group-ta."


    The vampire''s hand caressing the soft cheek of the blushing maid, she pinched it, a moan of ecstasy coming from the lips of the scantily-clad maid, which she quickly noticed and covered her mouth with her blush increasing so much, you could mistake her skin color for the color red.


    ''Yep, a masochist indeed.'' I mused in my head, and no doubt, Catalina was snickering to herself as she watched the scantily-clad maid''s embarrassment play out.


    "Then, could you be a dear and fetch them for me?" Oshurkova leaned in closer, her lips just a few centimeters away from her ears as she groped the maid''s breast forcefully, eliciting another moan from the masochistic maid. "I''ll be sure to reward you plenty once the event is all over."


    "Y-Y-YES, LADY OSHURKOVA-TA!" Within a heartbeat, Reia was gone from her spot, traversing through the dense jungle of Dungeon Masters like it was her backyard and into the direction where she probably last saw the group of Typhial, Arekhus, and Tanjin.


    "¡­ Please teach me your ways, oh Lady Oshurkova-la." From beside the spot of the now missing Reia, Keia looked at the vampire with awe in her eyes, a vicious smile on her lips as she thought of countless possibilities to tease her twin sister.


    ''Again¡­ Where are the normal twins?'' I scratched my chin as I had the urge to rapidly bang my head on a nearby table. ''The twins I know of are taking the meme Sweet Home Alabama too far¡­''


    I sighed and waited as Oshurkova taught in too much detail, the ways of the sadist. At least, that''s what I''m calling it. From behind, I noticed Shrum shaking his head and facepalming, his mutters going unheard of from the background chatter.


    "Hey, Jion." Catalina walked up right next to me as she held my arm in hers. The nickname she gave me raised some questions in my mind, but overall, nothing too serious. "Want to try some BDSM play next time? I''ll be the sub and you the dom."


    And with that, my mind crashed as it tried to reboot from the words this horny cat was giving my brain to process.


    ''¡­ What the fuck is happening in my life now¡­?''


    []


    []


    []


    After a few minutes of waiting, Reia finally arrived with Tanjin, Arekhus, and Typhial along. The harpy wasn''t happy with how Reia was smug after detailing herself getting molested by Oshurkova.


    Yep, the yandere is strong in this harpy.


    Anyway, now that we were all gathered together, I counted our numbers and found out that we were exactly ten members, enough to form two teams.


    After much discussion, we decided to have Typhial on our team, while the rest formed theirs. As a result, our lineups looked pretty much like this.


    Team 1: Jionni, Oshurkova, Catalina, Shrum, Typhial


    Team 2: Reia, Keia, Tanjin, Arekhus, Pilips


    All in all, the two teams were completely balanced, with both of our teams having contingencies in case of facing another team that has a specialization.


    Now that our teams were formed, we passed the time by either chatting or discussing some tactics when the event started, but seeing that the event was vague, and I wasn''t sure that my intuition was completely spot on with the mechanics of the event, we didn''t discuss that much tactics.


    However, what we did discuss was a bet. Basically, whichever team lasts the longest wins. Oshurkova was adamant that we would not be able to win this event because, as usual, there was a team that was going to be stronger, way stronger than our forces combined.


    They are the most likely to win the event and get out of it unscathed. If there was no chance of winning against a team, then we agreed to cut our losses and disqualify ourselves. How to do that was still on the fence, but I''m thinking that since this event is going to be similar to a motherfucking MOBA game, I''m also positive that there will be a surrender option.


    As they always say: Jungle diff, ffat15¡­


    Once the hour passed, a huge gong sound echoed across the halls, silencing the chatting and murmurs from every Dungeon Master present in the room.


    "Time is up, and it is time to begin the event." Uius clapped his hands, and a glowing circle appeared under the feet of all the teams. "Before that, however, allow me to shed on you some rules. The goal is simple: destroy the Dungeon Core of your opponent, which is situated at the heart of their base. Whoever destroys it first, wins."


    The map that was bugging my mind from before enlarged and showed us the positions of the Dungeon Cores. So far, so good.


    "However, to damage it, you will first have to destroy their defensive key structured methodically." More spots lighted up in the map, showing what I assumed to be the ''towers'' of the game. "For simplicity''s sake, we''ll call them Bartizan. As you can see, there are three lanes. Each lane has 3 Bartizans each in place on both sides. You must destroy the outermost Bartizan before proceeding to the next one. Do note that lanes are separate from each other, so you can, in practice, destroy all the towers in one lane to reach the heart of the enemy''s base."


    ''Yep, this really is a goddamn MOBA game¡­''


    "Inside your opponents'' base, you can find two more Bartizans defending the Dungeon Core. Destroy them, and you can then damage the Dungeon Core." Four more lights lit up on the screen, showing the Bartizans defending the Dungeon Core. "However, before you can damage them, you must first destroy a structure called Keeps. Each lane has a Keep on either side. Destroy them, and you can damage the Bartizans defending the Dungeon Core."


    "These aren''t the only key fundamentals, however." Uius words brought the murmuring of the Dungeon Masters to stop. "Beyond those simple rules, lies another key component. These are called Resources. To put it simply, every few minutes or so, a wave of monsters that will be constant in each match will spawn from your Dungeon Core and traverse into their designated lanes. From there, they will keep on continuing until they come into hostiles, which are the monsters from your opponent''s side, as well as your opponent Dungeon Masters."


    "To also make it somewhat fair to weaker Dungeon Masters due to their species limits, Chythos has decided to make sure that only these spawned monsters can damage the Bartizans, Keeps, and Dungeon Core." And that''s where everything changed for me.


    ''Dungeon Masters can''t damage the Bartizans, Keeps, and Dungeon Core, but the spawned monsters can¡­ How the fuck can the match finish if the monsters can''t even push because a Dungeon Master is too strong to fight against?''


    "To counteract the possibility of an eternal match, these Resources are your key to victory." Uius said, and my mind grinded over the possibilities that Uius'' words gave me.


    ''So, resources are the way to victory, but how¡­? Wait, we can''t buy items¡­ So, maybe¡­''


    "And if that wasn''t a hint enough, it means that these Resources can be used to upgrade the spawned monsters." There it is, the unique method of this reality MOBA.


    ''So, we can''t damage Bartizans, and we have to rely on the spawned monsters to damage them. Resources are also the only way to upgrade them, but what kind of upgrades? I''m sure that the spawned monsters will mostly be mindless drones that will continue to push, much like the AI in the different MOBA games, so upgrade or not, if they''re fighting against a dragon, I can see no use for upgrading them¡­''


    "To get these Resources, there are multiple ways. First, you have to kill the spawned monsters of your opponents. The second is to knock an enemy Dungeon Master unconscious, to which they will be automatically transported out of the match and be healed. A timer will then count down, signaling the time it will take for the knocked-out Dungeon Master to return to the match at 100% capacity. The third, and final option, is to kill the neutral monsters situated in the areas besides the lanes."


    ''¡­ Okay, just like a normal MOBA. Resources equals more items, but in this case, Resources equals stronger spawned monsters.''


    "However, please do be careful. Death is still possible in the match if the damage dealt to the Dungeon Master is too much before he is transported and healed. In that case, the match will continue, but the team with the dead Dungeon Master will be down a member." My breath hitched for a moment, but I was able to compose myself, my mind giving me reminders that death in this event isn''t anything new. Just depressing. "Also, another thing. Destroying a Keep in one lane will automatically upgrade your spawned monsters in that lane only."


    The glowing circle beneath our feet shined brighter and brighter, until my vision was nothing but pure white.


    "Good luck, have fun, and don''t die." As a last parting gift, Uius gave us the motto of God Chythos.


    ''Well, at least it ain''t any different from a MOBA game¡­ Still, how the fuck can we win if the Dungeon Masters are too strong for the monsters¡­?''

 Chapter 144 - Monke MOBA (First Match - Buy Phase)

    Once the light subsided, I found myself within a black void, along with my team of Dungeon Masters.


    "¡­ Well, this is new¡­" Oshurkova commented with her lips forming a thin line. Beside her, Typhial nodded in agreement, her normally awed and lovestruck expression missing. Instead, she wore a serious mask, her eyes scanning the black void for anything that could harm the team, or more specifically, Oshurkova.


    Shrugging to herself, Catalina approached my side and poked my tough arm. "Hey, won''t you protect your frail, lady friend right over here?"


    She gave me a mock-terrified look, which was close to being genuine. If not for the fact I knew she was faking it, it would be next to impossible to distinguish it from the real one.


    "You have some good acting skills." I praised the catwoman, her terrified look being replaced by a neutral mask, before she snorted and laughed.


    "Well, if you live your life as a slave, you''ll learn a thing or two about acting.." She whispered this to me with a solemn look, my gaze quickly focusing on the catwoman who revealed to me her early days. I didn''t know if it was true or not, but judging from the fact that she was serious about this, the possibility that she was lying to me was almost zero.


    "¡­ I see¡­" That was all I could afford to answer her. How the fuck am I supposed to reply to a confession like that?


    The area descended into silence, until something appeared in the corner of our eyes. Our gazes were drawn to the new addition to the black void. What we saw could be likened to that of a digital timer.


    01:30


    01:29


    01:28


    The timer continued ticking down as we looked around the area in confusion.


    "Are we supposed to wait for the timer to reach zero?" Typhial asked, her eyes locked on my form. Along with her, everybody else was also looking at me for answers, since I was the one with the most knowledge about a MOBA.


    "Supposedly." I replied, a hand grabbing my chin as I closed my eyes to contemplate our situation. "From what I can recall from my memories, before this type of competition starts, the teams are always given a set amount of time to prepare for the incoming battle."


    Making my mind translate MOBA games into reality was a challenging endeavor, but I was able to accomplish the task.


    "During that time, the players, in this situation, our team, can use our initial Resources to buy some upgrades and head into the areas so we can get some kind of advantage against the opposing team, in this case, better positioning." I ranted as I recalled every detail I could remember from the MOBAS I played back on Earth. Sure, it could be vastly different from our current situation, but even a vague reference is enough to make sure you can start properly.


    It was at that moment that the black void suddenly vanished, and in its place, a huge, awe-inspiring platform appeared. Me and my team were mind-boggled at the sudden awareness that we were standing on a platform slowly descending into the ground, the Keeps, Bartizans, and the Dungeon Core visible to our eyes.


    "Holy¡­ Now this is a sight I won''t forget." Catalina remarked, her cat tail swishing to and fro. Not far away from me, Oshurkova was also taking in the sights with dazzled eyes. The same could be said for me.


    ''Whoever made MOBAS, I''m sorry, but your map designs have nothing on this¡­''


    After admiring the scene for a few seconds, we felt the platform stop and land on the ground. Looking around, we saw some steps connecting this raised platform to our base.


    Along the edges of the platform, we saw a podium with a closed book. The book opens for us to see its contents. Our curiosity piqued, we approached the book and saw that there were some words that had an empty box right next to it, and right next to that checkbox, some numbers. Reading the words, I realized that these were the upgrades that can be bought by using our Resources, and the numbers were the Resources needed to buy them.


    Damage Enhancement [ ] 500


    Physical Defense Enhancement [ ] 500


    Magical Defense Enhancement [ ] 500


    Movement Speed Enhancement [ ] 500


    These were the four basic upgrades which can be bought infinitely. Which means, enough upgrades can make the Spawned Monsters possibly stronger than a Dragon¡­


    ''Now I know how we can win¡­'' I grinned maliciously, a plan forming in my head. ''Okay, first of all, we need to upgrade either their defense or damage depending on the team composition of our opponents. Movement speed should be upgraded last when we''re sure the Dungeon Masters on the other side can''t easily kill the Spawned Monsters, because if we did that, then our weak-ass Spawned Monsters will always be on the opposing side of the map, making it harder for us to kill their Spawned Monsters with the risk of their Bartizans taking fire on us.''


    I took a look at our Resources and saw that all of us had combined Resources. Whenever one of us gets some, it is automatically deposited into our combined Bank.


    ''Well, since there are no items to buy to individually increase our strength, then this is an understandable mechanic¡­''


    Looking below those four basic upgrades, I saw some rather interesting purchases.


    Summon Dungeon Resident [3000]


    Prevent Spawned Monster Wave [1500]


    Spawn Monster Wave [1500]


    These three options here got the gears in my mind turning. ''The first one is self-explanatory. The second one is a bit vague, but I''m guessing that it prevents a wave of Spawned Monsters from spawning on the other side of the map. And the third is likely the opposite, but for us instead¡­


    This gives various unique tactics, and those last two options are also double-edged swords. The second option makes it easier to push in lanes, but at the cost of lower Resources, while the third option also makes it easier to push the lane (also making it possible for two waves to spawn at once), but also gives more Resources to the enemy team.


    The first option, however, is complete bullshit. You can guess what I can do with that.


    Looking at our shared Resources, I saw that we have 2,500 points, which counts as 5 upgrades.


    "Alright," I opened my mouth, catching the attention of the Dungeon Masters who were curiously looking at the catalogue of options, "Save the points, we''ll upgrade our Spawned Monsters later."


    "You have a plan, Jionni?" Oshurkova asked, her eyes narrowing at the sight of my serious expression.


    "Yes." I nodded, returning back the glare she was sending me, which turned into softened eyes as she closed them and nodded in agreement. "First of all, don''t upgrade our Mons. I''m shortening it to that abbreviation. Spawned Monsters are a mouthful."


    Everybody accepted my input, and I continued.


    "What I want everyone to do is to let the enemy push into our Bartizans. By doing that, we can get some points safely without compromising our position. If you feel that they are pushing in too hard and our Bartizans are suffering too much damage, then feel free to upgrade the Mons, but do not upgrade their movement speed. We''ll upgrade that once we''re sure we can end the match." Everybody nodded to my bareback strategy. It was a start, I wasn''t a strategist on Earth, and I still am not right now. However, as the person with the most knowledge about MOBAs, I had to take up the mantle as strategist.


    ''It''s alright¡­ It''s just like the game back on Earth¡­ Only, much more 3d than before¡­'' I calmed my rapidly tensing nerves as I breathed in a huge amount of air. Exhaling them, I regarded the Dungeon Masters who were waiting for my word, the temporary leadership passing onto me from the vampire due to my expertise.


    "Shrum will go alone to the top lane. Lina will go to the mid lane. Typhial and Kova to the bottom lane, while I''ll go off the lanes to farm some Resources from the neutral monsters. Sound good?"


    Everybody nodded at my plan, with Typhial nodding rapidly as she stuck towards the vampire, causing said vampire to facepalm at the antics of her follower.


    "Good, I''ll assist in the lanes whenever I can, but how can we communicate with each other?" I asked out loud, causing the rest to wonder the same. That was until the timer struck zero and I felt something get stuck in my ear. The rest of the group also felt the same as they instinctively tried to pry off the foreign object sticking to their ear.


    Prying the object off, I saw that it was some kind of transceiver. I grinned and put them back on.


    "Don''t take them off." My words stopped the Dungeon Masters in their tracks. "This will be used for our communications. For example."


    I turned around and cusped my mouth around my lips. Whispering to myself, I said some words that could make an innocent girl blush. Turning around, I saw Typhial blushing, Oshurkova''s eyebrow twitching, Catalina''s sultry look, and Shrum''s disappointed glare.


    "Enough of an example for all of you?" Everybody nodded and I clapped. "Well then, let''s get going."

 Chapter 145 - Monke MOBA (First Match - Jungle Camps)

    Separating from the rest of the group, I headed into the Jungle, as what my MOBA gaming instincts decided to call the off-lane area.


    00:23


    00:24


    00:25


    Looking at the time, I realized that it was now counting up instead of down, but even with the time now counting up, I still couldn''t see any type of neutral monsters.


    ''Perhaps it''s like a mix of that one MOBA that''s too E-rated, they even tried taking off all-chat, and the other MOBA where toxicity is your friend?'' I mused as I recalled the mechanics of the two similar, but different MOBAS. Namely, how the neutral monsters spawn the moment the timer hits 1:30, with some other monsters being delayed, while the other MOBA had neutral monsters spawned every minute after the first.


    "Hey, guys, there''s still no Mons'' wave?" My question went unanswered for a few seconds before Catalina decided to throw me a bone.


    "None as of yet." Her voice was as clear as a crystal ocean through the transceiver. "I''m currently staying next to the Bartizan in my lane.. The thing''s huge."


    "Heh, over-compensation, maybe?" Typhial, who was silent for the majority of our time here, replied back. Her snarky voice makes it seem like she''s taunting the God(s) who organized this event.


    "Typhial, hush now." This time, it was Oshurkova to speak through the transceiver, even if it wasn''t needed since the two of them were right next to each other. "You wouldn''t want to get on the bad side of the Gods, now would you?"


    I couldn''t see it, but I can clearly picture in my mind Typhial paling as white as a sheet as she repeatedly smacked her head for even saying those blasphemous words.


    Not that I think Chythos would even care, but hey, what they don''t know won''t hurt them¡­


    Probably¡­


    "Well then, let''s just wait for the Mons to spawn. Until then, stay frosty." I said with my voice grim at the recollection of the games I played where we were invaded by the entire enemy team at the start of the game. "Getting caught off guard isn''t a pleasant thing."


    The transceiver went dead as the group went radio silent, presumably raising their guards in case something approached them with the intent to harm.


    1:27


    1:28


    1:29


    1:30


    It wasn''t until the timer struck 1:30 that I heard some rustling in the bushes within the Jungle. Not a moment later, a huge, motherfucking T-rex showed up, its jaws hungry and its eyes deadly.


    ''¡­ Is this seriously one of the monsters in the Jungle?'' I voiced out in my mind, my body currently experiencing shock at the sudden giant towering over my body. The T-rex noticed me and let out a roar, it''s ear-piercing shriek knocking off my stunned state. "Ah shit¡­"


    I quickly dodged to the side, where a giant closed maw was right at the spot where I was a moment ago. I looked at its eyes, glaring daggers at me like I was some kind of lunch.


    "¡­ Good dino?"


    The T-rex lunged at me once more, grasping nothing but air as I dodged once more. Quickly accessing my inventory, I brought out my Monke Staff and, not wasting a moment, enlarged it the exact second I grasped it in my hands.


    The Monke Staff now at its largest, being a 5-meter-long and 3-meter-thick stick made of some kind of rock or stone that is, presumably, indestructible. I swung it at the T-rex, who was trying to recover from its earlier lunge.


    The staff met its mark, the T-rex uttering a guttural growl as it felt its jaw clamp and smash into the ground. Dust kicked up in the air as the body of the huge T-rex collapsed onto the ground, stunned from the bashing my staff gave its head.


    Not relenting, I raised my Monke Staff back into the air, before coating it in electricity, my MP storage decreasing ever so slightly since it wasn''t that huge of an enchantment. Just enough to give a tiny shock.


    And by tiny shock, I meant 100,000 volts.


    The staff collided with the head of the downed, gigantic lizard, and it didn''t even utter a screech before its untimely demise.


    Resources + 100


    So, this big lizard gives 100 points. Okay, that is a decent amount of points taken in just a few seconds. Looking at the corpse, I saw it dissolve into ash as its corpse sank into the ground. The only indication it was ever alive was the sizeable crater where its head once lay.


    "¡­ Oh well, time to move onto the next one¡­"


    I moved to the next area within the Jungle, this time spotting a group of wild wolves, numbering twelve, all resting within an alcove on a giant boulder. Gaining an idea, I formed a giant fireball, which the wolves noticed due to their sense of smell, and launched it towards the group of resting wolves.


    It didn''t matter that they noticed the fire; the ball of flames was just too fast to escape, and once the flames made contact with the ground in their alcove, the area burst into a giant inferno.


    Dying screeches of wolves littered the area as my inner pyromaniac burst into glee at the sight of burning wolf corpses.


    Resources + 100


    PETA, don''t arrest me. You aren''t even real in this world.


    ''From what I can gather, each camp gives me 100 points, so to take an upgrade, I would need to take 5 camps. Alright, not that bad. I just need to increase my clear time, and we''re Gucci.''


    Moving onto the next camp, as dictated in the map that was shown to us before in the hall, I cleared that camp as well.


    The monsters in the camp weren''t any more terrifying than the group of wolves. What I did see just made me shake my head in disappointment.


    ''A group of golems¡­ Oh well, at least they''ll be easy to destroy.''


    It didn''t even take a few seconds to destroy them. Just chuck a giant ball of flames at them and watch the explosion with a grin on your face.


    ''Okay, if I recall correctly, there were three camps on each Jungle quadrant, making it a total of twelve Jungle camps. A Jungle quadrant is separated by either the mid lane, or a river. In the river, there is a unique Jungle camp which will require help from the team to take down, if those alcoves seen on the map were any indication.''


    I looked at the wide road ahead of me, and decided to traverse it, going into the bottom side of our Jungle quadrant. I also found out the appearance of our Mons, since I was lucky enough to see them ride into battle forming a single line.


    "They look like wooden soldier puppets¡­" I remarked out loud as I observed the parade of puppets moving into the center of the map. Ignoring them for the moment in favor of taking more Jungle camps, I made my way to the bottom Jungle and quickly cleared out all three camps that were near identical to the other side of the Jungle.


    Resources + 300


    2:54


    2:55


    2:56


    Checking the time, I thought it was time I ganked the lanes to gain some more points from knocking some Dungeon Masters unconscious. Killing is possible, I''ll admit that, but nobody here would like to kill a fellow Dungeon Master who had ties to possibly stronger Dungeon Masters.


    Also, an unwritten rule during these events. You don''t want to die? Then don''t start a fight to the death.


    If you follow that rule, then the Dungeon Master you''re probably fighting with will just knock you out and disqualify you from the Dungeon Games. Luckily for me, the first Dungeon Master I killed as a lone wolf, and the second one, I redeemed myself in front of their leader.


    Moving into the river, I notice a Dungeon Master not from our team looking around with a determined gaze on his face. Looking closer, I could tell that his species was that of a Dragonewt.


    He noticed me, and without hesitation, threw his giant lance at me, intending to skewer me in the middle. Not taking any chances, I dodged to the side, only to realize that he was now right beside his lance that he threw.


    Quickly bringing my Monke Staff to my front, I blocked a sudden swipe from the Dragonewt and was sent flying to the wall.


    ''Ouch¡­ That''s gonna leave a mark¡­'' I grunted in pain as I groggily pulled myself out of the crater I found myself in, only to immediately see the giant lance heading towards me with extreme speed. ''Ah shi-''


    I wasn''t able to finish my thoughts before I felt the lance pierce my stomach, blood trickling out of the wound, but would undoubtedly gush out if the lance was pulled out.


    I gritted my teeth, pain the likes of which I had never experienced in my life assaulting every nerve in my body. It was one thing to have a halberd stuck in your arm, it was another to have a giant lance pierce your entire belly.


    HP: 4,562 / 7,330


    ''Fuck¡­ This¡­ Shit¡­'' I closed my eyes and let out a roar as I tried to pull out the lance from my gut, only to have my vision shift into darkness when I felt a blunt thing strike my cheek.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Respawning in 15 seconds¡­

 Chapter 146 - Monke MOBA (First Match - Respawn)

    My eyes fluttered open, my feet touching the familiar platform that was situated right at the back of our base.


    HP: 7,330 / 7,330


    ''Huh¡­ My HP is full again¡­''


    "Jionni, you''re back! What happened?" Immediately right after I was¡­ respawned¡­ Oshurkova decided to bombard my transceiver with loud screams, a few explosions happening in the background.


    "¡­ Ugh, just got wrecked. Hard." I responded with a grimace. Truly, that was one of the most pathetic experiences I had the fortune of happening to me. "Never mind that, did you get flanked by another Dungeon Master?"


    "Yes, fortunately, we were able to retreat back to the Bartizan, so he left. I don''t know where he is now, though." Oshurkova replied, a primal roar of a beast was heard through the transceiver, followed by Oshurkova''s pained yelling, and Typhial''s scream of rage.


    "YOU SHALL NOT HURT LADY OSHURKOVA!" That was the last thing I heard before they went radio silent. Truth be told, I was worried about them, but it can be ignored for the moment. I have faith that they can come out on top of that engagement.


    "And here I thought it was the Support''s role to protect the Carry, not the other way around¡­" Grinning wryly, I checked our current Resource points and saw that they were sitting pretty at a high number.


    Resource Points: 2,655


    Okay, not bad so far.


    "Hey, anyone having trouble with their Mons?" I asked through the transceiver, and received a reply from Catalina, who was breathing raggedly.


    "Yep. Damn scarecrow''s Mons are getting harder to kill." Catalina replied. A huff of effort came out of her lips as I heard the sound of a crow getting louder until it fell silent. "Shit, I''ll need some help here. I can''t get a good read on this creepy motherfucker."


    Cupping my chin, I grabbed the book and decided to increase the damage of our Mons by 3, and their magical defense by 2.


    Damage Enhancement [3] 500


    Physical Defense Enhancement [] 500


    Magical Defense Enhancement [2] 500


    Movement Speed Enhancement [ ] 500


    ''Okay, so they don''t increase the cost with every purchase. Good to know.'' I thought in my mind before using the transceiver once again to contact the struggling catwoman, as well as the rest, where I noticed that Oshurkova and Typhial were fine, to say the least. "I''ve upgraded our Mons. They''ll deal more damage, and tank more magic damage. You''re welcome."


    "Got it." Catalina said. I visualized a smirk on her face, and I couldn''t refute that image right out of my mind right after. It was just so right for her.


    "Eh, the brat''s a snarky one, ain''t ya." Not expecting Shrum to join the conversation, I pursed my lips and decided to ask his status.


    "Shrum, anything to report?"


    "Bah, as if this youngster would best me." As a testament to his claim, I heard a scream of pain, followed by another shriek of curses. Moments later, a loud announcement rang across the arena.


    *Dungeon Master Fiero and Dungeon Master Jizk have been knocked out*


    *Respawn in 23 seconds*


    ''¡­ So that''s what happens when a Dungeon Master''s been knocked out. Good to know.'' I shrugged and regarded the old mushroom person with more respect than before. "Well, it looks like you won''t be needing my help after all."


    "As if I need it. You''re centuries too young to handle ol'' Shrum here." The mushroom person snarked back, a hint of a chuckle coming out from his mouth.


    "Alright then. I''ll hold it to you." I cut off the communications and quickly rushed into the Jungle. Right now, the two are still respawning, and it''ll take time for them to return back to their posts. With that in mind, I ignored my already respawned camps. The T-rex looked at me like it wanted to maul me to death, but wasn''t able to leave the specified area it was confined to, and rushed towards the enemy Jungle.


    This is a good time to steal his camps, deny them Resource points, and get some of my own.


    ''I won''t make the same mistake like last time.'' I vowed in my mind. Earlier, I was thinking that I was some kind of untouchable douchebag. With my experiences, other than the time where I was forced to retreat due to that fucking demon, the rest of my experiences were either curbstomps, or straight out outplaying the enemy (Chess against Lupu).


    But I should also limit my strength, while at the same time, making sure that I won''t accidentally kill the Dungeon Master I''m currently facing.


    ''This is going to be hard¡­''


    []


    []


    []


    I was now inside the enemy Jungle. The moment I stepped foot into it, the timer for their Respawns had already ticked down to 0. How could I tell? There was a giant scoreboard up in the sky showing our¡­ K/D/A ratio¡­ Seriously, why is that a thing?


    Anyway, right beside my name, and surprisingly, a picture of me looking fierce, I saw a 0/1/0 as my score. Looking for Shrum''s, I saw he had a 2/0/0 standing.


    ''Just like a MOBA game¡­'' I shook my head and focused on the task at hand. Stealing the enemy Neutral monster camps, and maybe knocking out their Jungler as an extra objective.


    Looking around, I saw another giant T-rex, and grinned savagely.


    ''Time to contribute to mass extinction.'' Taking my Monke Staff, I enlarged it and coated it in electricity. The next moment, I leaped at the T-rex, while simultaneously activating [Gorilla Go Smash!].


    Needless to say, the T-rex was sent flying and became red paste when it crashed into a wall of stone.


    Resources + 100


    Nodding my head at a job well done, I looked for a hiding spot, which was a familiar looking brush that was situated between two walls.


    ''¡­ Now they''re ripping off one of the famous MOBAs back on Earth¡­ Like I''m one to complain, more advantages for me then.'' Jumping into the brush, I noticed that it covered my body in some kind of substance. Examining the strange substance, I realized it was something like an invisible potion to those outside of the brush.


    However, only those inside the brush will be coated in this substance. This can be attributed to the fact that the moment I left the brush, the substance dissipated in just a split-second.


    At this fact, I grinned even more maliciously.


    ''Time to play assassin instead of tank.'' I cleared the camp of monsters just nearby, before jumping into the brush again and waiting for the enemy Jungler to appear.


    Resources + 100


    I waited for a few seconds, before I saw the incoming figure of the Dragonewt that knocked me out earlier. ''Time to repay the favor.''


    Since the Dungeon Master was a Dragonewt, I''ll assume that he was resistant to flames, so I decided to go with the Lightning Element. Coating my Monke Staff in electricity with at least 100,000 volts, I waited until the Dungeon Master was close to my attack range. The moment he entered it, I swung, using [Gorilla Go Smash!] as a bonus, and aimed at his legs.


    A piercing scream of pain entered my ears as his legs were torn off from the knees below, his dismembered legs flying into the wall and splattering into a mess of red. The Dragonewt in front of me continued to cry, his arms cradling his dismembered legs as he held onto the stumps like a father would his dying child, blood pooling beneath his prone body.


    Feeling pity for the Dragonewt, I decided to end his suffering by bonking him on the head hard enough to knock him and not kill him, hopefully¡­


    *Dungeon Master Jizk has been knocked out*


    *Respawn in 33 seconds*


    ''¡­ Why do I feel so bad¡­ Last time, he skewered me with his lance¡­'' I contemplated my values in life, before shrugging and putting it in the back of my head. ''Meh, I''ll question my morals later, which I''m sure is as chaotic as a child in a sugar rush. For now, it''s time to take more of his camps.''


    Doing just what I had planned, I went to the last camp in this area and went back to the river. I thought about whether to take my Jungle camps or help Catalina in the mid lane.


    "Hey, Lina, need some help?" Using the transceiver, I sent her a message while I was hiding in a brush by the river.


    "Yep." Catalina''s curt response told me everything, as well as the fact that her breathing was even more ragged than earlier.


    "Alright, on my way." I cut the signal and made a beeline to the mid lane, where there was a brush right at the side of the lane, making my arrival a secret to the enemy Dungeon Master.


    Looking at the Dungeon Master who was facing Catalina, he resembled something like a scarecrow from a horror film. He had this branch of magic which conjured some crows and were sent flying to Catalina, who dodged them, before it burst into an explosion of green and purple smog.


    The Mons that were fighting in the middle were rent to shreds as Catalina and the scarecrow went ham on them, while trading some attacks here and there.


    I waited for an opportunity to strike, and when I saw him come closer to my side since Catalina was on the opposite side, I struck.


    Since he was a scarecrow, I enchanted my Monke Staff with flame, and lunged at the scarecrow, who noticed me just a tad bit too late.


    Ramming my Monke Staff into its midsection, I felt my staff penetrate its wooden and straw body, before they caught fire. Not wasting this opportunity, I saw Catalina dashing in, twin kukris in hand as she sliced into the screaming scarecrow.


    Not wanting this fight to be prolonged any longer, I grabbed the scarecrow by the head and smashed its face on the ground, a tiny crater forming where its head impacted the ground.


    *Dungeon Master Scatro knocked out*


    *Respawn in 34 seconds*


    "Thanks for the assist." Catalina huffed from her position.


    "Anytime. Go back to base first and recuperate. If my memory serves me right, you can heal quick when standing on the platform." I said, which got me a deadpan from the catwoman.


    "¡­ That could''ve been some useful information before we went out, you know¡­"


    "¡­ Oops, sorry¡­?" The catwoman just sighed as she facepalmed.


    "Well, anyway. Go on, take the Mons. I''ll run back to base and return as soon as I can."


    "Alright." Our exchange done, I saw Catalina running to base with her cat tail swishing in the air. Finding it cute, I stared at it, before focusing on pushing the Bartizan with the Mons at my side.

 Chapter 147 - Monke MOBA (First Match - GG)

    When I realized the moment Uius said that the Mons would be the only ones able to damage the Bartizans, he wasn''t kidding. Earlier, I tried to hit the Bartizan with my Monke Staff, and as a result, the Bartizan was cleaner than usual.


    Plus, the Bartizan fired a goddamned laser at me. Without time to react, I was blasted out of the attack radius of the Bartizan, a pained cry escaping my lips. As I landed on the ground and tumbled for a good, few meters, I stood up and dusted off the dirt that was clinging to my clothes and fur.


    ''Note to self, don''t hit the Bartizan.'' I noted in my head with a grimace. Was it a stupid idea? Maybe. Was it worth it? Hell yeah.


    Due to that tiny experiment, I found out that a Dungeon Master hitting a Bartizan would result in it getting repaired, by how much, I don''t know, as well as blasting said Dungeon Master with a laser that was quite harmless, but forceful enough to throw you out of its attack range.


    HP: 6,330 / 7,330


    ''¡­ Okay, maybe not completely harmless¡­'' stood up shakily as my stomach that tanked the hit grumbled in protest at the beating it took from the laser, as well as something else. ''It also gives you hunger¡­ Why though¡­?''


    Shaking my head at that thought, I focused on the Mons that were doing their best to nick at the towering Bartizan with all their might. Despite their best efforts, their attacks were the equivalent of an ant biting the towering structure.


    ''Oh well, that''s what I should expect from the low-level damage output they still have. We need more Damage upgrades if we want to destroy those Bartizans faster¡­'' Pursing my lips in thought, I waited until I saw Catalina running by me and giving me a tap on the shoulder.


    "Thanks for holding the lane. I can take it from here." She gave me a peck on the cheek as she went back to farming the Mons with the enemy laner still missing. Giving the catwoman a smile, I gave her a kiss to the cheek as well, eliciting a moan from catwoman. "Do that again, and I don''t think I''ll be able to hold back."


    She licked her lips, and I chuckled.


    "Hah, as much fun that would be, we have a competition to win. Maybe later once we''re done with the events. Our Dungeons are connected, right?" She gave me a sultry smile as she playfully punched my arm.


    "Deal. You better not disappoint. I have some kinks I want to show you." And with that, she zoomed off into the mid lane, leaving me with a very confused, but curious look as to what would be happening in the bedroom with her.


    "I''ll look forward to it!" Shouting out my response, she gave me a thumbs up, and I left the lane in favor of once again farming in the Jungle.


    My Jungle, that is. I wonder, are there any wards here? Information is a key component in this type of competition, and even just a sliver of information telling us where their positions are is crucial to obtaining victory.


    Sighing from the thought, I rushed into the Jungle and took all of the camps before their Jungler could invade mine and take it for himself.


    []


    []


    []


    "Jionni, we could use a little help here!" Not a few minutes into my farming spree, I heard Oshurkova''s voice ring in my ear through the transceiver.


    "I''m close. On my way." I replied and quickly rushed to the bot lane, after clearing the camps, of course.


    Resources + 300


    Not wasting anytime, I dove into a brush and quickly felt the unknown substance coat me in its weirdness. Camping and waiting, I quickly called out to Oshurkova with the transceiver.


    "Kova, I''m in the brush nearby. Bring them closer to me. I can take them by surprise." I said, and not a moment later, I saw Oshurkova making direct eye contact with me, even though I should be invisible. ''Maybe it''s a team thing, where those in the same team can see me. I think that''s the use of the weird substance coating me right now.''


    "Alright. Give ''em hell." She whispered that to the transceiver, making sure not to give the surprise away by erratically running into the brush I was waiting in. Typhial was right beside her, doing her best to protect Oshurkova, even though their roles are completely opposite.


    ''No wonder they''re losing. Typhial is adamant about playing Support instead of Carry. I know it''s her choice to do so, but doing so may be a detriment in the long run if it costs us the match.'' I thought grimly as I looked at the flying harpy. ''We should probably address that concern later after the match.''


    Oshurkova rushed into the brush where I was waiting, and just right after her, Typhial did so as well. The two Dungeon Masters that were chasing them, who turned out to be a minotaur and a human wielding a giant crossbow, didn''t stop and rushed into the brush without any sort of idea that I was in here waiting.


    The moment they did so, I jumped into action. Enlarging my Monke Staff (It''s becoming a staple in my arsenal now), I coated it with lightning and swung it towards the two of them in a horizontal arc. It was impossible to miss, since the huge staff was 5 meters long, and 3 meters wide, and the minotaur was the size of a truck.


    If I missed that attack, I would be labeled like that masochistic crusader in an isekai anime I watched back on Earth. The minotaur, not expecting a giant staff to hit him on his ribs, cried out in pain as he was knocked into the human carrying the giant crossbow, who also uttered a cry of pain due to the probably one ton of beef crashing into him, and squishing him into the wall, a crated forming around the two bodies.


    *Dungeon Master Eudo knocked out*


    *Respawn in 38 seconds*


    Resources + 500


    ''Holy Lord Faben All Mighty. Literal one shot.'' I snickered in my mind and watched as the minotaur tried to pry himself out of the crater, only to be introduced by a fireball to the face, courtesy of Oshurkova.


    *Dungeon Master Tymun knocked out*


    *Respawn in 33 seconds*


    Resources + 500


    "Thanks for the save." Oshurkova breathed out as she struggled for a bit of air. "I was never a good combatant¡­"


    "Nonsense, my Queen! I-I mean, Lady Oshurkova!" Typhial quickly corrected herself, but the words were already said. Oshurkova just looked fed up with the word. In a response to make up for her mistake, she quickly added, "That earth parasite and low-grade beef weren''t anything special! They were just¡­ Just¡­ Lucky! Yes! They were just lucky that we weren''t prepared for their special combo attack!"


    "¡­ You know, what? I''ll take it." Oshurkova said with a sigh, causing Typhial to beam. As a spectator, I have no idea what transpired, but less problems equals happy life.


    "You''re welcome, by the way. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I think I should go steal the enemy Jungler''s camps again."


    "Jungle?" Both Oshurkova and Typhial asked, and I facepalmed at forgetting to tell them my lingo or definition of terms about the different aspects of a MOBA.


    "Just think of them as the areas separating the mid lane from both the top and bottom lane." I replied, and they gave me a nod. "Good? Then I''ll be off. Remember, if you go back to base, you can buy any upgrade you want, other than the movement one yet. Of course, it would be better if you consulted the team first."


    "Roger that." Oshurkova gave me a grin and I waved my arm at her as I quickly dashed off.


    []


    []


    []


    Okay, it''s been about half an hour already, and we were in the lead. I''ve only been knocked out once more, leaving my ''deaths'' to two, and I''ve ''killed'' about three more Dungeon Masters, leaving my ''kills'' to six. To better grasp my current standing, here is my K/D/A.


    6 / 2 / 3


    Those three assists were from helping Shrum out of a three-man gank. I guess they were getting afraid of the old-timer.


    When I watched him fight, I swore to never get in his way.


    His power was simple. Growing mushrooms. Now that wouldn''t be anything too hard to handle. You just have to mind the poisonous ones, and you''re fine.


    The problem here with Shrum is that he can grow mushrooms ANYWHERE, and by anywhere, I mean even inside your fucking body.


    I still haven''t found a weakness to his skill, but judging from how tired he was, I would say that he requires a lot of energy to even use his unique brand of magic.


    Right now, we were inside the enemy base, with a bunch of our Mons pushing in. They were no longer the wooden soldier puppet lookalike. Currently, they look like a fucking army of real-life sized humans, some of whom are more than 7-feet. There were even some Super Mons in there, with them being taller than the rest with grandiose armor and weapons.


    Needless to say, it was all over.


    The Dungeon Masters on the other team were still trying to Respawn, but their timers still had more than half a minute left, and since our Mons were already directly attacking their Dungeon Core, all we had to do was wipe out the Mons on the other team so the Mons on our team could focus on the Dungeon Core.


    When the Dungeon Core shattered, I grinned, and couldn''t help but utter out a phrase I''d wanted to say ever since I knew about this MOBA event being a thing.


    "GG, EZ GAME."

 Chapter 148 - Monke MOBA (Halftime)

    After being transported out of the match with the rest of my team, we arrived inside the familiar black void where we were stationed during our waiting time.


    We were about to voice our confusion, when blinking numbers appeared in the air, showing us some kind of timer, presumably towards the time when the next match would start.


    20:00


    19:59


    19:58


    "So¡­ We have 20 minutes before the next match¡­" I said with a blink of my eyes. Catalina, who was beside me the entire time, grabbed my arm and pulled me in close.


    "How about a quickie? You know, to satisfy some cravings." She said it sultrily, her tongue licking her lips, causing them to moisten. "It might even give you a boost."


    "Ugh, Cat-in-Heat, would you mind not tainting the ears of Lady Oshurkova with your despicable seduction?" Typhial piped up from her spot. Beside her, Oshurkova was facepalming at the antics of the two somewhat-rivals.


    "Oh? For Lady Oshurkova''s sake, or your sake?" Catalina released my arm from her hold, causing my arm to be dislodged from between the pillowy mounds she possessed on her chest. "Last time I knew, Lady Oshurkova wasn''t that bothered when me and Jion had some fun."


    "Shut up, you horny cat!" Typhial yelled, her face red from either shame or embarrassment. "Why would I be bothered when either of you two have some kind of rendezvous in the night?"


    "¡­ Nah, you''re just jealous you can''t score a mate." Catalina said with a grin, causing Typhial to snarl at the catwoman.


    "That''s it!" Typhial lunged at the grinning catwoman, her wings flapping erratically due to the embarrassment. "Come here so I can end your pathetic life!"


    She wasn''t able to reach the grinning catwoman, however, because of Oshurkova stepping in and grabbing the collar of her clothes. Typhial gagged for a moment due to the sudden constriction of her neck, before breathing in air. Looking at the cause of her sudden pain, she saw Oshurkova looking at her with disappointment in her eyes.


    And since this was Typhial we''re talking about, the one who has a very yandere type of affection towards the vampire, where I''m also sure she won''t be able to act out her violent impulses due to the power gap, she paled and trembled before those judging eyes.


    "M-my Queen¡­! I mean¡­ L-Lady Oshurkova!" Typhial voiced out strong at first, but grew weaker and weaker as the glare on Oshurkova''s face became even harsher. Truth be told, it was a comedic scene, one the catwoman who retreated back to my side savored to her heart''s content, if the grin on her face was to be believed.


    "First of all, do not address me as Queen." Typhial froze for a moment, before nodding furiously as Oshurkova subjected the poor harpy to an even more harsh glare than before. If the term ''looks could kill'' had a spot on the dictionary, then Oshurkova''s face would most definitely be posted as an image right next to it. "Second of all, what did I tell you about me not being a pure maiden years ago?"


    ''¡­ Excuse me? This kind of situation happened years ago?'' I blinked, and thought about a very similar situation happening where Catalina and Typhial were arguing like this, before Oshurkova had to step in. ''Huh, looks like Typhial is a repeat offender, and the less said about Catalina, the better.''


    I reasoned this way because all women have a destructive weapon over men. The power of boobies.


    "So? What about it?" Catalina asked, my arms still smushed between her two mounds.


    "What about what?" I asked back, my head tilting to the side.


    "A quickie. Right here, right now. Let''s give them a show. How about it?" Catalina said excitedly, a gleam appearing in her eyes as she stuck most of her body against mine, causing the tip of my fingers to brush against her sacred garden.


    ''So, not only is she perpetually horny, she''s even an exhibitionist¡­ What a lovely catwoman my first partner decided to be¡­'' I sighed, and scratched her chin, a spot I found out during our time together that night to be one of her weak points. ''Well, cat tendencies and whatnot.''


    "You know, as much as I would like to assert dominance over you right now," I glanced at the sight of Oshurkova giving me the glare she gave to Typhial, who was still cowering, and Shrum who was looking very, VERY, disappointed with me, "I''d rather not right now. We need all of the energy we need for the next match, which would be harder than our previous match."


    "Aw boo¡­" Catalina pouted and released me from her hold. Her cat tail, which I missed during my rant, slowly let go of my leg where it was coiled around. "And here I thought we could show these three some fun moments."


    "As much as I like the concept of banging," Shrum started out, bringing me Vietnam flashbacks to the time where he told me about his sexlife, "Right now is not a good time. You youngsters are too brash nowadays. It''s giving me fungitis."


    ''¡­ I''m pretty sure fungitis isn''t a word, but if he helps de-escalate this situation, then I''m all go.''


    "Indeed." This time, it was Oshurkova who spoke, her hand releasing the whimpering harpy onto the ground, where she shakily stood up, but still positioned herself close to her revered mistress. "I may not be as averse to the deed, but even I know when is a good time to do so, and right now isn''t."


    "¡­" At the rebuke of two Dungeon Masters her senior, Catalina had no witty comeback and just stayed silent. I looked at her and I could tell she was feeling awkward as all hell right now.


    "Kuhum¡­ Anyway, shall we discuss some more pressing matters before the timer runs out?" I faked a cough to gather their attention, which worked, and pointed at the floating set of numbers. "Like discussing our plans for the next match?"


    15:34


    15:33


    15:32


    "That''s the problem. I don''t have an issue with how our strategy ended up last game, other than the fact that Typhial wasn''t that much of a Carry, but more of a support." Oshurkova said with a shrug, causing Typhial to burst down into tears as she mumbled some words like, ''I let her down¡­'' or something along the lines of that sentence.


    "Aha, but that''s the problem." I said, and gave her my realizations as the match continued on. "You see, that kind of strategy works when the Resources used are stored individually instead of collectively. A comparison would be individual banks." I gave out my findings with a hand on my chin. "Instead of Resources entering our collective bank, where we share all of the Resource Points we get, it instead goes to the individual bank of the user. Let''s say for example, I killed a Dungeon Master. Instead of the 500 Resource points going to our collective bank, I get the entire 500 Resource points for ourselves, and that''s not the half of it."


    "In that type of situation, the reason for that is because instead of upgrading our Mons, we instead buy some items to increase OUR strength instead, and that is the reason for the Carry and Support roles." The rest of the team looked confused, but Oshurkova seemed to perk up in realization.


    "That means that instead of the Support helping take Resource points by killing Mons, he instead funnels it so everything goes to the Carry."


    "Exactly." I replied with a smile, before it turned into a grin. "Which is why our current strategy will not hold out in the long run."


    I looked at Typhial, who returned my gaze with a confused one, her body still trembling slightly due to what happened earlier.


    "What we''re going to do is this. Since Typhial is fast due to her wings, Oshurkova will stay in lane and focus on taking Resource points from the Mons, and maybe the Dungeon Masters, while me and Typhial will dive into the Jungle and take the points from the Neutral Mons instead. We can also team up and invade the enemy Jungler and take his camps, denying them of Resource points while gaining more ourselves."


    "¡­ Not a bad plan. Better than earlier, at least." This time, it was Catalina who said it. "Not gonna lie, I wondered what the deal was with two Dungeon Masters in the bottom lane."


    "Yeah, I did too, but since you were more knowledgeable than us in this area, I decided to follow your words." Oshurkova supplied, a grin forming on her face. "But now, ohoho¡­ Can''t wait to trash all of them to the ground, blyat."


    It took me a second to register what she said, and all of us too, before Oshurkova noticed her little mis-slip and covered her mouth with a bright red face.


    "You never heard that¡­"


    "¡­ Blyat¡­" I said with a shit-eating grin, before I opened my mouth once more. "CYKA BLYAT!!!"


    Oshurkova lunged at me with a very red face.. It was still very worth it, though.

 Chapter 149 - Monke MOBA (Second Match)

    After having my ass manhandled by the sexy vampire, we were now ready to fight against our next opponent. Waiting gruellingly waiting for the timer to tick down to zero, we decided to pass the time by sharing some funny stories about our lives, and boy, was it funny learning about Typhial''s past as forced out of her mouth by Oshurkova.


    You see, Typhial wasn''t a yandere till recently. She just became like that when Oshurkova took her virginity when she was drunk. How she did it, let''s just say that there is a magic that allows you to grow certain appendages, alright?


    Since that time, Typhial has gotten hooked on the ''Essence,'' so to speak, that Oshurkova released within her.


    At the end of the story, we had an incredibly bright Typhial trying her best to hide her own face from the view of us four, while the rest of us were laughing at her expense. Well, the rest of us but Shrum, who was content to snicker to himself about the absurd cause of the sudden obsession of the harpy.


    When it was my turn to speak, I said that I had no funny stories yet because I was still zero years old. It was technically true, but since my body biologically looked like a fully grown, adult silverback gorilla, but heavily modified, it was hard to tell. This got everyone in the dark void with me to shut up and look at me with very surprised expressions, none more so than Catalina.


    "¡­ So, I''ve been fucking around with a newborn¡­?" Catalina had her eyes wide, before she contemplated the situation and looked at my well-developed muscles. "Then again, you look and act like an adult, sometimes bordering on a teenager, so meh."


    Catalina shrugged it off, while Oshurkova, Typhial, and Shrum still looked at me with surprised expressions. A few seconds later, Oshurkova narrowed her eyes at me ever so slightly, which I noticed due to former practice with my former parents, may they die in a fire.


    ''I think I may have dug myself a grave¡­'' I regretted opening my big mouth due to the fact that Oshurkova was now incredibly wary of me. ''Shit, I''ll have to confront her about this later.''


    Noting to myself to not reveal anything about my age in the future, I hoped my future self would be able to explain the intricacies of my ''birth,'' as one would call it, to the suspicious, Russian vampire lady.


    Not that Russia is a country here, but details¡­ details¡­


    The timer finally struck zero, and the black expanse of the void that was currently encompassing us like a blanket vanished into thin air as the familiar sight of the arena took its place.


    "Alright, you got the plan in your head?" Everybody, including Oshurkova nodded their heads in agreement. "Good, then let''s go. Don''t upgrade our Mons yet. Focus on getting Resource points and countering their Mons upgrade."


    As we separated into our roles, I noticed Oshurkova staring at me as she headed down to the bottom lane.


    ''Yep, I''ll definitely need all the luck I can get to explain my circumstances to the vampire. I''m guessing that nothing but the truth will satisfy her, and hey, if she accepts me, then I will most probably have a strong ally with me in the future.'' I mused as my mind decided to take its approach about the vampire lady not only staying as an ally, but more. ''Who said I couldn''t pursue romance as an objective? I''m here to express my freedom away from those bastards who controlled my life, and pursuing a romance was something I''ve always wanted to do. Hope I don''t get burned, though.''


    Arriving at the Jungle, I quickly grabbed the Monke Staff from within my inventory and began to wait until the Neutral Mons spawned. After a minute and a few seconds of waiting, the T-rex spawned and with my trusty Monke Staff in hand, beat the giant lizard to death.


    Resources + 100


    "Well then, time to tilt the enemies." I grinned maliciously as I decided to gank more often than the last match since I had to control the entire Jungle by myself.


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    I was now in the river, waiting by the brush for their Jungler to pass by. For some reason, this match had a Neutral Mons in the river, in contrast to the last match which had none.


    ''Are they trying to copy a MOBA back on earth?'' I thought in my head as this event reminded me of one of the top MOBAs in the world to ever hit the stage. Sure, their balance team did shit on the playable characters, but damn me if I don''t appreciate their art team, music team, and video team.


    After waiting for a few seconds while not touching the Neutral Mons that was wandering around the river, I found the enemy Jungler running towards the Neutral Mons, before stopping in confusion.


    She looked like some kind of mix between an alien and a human, but with an undeniable female body. I''m not talking about aliens like those Martian people in the films. I''m talking about black sclera, some horns, and pink skin.


    Yep, totally not a rip-off of some kind of anime character from a certain anime.


    The good news is that she has red eyes, and her horns were very bull-like, so I guess she isn''t that kind of a rip-off, and she''s wearing little to no clothes, exposing most of her pink, glowing skin to the world.


    Hell, I can barely see the areola of her nipples since what she''s wearing barely covered her breasts as well.


    ''They''re colored purple¡­? Alright¡­''


    ''Anyway, since she stopped, I guess she''s also confused about the new Neutral Mons in the river.'' Her confusion didn''t last, however, since she quickly shook it off and rushed towards the Mons with the full intent to grab more Resource Points.


    Too bad, she didn''t account for me waiting in the brush nearby. Coating my Monke Staff in lightning, I shoved it in the way, the invisible staff smacking against the solar plexus. She coughed out spit as she was sent backwards a few meters and landed on the water with a loud splash.


    She coughed and wheezed for a few moments, making her extremely vulnerable to an attack, which I didn''t waste.


    ''Sorry, but I''m a true advocate of gender equality. If women can hit men, why can''t men also do the same to women?'' I smashed the Monke Staff on her head, causing her entire body to slam into the water. Her body spasmed here and there due to being soaked wet and suddenly being electrified by my lightning-coated Monke Staff. ''So, the river isn''t made of pure water. Good to know.''


    *Dungeon Master Xena knocked out*


    *Respawn in 8 seconds*


    Resources + 500


    Alright, time to gank top lane. I hope that Shrum can still 1 v 2 like a giga chad.


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    Turns out, Shrum didn''t need my help again. He''s got the entire top lane under control, making sure that our Mons always die to the enemy Mons or Bartizan, and he in turn takes all of the Mons on the enemy side. He''s also making sure that he does not damage the enemy Bartizan, while at the same time, maintaining the distance the between the enemy Mons and our Bartizan so they can''t damage it too excessively.


    TL;DR, Shrum is a motherfucking legend. I now have more respect for the old-timer.


    That didn''t excuse me from wrecking his enemy Laner, though. The surprise on his face was priceless when I swooped in and knocked out the enemy Dungeon Master, which resulted in his careful maintenance of the lane crumbling and our Mons mass-pushing the lane.


    "¡­ You know, a little heads-up would be appreciated, you brat." Shrum sighed and decided to make the most of my little dive, which meant him diving between the two Bartizans and taking the wave of enemy Mons so our Mons could freely damage the enemy Bartizan without any enemy Mons taking their attention.


    Again, Shrum is a fucking legend.


    Leaving him to his devices, I then ganked the mid-lane, where Catalina wasn''t struggling this time due to a favorable match-up, with her hit and run tactics against some kind of tanky, sentient golem.


    After beating the golem to the ground, I then headed to the bot-lane, where I saw Typhial and Oshurkova fighting against three Dungeon Masters. One of them was the alien-like Dungeon Master I knocked out earlier.


    Deciding to join in on the party, I grabbed my Monke Staff and roared loudly, taking up the attention of the enemy Dungeon Masters as well as my teammates. A split-second later, all hell broke loose.


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    "You know, that roar wasn''t really necessary." Osrhukova said as we once again stood in the dark expanse of the void.


    "Well, I wanted to take their attention so you could sneak in an attack during their momentary surprise." I shot back, which caused Oshurkova to flick me in the forehead with her finger.


    "It would''ve worked, if you told us beforehand about you arriving." The vampire deadpanned, and I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head.


    After that gank, me and Typhial were both knocked out, with only Oshurkova left standing after she knocked out the remaining Dungeon Master. After that, we upgraded our Spawned Mons and snowballed our way to victory.


    "Well, next time, I''ll make sure to tell you."


    "Good.." Oshurkova smiled, then the rest of the team once again sat in a circle to better pass the time before our next match.

 Chapter 150 - Monke MOBA (Third Match)

    Nothing of note happened during our time chatting about the different viable strategies we could use against our next opponent in the next match. There was nothing to add to our strategy other than to make sure we kept denying them Resource points and hope we could upgrade our Mons to better push the lane when it was time to push.


    The black expanse of the void soon vanished once the timer struck zero, and in its place, a foreign area which was incredibly different from the last arena took its place.


    "¡­ Damn my old fungus¡­ It''s freezing!" Shrum shivered as his mushroom body took the brunt of the cold wind assaulting every part of our team without remorse.


    "Tch, bad day to take less clothing in favor of mobility." Typhial said with a scowl, her wings wrapping around herself in an attempt to conserve body heat.


    "As much as I don''t want to agree, I''m with ya on this one¡­" Catalina agreed with a nod as she stuck herself close to my body in an attempt to share body heat.


    "¡­ At least my apparel helps me conserve heat in my body, not that I need it anyway." Oshurkova mused, flaunting her non-affected body from the cold by twirling around, causing the robe to rise high, exposing her leggings-covered legs.


    "¡­ As much as my fur can keep me warm, this kind of temperature is too much for me." I admitted with a grimace. Yes, I''m a gorilla, but I ain''t as hell a mountain gorilla with very thick fur. Quickly donning my Monkey King''s Garb and layering on top of it my Armor of the Primates, I surprised the sticking catwoman due to a spike nearly piercing her eye. "Oops, sorry."


    "Damn¡­ That''s one helluva armor you got there." Catalina touched the tip of the spike with her finger, running it down its meager length with a curious gaze. "Pretty terrifying. I can guess those pests you fight with this on shit their pants every time."


    Catalina laughed, as did Oshurkova. Typhial looked at my apparel with disgust, due to her tastes of elegance, and my armor isn''t one for elegance. Shrum didn''t care, but looked at me like I was some kind of savior.


    "Please, young''un, care to offer some clothes for the elderly?" Shrum bowed before me like a peasant would to his lord, an action that sent some hideous thoughts into my mind, such as the reason for his posture being so perfectly maintained.


    "Alright. You''re all lucky that I got these ready in my hammerspace." I quickly grabbed three thick robes that could be worn by any race, as long as they were humanoid in shape. Handing it to the three that needed them the most, I saw them rushing to get it on themselves the moment their hands touched the robes. "You need one too, Kova?"


    "No need. My body doesn''t need to be regulated by temperature. Thanks for the thought, though, Jion." She gave me a smile, taking the nickname Catalina gave me, which put a frown on the catwoman''s face.


    "Hey, hands off, he''s mine." Catalina put herself between Oshurkova and me, the thick robe she wore fluttering in the breeze. Behind her, I saw Typhial cheering on the catwoman, even if they were known to be in some kind of frenemy relationship which sometimes borders on the enemy bit.


    That''s probably her inner yandere speaking, though. I can understand the reason why she would root for the catwoman in making the Russian vampire to back off.


    "No need to get so territorial." Oshurkova laughed gently as she waved her hand back and forth elegantly. "I may be interested in Jion here as a subordinate and equal, but not as a man."


    This got both Typhial and Catalina to relax slightly, the latter leaning into me with a glare still focused on the vampire.


    "Yet."


    And that single word quickly got their guards back to full tilt.


    ''Why¡­? I can''t believe you''ve done this, Kova.'' My inner monologue going unheard, I saw Catalina pressing herself against me like some kind of territorial cat. Typhial, on the other hand, was having a mental breakdown at the thought of her Queen being interested in another person except for her.


    Looking at Oshurkova though, I could see her snickering at the two for their over-the-top reaction. So, it was a prank¡­


    "Not the time¡­" My voice escaped my lips. My team members focused their gazes on me, who was wearing a serious face. "The Mons will spawn any second now. I suggest we finish this match before doing another prank like this."


    Learning that Oshurkova was just busting their chops, the two affected women heaved out a sigh of relief, before I bonked all three women on the head with my staff.


    "You dare!?" Typhial cried out at the sudden impact on her head, but Oshurkova took it in with stride, full-well knowing that she deserved that. Catalina, on the other hand...


    "Can we use that in one of our plays?" I looked at the catwoman with the most deadpanned face I could muster.


    "Not. The. Time." My words said, I then looked at Typhial, who was glaring at me as if she was trying to gain laser vision so she could melt my face off. "And yes, I dare. Because if I don''t dare, we''re gonna lose this match, which would mean our early elimination, and thus, lower the chances of winning some rewards based on our spot placement."


    This shut the harpy up, and Shrum, being the gigachad that he was (exempting the time he told me about his sex-life), piped up and looked at the time.


    "The young''un''s right, you know. There''s only a few seconds until the Mons spawn."


    "¡­ Shit." And with that, my hardcore MOBA instincts went on and I instantly rushed towards the Jungle, leaving behind the rest of my team, who then followed my example and began to rush towards their designated areas as well.


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    "Shit. We''re gonna lose at this rate!" I screamed as I blocked the motherfucking artillery fire magic from over their fountain. To get a good grasp on how bullshit it was, we were our fucking base, for fuck''s sake! "I call hax! Hax, I tell ya! HAX!!!"


    My gaming terminology was once again flying over their heads. I saw Oshurkova fending off a Dungeon Master who was a mix between a human and a horse, and not the centaur kind. No, I''m talking about the lower-body of a human, and the upper body of a horse.


    It''s kind of like that Philippines myth called Tikbalang. Other than the Tikbalang being a literal horse standing on its own two hind legs instead of having half of his body being a human, these two have a very similar make-up.


    "I know! Cat better do this right!" Oshurkova snarled as she quickly focused on wiping out the incredibly huge wave of enemy Mons with her magic, which only left them next to death''s door because of their high-level magic resistance.


    Deciding to hell with hiding more of my magic abilities, I commanded the ground beneath me to create a huge hole underneath the wave of Mons that were now sporting a look of puppets wearing Spartan armor.


    MP: 1930 / 2390 => 780 / 2390


    That spell nearly drained me of my mana, but fuck it. If we lost because of me not throwing most of my mana to the spell, then I''ll mothuerfucking bang my head on the wall so hard, the wall would crumple to dust.


    And I''m talking about a steel wall, not a wood one.


    A huge crate appeared beneath the feet of the Mons, causing most, if not all, of them to fall deep into the pit. It also looked like one of the more unfortunate Dungeon Masters who was on the enemy''s team, was also caught up in the spell.


    As a result, he was crushed by the massive weight of dozens of puppets in Spartan armor falling on top of him.


    *Dungeon Master Kilzn knocked out*


    *Respawn in 67 seconds*


    Resources + 500


    "Kova! Now! Do it!" I yelled out, and Oshurkova raised her hands up as a tiny ball of fire between them. It soon grew larger and larger, until it was no longer the size of a baseball, but the size of a giant sphere that was big enough to rival the size of a house.


    "Haa!" With a yell of exertion, Oshurkova let the massive ball of flames fly directly into the center of the crater, causing a giant explosion that knocked me back a dozen meters away, my back colliding with the Dungeon Core we were supposed to be defending.


    HP: 4,267 / 7,330 => 2,112 / 7,330


    Nearby, I saw Oshurkova laying still on the ground, her attire no longer covering her entire body, causing the sun, no matter how artificial it is, to burn her skin.


    *Dungeon Master Oshurkova knocked out*


    *Respawn in 72 seconds*


    "Ugh¡­ Fuck¡­ My head¡­" I raised my hand to touch my head, and felt the warm trickle of blood slowly cascading down my face. "Shit¡­ At least my perk will regenerate me back to full health in a few minutes¡­"


    [Tank Body], I love you so much.


    Standing up groggily, I beheld the mess that was now our base. Looking around, I saw that the Keep that was being focused on by the Mons was untouched by the destructive spell Oshurkova released a moment ago.


    "Ow¡­ Need to defend until I hear from Lina¡­" I grabbed the Monke Staff that was laying on the floor beside me when I impacted against the Dungeon Core. I looked at the incoming wave of Mons stronger than our Mons because earlier, during the early game, me and Typhial both fucked up when we invaded their Jungle together.


    Turns out, there were four of them waiting inside the brush, which caused both me and Typhial to be knocked out and gave them the Resource Points to level up their Mons twice.


    Now if that was all, that wouldn''t be too much of a problem. The problem was that they were always being hyper aggressive in our Jungle that most of the camps were stolen. Hell, even their mid-laner occasionally leaves his lane to take our camps.


    In short, they snowballed, and when you couple that with the trump card they were hiding, the fucking Artillery-From-Fountain, then you could tell who would win.


    *Dungeon Master Lina knocked out*


    *Respawn in 70 seconds*


    "¡­ Well shit¡­ We lost¡­" I muttered to myself grimly. Typhial and Shrum were taken out, and looking up, I saw their respawn times still ticking down from the 50 second mark. On the enemy team, only two were knocked out, and three of them were still alive. One of them is the fucking artillery guy. "Welp¡­ Time to take my last stand."


    I see two Dungeon Masters rushing in from the mid lane, along with their upgraded Mons, who now look like puppets wearing full-plate armor, instead of puppets wearing Spartan armor.


    Looking up again, I noticed another huge fireball hurling towards me with the speed of a meteor from outer space.


    "Oh fuck m-"

 Chapter 151 - Monke Be Eliminated (Feels Bad Man), And Startling Confession

    I opened my eyes with a startle, my surroundings giving me pause as my mind tried to figure out where I was. My chest heaved up and downward, my breathing a bit erratic as I recalled the final moments before I was ultimately consumed by the raging inferno that was the asshole''s Attack-From-Fountain magic.


    Looking around, I realized that this wasn''t my Dungeon. My Dungeon doesn''t have any gold-plated marble columns, with intricate linings made from who knows what metal. I also found out that I was lying in some kind of regal bed that would put kings and queens of incredible wealth to shame.


    ''So, I''m still in the Divine Realm¡­ Not what I was expecting when I was eliminated, but I am thankful for their hospitality¡­'' I thought that after being eliminated, the Dungeon Masters would be immediately sent back to their Dungeon.


    "Oh, you''re finally awake." Cue the famous intro line from a famous game, grabbing my attention. I looked at the direction where the familiar voice came from, only to be met with a grinning Catalina, who was looking perfectly fine, if you count her being blown by a giant, raging fireball, all things considered, that is. "I thought I''d have to get up close and personal just to wake you up, and I had the best solution for that."


    She licked her lips and stared directly into my uncovered crotch that was thankfully hidden beneath the sheets. Couldn''t hide the erection, though. Damn morning wood, an irritation for men everywhere, even when you have to pee.


    It''s hard to aim, goddamn it! And take into account the liquid sometimes spewing in two directions, and you have a mess to clean up after relieving yourself.


    A totally shitty situation, if I was asked for my opinion. Actually, maybe every male in existence would tell you it was a shitty situation.


    Anyway, I digress from my initial reaction. Taking a good look at the obvious boner (morning wood) I had currently, I sighed and stared back at Catalina, who for all intents and purposes, looked ready to jump my bones any moment now.


    "You know, is that something to say to a person who just woke up from experiencing a near-death experience?" I asked, and Catalina just shrugged. She slowly approached where I laid and sat her soft ass on the bed.


    "As much as I would like to have some fun right here and now, Oshurkova is calling for everyone for a meeting. Apparently, our other team lost in the first round due to being matched up against one of the strongest Dungeon Master groups in the world." Catalina then laid down next to me as she rubbed circles around my chest with her fingers.


    "¡­ Then why are you lying beside me instead of asking me to get up?" I asked with a confused tilt of my head, which caused her to snort and straddle me, her added weight against the bed causing it to shake slightly.


    In response, she just looked at me with a very serious and determined gaze, her cat tail that was usually swishing back and forth perfectly still, copying her entire body that stayed put like a statue. The only indication that she was still there was the intensity of her gaze, and her soft breathing.


    "You know, Jion. I''m thinking we should take our relationship to the next level." Her eyes bore into me as she observed for any kind of indication of my declination. To her relief, however, she only saw in me confusion and hesitation.


    "¡­ Why¡­? As far as I know, we''re not even that much acquainted with each other." I replied back, not at all comfortable with this topic. As much as I like the catwoman, I didn''t feel for her in that way, yet. "Sure, we''ve fucked, but is that really all it takes to take our relationship to the next level?"


    She locked her gaze on mine, her mind cramming every letter, word, and sentence into her head. A few seconds later, she stood up and silently sat on the bed, her back turned to me. Feeling a little bit guilty at my somewhat rejection of her, even though for all intents and purposes, I was completely in the right, since this wasn''t the way a healthy relationship would be born, I raised my upper body and tried to reach out for her.


    Only for her words to stop me mid-action.


    "You remind me of my previous lover, you know." She started out somberly, her cat ears laying flatly against her head as she refused to turn around. "You act so much like him that I can''t help but draw parallels between the two of you."


    I stayed silent as I watched the catwoman slowly turn around, noticing that there weren''t any stray tears cascading down her cheeks. Only grim acceptance and shame for trying to fill a void in her heart.


    "Hehe¡­ To think I would use another person to satiate my need for affection¡­ I''m terrible." She muttered out loud, all the while not shedding a tear. I looked on in worry, my mind grinding out mountains and mountains of explanations, but not a single one of them being able to exit my mouth due to how shocked I was. "I''ll just¡­ leave¡­ Maybe¡­ Maybe¡­"


    She went silent for a few seconds, before she stood up and turned around.


    "Maybe us doing that was a mistake¡­"


    That was the final straw. Forcing my body to move out of its stupor, I quickly moved to grab her hand, not caring that the sheets covering my dignity and modesty fell down to the floor, exposing my entire body to the world.


    "It''s not wrong¡­ To look for something that can fill in the void in your heart." I recalled the time back on Earth where I was naught but a puppet with my family pulling the strings. I searched high and low for anything to fill in the void in my heart, be it games, movies, watching anime, or reading books.


    Our motivations for soul-searching may have differed, but at its core, it was all the same.


    Searching for love¡­ Searching for affection¡­


    "The moment you invited me that day, I was happy." I continued. The catwoman was still not looking back, but by the movement of her cat ears, I could tell she was listening. "Before, all I was doing was mulling about, doing everything in my power to just survive. Even before that, I was nothing, just a puppet for my parents, who were using me so they could climb up the social ladder."


    My unbottled feelings just poured out at that point. Years of resentment, years of anguish¡­


    Years of loneliness¡­


    "It was fucking hard¡­ Just to cope with those bastards who call themselves my flesh and blood. If that wasn''t enough, those I called friends all vanished the moment they knew who my parents were!" My voice continued to rise, my eyes not noticing Catalina, who turned around to look at me with shock. "The only friend I had, the one who stuck with me until the end, even if I kept on giving him the cold shoulder, died not too long after due to an accident! My entire life... My entire fucking life! I''ve felt nothing but anger! Loneliness! Resentment toward the cretins who caused my anguish and misery! And you know what!? That night¡­ That night you and I spent together. You made me forget all of those¡­ So don''t you dare say what we did was a mistake!"


    At this point, I was breathing heavily. My mind was still processing the outburst I had just unbottled at the catwoman in front of me. The moment I realized what I had done, it was too late.


    ''Shit¡­ I''ve said too much¡­'' I waited for the time this catwoman would leave me then and there, but only felt soft arms wrapping around myself, the catwoman''s face buried into my chest.


    "Ha¡­ You both really are alike¡­" In response to my outburst, the catwoman chuckled to herself. "I guess I ain''t the only one who''s got emotional baggage, huh¡­?"


    She looked up at me, her eyes holding something within that calmed me down.


    "Before I became a Dungeon Master, I was just a normal Cat Beastman living in our tribe''s homeplace. It was a very relaxed life, not too much action and drama." Catalina then recounted the early days of her life, presumably the part where she met her previous lover. "When I was sixteen, I met him. He was just like you. Big, a little bit hairy, kind, and all around just a chill dude. He also had a very skewed sense of humor, much like what you have. One day, during our tribe''s yearly event, we just clicked, and the next day, we got together."


    She smiled sadly as she recounted the next part.


    "Fast forward a few years later, I had a daughter. It was the best day of my life. Not a year later, though¡­" Her voice turned lower. "Another tribe of Beastmen attacked our tribe''s village. I was the only survivor¡­"


    It was then she leaked out a few tears. She then laughed depressively.


    "That was when I became a Dungeon Master, after stumbling into a cave with fatal injuries. I then struggled, then had my revenge, killing their entire tribe, not leaving even a single one alive, but even then, it wouldn''t replace them¡­" She then looked at me, a soft smile on her lips. "Until I met you, that is¡­"


    She then slowly separated from me, her hands wiping the tears from her eyes. We both stayed silent, before she giggled softly.


    "¡­ Thanks. For listening. Lady Oshurkova was right: you are a good listener." She then chuckled as she looked at my hanging dong, swaying in the air. "And put on some clothes. You might surprise the prude harpy if she comes over since we''re taking a bit too long."


    I chuckled back and quickly put on my Monkey King''s Garb, which was surprisingly inside my inventory, even if I hadn''t put it back inside.


    "So¡­ Still friends?" I asked, even though I wanted to try dating her, but right now just wasn''t the right time. I still have to sort out my feelings for her.


    "¡­ Still friends, but I''m still gunning for you." She smiled, then laughed boisterously as she clung to my arm.


    ''I guess some things will never change¡­'' I smiled, this time, brighter than before, like a huge weight was thrown off my shoulders.

 Chapter 152 - Monkes First-Row Seat To Greatness

    After our heart-to-heart, which inadvertently revealed my technical lie about my current status as a newborn, which I''ll admit was unbelievable, even if you tried your best to believe, we both headed towards the place where our two teams were gathering after being tended to by the missing doctors and nurses in this Divine Realm.


    Actually, scratch that, let''s call them healers. Much more believable than a doctor, since this is a magic world¡­


    "Soo¡­ About that bit about your parents¡­" Catalina walked close to me, her arms not brushing against my fur, but close enough to emulate my senses to feel her. "Was everything about that true? I thought you were just a newborn?"


    "¡­ Well, technically yes, I am a newborn." I said, deciding in my mind to tell her at least some part of the truth. Since Catalina told me part of her story, I might as well do so too. "Ever heard of being reincarnated, or transmigrated?"


    "Oh, you''re one of those people?" Catalina''s ears perked up when she heard the words that came out of her mouth, her eyes shining in¡­ Is that pity¡­? "It''s alright¡­ I can understand how hard it is to adapt to this kind of world, especially if you''re homeworld is completely different from ours."


    "¡­ Is it that common for reincarnees and transmigrators to appear?" I asked back, my hand scratching the back of my head due to how outlandish it sounded.


    "Pretty much, yeah. In my entire life as a Dungeon Master, I count at least 20 reincarnees and transmigrators, and I''m just 38 years old." She said, exasperated by the fact.


    "That common?" She nodded back, and this time, it was me who looked up at the ceiling with hazy eyes, my mind going in circles due to the revelation that was thrust upon me. "I¡­ See¡­"


    "Yep." She said, popping the P. "Gods in this world are very active, with some of them descending and doing some miracles or some other shit. Plus, throwing some people from different worlds and different planes of reality seems to be some kind of hobby for them. The reasons differed from one to another, but most of them said that they were, ''Hit by a truck,'' whatever that meant."


    "¡­ So motherfucking Truck-kun is real?" I stared at the ceiling ever harder, my feet stopping from automatically taking me to our destination due to the very unbelievable fact that Truck-kun, the meme born of the internet, was indeed real. ''I wonder what fed-up otakus would do with that information¡­?''


    "Uhh¡­ Jion, you alright there?" Catalina waved her hand in front of my face, garnering my attention as I looked at the concerned catwoman.


    "¡­ Just fine¡­" I waved back, my mind finally calming down from the information dump this catwoman gave me. "Let''s just¡­ Go where we need to go¡­ I want to go sleep¡­"


    "¡­ Sure, I also need to sleep after everything that happened." She said it tiredly. I nodded in sympathy, feeling what she was feeling very clearly.


    It took us a few minutes before we finally arrived at our destination, a giant hall filled with dozens of Dungeon Masters that were chatting up a storm, with giant video screens hovering in the air, showcasing the various matches that were currently ongoing.


    It wasn''t long before we found our group chilling in their seats situated around a giant, round table.


    "Glad you''re awake." Oshurkova said with a hint of a relieved smile. "You''re the last of us to arrive, and frankly, it was quite worrying."


    Beside her, I could see Typhial grinding her teeth at the attention I was getting from her so-called ''Queen.''


    "Oi, ya took quite a beatin'' there, eh mate?" Arekhus, who was busy chugging down some good old-fashioned beer, said with a grin. "Last one ta wake ''n wawrryin'' all these lovely ladies. Such a chahrmah."


    "Eh, you win some, you lose some. How''d your match go beforehand, Arek?" I asked while I took a seat, Catalina seating beside me with her ears flat against her head due to the noise of the Dungeon Masters around us.


    "A bloody stomp is wat ''appened, mate." Arekhus chugged another mug of beer that was magically refilled by no one in particular. "We couldn''t even bung a dent on one of their own, ''n we know we ahren''t fahkin'' weak eithah."


    "¡­ Ah, good ol'' RNG." I mused out loud, causing most of the Dungeon Masters to look at me confused. "Right, I sometimes forget you all aren''t familiar with the terms I use. RNG is an acronym for Random Number Generator. Basically, it''s how random an event would be. Sometimes, RNG will dictate you have a good match-up. Sometimes, it would dictate you would have an incredible advantage, and sometimes, RNG just wants you to kill yourself to save yourself the pain."


    I laughed at the end of my sentence, causing some of the more humorous Dungeon Masters in our group to laugh. That included Oshurkova, Catalina, Arekhus, Reia, Pilips (even if his was more of a nervous chuckle than a laugh), and Tanjin. The rest just shrugged and continued to do what it was they were doing.


    "Anyway, what are we still doing here?" I asked, and Oshurkova pointed at the screens, my eyes following the gesture.


    "We''re waiting until the champion is decided." Oshurkova put her hand back on the table, before she proceeded to drink some tea from her cup elegantly, causing Typhial beside her to swoon due to how fancy she was.


    The Yandere is strong here, I can feel it in my bones¡­


    "In these Dungeon Games, losing in the last event will not outright send you back into your Dungeon and back into the Mortal Realm. Instead, we will be healed, before being escorted to the main hall, where we are free to do anything, except fight, until the event is over."


    "¡­ By anything, you mean anything¡­ Right¡­?" I asked. She sighed, some red dusting her cheeks as she directed my gaze towards a corner where Dungeon Masters were¡­


    I quickly turned my head before slamming my face on the table. Good thing I was a gorilla, otherwise my face would be blushing madly by now.


    "Why¡­" My voice came out muffled due to the fact that my face was smushed against the table. "Why are they all having sex in that place¡­? I even saw a penis go inside another Dungeon Master, who I was sure was male, even if he looked like a girl."


    Looking up slightly, I saw Oshurkova''s face blushing slightly, but otherwise, not that terribly bothered by the fact that there were some Yaoi, Yuri, Straight, Gangbangs, BDSM, Reverse Gangbang, and others happening in that corner of the hall over there.


    Hell, there were even Furries, Necrophilia, and Beastiality, due to how Dungeon Masters are mostly monsters in appearance. I could even see a skeleton getting it on with a woman who was completely wrapped in toilet paper.


    "Just ignore them¡­ God Chythos doesn''t even bat an eye at them, saying that the other Gods are worse, and who are we to stop them from having fun?" Oshurkova groaned out loud while sipping her tea, trying to forget the debauchery that was ongoing in that little corner of the hall. I could even see some of the Dungeon Masters who were previously chatting joining in that little corner of sex.


    I smashed my face back down on the table, eliciting some laughs from Arekhus, Tanjin, and quite surprisingly, both Reia and Keia.


    "¡­ Please don''t tell me what I think it is¡­" I groaned out the moment my thoughts led to a very possible scenario, where these four Dungeon Masters participated in that corner of debauchery before.


    "It''s true-la. We''ve been in that corner before-la." And there it is. Reia''s confirmation just made me wasn''t to forget everything and sleep. I may want to have some sex, but exhibitionism is just not for me¡­


    "Arekhus over here was the best for wrecking some males'' behinds-ta. Their words, not mine-ta." Keia said, which made me want to hide under the table and knock myself to sleep to get out the images now starting to form inside my head.


    Once again, I am not opposed to being gay. Just, being a straight male, images of BL make me cringe in disgust. I want sexy women! Not buff males going on with each other!


    Traps, however, are negotiable¡­ Oh no¡­ Am I becoming gay¡­?


    After pounding my head on the table for a few minutes, the other members of our team laughing all the while, we heard some trumpets sounding out.


    "Well, it looks like the champion has been decided." Oshurkova said while standing up. The rest of us followed suit and looked at the figure sitting upon the throne of gold and metals not commonly found in the Mortal Realm.


    "Finally, I can go sleep and wash my brain with bleach." I said off-handedly, causing Pilips to laugh quietly, while the others were confused at the term bleach. I looked at Pilips, who was still laughing softly, but not noticing my gaze. ''¡­ Is he¡­? Maybe¡­ Catalina did say there were a bunch of transmigrators and reincarnators in this world¡­ Maybe he''s one of them? Not my place to pry, though.''


    I looked away and focused back on the God of Monsters sitting regally at the throne while holding a goblet of jewels in his right hand.


    "Dungeon Masters, today, this Decennial Dungeon Games, has come to an end, and I am proud to present to you, the champions." Chythos stood up from his throne and gestured his arms to the side, a giant rift appearing in the air. Stepping out of the rift, I saw five Dungeon Masters, all of them looking like they were something out of a book full of dangerous and deadly creatures, and the worst part?


    All of them were armed to the teeth, as well as sentient¡­


    "May I present to you these five, who have overcome the odds and risen to the top."

 Chapter 153 - Monke And The Send-Off

    "Well shit¡­ Of course, they would win¡­" Catalina muttered out with a shrug of her shoulders. Beside her, I saw Typhial, the last person I would say that would agree with the catwoman, nodding her head in agreement.


    "And they are?" I asked with a tilt of my head. Oshurova, who was looking at me with a smile, decided to grace upon me the information I so desperately sought.


    "Dungeon Masters from the Demon King faction." I looked at her with surprised eyes when she said they were from the Demon King''s faction. What bothered me the most was not them being apart, but another thing entirely.


    "There''s a Demon King faction here?" She nodded back, and I stared at the ceiling once more, this time, although this time, it was farther. "Why are cliches still a thing in this world¡­?"


    My mutterings went unheard, other than Catalina, who was beside me and had a very strong sense of hearing. To my surprise, she laughed slightly and playfully punched my arm.


    "You''re not the only one who asked that before." She laughed even more while I mentally saluted my fellow kin who realized there was a very clich¨¦ group just sitting in one corner of the world here. "Although the Demon King faction isn''t what you would expect from your initial world, if what I''m assuming is right."


    "And that is?" I stopped staring at the ceiling and instead, focused my gaze at the catwoman who was giving me another grin, her cat tail swishing to and fro, while her cat ears were visibly twitching cutely.


    "That the Demon King''s faction is in fact, not hellbent on conquering the entire world." I deadpanned at her with the flattest face I could muster, before she laughed once more, this time because she was right on the money. "Oh my god¡­ Your face¡­!"


    I ignored her heaving up in laughter to prioritize examining the Dungeon Masters who won this event. One of them was a scaly dragonewt. His scales were an azure blue, refracting the light shining upon his majestic vessel. He wore something between a mix of tribal wear and knight wear. Basically, think of a knight with a tribal style of armor.


    Yeah, didn''t think it would come to mind easily, but he pulls it off well.


    The next was another dragonewt, but instead of azure scaled, this guy had crimson-pink scales. What''s more, she''s a female, who turns out to be very flat¡­


    And by flat, I mean trap-like flat. I couldn''t decide whether the dragonewt was a male or female, but judging from her wear, which exposed a bunch of her skin, as well as a missing bulge in a certain part of her area, it was easier to judge her as a female.


    It would be a very terrifying thought if that female dragonewt turned out to be a trap with a dong so tiny, it wouldn''t even make a bulge in their pants¡­ Yeah, feels bad man¡­


    She also sported the same tribal/knight mix of armor, but as said earlier, exposed most of her skin. So, to summarize, it''s basically bikini armor.


    Next was a bear-sized furry giant, with tribal markings, giant antlers, and silvery-white fur. His forearms were armored with silver-plated gauntlets that only reached up to his wrists. His hands were set free, the deadly claws visible to any who would dare look upon the terrifying, but awe-inspiring creature.


    Other than that, there were no other notable objects he was wearing on his person, so he was technically nude, if not for the fur. His face was stuck in an ever-present scowl, his breath cool as an icy, winter morning as foggy breath escaped his maw.


    As an added bonus, an aura of bone-chilling frost radiated around his body, causing the temperature around him to lower, even reaching into the negatives.


    A Dungeon Master I wouldn''t want to fuck with.


    The next one was another female, but instead of creatures you would expect from a Demon King''s army, she was a fully-fledged human. Visually speaking, that is.


    Truth be told, if someone told me she was just some kind of normal villager living in some backwater area, I would believe them 100%. I mean, just look at her.


    A plain leather tunic, leather pants, and leather boots. Her apparel was visually normal in every sense of the matter. Hell, even her face looked average, unlike the various Dungeon Masters that were currently attending this ceremony.


    Just look at Oshurkova, Typhial, and even Catalina! Their looks are clearly better than the average human-looking girl.


    Though, I would have to admit, since she was up on that stage, looking bored as all hell, not even registering the crowd of Dungeon Masters right below her, I would not want to fuck with her.


    The last one was a¡­ very strange, but dreadful Dungeon Master, and they weren''t like anything I have seen before. They were so horrifying to the eyes, my brain completely rejects comprehending the physical manifestation of Cthulhu itself brought to a mortal vessel.


    ''Yep, no way in hell or heaven am I trying to fight that complete monstrosity.'' I thought blankly as I pried my eyes away to prevent the ever-growing headache and nausea the act of looking upon the creature brought to me.


    "Now, as these five are the champions for these Decennial Dungeon Games, I would like to award them with the greatest award I could bestow upon them." Chythos then turned to the five, who then all bowed before the God of Monsters, Chythos looking at the five like mere children, even the fake manifestation of Cthulhu. "It is with great pleasure, that I award these five a wish of any kind, with limits, that is. God or not, there are some things you wouldn''t want to mess with in both the Mortal Realm, and the Divine Realm."


    ''A wish that''s limited, but a wish nonetheless¡­ Wow, that is one great reward¡­'' I mused in my head, my mind scrambling for every wish I could possibly think of if I ever got one.


    "You may present your wishes once you are all back in your Dungeons. I value your privacy, so speaking about it in this public area would leave a bad place in my mouth. Now, stand." Chythos said it with a demanding tone, which the five Dungeon Masters heeded. Once the five were standing up, Chythos clapped his hands and a golden aura surrounded their very being, before they vanished from sight. "May your enemies sing praises with their blood as tribute to your victories."


    Cythos then looked at us, the remaining Dungeon Masters within the hall, with a gaze that was undecipherable. His gaze lingered on me for a brief few seconds, the pressure of his gaze nearly bringing me to a knee, before he averted it and raised his arms up.


    "Thus ends this decade''s Dungeon Games. The next decade''s Dungeon Games will start on the same day, with invitations being handed out beforehand. Now, if that''s everything, I bid you farewell. May your enemies sing praises with their blood as tribute to your victories."


    Once his speech was over, I felt my body once again break, deconstructing and reconstructing. The pain of my mortal body being transferred from the Divine Realm to the Mortal Realm assaulted my nerves. It happened for a few seconds, before I was once again deposited into my Dungeon Core room, where Domino was waiting for me while sleeping in her hammock.


    "Welcome back¡­ Papa¡­" Domino dropped down from the hammock and trotted towards me, before glomping my trunk of an arm with gusto. I looked down, and smiled, brighter than before, might I add, which caused Domino to look at me with a confused gaze, before she accepted it with an eager hug. "Papa¡­ Changed¡­?"


    "Heh.. You could say that." I brought her up in my arms, before enveloping her in a bone-crushing hug. "I''m home."


    And this time, I really felt that this Dungeon, was the home I was looking for.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "So, this is the place¡­? Gotta admit, expected more than just a dingy cave." A robed figure said to nobody in particular as he scanned the area around the mouth of the cave. It was barren, with some marks indicating there was a camp here not too long ago, as well as some signs of struggle, if a tiny patch of dried blood on the ground was any indication. "Bah, idiotic fanatics. They drafted fanatical peasants, then sent them into a Dungeon whose rating was still unknown, hoping for victory¡­ Where''s the logic in this place?"


    The man sighed to himself as he moved to the clearing just in front of the mouth of the cave. Looking in deeper, he could see some signs of activity, so he knew this was the place.


    "Alright, they say that the Dungeon Master is intelligent. Let''s see if he truly is intelligent as they say." He approached the entrance, and then knocked on the wall, before waiting for any kind of reaction. ''Heh, the Dungeon Master is probably confused if he''s watching me right now.''


    The robed figure couldn''t help but snicker to himself as he waited for any sort of movement. He didn''t wait that long until he saw something flicker in his vision coming from inside the cave. Once he saw what it was that was approaching him, he saw one thing he was sure never existed in this world.


    "A gorilla¡­?"

 Chapter 154 - Monke Meets Old Friend

    It''s a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming¡­ On days like these, gorillas like me¡­


    Should not be shouting murder at their surrogate daughter.


    "I CALL HAX! HAX I TELL YA! HAAAXX!!!" I roared out loud from within the confines of the gaming house. Domino, who was sitting on a couch next to me, was giving me a smug grin, her hand waving the controller she was currently holding.


    "Papa¡­ Noob¡­" If I wasn''t pissed earlier, I was now. I was this close to punching the huge TV screen just in front of us, as well as flushing the console down the toilet.


    "How!? How do you keep on beating me every single time!?" I yelled out at Domino, who still gave me her signature smug grin, even if it wasn''t that much of a look because of her normally expressionless face.


    "Skills¡­ Grind first noob¡­" She shrugged and I couldn''t help but plop down to my seat, feeling the anger within me burst out, before cooling down into a simmer.


    ''That''s it¡­ No matter how useless it is, I''m getting a [Professional Gaming] skillbook from the Dungeon Market.'' For my life, I swore. I''m getting back at my daughter, even if I have to cheat.


    "One more round¡­ Papa¡­?" Domino asked, and I was tempted to say no, but her puppy eyes made me reconsider my decision.


    "¡­ Alright. Just one more." I grabbed the controller, which I punted all across the room, surprisingly still intact despite the heavy beating it had received from my grip and punting, and plopped back on my couch.


    We were currently playing a fighting game, one where characters had brutal finishers they could do to the opponent if they were able to beat him. That being said, the game did an excellent job with its gore, even if it was completely unrealistic in its execution.


    I mean, come on. You got stabbed through the head, and more importantly, your brain, with the damn blade potruding out the other side. How the hell are you still groaning and feeling pain?


    Now in the character selection screen, I picked the character I was completely in love with. He started out as a meme, and then was petitioned to have the developer include him in the game. It didn''t make the cut, as the devs said ''Dead meme'' and was flushed down the drain.


    Only for the devs to revive the meme by making him a cameo in the fighting game''s movie, during the intro where one of the fan-favorites does some moves, only to be yoinked by the neck without much effort.


    Yep, the meme lives!


    The was just about to start, with the loading screen finished and the characters making their own intros, only for me to be alerted by an incoming call from one of my primates. I paused the game and placed the controller back on the table while Domino gave me a pouting look, annoyed that her time with me was cut short due to an emergency.


    "Yes? Gong¡­? What''s the matter?" I saw Gong, who I realized was currently in the entrance with a bunch of other gorillas, chimpanzees, mandrills, and our newest addition, orangutans.


    Imagine my surprise when after the Dungeon Games, three more primate species were available to me. They were the orangutans, bonobos, and baboons.


    Yep, the orange-furred primate, the matriarchal, dwarfish chimpanzee, and the bright-red butt primate that loves stealing lion cubs.


    I have no idea how to incorporate them into our current line-up, which was pretty good in my opinion, but hey, more diversity equals better versatility.


    Plus, those bonobos could be trained to be like ninjas, what with their small stature and darker fur. Actually, let''s go with that.


    The orangutans, however, were like discount gorillas, but in terms of versatility, they have the gorillas beat. They can be trained like guerilla fighters that take advantage of a forest biome, since they''re better at swinging in the trees.


    The less said about baboons, the better. Those bright-red butt primates are weaker than my chimpanzees, but hey, they have claws, and are better than humans. Plus, they were able to combat lions, even if most of them died, so yeah.


    "Boss, human in entrance. Asking for hotel service." Gong said, and my thoughts came to a halt.


    "¡­ Excuse me, could you repeat that last part?" I inquired, my face awash in a tidal wave of emotions as I processed what the human had said to Gong.


    "Human asking for hotel service." I stayed silent for a few moments, before I looked Gong in the face with the most serious look I could ever muster.


    "I''ll be there in a few minutes. In the meantime, tell the human to wait." I commanded, and Gong nodded in acceptance. I cut off the transmission and looked at Domino, who was still doing her best to pout at me. "Sorry about this Domino, but some emergency came up."


    Domino pouted harder, but understood the gravity of the situation. This human, whoever he was, was brave enough to stride into the entrance of my Dungeon, and ask for hotel service for whatever reason.


    I would call the human an idiot, or even someone who was screwed by the Gods (since evolution doesn''t exist here), but for some reason, my gut-feeling was telling me to be wary about the mysterious human waiting outside my Dungeon.


    Exiting the game house, I made a Master''s Path that led directly to the exit of my Dungeon. Instead of taking a relaxing walk, I opted for a jog, since I would like to nip this problem in the bud early.


    []


    []


    []


    A few minutes of silent jogging later, I was now at the top of the stairs that were generated by my Dungeon in the Master''s Path, and was fully equipped to deal with the human that was brave or foolish enough to stride right in front of my Dungeon.


    Moments later, I exited the Master''s Path, only to come across the two portals in the form of arches leading to the Dungeons of either Catalina, and Oshurkova.


    I''m still waiting for the first trade in a few days. Good thing I have the Earth products right in my inventory.


    Some DP well spent, in my opinion.


    Ignoring those two portals for the moment, I headed towards the entrance, where Gong and a company of primates were waiting for me, all decked out in gear made by the blacksmiths.


    Those days in the time-dilation realm were worth it to compete in the Dungeon Games, where I could die at anytime to other Dungeon Masters. Luckily, I was able to join a group, ensuring my protection.


    "Gong, has the human behaved?" I asked the leader of the group of primates, who in turn nodded while he turned his head back to the direction of the exit.


    "Human behave. No hostile movements." Gong replied. I gave him a nod and quickly decked myself out in the most threatening armor I had in my inventory.


    The Armor of the Primates was still the armor I used when I wanted to do fear tactics. Its design was probably made with fear of enemies in mind, probably, because otherwise, I see no use for the protruding spikes.


    Now done with my preparations, I grabbed my Monke Staff and stood at the ready, ready for any kind of surprise the human might give me.


    I strolled forward, the company of primates following me without a hint of hesitation, adding to the intimidating view. Once out of the exit, I saw the clearing that still looked the same as ever, and the human who was wearing a robe that covered his face.


    "Well, for some reason, I kinda predicted that." The human in the robes sounded young, but not young like a teenager. Probably a young adult. "Damn¡­ You look like some kind of samurai from the Edo period."


    "¡­ A transmigrate, then." I sighed as the human in the robe gave out a laugh.


    "Yep. We are everywhere." The human joked, and I was inclined to laugh, but I had an image to uphold, so I stared at the robed human with the most serious face I could give him.


    "So, what do you want? If you''re knocking on my cavestep, then you probably have some kind of business with me." I said, and he gave me a nod, before he lowered his hood down, showing me a face I didn''t think was possible I would see again. "¡­ Drake¡­? Is that you?"


    The human froze and looked at me with wide eyes. His natural brown hair was matted with dust and grime, causing it to look darker than it usually was. His bluish-green eyes that once held a mischievous light now looked dimmer than before. His face, the face most girls would either give a glance or outright ignore, was now covered in scars and looked mature.


    But there was no mistaking it; this human, this man, was the classmate I had back on Earth who had died in an accident.


    At least that''s what they say happened.


    "¡­ Who are you?" Drake''s previous happy-go-lucky attitude vanished in favor of a deadly persona.


    "¡­ Well, that''s my bad." I rubbed the back of my head, removing the helmet I donned and holding it in my arms. "You might not recognize me now, but we were friends before. You called me Jionni."


    Everything was silent, before the deadly aura surrounding Drake vanished and something more comical took its place.


    "¡­ Dafuq? Why the hell are you a hairy ape?"

 Chapter 155 - Monke Friends Oath

    Of all the things he could say as a reaction to my new form, that single sentence alone proved that he was indeed Drake from Earth.


    "I see you haven''t changed that much since we last saw each other." I commented playfully while Drake continued to look at me with the same confused gaze, before remembering that this was a world full of Gods that could literally do anything, as long as they still had their power.


    "Ha! It''ll take more than a few life and death experiences to crack this nutjob!" Drake laughed out loud when he regained his bearings. I chuckled along with him due to the admittedly, funny joke. "I''m still gunning for a family, but hell, life in this world is a bitch. By the way, how the hell did they send you here? Did you die too?"


    At that morbid conclusion, I nodded in affirmation, Drake looking at me with a pitying gaze, but then recalled how I lived my life back on Earth, before he sighed.


    "Well, at least you''re away from that hellhole and toxic lifestyle." I sighed in agreement that my past life was indeed a very toxic lifestyle. One I wouldn''t be able to escape due to the lengths my parents went just to manipulate me into grooming me to be their perfect son. "How did you die anyway? Last time I saw you, you were a loner."


    "Apparently, some douchebag decided it was fun to stab me in the gut, in front of the school, no less. Hell, he was even a fellow student." I snarled, and Drake looked at me with disbelief.


    "For real? A student killed you? In front of the whole student body?" Drake asked with wide eyes, which I confirmed with a nod. "Holy shit. Your past life sucks."


    "On that, we can both agree." I grinned as I looked at the cave behind me. "Besides, look at me now. Sure, I''m a fucking gorilla, albeit a modified one, but damn it if I ain''t happy with my current lifestyle."


    Drake approached me, which caused the primates to tense, before I gestured for them to stand down and give us some space.


    "Oh yeah, about that. How''s your Dungeon?" Drake approached me without hesitation, probably happy that his friend that most of the time gave him the cold-shoulder was now open to open friendship. "I''ve been to other Dungeons, so trust me when I say I can rate the strength of yours."


    "Hmm¡­" I hummed while I pondered in thought. ''Should I tell him? He may be my friend, but in this world, there''s not telling what would happen.''


    I narrowed my gaze at him, and he noticed. As a result, he sighed and nipped the problem in the bud.


    "Look, Jionni. I may have changed a bit, but my core still hasn''t changed." I still wasn''t convinced by his reasoning, and he let out a groan. "Alright, fine! If that''s how you''re playing, then I''m raising the stakes!"


    Drake fished out something from his satchel, which turned to be some kind of book. I looked at the suspicious book with guarded eyes. The rest of the primates were raising their guards, just in case something happened.


    "Now, where was that¡­ No, not that¡­ Definitely not that¡­ Goddamn it Polina, why the fuck would you put a ritual about BDSM in this book?" As he flipped page after page after page, his muttering continued to drone on and on, a habit he developed back in his past life.


    That was also the reason why he only had a small circle of friends. Only a handful would endure his incessant muttering spree when he gets too into things. That said, since I didn''t care about his mutterings or anything, he felt inclined to befriend me, even if I always gave him the cold-shoulder.


    "No, not this either¡­ For fuck''s sake, what''s with the r-18 rituals in this book¡­? Aha! Found it!" With a shout, he looked at me with nervous, but determined eyes. The primates were ready to lunge due to his sudden shout, but I was able to command the primates to stand down. "Jionni. I somewhat know you, and you somewhat know me, and because of that, I''m sure that you also know what a magical oath is."


    "¡­ Is it a binding oath that has dire consequences if broken?" I asked, and he nodded.


    "To show you that I really won''t mean any harm to you, or your Dungeon, I''m willing to take a Magical Oath that would knock me into a coma for a month if I ever do something beyond reason against your Dungeon, and in connection, you." He said, and I tilted my head.


    "Wasn''t it supposed to end it with death? What''s with the breaking of the clich¨¦ trope here?" I jokingly said, while Drake laughed out loud.


    "There''s no magical oath that would result in death if broken. At most, it''s only a month-long coma." He stopped chuckling and shrugged. "Anyway, you state your terms, and I''ll agree to them. Just please make it specific, otherwise, I risk going into a coma."


    "¡­ Very well. I''ll trust you on this, due to the fact that we were friends in the past, even if it wasn''t a close one." He laughed once more before a giant magic circle appeared beneath our feet. "So, how do we do this?"


    "Easy, just state your terms, and I''ll agree, and magic will do the rest." He gave me a grin, and I couldn''t help but chuckle at the gall Drake had for putting himself in danger just so I could trust him.


    "Hmm¡­ Let''s see¡­" I mulled over the conditions in my head. What''s the most obvious one¡­ Harm to me and the Dungeon, of course¡­ Aha, I got it. "Firstly, you shall not intentionally harm any resident and mobs in my Dungeon, unless it was in self-defense. In the case of invaders, you can go ham on them, unless I say no. Secondly, Drake must not move past the second floor, unless given permission to do so. Lastly, Drake must help out in my Dungeon, whether it be in social relations, manual labor, or even just helping in general. Failure to do so every week will result in the breaking of the oath."


    "And I, Drake, wielder of Drakhan''s Gauntlets, give my oath that none of these shall come to pass, or may the magic all around Praeccathae shut down my brain and render me a vegetable for a month." The magic circle glowed brighter and brighter, until an explosion of light covered our surroundings before everything went back to normal. "And that''s it. Oath done, and can you please tell me how your Dungeon is now? Pretty please? I''ll admit it, I''m sort of a Dungeon nut, because you wouldn''t believe how some Dungeons compare to others."


    His machinegun blabbering went in my one ear, and came into my brain as an incomprehensible jargon. That''s how fast he''s talking right now.


    "Whoa, time out there, Drake. Your habits are showing." I said, and Drake stopped for a second, before blushing slightly due to embarrassment.


    "¡­ I thought I had gotten rid of that in this world." He muttered. "Turns out, just meeting one of my friends from back home revived that part of me."


    I smiled, and put out my hand. He looked at it for a second, before he grabbed it and shook it.


    "Glad to have you on board, Drake."


    "Glad to be here, Jionni." We released hands, and I turned around, walking inside my Dungeon with the primates in tow. "Come on, I''ll give you the tour."


    Drake laughed and excitedly followed me like a puppy. At the sight, I had no choice but to laugh softly.


    ''I guess, maybe this time, I won''t be a cold-shoulder asshole. Maybe this time, we can be close, if not, best friends.'' I smiled as I entered my Dungeon once again, this time with a reincarnate with me.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Ma''am! The heretic was seen passing near Kazanpan." A soldier submissively spoke towards a female knight, who was busy torturing some demi-humans within their cages. The screams of pain and howls of anguish from male, female, young, and old, all of them demi-humans, echoed throughout the area, the sun a witness to the horrifying deed.


    "Is that so? Then, it won''t be long before that scum is caught, and brought between our Lord''s judgment." The female knight drew a blade, before letting it pierce a demi-human child, who was not even in her double-digits, through the chest, after having her subjected to torture so inhumane.


    The demi-human was a rat-kin, and the method the female knight chose to torture the poor, innocent child, was making a real rat burrow into her stomach.


    Needless to say, the child was long dead due to shock alone.


    At the sight, the female knight scowled, before glancing around the area where a few more demi-humans lay, either dead, or barely alive.


    "Kill them all, and tie them to our horses. May these sinners find redemption in their suffering at our divine hands." The female knight chanted a prayer towards the dead demi-humans, which she had a hand at killing.


    Right after that, the soldiers, whether willingly or not, was never known, tied the corpses to the horses'' saddle so they could drag them across the ground during their travel.


    "All done? Then let''s get going.. That heretic is going to pay for the trouble he''s been giving."

 Chapter 156 - Monke And Friend Tour

    Entering my Dungeon, both I and Drake strolled through the in-laid dirt path heading towards the Monster Town. When we first entered my Dungeon, though, Drake immediately zeroed-in his eyes at the two portals that led to other Dungeons.


    "Oh, so you have connections with other Dungeon Masters, huh?" Drake asked and I looked at him with a confused gaze. He snorted in response as he gave me an answer that, quite frankly, made a lot of sense. "Well, Dungeons that are older tend to have these kinds of portals that lead to other Dungeons, be they anywhere in the world. We still have no idea why this is possible, since Dungeon Masters always tend to themselves, even those who are peaceful, but then again, I will be living in here for who knows how long, so can I please ask how do you all do this? It''s been bugging my mind for years already¡­ Please?"


    I laughed and decided, why the hell not? He would probably need to know this beforehand so that he would know when a visitor or trader was coming.


    "It''s pretty simple really, but it has to do with the Monster Surge every 10 years." I said, and Drake hummed, before he perked up in thought.


    "That reminds me, this area has been pretty peaceful so far. No sign of any monster hostility in this area so far." Drake recalled, and he looked at the entrance of the Dungeon. "Care to explain why?"


    "¡­ I forgot¡­" I confessed and he gave me a deadpan. "You see, there is something called a Decennial Dungeon Games for us Dungeon Masters. It also lines up with the date of the start of the Monster Surge. As for how it happens, I''m thinking the God of Monsters, Chythos, does something to the monsters to make them go into a frenzy during the day to keep the brief amount of time we were gone a secret."


    "¡­ That God''s a dick, and I''m sure he knows it." Drake deadpanned once more, before letting out a sigh. "I''ve met with Gods, but at least Chythos isn''t like some others. Seriously, I''d rather kill myself before I meet them again."


    That got me to raise an eyebrow while we continued walking towards our destination. The topic of Monster Surges was briefly forgotten as we came upon the wall of stone that makes up the outer defense of the Monster Town.


    "So, you''re one of those Dungeon Masters?" Drake said as he stared at the gate where a few monsters were currently stationed. All of them looked ready for war as they were equipped to the brim with our latest batch of armor and weaponry. "The ones that build settlements or towns in their Dungeon to act as a fortress when invaded? Nice armor, by the way. Digging their look."


    "Thanks for the complement, and you could say that. Siege warfare in this day and age, not counting those pathetic excuses for technology they call weapons, is easier when you''re the defender. Couple that with monsters who are physically stronger, and sometimes just all-around better than humans and some demi-humans, then you have a nearly impenetrable fortress." I nodded, and gave him my two cents about the topic. Drake hummed, and stayed silent as we both entered the town, our primate escort now decreasing to a count of one, Gong following and watching Drake like a hawk.


    "On that topic though, this is a good town. I can tell you this would be a nightmare to raid for Hunters, Adventurers, and even military alike." Drake commented and I swelled with pride at my work. "How long have you been here anyway? From my estimations, this would''ve taken at least more than a year."


    At his words, I went silent and stood frozen. I looked at him like a robot, which he picked up on and stared at me with narrowed eyes.


    "Jionni, just how long did it take to build this place up?" He asked, and I chuckled nervously.


    "Oh, I don''t know¡­ Just under a month?" I replied sheepishly and he looked at me as if I was some kind of monster in gorilla''s skin.


    "What the fuck¡­ Bro¡­ Bro¡­ How the hell did you start from zero and end up with this Dungeon that is somehow bordering on lesser B-rank status?" He sighed exasperatedly and placed a hand on my shoulder, his gaze piercing into the very depths of my soul.


    He may be a friend of the past, and a friend of the future, but damn it if I don''t feel fear from his soul-piercing gaze he had both in our previous world, and our current world.


    "Erm¡­ Did I tell you I have a system¡­?" I said truthfully to the more experienced reincarnate. He then looked at me in silence, before turning around and grabbing something from his satchel. Turns out, his satchel was enchanted to carry stuff bigger than it is, like my inventory, but with a physical property.


    What he brought out was, of all things, a motherfucking pillow. He then proceeded to smash it against his face and keep it there, while a muffled scream tore out of his throat, the pillow dampening the noise so as not to bother the other inhabitants.


    A good few seconds of screaming later, he stopped and placed the pillow back in his satchel, before regarding me with a very deadpanned glare.


    "You motherfucking lucky bastard. Of all the things you got on your reincarnation, it was a fucking system." He snarled out. Jealousy tinged his voice as he glared at me. "All I got were these gauntlets, and they are fucking legendary, but that doesn''t compare with a motherfucking system!"


    He looked at me like he was crying tears of blood, the monsters around us looking at him like some kind of crazy person while he was clinging to my leg like a damned infant.


    ''Right¡­ I forgot how silly he was back on Earth. It seems like it carried over here, even with his experiences that would cause a regular soldier to retire at the tender age of 18, or even 17 if you''re pushing it.'' I mused in my head as I looked at the scene with both nostalgic and annoyed eyes.


    "Alright, enough. You''re causing a scene." I grabbed him by the hood and forced him to stand up. "And also, this system isn''t what the novels back on Earth tend to make out. It''s been nerfing me, for fuck''s sake."


    "¡­ Oh, then you aren''t an OP bastard like I thought." He stopped his shameful behavior as he was prompted to chuckle loudly. "That said though, how the hell did your Dungeon get this strong in just under a month?"


    "Well, both luck and extremely good coincidences." I laughed and he gave me another jealous look. "Hey, don''t look at me like that. My luck will wear out soon enough. That''s why I''m doing my best to upgrade my Dungeon to the best of its capabilities. Plus, I have three floors, so it will be harder for invaders to- why the hell are you looking at me like that?"


    "¡­ The more I hear about your current situation, the more I feel like you''re some kind of anime or novel protagonist made by a two-bit writer." Drake commented and I felt insulted by that comment. At least make the writer a first-rate one¡­ No? Any-takers? Okay, two-bit writer it is.


    "Why? Is a floor really that important in Dungeons?"


    "Are you kidding me? You''re a Dungeon Master yourself. How the hell can you not see its advantages?" He sighed, exasperated that I was still downplaying my achievements in this world. Well, I can''t help it. I don''t have a rough guideline on how other Dungeons operate, and Drake here is my best bet without sounding too invasive to the other Dungeon Masters.


    I shrugged in response and he facepalmed.


    "You know what? I give. Just give me the tour and I''ll go to wherever you want me to set up shop and sleep. I''ve had a long day." If I had a penny for every sigh he uttered, I would probably be a few pennies richer.


    "As you wish." I nodded and I quickly gave him the tour of the Monster City. I just gave him the brief rundown, since as he said, he was getting tired and I didn''t want to drag out this tour for that long. I still have some more work to do.


    So, it started just like that. Me, Drake, and Gong strolling around the town, giving Drake the most well-known sights in the area, such as the Meeting Hall, the barracks, and even a brothel that, for some reason, evaded my sights even when I held power over this place.


    Not that it wasn''t a bad idea. Making sure that the residents were happy and content in this place was my main goal, so that I could gain some free workforce, other than the primates, of course.


    Also, the workers working in the brothel seemed to be the Alraunes¡­ Yep, at least they''re getting their sustenance without causing any trouble, and is that Krag?


    Yes, that''s definitely Krag. From what Lara kept on talking about the exotic gnome, he was a frequenter of that place. At least he''s happy.


    After the tour was done with the Monster Town, we then made our way to the Human Town, which was now more populated than earlier.


    "Damn, did you really have to break the medieval style of buildings? Not that I mind. It''s finally good to have modern plumbing." He said this with a yawn. "Trust me, those houses that look modern in some places aren''t modern houses at all. They''re just made to look like that, even if the inside were completely medieval in style."


    I raised my eyebrow at that, storing that piece of information in my mind.


    ''So, technology isn''t that advanced as opposed to what I thought. That''s good for me.''


    After giving him another brief tour of the place, with humans and demi-humans alike giving us greetings here and there, I guided him over to the place where he would be staying. He gave me his thanks and we both parted ways for the moment.


    ''I think it''s time I opened those rewards I got from the final event of the Dungeon Games.''

 Chapter 157 - Monke And Some Loot

    Heading back to the Dungeon Core Room via Master''s Path, I pondered on the fact that my old friend, who I mostly gave a cold-shoulder back on Earth, was now here after being reincarnated, or rather, transmigrated, by a truck, no less, that was also under the orders of the Gods in this dimension¡­


    Holy shit, Isekai Truck-kun is real¡­


    Disregarding the meme, even though it was mind-boggling that it was indeed true, I focused on the reason Drake was here in my Dungeon. There were reasons for me to turn him down, sure, but somehow, I felt that I would be making a grave mistake if I did that. Plus, he was someone from the same planet as me, so plus points, I guess?


    Anyway, the real problem is that I don''t know his motives. What were the reasons he decided to come here? Is he running from something? Is plotting something? I couldn''t really know, and I didn''t want to ask him directly¡­ Actually, why not ask him directly?


    I''ll do that later after he has his rest. Judging by how tired he looked, and just how shit his posture was, I can say that he was probably exhausted.


    ''Right, enough of that. Time to open those loot bags.'' I sauntered through the Master''s Path with haste, my excitement rising at the possibility I may have gotten something incredibly rare. One of those was the [Mask of Drakhan] I received earlier.


    A few minutes of walking and gliding down the stairs, I reached the Dungeon Core Room, where I could see Domino once again lying down on her hammock, her face an ever-serene mask of stillness as she let out soft breaths.


    Smiling at the sleeping figure, I strolled slowly towards my little Dungeon Helper. Combing her hair with my giant hands, backward, I gave a light peck on her forehead, which caused her giggle at the sudden contact in her sleep without changing her facial structure.


    ''She has one helluva poker face.'' I noted dow, which brought another smile to my face. Leaving the girl to her rest, I quickly made my way to the backyard of the Gaming House. If I was asked to give an opinion on what it looked like, I would say it was just a normal-looking backyard from any kind of house that was moderately wealthy.


    It was huge, expansive even, with the grass here evenly trimmed and some items of entertainment here and there, such as a swing, one of which was big enough to hold my big ass, and a seesaw.


    Hey, don''t judge. I still want to feel the swing every once in a while.


    Making my way to a giant patch of soil that housed nothing, I sat down on the ground and rummaged through my inventory.


    After the events, I was given four more rewards. Two from the wins me and my team had in the MOBA event, one for my participation, and another for my survival.


    That''s a morbid thought, but then again, I was the cause of two Dungeon Master deaths, maybe three, if you count that back-stabbing lamia, back in the Games, so who am I to judge?


    Taking each of them out, I chuckled at the sight of four chests, two of them looking like normal, wooden chests, and the other two looking more ornamental than the two ordinary ones.


    I''ll save the two ornamental chests for later. Right now, I''ll open these two normal looking chests.


    Reaching for the first chest, I grabbed the locks that held it in place and flipped them open. Opening the lid, light not enough to blind poured out of its contents as the item hidden within floated into the air.


    After grabbing the item, the light went out, and I scanned it for anything that could tell me what it was used for.


    [Book of Marital Arts ¨C Beginner] skillbook received


    ''¡­ Whoever suggested giving me this, I am eternally thankful.'' I grinned in glee at the skillbook that would give me an edge in fighting¡­ Hold on a second¡­


    Looking at the title once more, I nearly cried out in pure disbelief and anger at the slight difference of spelling.


    ''¡­ Is this some kind of joke? A goddamn skillbook on making you better in bed?'' I deadpanned at the book in my hand. I was about to toss it away, but quickly changed my mind and placed it indie the depths of my inventory. ''Nothing will harm you, my precious¡­''


    I swore in my mind that I would not give any information about its existence. I won''t learn them right now, since I don''t want to wake Domino up, and if she ever saw that, I don''t know how I''m going to face her.


    ''Alright then, next chest.'' I "forgot" the book that would be sitting in my inventory for quite some time until I found some privacy and reached out for the next chest. Opening like the last chest, the same effects happened and I grabbed the item that was floating above it.


    It was long¡­ Really long¡­ And it was heavy¡­


    [Bloodweep War Hammer] received


    ¡­ It seems that I have another weapon to add to my arsenal. Maybe I should use this instead of the Monke Staff if I didn''t want to go all out, because I''m pretty sure my Monke Staff is stronger than this war hammer.


    That being said, this hammer appeared to be sick as fuck!Its pol was made of black-looking metal and was harder than steel, so probably adamantite. The pole was also long, about my height in length. Its head, though, was what took the cake.


    Its front end was flat, and had a wider surface area than the body. At the back end, a single, large spike curved downwards, a hint of a blade on both top and bottom sides.


    Basically, this hammer looked like some mix of a scythe and a hammer, and it was fucking glorious!


    ''Time to be a hammer main.'' I grinned maliciously, fully prepared to smash heads to pulp if ever some bastards tried to raid my Dungeon.


    Once again, putting it back in my inventory, my gaze then locked on the two ornamental chests that were left for last.


    ''You better not disappoint.''


    Reaching for the first chest, I looked for anything that could resemble a lock or opening apparatus, but it looked like there was none. However, the moment I touched the chest, it began to shake and the lid began opening on its own.


    ''Dramatic much?'' I mused as the lid slowly opened, bright light seeping out as if trying to escape the confines of the moderately sized chest. Once it was fully opened, the contents hidden within the chest slowly hovered above, my hand quickly grabbing the item without any hesitation.


    [Infamous Rock Warrior Hammer Arts] skillbook received


    ''Yep, it really is time to be a hammer main.'' Grabbing the book, I dropped it in my inventory for future use. I''ll use it once Domino is awake, just to show her something new her Papa can do.


    Looking at the last chest, I licked my lips at the anticipation of the contents hidden within. Slowly reaching out for the chest, my hands touched its body, and its lid flew open quickly, unlike the last three chests. This time, instead of bright, shining light. A miasma of death and decay hit my body as I trembled from the sheer coldness.


    Quickly retreating back, I glared at the chest oozing miasma, ready to fight in case things got hairy. Fortunately, I didn''t have to.


    From the chest, out floated a piece of cloth that was enough to cover my body and then some. It was fashioned as a cloak, and if this piece of cloth wasn''t from this ornamental chest, I would say it was some kind of garbage item.


    It was extremely tattered, extremely rugged, and overall just too damaged to look like it wouldn''t look out of place sitting inside a dumpster.


    But the magic¡­ The mana that oozed out was so goddamn pressurizing that I couldn''t help but fall to one knee. I could tell this piece of cloth wasn''t a garbage item. This was either a blessing, or a curse, and I''m leaning on the latter.


    But then again, it''s a reward, something that is for all rights and purposes, mine, and fuck me if I ain''t using it. Curse or no curse, anything that will help me survive in this lethal world, I will use.


    Grabbing the cloak, I held it in my hands as the miasma and pressure became increasingly stronger. I powered through the haze and brought it close to me, my arms now refusing to move due to the strain.


    I didn''t care though. This cloak is mine, and I will use it to survive.


    [Cloak of Sharok] received.


    =Bonding¡­ Cloak of Sharok synchronization rate with user: 69%... Performing required processes to increase synchronization rate¡­ [Mask of Drakhan] discovered within user''s hammerspace... Synchronization rate boosted to 169%... Synchronizing¡­ Cloak of Sharok merging with [Mask of Drakhan]¡­ Cloak of Sharok upgrading to [Drakhan''s Shadow]¡­ Bonding with user, Jionni¡­ Bonding complete¡­=


    =Hello, Jionni¡­=


    "¡­ Hi¡­?"

 Chapter 158 - Monke And Some Explanations

    I stood there stunned, the soft texture of the cloth weighing down on my hands like feathers. It was black, blacker than even the night without light, perhaps. Under its hood, a mask attached to the cloth hung limply, waiting for the wearer to don its magnificence and vanish under the twilight.


    But that wasn''t the thing that surprised me. The feature that had that trophy was the voice talking in my head the moment this "bonding" procedure finished.


    "¡­ Hi¡­?"


    =Yes, introductions are in order. As the first person to merge one of my belongings¡­ No, one of my original''s belongings. Allow me to congratulate you on a job well done.=


    "¡­ Thanks¡­?" My mind was still stunned at the sudden voice in my head. This wasn''t the first time I''ve had a voice directly speaking into my head, unlike the System using chatboxes as opposed to direct telepathy.


    Come to think of it, during my stay here, I haven''t been exposed to telepathy, haven''t I? Reorganizing my thoughts, I discovered that I had not heard hide nor tail of telepathy during my time in this world. Maybe Drake or the others would know, but right now, I placed that thought in the back of my mind in favor of focusing on this voice in my head.


    =Wow, thanks for the attention.=


    ''And this dude''s an ass.'' A tick mark appeared on my head as the voice in my head laughed at the light insult. Apparently, not only can he communicate with me via my mind, he can also read my thoughts. Eh, probably a staple in telepathy.


    =That, my friend, is completely true. Anyway, as fun as it is to mess around, our current situation deems it unfavorable to do so.=


    ''And what do you mean by that?'' Mentally speaking with the disembodied voice, I imagined him nodding at my question, his slight humming confirming my thoughts.


    =Patience, Jionni. Patience. First of all, let''s go over the introductions. No need to introduce yourself. You can call me Drakhan, or a piece of him.=


    ''Drakhan? You own this cloak?'' Asking him mentally with a raised eyebrow, the voice hummed once more, before answering my question.


    =Yes. That cloak gives the wearer invisibility, along with increased strength, magic potency, and the ability to create fog in a location. You can think of it as an assassin''s magic cloak.=


    ''¡­ Cool. Anyway, about that ''current situation'' thing. What do you mean by that?'' The disembodied voice once again gave me a hum, a sigh that he was probably gesturing something.


    =It is as I say. As of right now, from a dormant soul piece of me residing within the bearer of the Gauntlets of Sharok, a group of heavily armed soldiers and an elite knight are currently heading your way.=


    ''So, basically, I have a raid incoming.'' I summarized, and I imagined Drakhan nodding.


    =Correct. Be aware, this isn''t your usual ragtag bunch of Hunters and run of the mill drafted soldiers. These are trained professionals, with one of them being an elite knight of the Human Movement cult.=


    ''Aren''t those the fanatical soldiers that tried to raid my Dungeon after they chased the twin elves all the way here?''


    =Yes.=


    His brief and concise answer made me stand up, my body on full alert and my mind quickly coming up with strategies to deal with the incoming raid, but I have to wonder though¡­


    ''Why are you helping me? From my point of view, I received an item that''s bonded to me, only to have a disembodied soul piece talking to me via my bond to the item. What do you get out of this?'' I may look paranoid and ungrateful, but to ensure a proper partnership, and possible alliance, it is important to state the goals of both parties.


    =You are one paranoid monster, but who am I to blame you?=


    I could literally imagine Drakhan chuckling at my predicament. A tick mark appeared on my head as I walked away from the backyard of the Gaming House, fully intent on quickly waking up Drake who was probably sleeping like a sack of potatoes right now, as well as once again calling for another meeting in the Monster Town, with all the higher-ranked humans and demi-humans, as well as Monster leaders, attending.


    But first, I placed the cloak in my inventory, only to have it denied.


    =Did I forget to mention that you can no longer put the cloak inside hammerspaces?=


    I deadpanned at Drakhan, and instead donned the cloak, not placing the mask attached to the hood over my head for the moment to prevent my strength being increased and suddenly burning out.


    []


    []


    []


    Now back on the first floor in the Human Town after power walking through the Master''s Path, my first destination was the place where Drake was currently staying. Arriving at his doorstep, I knocked on the door. After a few minutes of not getting any response, I felt my patience drying up, and decided to just barge in and wake up the man myself.


    Using my power as the Dungeon Master, I unlocked the house and opened the door, my footsteps letting out heavy thuds on the wooden floor. Walking down the hall and up the stairs leading to the second floor, I arrived at the bedroom, which is the first place I would search. Opening the door, which I unlocked via my Dungeon power again, I walked in and saw the sleeping figure of Drake who was lying cozy in the bed.


    "¡­ Sorry about this¡­" I sighed and felt guilty, but with an incoming threat, rest should be disregarded for now. I approached the lying figure of Drake, and called out his name. He didn''t respond. Feeling my patience once again drying, I reached out towards him in an attempt to shake him, but was stopped by him grabbing my arm and throwing me to the ground effortlessly, my arm making snapping sounds as I felt the pain rush through my arm.


    HP: 7,330 / 7,330 => 6,987 / 7,330


    "Argh!" I landed on the ground with a thud, my HP dropping slightly. I then felt the pressure on my arm disappear and looked at the offender with confused eyes.


    "What the fuck¡­ Jionni! Don''t scare me like that!" Drake retreated back a few steps, looking a bit apologetic, but otherwise, still pissed at me for disturbing his sleep. "If I didn''t see my surroundings, I would''ve twisted your arm off!"


    "Ugh¡­ Remind me to send someone else to wake you up." I groaned as I sat back up, my regeneration already working full-tilt to restore me back to peak condition. "And also, I have no choice but to wake you up right now. We have a problem, and it isn''t something I can handle well yet."


    "¡­ You''re Dungeon is already lesser B standards, enough to repel, and maybe decimate well-trained soldiers, Hunters, and Adventurers. Why do you need a meeting?" Drake asked and I deadpanned at him.


    "You''re seriously asking me that? You already have first-hand experience of how bullshit this world is." I replied and he opened his mouth, only to close it back up.


    "Point." I chuckled a bit at his response, but quickly went back to serious mode.


    "A group of knights are approaching my Dungeon, and not the run-of-the-mill ones either. I''m going to be honest with you here. I received this tip from a soul piece inside one of Drakhan''s pieces of equipment. It''s the cloak I''m currently wearing."


    He looked at me with a narrowed gaze, only to facepalm and approach the wall and bang his head.


    "Oi, Drake! What the hell!?" I approached the man who was completely focused on banging his head on the wall, and also, the wall was the one getting damaged, not the fleshy human.


    He suddenly stopped and looked at me with a sheepish gaze.


    "About that part with knights coming for your Dungeon¡­? Yeah, that''s probably my fault¡­" He admitted it with a shy gaze, and my piercing glare gave him all the information he needed to guess what I was feeling now.


    "¡­ What¡­?"


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "He came through here, you said?" A man held at sword point raised his hands as he made no effort to move as the pointy edge of the sword poked his throat.


    "Yes! Yes! He went that way! Into the east of the forest!" The man pointed his right arm to the east entrance of the town, his shivering slowly getting worse as the cold metal slowly dug itself into his throat, droplets of blood now seeping out of the cut.


    A moment later, the sword was pulled back from the relieved man, who then fell on his ass from the near-death experience.


    "Very well. Thank you for the information, and may Goddess Phoemis guide you with her stalwart light, fellow human." The female knight, who was holding the man at sword point, sheathed her sword while on top of her steed, and the threatened man ran for the hills, his mind telling him to get away from the insane, fanatical woman.


    She then looked at her guard detail with bored eyes.


    "Follow that man. If you see him colluding with any demi-humans, you have my permission to execute him and display his head on one of the spikes in the plaza." She commanded, and the guards saluted. "Also, if I find out that you helped him escape in case they were colluding with demi-humans, pray that I don''t find you."


    The guards saluted more fiercely, their bodies trembling at the mere thought of being tortured by their master. The female knight scoffed and trekked forward, not giving rest to pursue the heretic man who had alluded her so far.


    ''Mark my words, heretic.. I will find you, and I will kill you.''

 Chapter 159 - Monke And Siege Preparations

    "Let me get this straight¡­ You came here because you wanted to escape from the shitshow that is currently happening in this Kingdom¡­ The Arcelon Kingdom, and didn''t bother to tell us you were being pursued?" I glared at my friend from Earth, who sheepishly rubbed his head and made some whistling sounds, before he looked at me with an embarrassed expression.


    "In my defense, I didn''t know I was being pursued until you told me that a piece of Drakhan''s soul told you." I narrowed my eyes at him even more, causing him to flinch in response.


    "And pray tell, how did you figure out you were being pursued when I said that Drakhan''s soul piece told me the information?" He looked at me straight in the eyes for a moment, before his previously exposed arms took on the appearance of  two gauntlets.


    I then recalled another piece of information Drakhan''s soul piece residing inside my cloak gave me earlier.


    "You''re the wielder of the Gauntlets of Sharok?" He nodded and the two equipped pieces of intricate metal vanished from view, fully exposing his arms once more.


    "Yep. As much of a pain in the ass Drakhan is sometimes, he has saved my life countless times already. So, when he tells you something will happen, you better believe it will happen." Drake snickered, and I sighed. He approached me and laid a hand on my shoulder, my fur and skin feeling the touch of his skin instead of the invisible gauntlets. "Lighten up. They failed to catch me, and damn me if I ain''t helping you with a problem I brought along."


    "¡­ Fine." I grabbed his hand perched on my shoulder and gave it a good shake. "Also, if you can make the gauntlets intangible, can I do the same with my cloak?"


    "Absolutely." Drake grinned. "But first, let''s get going. Don''t want to let a meeting start late."


    I agreed and we both huffed it out of the house. Once outside, he demonstrated how to make the cloak intangible.


    "Since you have a System, and I''m still jealous, by the way, do you have an inventory?" I nodded, and he clapped his hands. "Great, this will be easier then. Picture the cloak being sucked into your inventory, but instead of your inventory, imagine the cloak being sucked into your body, kind of like you''re assimilating the item with your skin."


    Looking at him funny before reminding myself he was the expert with the items from Drakhan, I breathed in and closed my eyes, my mind imagining the piece of cloth getting sucked into my skin. A moment later, I no longer felt the cloak on my body, but I did, however, feel that the cloak was still on me.


    "Congratulations. You just figured out how to make Drakhan''s items intangible." He looked at me, but I was still processing the action I had done.


    ''Is it possible to do it with other items? Maybe I can find the skillbook on the Dungeon Market?'' My thoughts were going at 100 kilometers a second as to how I could weaponize this type of feature. If what I got was a sword instead of a cloak, could I manifest it inside the body of a person mid-swing? If that could happen, then it would be a very broken skill against those well-protected.


    "Uh, Jionni? Hey, Jionni?" I didn''t notice Drake calling me until he made a snap right in front of my face. My eyes widening slightly, I looked at him, only to see him looking at me with a grin. "Can''t believe your habit of analyzing things was brought here, not that it''s a bad thing."


    I blinked, then chuckled, a bit glad that that trait from my last life followed me here.


    "Well, excuse me if I over-analyze things. It''s what keeps me alive in this bullshit world." Both him and I snorted at the same time, though I did notice him wince a little when I finished my sentence.


    "Yeah, well, anyway. We''ve been taking up too much time. Let''s go?" He asked, and I shrugged as we continued walking.


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    "We have a problem."


    "What''s the problem?"


    "It seems we have an incoming attack in the near future, and not the normal ones either."


    We were now inside the Meeting Room after about half an hour of gathering the various leaders, humans and demi-humans who were required to attend, and another half an hour of waiting for all of them to arrive.


    And now, here we are, the first person to take the initiative with the question being Nicholas, who seemed to have a gut-feeling about the incoming raid after looking at Drake for a brief time.


    "¡­ I was right then." Nicholas sighed as he drooped his head down. Looking around, we weren''t that many. Only the most notable people were currently attending, those being Luke, Bentley, Nicholas, Qoh, Shonah, Zurug, Gobun, Krag, Merethyl, Mariona, Aratella, Rosada, and our recent addition, Drake. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere."


    "¡­ Oh¡­ Didn''t think I would run into you, Nick." Drake said, and I perked my head up.


    "Drake, Nicholas, do you two know each other?" Both Nicholas and Drake nodded, and they looked at each other before the older one opened his mouth.


    "We were in the same Hunter team once. Only for a few quests, though." Nicholas tapped on the table as he regaled the tale of both him and Drake being in the same party. "The man''s a moron, lazy, and quite na?ve when we first met. That changed though, when our team continued on for longer."


    I looked at Drake with a raised eyebrow, his hand rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Right, maybe that was a few years ago when he first transmigrated.


    "To summarize, if he survived for years after we disbanded our team and I became the Hunter Association''s Kazanpan branch manager, then he''s probably a stronger monster than before." I tilted my head at that. I then looked at Drake, who was looking more and more flustered the more his old teammate continued to praise him¡­


    He was weak to praise back on Earth as well¡­


    "Right, disregarding Drake''s strength, what I want to talk about right now is the incoming raid, brought to you by our newest member." I gestured my hand to Drake, who then slumped in his chair from the embarrassment he was currently receiving.


    "Do you really have to phrase it like that?"


    "Yes, yes I do." He groaned and I held in a chuckle. "Nicholas, Bentley, Luke, since you three are the most familiar with how those fanatics¡­ What do you call them, by the way?"


    "Those fanatics? They have a name?" Nicholas asked with an imaginary question mark flying over his head. Beside him, both Luke and Bentley facepalmed at their less-informed compatriot.


    "¡­ Did you ever read the reports your daughter gave you?" Nicholas chuckled nervously and Bentley groaned.


    "In my defense, the reports were a stack of paper taller than my table."


    "You know what, nevermind. Lord Jionni, they call themselves the Human Movement Federation. They serve the Goddess of Humans, Phoemis, and whether or not their actions are warranted by the Goddess, their doctrine is to enslave or wipe-out those who dare to stand on the same pedestal as humans."


    "¡­ So basically, human extremists." I summarized and the three of them nodded. I groaned. "Great¡­ Soldiers are one thing. Extreme fanatics are another."


    All of the present nodded at my words. Soldiers can be made to fear, but fanatics? Yeah, we''ll be lucky if they even try to run. They''ll probably fight to the bitter end, so no conversion, unless there are some unwilling ones in their group, but that''s highly unlikely, seeing that the group that is coming for us are one of the elites.


    "Alright, I have a plan in mind, but this will lean heavily on the element of surprise. Gobun, I need every goblin who knows how to make traps, so pull them out of their current work and have them gather with my primates who specialize in traps. Qog, tell your orcs to be ready. We might lose some of them. The same for you, Shonah. Aratella, Rosada, you and your tribes will help with the goblins and primates lay some traps in the entrance, as well as the forest outside my Dungeon. The rest, prepare."


    Everybody nodded, and I stood up from my seat.


    "Is that all, no questions?" Seeing that none of them voiced out their thoughts, I hummed, then raised my voice. "Then, dismissed. Gobun, Aratella, Rosada, you have one hour."


    Gobun saluted and quickly rushed out to take the goblins specializing in trap-making to the primates ASAP. The same could be said for Rosada and Aratella, though I still had Chip monitoring the both of them.


    It seems that Aratella has been guilty for misinterpreting my actions, while Rosada was still plotting something. That something, I still have no idea since none of the alraunes would even talk about their leader''s plans.


    Exiting the building, I grabbed Drake and pulled him along.


    "¡­ Drake, we need to talk."

 Chapter 160 - Monke With Overpowered Protag

    "Woah, don''t scare me like that." Drake flinched slightly at him being pulled along by me, before he calmed down and regarded me with a calm eye. "Anyway, what did you want to talk about?"


    I led him to a vacant house which was a few blocks away from any activity. It was a shack, so to speak, as well as a place I made sure no one, except my primates, approached.


    "How strong are you?" I asked him, and he raised his eyebrow at the question.


    "How strong am I?" Drake cupped his chin as he thought hard about his power level, before shrugging. "Didn''t really think about it. The only being I know that could beat me is the Demon King, and we''re chill with each other. Otherwise, maybe the Gods?"


    I stared at him blankly, before I cursed out his name.


    "You know Drake, your life is like something out of an anime. A power-fantasy one." He chuckled at the joke, and I couldn''t help but sigh. Well, at least I have an overpowered protagonist by my side.


    "Well, what can I say? I''m already at my endgame, but you''re still starting. The only thing that''s left for me in this world is to rise to Godhood, but frankly, if I ever do become one, I ain''t ever being an accomplice to those stuck-up Gods partying all day long in the Divine Realm." Drake flinched at the thought of being called a God and being compared to one of them. "Yeah, no way in hell am I being compared with those assholes."


    "¡­ Can you tell me why?" I asked him, and he nodded, a tired smile gracing his lips.


    "Well, it was a year-sumthin ago¡­ Both me and Nick, along with our party and some greenhorns, went spelunking into a Dungeon to teach the greenhorns. Nothing too risky, just an ordinary Dungeon without a Dungeon Master." I listened attentively to his words, my body slowly taking a seat on one of the chairs that were haphazardly placed around the area. "Well, guess what. Next moment, one of ours, a greenhorn, decided to be a showoff and impress the girl he was attracted to. It did not work out well, with the girl dying in an acid trap. Shit¡­ I can still hear her cries in my dreams as she dissolved into a puddle of gore every now and then¡­"


    His eyes gained a somewhat glassy look as he focused on nothing in particular. Grabbing his arm, I shook him off from his melancholy and he gave me an appreciative smile.


    "Yeah, anyways. After that, you could tell the greenhorn got scared shitless and ran away. He was the next casualty of a pitfall trap." His eyes once again took on a glassy figure, and I snapped him out of it before he continued. "We decided it wasn''t worth continuing, seeing that there were already two casualties, and the rest were already scared shitless. All of them weren''t even at their legal ages. Just to remind you, the legal age in this world is fifteen."


    I cringed at the thought. Children, who had just entered the first half of their teens, dying of unforeseen circumstances was a very disturbing thought. Alas, in this unforgiving world, some casualties are bound to happen.


    "Now you may ask, where the hell is the thing about Gods and Goddesses and whatnot? Well, a few weeks later, turns out one of the Gods decided it would be ''fun'' to possess the greenhorn and let him showoff, because he was bored, which resulted in that fiasco." His voice took a dark edge as he scowled threateningly. His gauntlets manifested themselves, but I remained stoic at his apparent anger with the Divine Beings. "¡­ Fuck¡­ Jihn wasn''t a showoff¡­ He never was¡­ And Liln should''ve known better when her crush suddenly had the urge to showoff¡­"


    Drake tucked his hands into his pockets, grabbing two seemingly ordinary pins and holding them like they were a family heirloom.


    "These two items are the only things that are left of them. They were nice kids, you know¡­ Liln, the permanently cheerful child who would always bring a smile on everybody''s face, and Jihn, who was always a nervous wreck around people." Drake placed the two pins back in his pocket as he let out a melancholic smile. He then regarded me with the most serious face he had ever given me. "Trust me when I say this. Do not trust a God. Even your God of Monsters Chytho-sumthin or whatever. Nothing good comes out of it."


    I nodded in agreement at his statement. I may be thankful that they brought me here on a whim, but even then, I have limits to who I can trust, and random omnipotent beings are not one of them.


    "Well, enough of this depressing talk. Tell me some stories about your stay here?" Drake then turned a 180 in his attitude, his previously somber manner now replaced with an upbeat one.


    Stunned at his sudden change, he gave me a nudge on my shoulder as he grinned, which was infectious since it caused me to grin as well, before it turned into a gut-wrenching laugh.


    "Yeah, maybe you''re right. Enough depressing talk. As for my experiences in this world¡­ Did I tell you I ain''t a virgin no more?" I said with a grin, only to receive a punch to my shoulder, which admittedly hurts, from a snarling Drake.


    "How¡­ How the fuck did you get laid when you''re not even a month old in this world, while I''m still holding my V-card after two years!?" Drake grabbed me by the shoulders, then proceeded to shake me back and forth as I laughed out at his misery. "I''m strong! I''m good looking! I have a good personality! And I''m nearing my 30''s, for fuck''s sake! Any more years and I might as well be a fucking wizard!"


    I broke at that point, my laughter growing louder and louder as the stressed-out Drake continued to rock me back and forth with his arms.


    "Have you ever heard of friends-with-benefits?" I asked, and he gave me the bird in response.


    "Fuck you! Every time I go to the red-light district, something always happens to make sure I don''t get laid! Hell, even with a girl I previously dated, something happened which made her break up with me, meaning no sex!" Drake yelled out as I continued to laugh out loud in pity for the poor bastard.


    ''Who knew being a protagonist would be so impactful to your sex-life¡­'' I thought as Drake continued to cry bloody tears at his jealousy of me losing my V-card before him.


    A few minutes later, and the both of us calmed down. Drake is now looking at me with respect, and I am looking at him with pity.


    "Please teach me the art of picking up chicks! Please!" Drake pleaded, and I decided to tease him one more time.


    "You know, I received a reward after the Dungeon Games, and I was still holding out on it, but maybe I should show you." I grabbed the [Book of Marital Arts - Beginner] skillbook from my inventory and showed him the cover.


    "No way. Would you really teach me?" Drake looked hopeful, before I decided to be a dick and quickly use the skillbook right in his face. The knowledge of various sex positions and other types of information related to the actions made in bed flooded my brain, and holy shit, did it make me fucking horny¡­


    ''I need to call Catalina¡­''


    Drake, however, looked at me with cold, dead eyes, before lunging at me, a snarl placed on his lips as he tried to beat me to death with his gauntlets in full view.


    "YOU FUCKER!!! YOU BLOODY BASTARD BITCH!" I snickered, before paling.


    ''Maybe provoking him wasn''t a good idea¡­


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    After getting beaten to an inch of my life, I was now back inside the Dungeon Core Room, and Drake was back to sleeping. I also made a visit to the primates and the gathered goblins, alraunes, and arachnes. I gave them the specifics of their jobs, and up until now, they were still doing their jobs, setting up various traps both inside and outside my Dungeon.


    And right now, since I''m still paranoid, I decided to call on a favor to my two Dungeon Master friends.


    "Jionni? Cat? Well, isn''t this a surprise? " Oshurkova said as she leaned on the back of her couch, a visible stack of papers sitting prim and proper on her desk.


    "Lady Oshurkova? Jion?" Catalina looked a bit surprised at seeing the vampire.


    "Sorry for calling you on such short notice, but I need a favor."


    "Sure, ask away." Catalina was the first to respond, seeing that she was vying for my feelings, while Oshurkova was pondering the favor I was about to ask of her.


    "Jionni, what do you need?" I sighed and looked at the two of them.


    "I need some extra defenders. A raid is coming, and it''s not a regular one either." This got the both of them alarmed. Oshurkova gazed at me, looking for any hint I was lying, but spotted none.


    She leaned back into her couch, her eyes closed as she reached a decision.


    "Alright, I''ll send some help." The same response could be heard from Catalina.. I gave them both a smile and thanked them for their help.

 Chapter 161 - Monke And Reinforcements

    "Papa¡­ Can I come?" I stared at Domino, who was looking up at me with puppy eyes. I tried to refuse, but her eyes had already taken a toll on my soul a few minutes ago.


    Both I and Domino have been arguing back and forth about why she couldn''t come. I said it was dangerous on the first floor for her. She said she wanted to meet her, as she calls it, step-mother.


    I refused vehemently the first few times she asked, but her puppy-eyes were too much to handle.


    "¡­ Fine, but stick with me, alright?" I caved in, and accepted that she would come with me. She gave herself a cute fist pump, and I chuckled wryly at that display. ''Not that she might even see her, but chances are high she will find an excuse to come herself to help me with my problem.''


    She hopped on my back and carrying her on my shoulder, I generated a Master''s Path leading directly to the two portals in the entrance. Walking through the Master''s Path, Domino opted to remain silent, excitement bubbling deep within her tiny body.


    A few minutes of walking and climbing, we arrived at the two arches that held the two portals. There were primates all around us, and their leader, Gong, was standing directly beside me on all fours, his weapons ready in case something happened; not that it would, but it is a possibility.


    We waited like that for a few moments, with some primates striking up some conversation in Monke speak, and me and Domino talking about simple things like how she beat me in Crash, how she beat me in that FPS game, how she beat me in that fighting game¡­


    Alright, I get it. I suck at gaming compared to my prodigy surrogate daughter, but I wouldn''t have her any other way. I just wish she would stop calling me a noob and a scrub, not that I am not one.


    Domino was about to call me out on my loss in our other game, but at that moment, the portal on the left, which led to whose Dungeon I have no idea since I hadn''t the chance to check. The first figure to come out of the portal, however, gave me the most defining clue to which Dungeon this portal led to.


    "Yo, Jion!" Catalina came rushing out with a bright smile on her face. The moment she laid her eyes on the primates, however, she began to ''ooohh'' in awe. "Damn, that''s one scary security detail."


    A few more figures exited the portal, all of them Cat demi-humans. They numbered 8, and they were decked out in seemingly ordinary clothes, but judging by their make and quality, I''m sure that they''re enchanted.


    All of them were different from each other, none of them being too similar to another. The first to come out was a tall male, his orange striped tail swishing to and fro as he walked out the portal with utmost confidence. He laid his eyes on me, then scowled.


    ''¡­ Okay, correct me if I''m wrong, but isn''t that a tiger demi-human?'' I wondered to myself, my mind giving me a shrug to my question.


    The tiger demihuman looked ready to lunge, but was held back by another Cat demi-human, this time a female. She was short in stature, but not that short. She was slim, petite, and overall, cute to look at. Her stubby tail made her look even cuter in my eyes. If it wasn''t for the fact that she was looking at me with grateful eyes, I would probably be tiger-chow by now.


    That reminds me, why did the tiger demi-human want to jump me? I''ll have to ask Catalina later, but for now, I need to analyze the other demi-humans.


    The next one was female¡­ Scratch that, all of the remaining ones are female, except for that flat-chested one. I have no idea whether that was a trap, or a pure female, but from my experiences in this world, anything can happen.


    And that wasn''t all. All of the females, except the trap-looking one, were looking at me with gratitude in their eyes.


    ''Ookaaayyy¡­ I have no idea why they''re looking at me like that, but what the hell. Let''s just go with the flow¡­ It''ll be easier that way.'' Deciding not to torture my brain with mental gymnastics, I approached the smiling Catalina with Domino still perched up on my shoulder.


    The moment the Cat demi-human Dungeon Master laid eyes on the cute jailbait that was Domino, she was instantly fawning over the little girl.


    "Oh my god! You''re so cute!" She ran towards me and grabbed Domino off my shoulders as she hugged the little girl to death. Surprisingly, Domino didn''t protest, but hugged Catalina as well.


    "Mama¡­?" Catalina froze in surprise, and the tiger demi-human''s face twitched. Catalina slowly brought the little girl forward and looked at her with a confused gaze, before she looked at me with a questioning look.


    "She''s my surrogate daughter." I shrugged, and she put two and two together. She then squealed and hugged the little girl even more.


    "You do know I''m gunning for you even more now, right?" I sighed and Catalina giggled as she played with Domino. From behind her, the tiger demi-human was looking at me with a glare so fierce, it could probably melt those who were subjected to it.


    The keyword being "probably," and the chance was 0 percent.


    "Anyway, as much as I like seeing you crushing Domino with a hug, I''d like to talk business. I''m¡­ in no position to be having fun right now¡­" I said suddenly, which caused the two females to stop their hugging and look at me with serious eyes. As Domino approached me after being released back onto the ground, I placed her back on top of my shoulder.


    "Very well. As you can see, I can only supply some of my best fighters from my Dungeon." Catalina gestured to the 8 demi-humans, all of them having cat ears and tails in different variations. "This is Tigre, a tiger demi-human, and his team."


    "Pleasure to meet you, Tigre." I held my hand out, only for it to be slapped away by the tiger demi-human. My primates quickly raised their weapons in case of an attack, while the female demi-humans did the same. Catalina, however, looked at Tigre with anger evident in her eyes, and that made the tiger demi-human flinch.


    "¡­ Sorry." His tone was unapologetic, but I accepted it nonetheless. From my previous observation of him, I can surmise that his attitude towards me is attuned to jealousy. For what reason, I still have no definite proof, but if what he has shown me was to go by, he had a crush on Catalina, and since the object of his desires is currently focused on me, he''s been giving me the stink-eye¡­


    Better look out for him then¡­ Sorry Chip, looks like you''ll be doing three jobs now¡­ Actually, he might enjoy this, now that I think about it¡­


    Also, it seems that all the females in his group have a romantic interest in him, thus the ''looking at me with gratitude'' thing. Not that I can prove it, but its chances are definitely high.


    "No harm done." I replied, and Tigre nodded. That said, his accent was heavily reminiscent of a Spanish-English accent.


    "Sorry about that, Jion." Catalina looked at me with a sheepish look. "Anyway, I''ll also be staying here with you until the raid''s over. I want to see what your Dungeon looks like."


    "¡­ But doesn''t your Dungeon need you?"


    "Bah, they can take care of themselves. It''s nearly impenetrable as it is, and it''s quite boring there." Catalina hung her arm around me, while Domino noddingly approved of her action. Tigre was once again glaring at me with daggers. "And while I''m at it, spend some time with my favorite Dungeon Master buddy, yeah?"


    If looks could kill, I would probably be dead by now.


    I sighed, and nodded in agreement with her, which caused her to smile brightly.


    "We''re still waiting for Kova''s reinforcements, though, so you''ll have to wait before I give you the tour." I said, and she responded with a tighter arm cling than before, her modest boobs now pressing against my arm. Truth be told, I was beginning to have a hard on, but right now was not the time.


    We waited for a few more moments, me, Domino, and Catalina talking about stuff, while Tigre and his team were bickering about something, the tiger demi-human sometimes stealing glances at the three of us.


    The primates were still observing the group of demi-humans with a critical eye, in case the most probable suspect would dare try to attack me.


    A few minutes more of waiting, and the portal leading to Oshurkova''s Dungeon began to shake, and out came three figures, all of them wearing matching clothes that covered their entire body, making it impossible to see who they were inside.


    Though, one of them was obviously female, judging by the bulges on her chest.


    All of them wore what seemed to be black leather vests, with black long-sleeved shirts, and black leather gloves. They also wore black leather trousers, and shin-high combat boots. Wrapped around them was a cloak and a standing collar. Wearing masks that covered half of their face, and a tricorne hat that covered their upper halves, it was incredibly difficult to check their faces.


    "¡­ Well, this isn''t a reference I''m sure I''ll get sued by¡­" The joke went over the heads of everybody present, and I groaned. ''I wish Drake was here¡­''

 Chapter 162 - Monke And The Upcoming Siege

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    I looked upon the band of strikingly visual reinforcements Oshurkova sent me. The primates, Catalina, and her band of demi-humans also tensed up when these three figures exited the portal.


    ''Whoever they are, they are not to be trifled with.'' The Dungeon Menu notified me of an incoming call from Oshurkova as I glanced at Catalina, who was looking at the three figures with fear evident in her eyes. I accepted the call and regarded the quite haggard vampire Dungeon Master lady with a raised eyebrow. "Hell, Oshurkova."


    "Hello, Jionni. I assume the group of Sweepers I sent have reached you?" I raised my other eyebrow at her statement. She calls them Sweepers? They look more like Hunters.


    "Yes, and they''re¡­ visually stunning, so to speak." Oshurkova laughed at my words, and I couldn''t help but chuckle along. Catalina beside me noticed me talking with Oshurkova, and marveled at the holographic screen.


    "¡­ Jion, what the hell is that?'' She pointed at the holographic screen that was hanging right in front of me. I tilted my head in confusion.


    "¡­ The Dungeon Menu¡­? Lina, what''s wrong?" Her mouth hung wide open as she looked at me with pure shock. Behind her, Tigre was tensing up even more, ready to pounce at the cause of Catalina''s evident shock, which was me. "Uh¡­ Lina? You there¡­?"


    I waved my hand in front of her face, which elicited no response. Tigre was already about to pounce, before he was held back by an awed Catalina.


    "That''s¡­ So cool! How the hell do you do that? Can you teach me? Please?" Catalina had practically glued herself to my front, her starry-eyed eyes staring deeply into mine, a huge grin forming on her lips.


    "¡­ Uhh¡­ Just¡­ Open the Dungeon Menu¡­?" I replied with a bit of confusion. Is there something different with how we access our Dungeon Menu¡­?


    "I''m in your Dungeon, Jion. No way I am opening my Dungeon Menu at this time. Plus, my Dungeon Menu isn''t that transparent." She let go of my shoulders as she paced back a few feet. "My Dungeon Menu is a book, and my communications is a crystal ball. Totally different from how¡­ transparent and easily accessible yours is."


    "¡­ Ah, I get it now." I sighed in realization. Turns out different Dungeon Masters have different systems on how to operate their Dungeon. Take for example Catalina here. From what I can gleam from her words, her Dungeon is operated by a Dungeon Menu in the form of a physical book, and her communications is a crystal ball.


    As opposed to mine, which is everything in one holographic window. Maybe a Dungeon actually makes the process on how to operate a Dungeon familiar to the Dungeon Master, so that they can quickly get used to it.


    A plausible theory, if I do say so myself.


    ''Now, how the hell do I teach her the way of holographic panels¡­?'' I scratched my chin as I brainstormed ideas on how to teach my possible future lover the easier way of accessing the Dungeon Menu, only to be cut short from the approaching steps of the three Sweepers and Oshurkova''s giggle.


    "Ahh¡­ Never change, Cat. Never change." Oshurkova snickered as Catalina took on a slightly pink hue on her face with a pout. Seeing the adorable look on the catwoman in front of me, I couldn''t help but pat her head and scratch her cat ears, which caused said catwoman to purr in delight.


    As usual, Tigre behind her was glaring at me with murderous intent. I, of course, ignored it, fully focused on caressing the head of this Catalina, who continued to purr at my touch.


    Until I was cut off once again by a fake cough from behind me. Looking at the culprit, I see the lead figure of the three Sweepers looking at me with a stoic gaze.


    "You Jionni?" I nodded, and he nodded back, "As of today, me and my group of Sweepers will be under your command, until the current threat to your Dungeon has been eliminated, as decreed by our Queen of the Night, Drac Oshurkova."


    From within my communication screen, Oshurkova looked at me with a slight blush, before she craned her gaze backward.


    "You heard nothing." I chuckled at her embarrassment, which caused her face to flush even more. Behind me, I could see the lead figure of the Sweepers chuckling to himself as well.


    ''So, he teases her as well. Maybe she gets teased by her local inhabitants as well¡­ Noted.'' I looked at the blushing vampire with a grin.


    "Don''t you dare." Oshurkova snarled at me, while my grin grew wider. Beside me, Catalina picked up on the current situation, and grinned menacingly as well.


    "So, Queen Oshurkova, I thank thee for your humble support in my time of need. As promised, you can call in a favor whenever you want, as long as I am not in a sticky situation, if you know what I mean." My grin grew to higher heights when Oshurkova''s face took on a more reddish appearance, while the figure behind me was now visibly chuckling, along with the rest of his group.


    Catalina, meanwhile, was on the floor, laughing like a madman as tears continued to cascade down her cheeks due to too much laughter. Oshurkova was now beet red, and was totally embarrassed by my incredibly formal voice and gesture.


    "¡­ I''m ending the call. Remember what you promised, a favor I can call in whenever." And with that, Oshurkova cut of the call, and I chuckled briefly. Catalina, meanwhile, was trying her best to regain her bearings as she struggled to stand up.


    Behind me, the three figures'' chuckling slowly died down, and they regarded me with appreciation, as well as a tiny bit of respect.


    "Anyway, nice to meet you, Jionni. I am Wulfstan. These two are Constantin and Cecilia, fraternal twins." The two in question waved their hand, but said nothing else. "Forgive them, but unfortunately, they were born mute."


    "Oh¡­ That''s¡­ Sad to hear, nonetheless, it speaks volumes about their capabilities." I gave them a respectful nod, which they appreciated in turn. There''s no way I would give them pity or sympathy, that would just be outright mean. Instead, I''ll give them my respect since they were able to survive this long with difficulty in their lives. "I''ll be glad to have them on our side for the time being."


    "As you should." Wulfstan gave me a smile, before patting me on the back. "Now then, shall we get going? It appears we were the only ones left, and fortifying your Dungeon might take some time to complete."


    "Ah, about that. I''ve already set up countermeasures, but a few more couldn''t hurt." He gave me a nod, while Domino looked at the interaction with a raised eyebrow while still perched on my shoulders.


    Come to think of it, how did she not fall when Catalina grabbed me? Meh, I''ll ponder that later. For now, I need to lead these group to the Monster Town.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "AARRGGGHHHH!!!"


    "MOMMMYYY!!!"


    "IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!!!"


    "FUCK YOU! FUUCK YOUUAARRGGHHH!!!"


    Screams and shouts echoed throughout the building. The source of these screams were various humans and demi-humans in their cells being tortured. There were no exceptions. Young, old, male, female, none of them could escape the torment that they are currently undergoing.


    Some had already succumbed, their corpses being brought out of their cells and fed to the dogs that had a taste for human and demi-human flesh.


    "MOMMY!! MOMMYYY!!!" One particular demi-human that was being tortured was a female child that was no older than 10. She was strapped to the table as various bugs crawled around her bare torso, all of them dangerous and poisonous.


    Her body shuddered as her cries slowly got quieter, until no more sound could be heard from her. Only the sound of the crawling insects digging into her skin to lay their eggs could be heard from the cell.


    The eyes of the child were wide open in horror and anguish, the eyeballs rolling over the place. Her mouth hung open in a permanent scream, while her body spasmed slightly due to her fresh death.


    Behind the bars, apathetic eyes gaze disinterestedly upon the corpse of the demi-human child.


    "Filthy. May Phoemis cleanse your soul, vile demi-human." The female knight, who was still chasing the heretic that eluded her so, scowled as she left the dungeons where screams and cries of torment reigned supreme.


    It didn''t matter who they were. Once they were inside the dungeons deep within Kazanpan, all they could hope for was a swift death under this new leadership.


    "Ma''am. We''ve gathered all the resources needed to pursue the heretic. We assume he''s heading for a Dungeon. For what purpose, we do not know, but it cannot be anything good." Her underling, another knight like her, but lower in status, reported their findings.


    "Very well. We leave at dawn." The female knight commanded and the lower knight saluted, before moving on to do her bidding. The female knight sighed, then took a pose of prayer.. "Goddess Phoemis, may your guiding light shine upon the heretic, and your judgment be swift with his cries of regret."

 Chapter 163 - Monke And The Siege (1)

    We reached the entrance of the Monster Town, the primates now dissolving to head into their stations in case the incoming raid arrives. We have no idea when the raid will come, but we do know it will be soon, because they were chasing after Drake.


    The only primate that was left following us was Gong, since he had a responsibility for the new arrivals.


    "By the way, nice looking town here Jion." Catalina marveled at the town that was still under construction in other areas, but otherwise, was nearing completion. "Have you ever thought of making this town a business when all the heat dies down?"


    I looked at her with a raised eyebrow, confusion evident in my eyes as she chuckled, while Domino, being the smart little girl that she is, furrowed her brows at the mention of making the Monster Town as a business venture.


    "What do you mean by business, Lina?" I asked Catalina with a tile of my head, causing her to chuckle.


    "Invite outsiders into your Dungeon. Humans, demi-humans, monsters, it doesn''t matter. As long as it could increase your DP income." She said this with a smile. "That''s what some other Dungeon Masters are doing, although they are mostly hidden from the common public. Hell, there''s a Dungeon Master who is also the king of a kingdom. You can already tell how that''s going for him."


    My mouth watered at the prospect of my DP income soaring to new heights, only to be brought back to reality as Domino harshly patted my head with a furious pout on her face.


    "No¡­ Papa must not¡­ Bring in temporary residents¡­ Too dangerous¡­" Domino stated her stance on the prospect, and Wulfstan behind me shared her concerns.


    "Indeed. What your daughter says is true." Domino gave him a thumbs up, which he responded with his own gesture. "Lady Oshurkova''s other member fell for this type of risky venture. If you want to do this type of strategy, I suggest you take over the entire area, or even better, the kingdom, just to be safe that you''re Dungeon won''t be targeted by those nearby."


    I nodded at his argument, and Catalina gave me an apologetic smile.


    "No need to worry, Lina. It was just a suggestion." I then grinned teasingly at her. "Which would''ve caused me catastrophic consequences, but as I said, it''s just a suggestion."


    "And you''re telling it to me like I''m stupid. Well played¡­" Catalina pouted, and I laughed. Tigre, on the other hand, glared at me like usual, as was his default look at everyone that dissed his crush.


    "Anyway, first off, do you need anything for the raid?" I asked the group of reinforcements, and Wulfstan shook his head.


    "We''re all suited up and ready to fight. Just tell us where you need us." I nodded appreciatively at his reassuring words. "Although, some food would be great."


    "And you, Tigre? I assume Line here won''t be joining the fight." I gestured to Catalina, who nodded at my claims, and Tigre''s body relaxed a little, maybe a bit relieved that Catalina wouldn''t be in any harm''s way.


    "Food as well, el jefe." Tigre said, and I nodded at him. I regarded the two groups, and flashed a smile.


    "Well then, follow me to the Human Town. There''s a mess hall there that doesn''t serve assorted food that monsters love to eat." I said, and all of them cringed at my words. Seriously, an orc''s diet was something I could''ve lived without, thank you very much.


    We then made our way through the Monster Town, the group of humans and demi-humans scanning around the town for any location of notice, such as the giant statue in my¡­ form¡­


    "Domino, when did they build that?" I asked the little girl perched on my shoulder, and she gave me a tiny smile. At least that''s what I thought, since her face was still that same emotionless mask I keep on seeing.


    "I told them¡­ To make you¡­ A statue¡­"


    ''¡­ Oookaaayyy¡­ At least I know what I look like now¡­'' I patted the girl on the head for a job well done(?) and she beamed in delight. Catalina looked at me with what seemed to be empathy. I''m assuming she also has a statue in her Dungeon, even though she hadn''t ordered one to be built.


    The rest of the trip was made in silence as we traversed the passageway leading to the Human Area.


    []


    []


    []


    "¡­ Jion¡­ I''m asking you this¡­ How is the food here so fucking delicious¡­?" Catalina said between bites of the food she was currently eating. The same could be said for the other humans and demi-humans eating wistfully inside the mess hall, all of them sharing the same wonder and joy at eating this type of food.


    "It''s a secret. I''m going to be trading with you my products, and this is one of them. It wouldn''t be much of a merchandise if I flat out told you how to make them." I argued, and she shut up, before gorging on the food once more. "Just think of it as a sample for the products we''re going to be trading."


    "You bet your ass I''m getting this. This is just too delicious!" She said while her mouth was full, causing some crumbs and spit to fly over the table, not that I''m grossed out by this.


    I''m also sure the reason why the food here is delicious, is because of the king of all flavor, MSG.


    As one Uncle used to say, put MSG on baby, it make baby smarter.


    After filling up on food, we were returning to Monster Town to prepare our defenses.


    "Still, got to admit this place is vastly different than the Monster Town." Catalina stared in awe at the modern buildings. "I don''t think I''ve ever seen this kind of town in my life before."


    "As have I." Wulfstan said with an impressed nod. "This is, by far, the most livable town I have ever been in. No trash, clean walkways, houses that a noble would be jealous of, and my most favorite, electricity and plumbing."


    "I see you''re mesmerized by the comforts these types of towns give you?" I asked and they all gave me a nod, even Tigre, who was pre-ordained to hate my guts just by being Catalina''s focus of attention.


    "Well then, add this to the list of products I''m willing to trade with you." I said to Catalina, which caused her to glomp me, with Domino sharing in the action, hugging both me and her in the process. Tigre was once again being the jealous feline that he is, causing all the females in his group to pout.


    The trek back to the Monster Town was filled with various topics bouncing around, and once we reached our destination, I was greeted by a very proud looking primate.


    "Boss! We finished setting traps!" The chimpanzee saluted, and behind him various arachnes, alraunes, and goblins did the same. I gave a salute back, and dismissed them with a satisfied smile.


    "Good, go rest. Once this raid is over, expect a reward." I told them, and they saluted once more, before dispersing. "Well then, I think it''s time I brief you on the raid that''s about to come."


    We walked to the walls where the gate leading to the entrance stood. Climbing up the walls with the stairs provided, we looked upon the vast expanse of the first room of my Dungeon, with the forest housing both Silk Valley Village and Florein Village.


    "First of all, the raid that''s coming here is because of an elite knight group chasing one of my residents." They nodded, their ears sharp and attentive. "Before that though, allow me to ask a question. Do you know who Drake, the wielder of the Gauntlets of Sharok, is?"


    "You mean the man who is a living legend? Why?" Catalina was the first to speak up, and I couldn''t help but sigh.


    ''Yep, he really is an overpowered protagonist.'' I mused in my head, ready to berate Drake for not telling me about this earlier. Then again, I didn''t ask, so it''s not his fault. "Yeah, he''s my new resident, and the one the knights are chasing."


    All of them froze at my words. Seeing their reaction, I couldn''t help but chuckle due to how over-the-top they currently looked.


    "H-how¡­? Why is he here¡­?" Catalina exclaimed, while the rest were still in disbelief that Drake was living inside my Dungeon.


    "Would you believe me that we were old friends?" I said with a sheepish smile, all of them once more going catatonic. I waited for a few moments before they became responsive again, only to find myself being subjected to a vicious shaking of my body due to Catalina''s arms.


    "You¡­ you are old friends, with that person!?" Catalina shouted as she looked hysterical. "The man who befriended the Demon King!? The man who does not give a fuck about authority!? The man who goes where he pleases!?"


    I dumbly nodded at her exclamations, and she stared at me with intense eyes, before she glomped me.


    "¡­ Next time¡­ Don''t call for help when it''s not needed¡­"


    ''¡­ I''m going to ask Drake about the power levels of this world the next time I see him.''


    It was at that moment that I heard the alarm sounding.

 Chapter 164 - Monke And The Siege (2)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "That is the place he entered? A dingy cave?" The female knight scoffed as she got off her high horse, the sounds of two metal boots landing on the soft mud due to an early rain.


    "This is what our magical trackers say, ma''am." Another soldier, but better equipped than the previous soldiers that raided the Dungeon, poked and prodded the device he was currently holding. "His magical signature leads directly into this cave."


    "Then he is cornered. As far as I know, there is no exit on the other side of this mountain." The female knight smirked as she looked towards the veritable army she had gathered, all for the sake of pursuing a single heretic.


    That''s just how fanatical they are, and how numerous they are.


    "Set up camp here. Scouts, head inside and get a general layout of the area. If you see him, do not initiate contact, and run." The scouts of the group saluted and went on their way towards the cave that was seen in the distance.


    Only to be caught in a trap on their first few steps.


    "Shit! We''ve got a trap here!" The scout next to the screaming scout did his best to pry off the iron bear trap that was cleverly hidden within the foliage of dense grass and trees.


    "Traps? Lieutenant, is there anything about this cave you forgot to tell me?" The female knight regarded the soldier holding the magic device in his hands with a stern gaze. The lieutenant shook slightly, before breathing out his answer.


    "Not that I know of, but I did hear something about the cave being a Dungeon, although it was spoken by those filthy demi-humans." The lieutenant scoffed at the mention of the demi-humans he personally tortured in the few days'' past.


    "¡­ You imbecile. Demi-humans or not, information is information." The female knight quickly unsheathed her sword and held the lieutenant at sword-point, the tip of the blade grazing the unprotected neck of the lieutenant. "If you weren''t useful, I would''ve beheaded you right now for your slight."


    The female knight sheathed her sword, and the lieutenant heaved a sigh of relief, saved from a quick death by the hands of his superior.


    "Scouts, new plan." The female knight addressed the scouts, who were now hesitating to advance forward due to their recently wounded compatriot. The scout that was caught in the trap had no other choice than to be subjected to the decapitation of his own limb. Apparently, the trap was laid with lethal poison, and the only way to make sure the poison didn''t spread to inwards inside the scout''s body was to amputate the limb, and hope for the best. "Postpone your current mission and help with setting up camp. This will apparently be a long mission."


    The screams of pain and anguish caused most of the soldiers there to shudder.


    "Healers! Get moving!" The female knight yelled and a few of the healers they brought moved as one to save the life of the scout. "The rest of you, double time! I want tents set up and medical tents ready! One of you, go back to Kazanpan and get some more able-bodies."


    Once her commands were screamed out, all of the soldiers quickly went to work. Tents were erected, some medical, and others for quarters. Some trees were also chopped down to increase the space they were about to use.


    Unfortunately for them, due to that, some of the soldiers also set off some other traps, more deadly than the last.


    One soldier got punctured in the eye and had his brain skewered. Another was subjected to a pitfall trap that was at least 8-feet deep. Now that wouldn''t that much of a problem if that was all, but take into consideration their heavy armor and iron pikes at the bottom, and you have a deathtrap ready and waiting.


    The female knight watched all of this, and instead of making the sensible decision to retreat and find a different spot to camp in, she was too blinded by her zealotry that all common sense bounced off of her in the moment.


    Once they were done setting camp, the resulting casualties numbered 7, with the wounded numbering more than 10. Taking into account the size of their group, which numbered more than a hundred, then it would not be that much of a loss, but a blow to their force for sure.


    Not resting for a moment while the sun was up, the female knight then commanded the scouts to make their way towards the Dungeon and map out the paths safe enough to traverse and, if possible, deactivate traps along the way.


    The scouts, fearing for their lives at the hand of this female knight, saluted and went on their merry (miserable) way to their possible deaths.


    []


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    ~ First Person POV (Jionni) ~


    The moment I heard the alarm going off, I quickly went into high-gear. Accessing the Dungeon Menu, I took a quick peek at the trespassers that were currently traversing my Dungeon.


    "Well, they don''t look like much. A scouting party, perhaps?" Catalina, who was looking at the screen from beside me, gave her two cents. I agreed with her, and decided to test the waters with the group of scouts that were threatening harm to my Dungeon.


    "Primates, go give them your greetings. Leave one alive." I commanded the primates through the comms, and they gave me their salutes. I decided to leave it up to them on how to deal with the group of scouts, since I wanted to see what kind of strategy they were going to use.


    There were at most 100 primates hiding within the forest just right in front of the entrance, and the moment I gave them the command and the scouts were deep enough, half of them quickly blocked their escape route by using the gorillas to form a makeshift wall with their tower shields.


    This got the attention of the scout, and all of them panicked at the sight of a wall made out of shields now blocking their path out. Next came the roars.


    Looking back to the front, they saw the gorillas charging at them, with the chimpanzees riding said gorillas donning light metal armor that only covered their vital parts, making it easier for them to move while perched upon the backs of the gorillas.


    The chimpanzees wielded spears in both hands, while the gorillas brought tower shields. The gorilla would focus on defense, while the chimps would focus on offense.


    Their primal yells and screams of fury made the scouts, who numbered about eight, pale and run for their lives. Only to be reminded of the wall that stood in their way to freedom.


    "Yikes, that''s a scary combo." Catalina said from beside me, but there was no pity to be felt from her voice.


    "Indeed." I replied nonchalantly as I stared at the screen showing the bloodbath that was about to commence.


    And what a bloodbath it was.


    Since they were just scouts, they weren''t equipped with regular armor. Instead, they wore leather vests that granted minimal protection, and some other leather garments. Their weapon of choice was a short sword, paired with a dagger in case of losing their primary weapons.


    That short sword and dagger combo, however, was shit when going against towering tower shields and riders with spears.


    Suffice to say, they were slaughtered in a matter of seconds.


    The first to go was the frontmost scout that froze up, an iron spear skewering his midsection as he was made into a human flag by the chimp, who was now cheering at his kill. Seeing this, the rest of the scouts snapped out of their shock, and decided to make a final stand, since there was no other way out of this.


    The rest of the gorillas made contact with the scouts, and two of them were trampled underneath more than 200 kilograms worth of meat and iron, their brief screams of pain soothing to the ear.


    Now there were only five of them left, and one by one, they all fell, either to a spear, being trampled on, or crushed by a shield.


    When only one was left, the gorillas stopped their advance and looked upon the scout, who was now a shivering mess.


    "Weird, I thought fanatics were supposed to fight until their last breath. Must be a forced one then." I spoke out, which caused Domino, who was still perched on my shoulder, to nod agreeingly. Catalina and the rest did so as well.


    "Bring the surviving scout to me. I have some questions I want to ask." The primates nodded at my command and proceeded to drag the shivering mess of a scout by the arm, uncaring for any pain he would endure as they travelled.


    DP gained: 350


    EXP gained: 315


    DP: 27,355 => 27,705


    "That''s one helluva fighting force you got there, Jion. Mind lending some to me?" Catalina whistled as she looked upon the band of primates, impressed. I raised an eyebrow at her.


    "That''s the favor you want from me?"


    "NO!" Catalina vehemently denied that as she looked at me with a pout. "There''s no way I would ask some of your forces for a favor. You already know what it is."


    She licked her lips, and my little Jionni twitched a little at her suggestion.


    "Maybe after the raid." I said, and she beamed at me. Tigre was once again looking at me like he wanted to rip me limb from limb, which wasn''t that far from the truth.


    ''Anyway, time to interrogate the scout.''

 Chapter 165 - Monke And The Siege (3)

    The struggling and scared shitless scout was brought before me by the lead primate, who was none other than Gund.


    "Boss. Last scout, as commanded." Gund forcefully dropped the scout, who was now looking at me and my companions with obvious fear in his eyes.


    "Thank you Gund. You may leave. Ready yourselves for the next wave." Gund saluted, as well as the other primates he was currently leading, and left the scout with me and the group of demi-humans and humans. "Now then, what can you tell me? Pitiful human?"


    I approached the shivering mess of a scout, and to add in a fear factor, used some of my MP to generate an aura of flames around me. Domino was already on her way back to the Dungeon Core Room while the surviving scout was being brought along.


    "A-anything! I''ll tell you anything! J-just please! D-d-don''t kill me!" His bowels apparently malfunctioned due to fear, since the smell coming from his backside caused my nose to cringe.


    I grabbed his head, and let the flames lick his skin for a moment, eliciting a scream of pain from the terrified scout.


    "Well, that''s lovely. Answer my questions truthfully, and I''ll grant you freedom." I smiled, which caused the scout to piss himself, the smell of both shit and ammonia wafting in the air. Behind me, I noticed Catalina, and the demi-humans, cringing at the odor due to their heightened sense of smell.


    I released the scout and he crashed back on the ground, his head fearfully nodding at the acceptance of his fate.


    "First off, why are you here?" I asked him as I crouched down to meet his eyes, earth snaking around his limbs as his fear began to escalate. He was silent as he felt the earth slither across his arms and legs. His mouth hung wide open. "Tick tock, human. Time''s running out."


    "T-t-to get a layout of the map of the D-D-Dungeon! A-a-and disable t-t-traps we come acr-r-r-ross!" Tears now poured down his face like a fountain, my humming causing the scout to shiver in fright.


    "Alright. Next question: What faction do you belong to, and who sent you?"


    "The Human Movement Federation!" The scout hastily said with a yell. "M-M-Mistress Erika sent us in!"


    ''I have a name to blame now. I should probably ask Bentley, Nicholas, or Drake if they know anything about this person.'' I hummed once more, the scout taking my humming as a sign of satisfaction. "Then, next question: What is your objective?"


    "T-t-to hunt down a heretic who has b-b-been travelling from t-t-t-t-town to t-town!" At his answer, I sighed.


    ''Well Drake, at least they don''t know your identity. Otherwise, I would think that they would''ve stopped pursuing you ages ago.'' Nearly facepalming at their stupidity, I regarded the shivering mess of a scout once more, a final question popping in my head. "How many are you in your group, and where are you located?"


    "W-w-we''re more than a hundred strong! We m-m-made camp on a cliffside nearby!" I cupped my chin.


    ''Well, now I know where their camp is. Question is, should I launch a preemptive attack? Or should I wait until they try to pursue Drake again and rush into my Dungeon? One way to find out.'' The final question popped in my head, and this really was my final question to the scout before his usefulness runs out. "Will your superior force your group to march in just to pursue the heretic!"


    "Yes! She will!" The scout, sensing that his usefulness was about to run out, begged and pleaded on the ground, snot coating the stone floor of the wall. "She doesn''t stop when hunting a target! Now please! Let me go!"


    "¡­ Very well." Standing up, I notice Catalina behind me about to protest and the scout giving me a grateful smile, before I conjured lightning and zapped the scout with enough volts to instantly kill the man, rendering his death quick and painless. "There, I grant you freedom to die."


    50 EXP gained!


    DP gained: 50


    EXP gained: 50


    DP: 27,705 => 27,755


    I looked behind me, and saw Catalina glancing at the corpse then at me, before sighing a breath of relief.


    "For a moment there, I thought you''d let that scum go." Catalina then gave off an expression of disgust when she looked at the smoking corpse. "Shit, that stinks."


    "Well, mercy was off the table the moment they wanted to do harm in my Dungeon." I chuckled at her expression, and ordered a few primates to come and dispose of the body, as well as clean up the floor where the corpse laid. No way in hell am I going to step on poop, piss, and snot mixed together. "Anyway, what do you guys suggest? Attack their own base? Or wait and defend because we have the home advantage?"


    "I suggest the latter." Wulfstan suggested from his place. He looked at the forest below and at the entrance of my Dungeon with a critical eye. "We still have no idea what we''re up against, even if we know they are the elites of their faction. It''s probably best if we hold out for now before risking a gamble."


    "¡­ A wise decision." I nodded, and commanded the primates who were waiting for the next invasion to stay alert at all times in case the next wave came. "Those were just the scouts, and the massacre gave us nothing about their capabilities. However, we might not get another wave for the next few hours, so you all can go and spend your time however you like. I have to go meet up with someone."


    "Hey, I''m coming with!" Catalina immediately glomped the side of my arm with her modest breasts, causing no small amount of anger and jealousy to radiate from Tigre.


    "¡­ Alright." I sighed out and Catalina beamed as her cat tail swished to and fro, while her cat ears wiggled cutely. "Anyway, I''ll contact you if ever other waves come. Until then, you can spend your time however you like. Just don''t antagonize the residents."


    And with that, I left with Catalina hugging my arm with a purr. While Tigre was being surrounded by his adoring fans of the opposite gender, he was glaring at me once more like a very jealous ex to Catalina.


    ''Sheesh, I wonder if he has a power related to jealousy. That would be incredibly funny, as well as ironic.''


    []


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    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "What do you mean our scouts haven''t returned!?" The female knight, now known as Erika, yelled at her lieutenant with her grip tightening on the handle of her sword still sheathed in its scabbard.


    "As I have reported, ma''am. Our scouts have failed to report in the allotted time, which means that they are either killed or captured within the Dungeon." The lieutenant said with no small amount of fear in his voice, afraid that he would meet his end right here and now due to the temper of the well-known knight.


    "¡­ Useless bunch of ingrates." Erika scowled as she released the handle of her sword and sat forcefully on the stool. "This complicates things. A scout party will just result in more casualties, but blindly going in is another problem in and of its own."


    The lieutenant stayed silent while Erika continued to ponder her choices on how to tackle the obstacle in her path. Seeing no other choice but to brute force it, she sighed and regarded her lieutenant with a strict gaze.


    "Once our reinforcements arrive, we march for the Dungeon." The lieutenant nodded fearfully as he stored the barebones plan in his head. "Tell all the soldiers to ready themselves for a march at dawn. Today, we rest, because tomorrow, we shed blood for our Goddess."


    The lieutenant''s fear vanished as he prayed towards the Goddess which he held high regards to. Whether afraid of Erika or not, the lieutenant is a fanatic like the female knight, just not as zealous as Erika is.


    "Understood, ma''am." With a salute, Erika dismissed her lieutenant and watched as the soldier exited her tent, leaving her alone to her own musings. She laid her head on the table as she pondered the horrifying torture she would subject the heretic to once she had her hands on him.


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    []


    Inside the Dungeon, Drake stirred in his sleep, nightmares plaguing his mind as he once again relived the moment where his arrogance and pride costed him many things.


    "¡­ No¡­ Pina¡­"


    His breaths ended in short gasps, sweat trickling down his body as his eyes clenched tightly.


    "¡­Sorry¡­ My fault¡­"


    His mutterings echoed through the room, no one present to hear his broken cries of guilt and sorrow as he muttered in his sleep.


    "¡­ No¡­ No¡­ No¡­!"


    His stirrings grew intense as the bed creaked. He flipped his body left and right, before jumping out of the covers, his gauntlets in full view as his mouth opened wide.


    "PINA!!!" His sweat trickled down his body as he regarded his situation. Looking around, he sighed, and decided that it wasn''t worth it to go back to bed. Not when the nightmares that kept on plaguing him every day were worse than before.


    "¡­ Fuck¡­ This is why I don''t like to sleep anymore¡­" His words went unheard as he headed his way into the shower, unimpeded by the more than spacious room. His mind was forced into a lull as he showered, and once he was done, he dressed himself and heard a knock on the door.


    "Drake. It''s me.." Jionni''s voice brought him out of his lull, and his lips twitched upward slightly.

 Chapter 166 - Monke And The Siege (4)

    "Yo, you feeling okay? You look like shit." I asked Drake, who was sitting in front of me as he sipped some coffee from his mug.


    "Nope." Drake wryly chuckled as he placed the mug back on the table. "Had nightmares about some bad memories. Nothing new."


    "¡­ Dude, what the hell happened to you when you were isekai''d to this world?" I shifted my weight slightly on the chair, which was perfectly sized for my large frame.


    "¡­ Nah, I won''t tell you much, yet. Just not in the mood." Drake sighed as he stood up and left the coffee mug on the table. "Anyway, you wanted to talk to me about something?"


    "¡­ Yes." I stood up as well, and we both exited the house, leaving the building barren of sentient life once more. "I wanted to ask you about the group chasing you."


    Outside, both of us spotted Catalina waiting for us with a cute smile on her face, her cat ears wiggling adorably and her cat tail swishing back and forth like a curious snake.


    "Finally! You took a few minutes too long to get out of that house." Catalina quickly rushed towards my position and glomped onto my right arm with a purr.


    "This is the girl you got to bang? Gotta say, I''m fucking impressed." Drake wiggled his eyebrows while Catalina looked at Drake amusingly. I, however, was sure to blush if I had the capability to do so. Deciding to be an asshole towards Drake''s unashamed comment, I looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a tiny smirk on my face.


    "This, coming from a nearly 30-year-old virgin?" His grin dropped and he looked at me with jealousy. Catalina was laughing all the while at Drake''s sorry state of a sex life.


    "Oh, shut up." Drake pouted as both I and Catalina chuckled amusingly at his situation. "Anyway, what did you want to talk to me about?"


    "¡­ Right. Does the name Erika ring a bell for you?" I asked, and Drake hummed as his previous pouting disappeared and a thoughtful expression overcame his face.


    "Depends on the description. I''ve met a lot of Erika''s in this world." I facepalmed at my idiotic way of asking. Of course, there would be a dozen or so people with the same name, unless the name was incredibly unique enough that nobody would''ve even thought to come up with the name in the first place.


    "An Erika, who is an elite knight under the Human Movement Federation." I said, and he stopped in his tracks, his eyes opening wide while his mouth did the same. He then twisted his neck slowly as he looked at me with a manic expression on his face.


    "¡­ Tell me you did not say an Erika under the Human Movement Federation¡­?"


    "¡­ Why? Is there a problem?" Drake looked up at the ceiling with his bangs covering his eyes.


    "¡­ Of course, there''s a fucking problem¡­" His voice was tiny at first, but it slowly grew in intensity as it cracked. "First I had a nightmare about my partner dying due to my stupidity. Now this¡­?"


    He chuckled, his depreciating laughter giving me an underlying tone of danger, and it seemed that Catalina felt it as well.


    "MOTHERFUCKER!" He lashed out with a kick towards a lamp post, which sent it flying into the air and out of the Human Town. The other humans and demi-humans who were around the area screamed in terror at the sudden violence that was happening.


    Not long after, Nicholas and Luke arrived with faces that looked like they were ready to go to war.


    "What''s happening here!? Sir Jionni?" Their faces soon morphed into confusion the moment they saw me, Catalina looking scared shitless as she clung to my arm, her tail puffed up and standing straight up, a clear indication she was spooked, and Drake, who was reigning in his temper from his outburst.


    "¡­ Sorry about that, Jionni. Just some more bad memories¡­" Drake sighed as he visibly calmed down, Catalina''s tail slowly relaxing as her grip on my arm lessened. "To answer your question, yes, I do know her."


    Luke and Nicholas decided to join our current group because they were already in the area.


    "So, what you all talking about?" Nicholas was the first to ask a question before Luke did, and judging by his expression, that was the same question he was about to ask as well.


    "It was pertaining to the leader of the incoming raid. Since both of you knew each other, I also assume you know Erika, an elite knight under the Human Movement Federation?" I asked, and both Luke and Nicholas had their eyes boggling out of their eye sockets.


    "WHAT!?" Both of them practically roared out of their lungs, causing Catalina''s cat ears to flatten against her skull due to the sheer loudness.


    "I know, right?" Drake sighed defeatedly as both Nicholas and Luke stared at him.


    "Drake! You were supposed to guide her away from that cult!" Drake winced at Nicholas'' piercing gaze, while Luke glared at Drake with a look that could kill.


    "I did! I wrote her a letter to move out of that hellhole and transfer to Kazanpan!" Drake defended himself with a grimace. "¡­ Somebody must''ve blocked the attempt, and recruited her by focusing her hate¡­ Fuck¡­"


    Drake once again became depressed as both Luke and Nicholas glared at him, but their glares suddenly dropped, only to be replaced with melancholy.


    "¡­ Uh, sorry to break all three of you out of your funk, but the two of us here have no idea what the fuck is going on." I suddenly piped up from my position, with Catalina not minding the sudden attention as she nuzzled my arm like a cat would.


    "¡­ Right, anyway. Long story short, Erika was my disciple a year ago. She was a kind, young woman, but had a vendetta against a certain demi-human. She wasn''t a fanatic, until now, that is¡­" Drake said solemnly as he sighed. "She was probably converted while I roamed the world, not before I tried sending her a letter to transfer her workplace."


    "Somebody probably intercepted the letter to her. Must be someone high up in the Human Movement Federation." Nicholas theorized, while Luke nodded in agreement with his theory.


    "¡­ Shit. She''s probably committed grave sins as of late, and as much as I don''t want to do this, she must be punished¡­" Drake palmed his face.


    "You and me both, Drake. You and me both¡­ She was like family¡­" Nicholas sighed as well as he placed a hand on Drake''s shoulder.


    []


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    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    ''Finally, dawn has come.'' Erika thought to herself as she quickly decked herself out in her gear. ''It was time to continue finding that heretic.''


    She exited the tent, her eyes gazing upon the already bustling soldiers that were under her command. Just a day earlier, the reinforcements arrived, numbering 200, and they spent the day readying themselves for a raid against a Dungeon.


    Since it was for finding a heretic as well as quelling a possible threat to the town, the new town manager of Kazanpan was all too happy to send the extra manpower to help with the job.


    Erika approached her lieutenant, who was busy making sure that everything was up and ready for the raid to commence. He also made sure that the scouts disarmed any traps that were between them and the Dungeon, to make sure that no unwanted casualties appeared when they were still on their march.


    "Ma''am. The soldiers are ready and waiting for the order." The lieutenant saluted towards his superior, and Erika gesture towards to stand at ease.


    "Excellent. Tie the horses and leave them to graze. We won''t be needing them where we''re going." The lieutenant nodded and quickly commanded a soldier to do as he was told. "Hasten your preparations. Dawn is upon us, and time grows ever short."


    The soldiers gave off a cheer as they hastened their movements. Armors were fastened, weapons were hung, and determinations were hardened.


    Some of them may perish, but if they are doing it for their Goddess, they will gladly pay with their lives. Although a minority of them would disagree, but they didn''t want to die and early death due to disobeying the rules.


    "Now, we march! Onwards! For Goddess Phoemis!" Erika raised her sword as she marched towards the entrance of the Dungeon, leading the borderline battalion of soldiers into battle. The soldiers behind her rallied and cheered as their morale soared high into the sky, intent on finding the heretic and making him pay for his transgressions.


    Behind them, they didn''t notice a black raven perched on a branch and staring at the battalion of soldiers with its red, beady eyes. The raven let out a caw before taking off, black feathers falling to the ground as it left the battalion of soldiers to their fate.


    "Now then, show me what you''re Dungeon is capable of, Jionni." A stern voice echoed in the chamber as their vision slowly left the raven''s point of view, a smirk plastered on their face.. "After all, my close friend is currently with you."

 Chapter 167 - Monke And The Siege (5)

    We were now back at the Monster Town after a quick detour and a bite to eat. Luke and Nicholas followed the both of us (Catalina decided to separate for the time being to talk with Tigre and his group of demi-humans) because they felt that it was a part of their responsibility to correct the mistake they have made.


    And that is to stop Erika from ever harming any more innocent lives¡­ Permanently.


    It''s a sad scene to see Drake, Nicholas, and Luke melancholic like that, but that''s life. Sometimes, it gives you what you want. Most of the time, they throw a curveball at you and you can''t help but rage at the world for what it has done.


    "Hey, Drake, you gonna be alright?" I inquired the downtrodden figure, who was busy ruminating on his thoughts. He perked up and looked at me with a smile that told me everything I needed to know.


    "Probably¡­ I''ve dealt with situations like these before¡­ Never gets easier¡­" Drake admitted, and I nodded at the fact that he had just stated. Just imagining someone close to me, like Catalina or Domino, going down the wrong path and the only solution to end the madness is to kill them¡­


    ''I would''ve probably gone mental at that point¡­'' I sighed, and the four of us continued towards the wall where Gong was currently stationed. He was keeping watch of the entrance with the binoculars I gave him via spending some DP in the Dungeon Market.


    "Can I ask about her? What Erika was like in the past?" I asked the trio who knew her the most, and all of them chuckled. All at once, they responded.


    "She''s racist." That got me to do a double-take at their words. I cleaned my ears with my fingers and opened my mouth once more.


    "Come again¡­?"


    "Jionni, we''re telling you she was racist." Drake said with a chuckle as he recalled the time when everything was just simple. "Not completely racist, however. It was due to an incident when she was younger. Her parents were killed right in front of her eyes while she was raped by a group of demi-humans."


    Drake growled out the words, while both Luke and Nicholas scowled.


    "Luckily, I was passing by and saved her from her death. She was broken after that¡­ It took me months to get her to move on past the trauma, but she still couldn''t be comfortable with demi-humans. That''s why she''s racist."


    "¡­ Oh¡­" Realization hit me as Drake''s words registered in my mind. That was one fucked up childhood, so I can see where she''s coming from.


    "But indiscriminately killing demi-humans, young and old, male and female? That''s not what I and Nick taught her." Drake gestured towards Nicholas who was content to just listen as he stewed in his thoughts. "Once I get the opportunity, those bastards who brainwashed her will pay¡­"


    From beside him, Nicholas and Luke nodded with anger beneath their visages. The four of us stayed silent after that while we scaled the wall. On the top, we were greeted by Wulfstan and the mute twins, and Tigre with his group. Catalina was also there, waving a hand at me with a bright smile on her face.


    The most eye-catching thing, however, was that Tigre wasn''t glaring at me with jealousy anymore. Instead, he was now cowering in fear of Catalina. I wonder what she did to put the fear of God in the tiger demi-human.


    At least his harem of girls is happy since he isn''t fixated on Catalina anymore.


    "Gong, any news from the outside?" I asked Gong, who was looking through the binoculars with a frown.


    "Yes, boss. Group of humans. Incoming." Gong relayed the information to me, and I took the binoculars from him, which he happily obliged, to scout the entrance. "Primates now waiting for group. Set up ambush for trespassers."


    "How many did the primates say there were?"


    "Did not get good count. Just said over one hundred." I gripped the binoculars tightly at his statement.


    ''More than one hundred humans at the same level as either an above-average soldier or a veteran combatant. There''s also the factor that most of them are fanatics, which makes forcing them to submit even harder.'' I groaned at the prospect of residents dying if the primates weren''t able to stop their advance. ''I''ll just have to trust them, and hope that I have enough manpower to fight them off¡­''


    My musings were cut short when Drake tapped me on the head. I looked towards him as I gave the binoculars back to Gong, who immediately went back to checking the entrance to see if there was any movement.


    "Jionni. You do know that you aren''t alone, right?" He said, and I tilted my head in confusion.


    "¡­ Uh, yes? You''re here, and I have reinforcements from other Dungeon Masters." Drake facepalmed at my answer, and so did Catalina, Nicholas, and Luke. "What''s wrong with all of you?"


    "Nothing. It''s just that you''re relying too much on yourself." Drake sighed in his palms as he grabbed my shoulders. "Look, Jionni. You don''t need to worry. You''ve been alone for most of your time here, so I can understand where you''re coming from. That doesn''t mean you can just ignore the power of your allies around you. Not every problem coming to your Dungeon has to be solved by you alone."


    "¡­ But I hold meetings before deciding on a course of action. Isn''t that what you mean?" Drake groaned even further.


    "You''re missing the point!" Drake sighed as he let go of my shoulder. "What I''m talking about is that you should trust us more."


    I went silent at that as I reviewed my decisions over the past hours.


    ''¡­ Holy shit. He''s right¡­'' Instead of assigning proper positions to my reinforcements, I decided to let only the primates handle the incoming raid. The goblins, alraunes, and arachnes were only used to make traps, and that''s about it. I didn''t give them any specific order other than to prepare because I was too caught up in minimizing the damage to impossible proportions. "¡­ You know, you''re a good friend, Drake."


    Drake finally cracked a smile after the mention of Erika coming here for his head.


    "Wulfstan, from your gear, I''m assuming you specialize in picking off targets." Wulfstan nodded. "Then I want you three to help with picking off their upper ranks while the chaos ensues. Tigre-"


    Tigre looked at me with a neutral face, a far cry from his earlier scowl. "- You''re all fighters, right?" They nodded, and I gave them a nod as well. "You will be with the primates on the frontline fighting the soldiers. If things are getting too hot, then you''re allowed to pull back."


    Tigre growled at the mention of retreat, but otherwise nodded because life is more important than pride.


    "Drake¡­ I know you, Nicholas, and Luke will go after Erika."


    "Hell yeah, we are." Drake nodded, determined, while Nicholas and Luke still held a solemn face. I guess Drake has been through some bullshit to bounce back from his earlier melancholic state faster than these two.


    "Then go crazy. Since Catalina said that you''re friends with the Demon King, I''m pretty sure you can go HAM on these fanatical fuckers and come out without a scratch." We both shared glances and gave each other nods of approval. I then turned to Catalina, who was watching the show with an amused grin on her face. "Lina, come with me. We need to talk privately."


    She was all too happy to lunge to my side and grab my right arm, her smile radiating just a tad bit too bright. Tigre didn''t scowl or look at me with jealousy, but with mild acceptance, which got a hoot from one of his group.


    We separated from the group of mishmash humans and demi-humans on top of the wall and headed down towards a secluded area.


    "Lina, I need to ask you some things about how our summoned monsters work."


    "Then I''m all ears. Ask away." Catalina twitched her cat ears, and I chuckled a bit.


    "When your monsters die, they come back right after the raid is over, right?" Catalina nodded and got a feel for where the conversation was going. "Does that apply when they are outside our Dungeon?"


    "¡­ No, they don''t." Catalina said with a melancholic smile, her eyes growing distant. "Once they die outside your Dungeon, they''re gone forever. What''s even worse, the slot they took up in a room cannot be returned."


    Fully comprehending her words, various plans that I had in my mind went up in flames. ''No way am I sending primates out to scout enemy bases then.''


    "¡­ Did I remind you of a bad memory?" I asked the catwoman, who was still looking into the distance. My words brought her back, however, and she gave me a smile.


    "Don''t worry. It was an old one, and I was completely at fault for that." Catalina smiled gratefully as she regarded some people who weren''t present in the area. "I have some good subordinates."


    I looked back up at the wall, where Gong was still using the binoculars to check the entrance in case the group of humans entered.


    "¡­ And I do too." We both chuckled, and Catalina nuzzled against my arm. Feeling my body relax, I leaned in against her as well, something I didn''t do for the majority of our time together.


    While the both of us were basking in the warmth of each other, Gong and the alarm in my Dungeon Menu alerted me to the enemy approaching.

 Chapter 168 - Monke And The Siege (6)

    Quickly scaling up the stairs, Gong hastily handed me the binoculars so I could see the incoming group of invaders, and holy shit, were they numerous. The group of primates waiting in ambush at the front numbered only 100 at the moment. Wulfstan and Tigre were already with the frontline primates, Tigre raising his arms with his claws, ready to rip the soldiers to shreds, while Wulfstan opted to hide in the shadows of the trees.


    Lowering the binoculars, I regarded Drake, Nicholas, and Luke, who were looking at the entrance with somber looks.


    "Hey, you three gonna be okay?" I asked the three men, who looked at me with a smile. All of them were hurt, one way or another.


    "We will¡­ We''ve gone through too many bullshits to chicken out, right Nick?" At that, the tense atmosphere slowly lightened as Nicholas, along with Luke, gave out a weak chuckle at their predicament.


    "Right you are on that." Nicholas patted Drake''s back, a smile hanging on his lips, which spread to Drake as well. "Well, we should probably get going. Jionni, you staying back here and coordinating your monsters?"


    "Yes. As much as I want to fight on the front lines (and get some extra EXP from fighting, but that went unsaid), I would rather stay in the backline and prepare some things in case the soldiers, with some miraculous luck, push through." I relayed my thoughts, and the three of them accepted my response.


    "Alright. Wish us luck then, Jionni." Drake nodded his head, and I gave him a wave. The three of them then left by jumping down the walls and running towards the frontline where the primates were waiting in ambush.


    "You staying back as well?" I asked Catalina, who was still busy nuzzling my arm while purring.


    "I''m a Dungeon Master. I''m meant to stay in the backline." She stated a matter of fact, which got me agreeing with her.


    "Straight facts." I chuckled as I once again used the binoculars to spy on the incoming group of soldiers. "Also, Gong. Call the resident monsters, tell them to get ready in case our enemies arrive at the wall."


    "Okay, boss." Gong nodded and quickly ran down the stairs to relay my orders to the leaders of the respective monster races.


    ''Let''s see how my primates fare against the well-trained soldiers.''


    []


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    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Erika marched at the front, leading the rest of the soldiers marching along with her. As they traversed the dim passageway of the cave leading inside the Dungeon, she couldn''t help but wonder who the heretic she was chasing was.


    All she knew was that he was a male wearing a robe that concealed his face and was strong enough to fend off squads of average soldiers stationed in the various towns he came across.


    A brief humming came from her lips as the group of soldiers finally arrived at a seemingly ordinary forest.


    "¡­ Forest type. Expect anything." Erika said to her soldiers, and every soldier present tensed. At this point, their training kicked in, and they devolved into using hand signs to communicate.


    ''It''s too quiet¡­'' Erika raised her hand and made some gestures. The rest of the soldiers stopped and formed a circle, all of them raising their shields high, fully expecting an attack.


    A shadow moved in the corner of her eyes, and she quickly locked onto the position. Raising her hand, powerful gusts of wind gathered in her palms and shot out at the speed of sound. The gust hit the bark of the tree where the shadow was hidden and pierced through, causing blood to spill out from the other side.


    Moments later, a black-furred monster landed on the ground with a thud, its hand clutching its chest as bits of its armor punctured its organs.


    "AMBUSH!" Erika yelled, and the soldiers all steeled themselves. When her shout echoed through the silent forest, sounds of heavy thumping entered her ears, and monsters of big and small sizes appeared, all of them bearing a resemblance to the dead black-furred monster that Erika killed.


    Their roars and shouts boomed around the area, the ground and trees slightly shaking due to the loud sound alone, but the soldiers held fast. All of them were prepared to meet head-on with the fully-armored beasts.


    When the two groups met, a normal person would''ve expected that the soldiers would be ultimately knocked down and trampled underfoot, but the wall of iron shields the soldiers built didn''t budge an inch.


    "Mages! Protocol 1-1!" The Mage soldiers, who were situated in the center of the encirclement, raised their staffs and chanted out verses. While they were doing so, the soldiers holding the iron wall of shields still made sure that they weren''t harmed in any way.


    Even by the arrows that occasionally pierced the tree-lines, orange-furred humanoid beasts wielding the bows with their lanky arms.


    How they were able to wield those kinds of weapons with those arms was anyone''s guess, but if it works, it works.


    The smaller, humanoid black beasts riding atop the larger ones wielded spears that tried to get in through the gaps in their shields, but their training made it difficult for them to pierce through. The larger ones, wielding clubs and axes bigger than what a normal human could wield with a single hand, pounded on their iron, their knees buckling at the sheer strength that accompanied the strikes.


    Thanks to their gear and training, however, they were able to pull through the strikes and defend against the vicious attacks with minimal casualties. Those that succumbed to the attacks were quickly replaced by those behind them, thus making their defense nearly impenetrable.


    Once a few seconds had passed, the mages finally finished their chanting and smacked the butt of their staffs on the ground, creating a huge magic circle beneath their feet that spread all throughout the encirclement. Then, a dome of light manifested, encompassing the entirety of the group of soldiers.


    "Now! Attack!" Erika''s shout brought them fervor, their war cries echoing louder than the roars of the beasts. With the dome of light now present, the soldiers brought out their weapons behind their shields and slashed at the monsters nearby, the beasts'' weapons bouncing off harmlessly the dome of light.


    The same could be said for the arrows fired from afar, their iron-tipped points not being able to penetrate through the dome of magic.


    Now with the upper-hand, the soldiers all attacked at once, their feet never leaving the dome lest they wind up unprotected by the spell.


    Monsters near the dome fell left and right due to the sudden attack. The swords of the soldiers cleaved through the iron armor they wore. This surprised the monsters, as they quickly moved away from the dome.


    "Mages! Protocol 2-1!" Erika shouted once more, the mages'' chanting once more gracing the hearing of everybody present. The primates, now warier due to the dome, waited for the action to be completed. Because of the fact that they didn''t know what they were going to do because of the vague command, they stayed their hand.


    A decision poorly made...


    "Earth''s Wrath!" Their chanting finished, the mages shouted the words as one. The Dungeon rumbled, and a mass of earthen spikes appeared all around the dome as they rose from the dirt, skewering any unfortunate monster to be caught.


    Cries of pain and bloodcurdling screams entered their ears like music, a demented grin forming on every face of the fanatic soldiers.


    The monsters, now effectively cut in half and wounded, struggled on the ground as they tried to regroup themselves. The soldiers let out a scream as they boldly charged out of their safe haven, shields raised high and swords ready to slice. The mages who remained behind were protected by the nearest soldiers and were casting more magic to help with the efforts of bringing down the remaining monsters.


    "FOR GODDESS PHOEMIS!" Erika yelled and charged forward, her sword raised high and a stern look on her face.


    "FOR GODDESS PHOEMIS!" The soldiers echoed, and they all slaughtered the monsters, leaving none behind. Gouts of blood, amputated limbs, decapitated heads; none were safe from the soldiers who now released bloodlust like serial killers would in their natural habitat.


    The traps that were placed all around the area were disarmed due to the spell the mages used that caused the earthen spikes to rise, making them useless in the current situation.


    The monsters, now on their last legs, didn''t give up and kept on screaming and fighting, even as they drowned in their own blood.


    It was at that moment, a mage that was busy casting another spell was quickly beheaded by a quick slash from a unique-looking weapon.


    This alerted the soldiers and mages, causing them to zero in on the attackers. They numbered three, all wearing leather vests, cloaks, and trousers. Their leather boots were caked with mud and blood, causing them to leave footprints behind as they stepped forward.


    "Well then, tonight, Wulfstan joins the hunt." The unique weapon formed into a demented looking cleaver-like axe. The soldiers all roared as they quickly let the mages run towards their back, but the other two didn''t stand still as they retreated, opting to let their similar weapons dance among the bodies of mages, their enchanted clothes rendered useless against the demented looking weapons. "And don''t forget my twin apprentices."


    The three of them grinned maliciously as they moved to strike at the mages.

 Chapter 169 - Monke And The Siege (7)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Wulfstan gave off a bloodthirsty smile as he danced between the heavily armored bodies of the soldiers, their slashes and strikes harmlessly passing through the air as the experienced hunter gracefully put one foot in front of the other, his demented weapon cleaving through those foolish enough to even attempt to strike at him.


    The same could be said for the twins. Their silent huffs, accompanied by a shower of blood, caused a smile to form on their lips, their minds relishing in the kills they had reaped.


    For the soldiers and mages, however, this was nothing but a nightmare, but they were determined to lay down their lives for their Goddess. Such is the strength of their faith.


    As they say, soldiers can be swayed, but fanatics are a whole different set of problems.


    As the three hunters violently thrust into the backline, Erika wasn''t unoccupied either. She hefted her sword to block a metal claw coming at her, sparks emitting from the clashing of blades. In front of her, her foe gave off a scowl as he brought his other arm equipped with another claw to strike at her, only for Erika to quickly push of deadlock with her strength and back away slightly, enough to dodge the claw by a hair''s breadth.


    All around her, her soldiers were busy fighting against the newcomers and the regrouped monsters which were numbered less than before.


    ''Eleven newcomers: three at the back, all humans; eight around us, all demi-humans.'' Erika gritted her teeth at the sight of eight demi-humans hindering her progress. With a snarl, she quickly conjured up wind beneath her feet and propelled herself towards the tiger demi-human in front of her, her sword ready to strike at the scowling demi-humans.


    The tiger demi-human, not to be underestimated, leaned back with his agility, narrowly avoiding the thrust from the propelling knight. Quickly moving his arm, he grabbed the leg of the speeding female knight right above him and slammed her down on the ground, rattling the pieces of armor strapped to her body.


    Erika coughed out a bit of spit from the impact, but swiftly recovered from the slam by kicking the offending limb grabbing her leg off and using magic to propel her away from the demi-human.


    ''Surprise speed is a no go¡­'' Erika gritted her teeth as one of her options for battling the foe was rendered useless. ''Defense and pure strength¡­''


    Channeling her mana once more, she covered her body in gusts of wind, and instead of making it propel her body in any direction she wanted, she made sure that the wind coating her form was razor sharp, as seen by a leaf falling on her body being torn to shreds in a split-second.


    "Come, demi-human. Face your death." Erika lifted her blade and rushed towards the tiger demi-human without any augments to her speed. In his complete lack of understanding of his opponent''s strategy, Tigre backed away as he tried to distance himself from the raging tornado of razor-sharp blades. ''But deception is better...''


    Seeing that her foe was fleeing, she gave a brief smirk, once again pooling mana around the soles of her feet. In an instant, Erika once again dashed towards the tiger demi-human, who, in his haste and ignorance, jumped to the side of the incoming bullet of raging winds.


    Only to be met with the blade of a soldier sinking into his side, blood seeping out of the deep wound as Tigre quickly sliced the soldier in half with his claws and strength.


    Grabbing the sword still lodged in his body, he decided to risk taking it out and bleeding to death, instead of having it mess up his organs more while he runs back to his teammates to recuperate.


    Said teammates watched in horror as their leader and love-interest took a fatal blow to the side by a soldier while he was distracted with the raging tornado of a woman right in front of him.


    "Kck¡­ Mierda¡­" Tigre cursed out as the blade was cleanly pulled out in one swift pull as he stumbled to the ground, his pain receptors blaring out in his mind. "Necesito detener el sangrado (Need to stop the bleeding)."


    "Tigre!" One of his teammates yelled out after him as she quickly made quick work of the soldier she was currently facing. "Ril! Get him out of there! We''re retreating!"


    In one quick swoop, Ril, another tiger demi-human, all but demolished the soldier in front of her with her hammer, chunks of iron mixed with flesh slowly dripping from the flat surface of the hammer.


    Once she was done with that, she ran towards the downed Tigre, who was now flickering between consciousness and unconsciousness as he put pressure onto his bleeding side, blood staining the grass red as it dripped from his wound.


    "Leaving so soon, demi-human?" Erika, who landed a few meters away from the bleeding tiger demi-human, smirked as she once again lunged, her figure a blur to normal people as she closed the distance in just a second, only to be blocked by another demi-human female with a giant shield, Erika''s wind blades raging around her body putting scratches and marks all over the shield. "Not bad demi-human, but not enough."


    With a mighty push, Erika stabbed through the shield with her sword coated in razor sharp wind, piercing through her defenses and cutting through flesh. The demi-human behind the shield gasped out in shock and pain, but was able to minimize the damage by stepping back. Bits of iron from her armor now lodged inside her chest.


    "Compadres, we need to leave... Regroup back at the wall¡­" Tigre, noticing their current plight, weakly voiced out as his head hung limply, his strength fading as his blood ran low. The rest of the group, now together, grabbed their two wounded and rushed out of the clearing, the healthy ones taking the front.


    Behind them, Erika stood to chase, but was impeded by some monsters, which she butchered without relent. That, however, cost her the time chase after the group of demi-humans.


    "¡­ Such a waste. Then again, there are still three heretics behind us¡­" Erika turned around and looked at the three humans who were still going strong, their demented weapons cleaving through the soldiers like paper.


    Erika wasted no time in rushing in to save her subordinates, the wind around her once again growing fiercer by the second. Upon arriving at the scene, she spotted at least a dozen corpses of both soldiers and mages, and more than enough monsters.


    "At least they died with honor." Erika looked at the three humans with a glint in her eyes. "And these heretics must be purged."


    She broke into a sprint, her sword poised to strike at the feminine-looking human nearby. Seeing the approaching threat, the female hunter leaped to the side and grabbed an ancient looking pistol from within her coat.


    Aiming it at the female knight wielding wind magic, she pressed on the trigger and the gun let out a loud bang, a round bullet being launched out of the barrel faster than the eyes can see.


    This did nothing, however, against the raging winds around the female knight''s figure. Giving her a devilish smirk, Erika once again lunged at the female hunter, who tucked away the pistol with masterful sleight of hand movements, and dodged once more to the side.


    "If you weren''t a heretic, I would be glad to have you on my side." Erika said with a frown, her previously unstained sword now stained with blood. "Sadly, you''re allegiance with these monsters prove that you are nothing but a threat to humankind. As such, allow me to end your miserable life."


    The female hunter dropped to the ground as she felt blood pouring out of her wound in her neck. Luckily, it didn''t hit her in the throat, otherwise, she would''ve died where she stood, but the blood dripping out of her wound was incredibly alarming.


    Her twin brother, noticing her predicament, dropped his fight with another soldier to prioritize getting his sister to safety and giving medical aid. Wulfstan, as well, decided to cut his losses and haul their asses back to the wall, where they would make a final stand against the group of soldiers, which they were able to whittle down to 150 men strong.


    "Men! Don''t let them leave!" Erika''s command brought the remaining soldiers to life as they encircled the three hunters who were deep within enemy lines. One of them was wounded, and the other two were nearing the limits of their stamina.


    ''This ain''t good.'' Wulfstan felt the sweat on his brow trickle down on his cheek. ''Constantin is panicking, and Cecilia is at death''s door¡­ We need to leave now¡­''


    Looking for a way out but not finding one, Wulfstan thought to throw himself to the wolves to save his two apprentices, only for his thought to be unneeded by three more humans joining the fight.


    "Erika¡­ What the hell happened to you¡­?" One of them, a human wearing a cloak with twin gauntlets covering his arms, growled out as he looked upon the female knight touched by the storms with melancholy.


    "¡­ Teacher¡­?"

 Chapter 170 - Monke And The Siege (8 - End)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Drake''s face turned grim upon hearing his past charge''s voice, her beautiful tone soothing to the ears in contrast to her current behavior. Erika, seeing her past teacher, momentarily lost her concentration, the raging winds around her diminishing in force and tempo.


    "W-what are you doing here¡­?" Erika''s confused voice brought a depreciating chuckle from Drake as he readied his gauntlets. "¡­ Those gauntlets¡­ No¡­ No¡­ I¡­ It can''t be¡­"


    Her voice was slowly cracking, her thoughts heading into a downward spiral as she relived the time where she and her teacher spent their time together. The dinners, the parties, the teachings¡­ The passionate nights¡­ She grasped her blade tight as her mind brought up the memory she dreaded thinking about now.


    ''He was wearing gauntlets! It covered his forearms! Aside from his cloak, that''s all I know!'' The memory hit her hard as she struggled to stand, her breath hitching a split-second as her gaze focused on the figure of her former teacher.


    "You were chasing a heretic. Well, you found him." Drake opened his arms wide, and his face formed a deprecating smile. "How time flies¡­ Last time I saw you, you weren''t this type of woman."


    "¡­ You can''t be him¡­ He¡­ He would never go against me¡­!" Erika''s voice was raised by an octave, the winds around her once again picking up pace. The blades of grass beneath her feet were swiftly cut and swept by the wind.


    "Sorry to burst your bubble, Rika, but I am Drake, your mentor, and you have thoroughly disappointed me." Drake frowned at his former pupil, his teeth gritting tightly as he got into his normal stance. "You''ve shed too much blood. It''s time Karma caught up."


    Erika howled as she charged towards Drake, fueled by rage and refusal at the reality displayed right in front of her. Drake, not moving an inch from his spot, braced his legs and arms as he caught the raging tornado with his arms.


    Drake was pushed back a few meters, the ground around him getting destroyed in the process, but he wasn''t fazed by the attack. In fact, he was taking it with stride, but his thoughts were in a different place.


    ''I''m sorry, Erika¡­'' Drake shed a tear as his gauntlets hummed and glowed a bright red. Seeing this, Erika stopped her attack and tried to retreat, but it was too late.


    Drake grabbed the closest thing to Erika, since she was already out of his reach, and that object was her sword. Using his supernatural strength, he pulled the female knight towards him, but Erika was able to let go of the sword in time.


    The sword, now in his grasp, Drake snapped it in half and growled.


    "I promise this to you, Rika. Whoever made you like this¡­ He will pay¡­" Dashing forward, Drake delivered a heavy punch towards Erika''s gut while she was in mid-air, her coat of raging winds rendered useless to the physical abnormality that is Drake.


    Erika coughed out blood as she felt her organs rupture inside her body, unimaginable pain coursing through her veins. Flying a few meters away due to the sheer power of her former mentor''s punch, she landed against a tree, the tree snapping in half as the human cannonball impacted.


    A cloud of dust erupted from the source of the impact, stopping all forms of combat around them. Erika opened her eyes, her heartbeats quick, but slowly getting weaker as time passed on. All around her, she saw her men dying at the hands of the two newcomers, both of whom she knew as the companions of her former mentor.


    "S-Sir Nicholas¡­ Sir L-Luke¡­" She voiced it out weakly, her strength slowly vanishing as her heartbeats continued to grow weaker. "¡­ T-Teacher¡­"


    She felt hot tears drip from her eyes, the fire within slowly dwindling. In front of her, she saw her teacher once more, standing in front of her with a sad frown.


    "Rika¡­" Drake kneeled in front of the woman whom he cherished. In response to that, Erika just smiled sadly, her realization catching up with her.


    "¡­ I¡­ I''ve been doing¡­ Too much¡­ w-wrong¡­" Blood continued to drip out of her mouth, forming a line of red against her slowly paling skin. "¡­ I¡­ I''ve¡­ I''ve let you a-all¡­ d-down¡­"


    Now shivering due to the loss of heat, Erika slowly looked up at Drake, her smile vanishing as he looked at the love of her life with desperation¡­


    "I¡­ I¡­ I d-don''t want t-to¡­ die¡­" Her breathing hitched, and she felt warmth wrapping around her shoulders. Her body was too weak to even move her arms that hung limply at her sides.


    "It''s okay¡­ Rest¡­ You''ve suffered enough¡­" Memories from the past surged through her mind. Her loving parents, the days she celebrated her birthdays, the horrific incident, her teacher taking her in, the months he spent trying to help her, the day she finally agreed to follow his advice, the day she confessed her love for him, the nights they shared, his disappearance, and the Human Movement Federation taking her when she had nowhere to go.


    Her vision grew blurry as dark spots continued to litter her sight. During her final moments, all she could focus on was the warmth of her love as she breathed her last, her eyes closing, never again to open.


    Feeling the last of her lifeforce dissipating, Drake clutched her corpse tightly as he yelled out, his voice reverberating through the forest. All around him, the soldiers stood frozen, until some of them decided their lives were worth more than a chase. Those who were extreme fanatics didn''t give up and fought to the bitter end, killing more monsters before they died as well.


    Overall, the only casualties among the Dungeon''s side were about 80 black-furred beasts, who will respawn in a few hours, but they didn''t know that, and three wounded. On the human side of things, they lost more than 180 men, all of whom were either swiftly dealt with or brutally mangled beyond recognition. Those who surrendered were captured by the monsters and numbered 24, their faces bearing the shame of defeat and terror of the unknown.


    Wulfstan was able to retreat while bringing along his apprentice to be treated. Luckily, Cecilia was able to make it, as was Tigre and his other subordinate, who got stabbed trying to protect him.


    Nicholas and Luke suffered minor injuries, most of them just bruises and cuts. Drake, however, was physically healthy, but his mental and emotional state were not.


    ''Another one¡­ What the fuck did I do to deserve this¡­?'' Drake gritted his teeth, his nails cutting into the palms of his hands as they bled. "First Pina, then Norah¡­ Now you¡­"


    Nicholas and Luke approached their mourning friend and mourned along with him, their knees touching the ground as they gave their heartfelt farewells to the deceased female knight.


    "¡­ Nicholas, Luke¡­ Leave me alone for now¡­" Drake muttered as he lifted Erika''s corpse in a princess carry. Nicholas, upon hearing his full name from the mouth of his friend, knew that whatever Drake was going to do, it would be best to have him left alone.


    "Very well. I''ll tell Jionni about your situation." Drake gave him a thankful nod as he vanished into the tree line. Nicholas and Luke stood back up and helped the monsters escort the prisoners back to the Monster Town, where they would be locked in cells and await their fates.


    As for the corpses, he decided Jionni would handle them.


    []


    []


    []


    Drake exited Jionni''s Dungeon, carrying the corpse of someone he considered family. Outside, he encountered some soldiers that were stationed in a hastily made camp in case things went south.


    "Infidel! He killed our commander!" One of the soldiers, who he decided was worth less than the soil he stepped on, rallied the remaining soldiers and charged at him. Not being in the mood, Drake''s gauntlets emitted black wisps of aura. The black aura spread across the field and reached the soldiers, their bodies going rigid as each of them fell to the ground, lifeless.


    Not making a sound, he ignored the corpses and continued on walking, his feet bringing him to a large tree. Laying the corpse on the ground, he proceeded to dig a grave with his gauntlets. Once the hole was deep enough, he carefully grabbed Erika''s corpse and softly placed it in the hole.


    "Rika, I know you loved this kind of tree." Drake looked up at the massive looking tree, its branches branching out further than any tree in the forest. It''s green leaves slowly swaying in the wind, sunlight shining through the gaps. "You said it signified the place where you got out of your shell¡­ The place where you self-appointed me as your teacher¡­"


    Drake chuckled as he reminisced about the time when everything was simple. No deaths, no problems, no drama¡­ Just him, his friends, and their adventures as they lived out their lives to the fullest¡­


    "¡­ I''m sorry¡­ For leaving you behind¡­" Drake grabbed a pendant from his satchel and placed it in the hands of Erika''s corpse. "This was your first gift to me. I remember you being so flustered at the time. Heh¡­ You know¡­ You were adorable being all flustered."


    Drake then proceeded to fill the hole with soil, and when he was done, he lodged her broken sword on the ground where she was buried. He then took a flower from his satchel and gently placed it on the grave, no more tears streaming down his cheeks as he sighed deeply.


    "May you find happiness in your next life¡­ Erika¡­" And with that, Drake left the grave, her swords and the blue-tipped white flower being the only symbols that signified a knight was buried here.

 Chapter 171 - Monkes Reward Pool

    "¡­ Damn, they really did a number on you." I winced at the injuries the three demi-humans sustained. The three of them paid no mind to my wonders as they lay still, fully intent on receiving healing and not making their injuries any worse. "Lina, I''ll admit it. I have little to no healers in my Dungeon, and what little I have isn''t enough to get these three back to full health in a few hours. They won''t die, but they''ll be stuck here recuperating for days on end as they recover."


    "Bah, no need to worry Jion. Tigre is a tough bastard. The same goes for his party. As for Lady Oshurkova''s subordinates, I have no idea, but they''ll recover." Catalina approached the three downed figures, before looking back and giving me a smile. "I''m heading back to my Dungeon. I''ll be fetching some healers. I''ll be back in a moment."


    Catalina then made her way out of the Monster Town, some primates who survived the ordeal escorting her to the portals leading to her Dungeon.


    Left alone with the demi-humans and humans, I pondered how I could''ve handled the raid better. At this point, my Dungeon will fall to a well-organized party, since my only way of fighting them off is to throw monsters at them and hope for the best.


    ''I need to have them learn strategies.'' Looking at the window in front of me, I grinned menacingly.


    Trespassers Killed: 187


    Humans: 186 = 50 DP, 45 EXP each


    Human (Erika von Reinhardt): 1 = 1000 DP, 900 EXP


    DP gained: 10,300


    EXP gained: 9,270


    DP: 26,905 => 37,205


    ''I''ll need to buy some strategy skillbooks and let my lead primates learn them, as well as the residents in my Dungeon. The more information in their minds about fighting, the more capable they are and the safer I get.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 16


    Exp: 1650 / 16000


    HP: 7600 / 7600


    MP: 2457 / 2457


    Str: 92 => 237


    Vit: 132 => 250


    End: 97 => 202


    Agi: 59 => 89


    Dex: 66 => 111


    Int: 57 => 172


    Wis: 56 => 171


    Cha: 41 => 51


    Luc: 1 => 1


    Other than the gains I got from the successful defense, I also leveled up due to the EXP I gained. I also noticed something. Erika von Reinhardt, the female knight that was leading them, gave me more DP and EXP than a normal human would.


    Does that mean that special humans deemed worthy by the Dungeon, or the Gods, have increased rewards when I kill them? Then what does that make Drake?


    I checked the Dungeon Resident status window and choked at the DP and EXP income I gained from Drake alone.


    He will give me fucking 15,000 DP and 12,500 EXP if I kill him, and 9,375 daily DP and 4,488 daily EXP.


    That''s about nearly half of my total Dungeon earnings if he wasn''t present. Just how strong is this dude? No wonder he one-shotted Erika.


    Milestone achieved!


    Gain victory against one named trespasser¡­ Reward: One floor.


    And my Dungeon is once again growing stronger. Feeling giddy at the prospect of my Dungeon gaining another floor, I heard a mental ping go off in my head once more, and a holographic window, one that wasn''t visible to another being, entered my vision.


    Hidden Quest Accomplished!


    Tying Loose Ends ¨C Assist Drake to finish the last of his three major regrets.


    Objective: Kill Erika von Reinhardt (X)


    Hidden Objective 1: Let Drake deal with her alone (X)


    Hidden Objective 2: Kill her yourself ( )


    Hidden Objective 3: Save Erika von Reinhardt and convert her to your side ( )


    Rewards:


    Objective Completion: Wind Manipulation (Erika von Reinhardt Style) Skillbook


    Hidden Objective 1 Completion: Tactician''s Scouter


    ''¡­That wasn''t what I was expecting.'' Looking at the holographic window that was, without a doubt, from my system, my jaw dropped at the rewards it gave me.


    A skillbook that teaches me the style in which Erika used it, one that is far from being versatile, but makes up for it due to its deadliness and the scouter.


    Both of them were deposited into my inventory the moment the quest pinged. Taking the scouter first, I hovered it over my eye, my vision being taken up by the visor.


    There were symbols all around it, all of them meaning jack-shit to me at the moment. However, the moment I used the scouter to look at one of the humans, my breath hitched.


    Name: Wulfstan


    Age: 43


    Gender: Male


    STR: 112


    AGI: 153


    INT: 137


    ''¡­Out of all the rewards I have gotten, this is hands-down one of the best ones.'' I grinned like a kid at a toy shop. This is what I have been wishing for ever since I arrived in this world. A goddamn appraisal skill, although it took the form of a very obvious scouter, but who cares? I now have a method to check the power levels of a person and compare them with my own!


    "Jionni, you okay there?" From behind me, Nicholas'' voice spoke, and I quickly turned around to use my scouter on him. "Huh? What''s that you have there?"


    Name: Nicholas Gallagher


    Age: 42


    Gender: Male


    STR: 183


    AGI: 155


    INT: 141


    "Just something I got earlier. It shows a brief summary of a person''s strength." This impressed Nicholas, if his whistling was any indication.


    "Damn, now that would''ve been useful back in my time as a Hunter." Nicholas chuckled as he approached me with stars in his eyes. "Mind if I borrow it for a moment? I just want to see how it works."


    "¡­ Sure." I was hesitant at first, but then I recalled him doing his best to kill those fanatic soldiers that were killing my primates left and right. Giving him the scouter, he replicated the actions I did to use it, but tilted his head in confusion.


    "Huh¡­? Nothing''s happening¡­" Nicholas pointed it in every direction where there was a person or monster. Grabbing the scouter from him, I then used it to check if the scouter broke or if it was something else.


    Name: Luke Gardner


    Age: 34


    Gender: Male


    STR: 167


    AGI: 172


    INT: 159


    "Welp, I guess it only works for me." I concluded, and Nicholas deflated a bit.


    "Damn, what a shame." He whined as I chuckled at his misfortune. While that was happening, I heard a commotion at the front gate. Focusing my gaze on it, I saw Drake coming back with a pained smile on his face.


    That, however, was not on my mind right now.


    Name: Drake Espinosa


    Age: 26


    Gender: Male


    STR: 9952


    AGI: 9877


    INT: 9696


    ''Holy shit! They''re over 9000!'' Inadvertently quoting the meme from a famous Shounen anime, I stared bug-eyed at the stats of my friend-turned-isekai-protagonist.


    And somehow, I''m believing that fact even more now.


    "Dude, what the hell is that? The scouter from that Shounen anime?" Drake arrived right in front of me as he waved his arms in my face. Recovering from my shock, I laughed nervously as I took the scouter and placed it back in my inventory.


    "Hehe¡­ Yep¡­ Something like that¡­" I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head while Drake looked at me with confusion. "By the way, it doesn''t work with anyone else. Nicholas tried, and it''s somewhat of a scouter, only this time showing stats instead of power levels."


    Drake whistled as he placed his hands on the back of his head, his neck making cracking sounds as he shifted them left and right.


    "So, can you tell me my stats?" I nodded, and Drake grinned.


    That said, he was a man of culture, so he would have appreciated one of his stats being a sex symbol.


    "First off, your power levels are over 9,000." Drake snorted at that, his mind recalling the memes back on Earth. "Your STR stat is 9,952, your AGI stat is 9,877, and my personal favorite, your INT stat is 9696."


    "¡­ No fucking way. Is that really my INT stat?" I nodded, and Drake cursed into the high heavens. "THEN HOW THE HELL AM I STILL A FUCKING VIRGIN!?"


    "Uh¡­ No offense, Drake, but didn''t Erika keep on bragging about you two doing the deed most nights?" Nicholas scratched his chin as Drake hissed at the older man.


    "That was fake, and you know it! We just spent the time sleeping next to each other, not having some steamy action, you horny dog!" Drake took something from his satchel and threw it towards Nicholas, the item directly landing on his face as the older man recoiled back.


    Plucking the offending item off of his rugged face, he examined it and snorted.


    "Really, Drake? Of all the things you could''ve thrown at me, you threw a condom?" Drake fumed as Nicholas laughed, and I along with him. "Oh god¡­ The irony is rich!"


    "SHUT UP!" Drake lunged at Nicholas as the two began to wrestle in the dirt.


    ''They''re healthy, at least. No signs of injury from the invasion.'' As I mused, I heard Catalina''s voice and moved to greet her with a smile on my face.


    "Big trouble, Jion!"


    Or not¡­

 Chapter 172 - Monkes Expedition

    "Lina? What happened?" Catalina huffed as she bent down and grabbed her knees, sweat dripping from her glistening skin.


    "I¡­ I need to cash in that favor." Catalina looked up at me, her eyes relaying to me her seriousness. I tensed up and waited for her request. "Send reinforcements to my Dungeon now. I''m being sieged, and I''m losing."


    This got me to straighten up my posture, a possible future going through my mind as I looked at Catalina.


    "How many do you need?" As of now, I only have a handful of primates that are available for sortie, but they are still in the middle of their training and sending them to a fight which might result in their deaths without a respawn is the height of foolishness.


    "As many as you can spare." Looking her in the eyes, I got the feeling that she was in a very bad spot right now. Looking to my side, I looked at Drake with pleading eyes. He sighed, then approached me with serious face.


    "I''ll come with. Something tells me you might need me." I gave Drake an appreciative nod as I looked back to see Catalina giving us a beaming smile.


    "I''ll also bring some capable monsters with me. Nicholas, you''re in charge here while I follow Catalina back to her Dungeon." Nicholas and Catalina looked at me wide-eyed. The former, I could understand, but the latter, I did not. "Catalina, when I asked for reinforcements, I didn''t expect you to come here of your own volition. I''m doing the same, so shut up and let me help you."


    At my statement, Nicholas sighed but accepted my decision, while Catalina quickly rushed at me and gave me a sloppy kiss on the lips. Beside me, I saw Drake blanching at seeing an incredibly beautiful catwoman kissing a gorilla.


    "I''m so happy right now, I could fuck you until tomorrow comes, but my Dungeon needs me. I''m going on ahead." Giving me a grin, I laughed at Catalina''s quick 180 in attitude.


    "Drake, go with her. I''ll go as soon as I''m ready." The mood now back to its more serious state, Drake gave me thumbs up, even if his face scowled at me for striking a beautiful girl and getting laid before him, and followed Catalina back to her Dungeon, the two of them sprinting to the portal. "Nicholas, go to the ogres house, tell them to meet me at the portal zone as soon as possible. Luke, call the trolls and tell them the same. Once you''re both done, tell the rest of the residents to increase the security."


    "Understood." The both of them said at the same time, and quickly got to do their tasks. Once they were out of eyesight, I quickly made my way towards the portal zone while contacting Domino.


    "Mu¡­ Papa¡­?" Domino tilted her head, the holographic screen showing her cute movement.


    "Domino, please take care of the Dungeon while I''m gone." Domino quickly straightened up as she gave me a frown with her limited facial features. "Don''t worry. I''ll be back soon. Mama just had some problems in her Dungeon. I''m helping her with it."


    At my words, Domino calmed down as she gave me a tiny smile.


    "Okay¡­ Come back safe¡­" I grunted and cut the connection off. Reaching the portal zone in record time, I decided to pass the time waiting for the ogres and trolls to arrive by grabbing the Wind Manipulation skillbook I got from the hidden quest I completed from inside my inventory.


    ''I still need to figure out how that quest thing works, though¡­'' I shrugged and placed that thought in the back of my mind for the time being. Right now, what''s most important is to get ready for an incoming battle, even if I already had hax on in the form of Drake fucking Espinosa.


    ''Huh¡­ I forgot his family name¡­ Good thing I learned it again¡­''


    Touching the book, I quickly absorbed its knowledge, the fundamentals of how to use said magic ingrained in my head.


    [Wind Manipulation (Erika von Reinhardt style)] learned!


    Wind Manipulation (EvR Style) ¨C Manipulate the wind around you in Erika von Reinhardt''s style. Can only form incredibly sharp winds and pressurized bursts of wind. Passively increases AGI and DEX by 50, Int and WIS by 10, and VIT and END by 5.


    I''ve been meaning to look for something that could increase my AGI and DEX stat. Looks like I''ve found one. That said, the [Wind Manipulation] skill I got is heavily favoring direct combat and swift finishers. Not very versatile, but very useful as the main method of ending a fight in a split second.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla


    Class: Tank


    Level: 16


    Exp: 1650 / 16000


    HP: 7750 / 7750


    MP: 2592 / 2592


    Str: 92 (+150) => 242


    Vit: 132 (+123) => 255


    End: 97 (+158) => 207


    Agi: 59 (+80) => 139


    Dex: 66 (+95) => 161


    Int: 57 (+125) => 182


    Wis: 56 (+125) => 181


    Cha: 41 (+10) => 51


    Luc: 1


    Checking my stats with the new bonuses made me smirk. Since the ogres and trolls were still taking their sweet time, I decided to take my new magic skill for a test run.


    ''Okay, how did she do it again? Coat herself in wind, making her something like a kamaitachi?'' Deciding to try out her style of use, I gathered the mana within me to manipulate the winds around my body, forcing them to rage around me. ''Just like my Flamegod mode or Thundergod mode, except this time, it''s wind.''


    I felt the wind around me rage, my mana draining at a rapid pace. Opening my eyes, I took a look at the veritable storm around me and became a bit miffed.


    "It isn''t sharp¡­ It''s just like a normal tornado¡­" I grumbled as I cancelled the spell. When I looked at my mana pool, I noticed that it was extremely draining to my reservoir.


    MP: 2392 / 2592


    200 mana in just two seconds¡­ Yikes, this is one mana-costing ability. I''ll need to level it up more to lower its cost.


    Just as I was pondering about it, I heard footsteps approaching my area. Looking at the five ogres, each of differing color, I gave them a wave and they approached me with a friendly gaze.


    "You called Chieftain?"


    "Yes. Prepare yourselves, we''re going to help defend a friend of mine from invaders."


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Lovely town. Good looking hotels too. Too bad all of them are closed¡­" Drake sighed dramatically as Catalina walked beside him like she was stepping on eggshells.


    "Uh¡­ Drake. You''ve known Jionni for a long time, right?" Drake raised an eyebrow at Catalina''s question. An inappropriate question regarding the situation, but he guessed that it was something that could lessen the tension the catwoman was feeling.


    "Yes, I knew him a few years back. That said, I''m assuming you know his past?" Catalina nodded, and Drake hummed. "We were friends back in our past world¡­ Well, as close as friends could get when one of them always gave you the cold shoulder."


    "Does it have something to do with his parents?"


    "Yep." Drake nodded and continued where he left off. "He was, for the most part, socially distant, depressed, and moody. Very moody, a far cry from what he is now."


    Drake smiled as he recalled the human-turned-gorilla giving him a smile so genuine, he would''ve called the gorilla an imposter taking on the name of his old friend.


    "Catalina, please promise me to take care of him. He''s had enough suffering in his life." Catalina looked at Drake with a straight face, before giving him a smile.


    "I will." For once, not acting like she was walking on eggshells, Catalina relaxedly walked towards the frontline of the invasion. "Come on, we''re close."


    "I can tell. The smell of blood is getting stronger." Drake summoned his gauntlets as the stench of blood grew thick. Arriving at a gate where a bunch of monsters, humans, and demi-humans alike were waiting for the inevitable clash, both the Dungeon Master and the reincarnate pushed through the swarm of bodies.


    The residents, noticing the return of their Dungeon Master, parted ways to give their leader a passage to the front. They also noticed a cloaked figure following her, his arms covered in gauntlets.


    "Lima, gather some of the felines and go to the Transport Hub and tell them that reinforcements are coming. Just ask their name, and if he responds with Jionni, let them come here."


    "Affirmative." A bipedal cat the size of a human wearing heavy armor saluted and gathered about a dozen similar looking bipedal cats. They then marched towards the Transport Hub, as Catalina dubbed it so, and moved on forward, Drake trailing behind her, ready for combat.


    "So, how are we going to do this?" Drake asked Catalina, to which she responded with a savage grin.


    "Why, they wanted a siege. We''ll give them a siege." Catalina then regarded another feline, this time wearing mechanic''s overalls instead of knight''s armor, and gave her command. "Load up the cannons. Let''s see how strong their shields are."


    Besides her, Drake couldn''t help but chuckle darkly, his sadistic tendencies showing.


    ''Well, maybe it''s time to relieve some stress after that¡­ horrible affair¡­''

 Chapter 173 - Monke In Another Dungeon

    When I emerged from the portal with the ogres and trolls, I was greeted by a group of bipedal cats the size of humans dressed in full-plated armor, their weapons ready for any mishap that might occur.


    "Are you Jionni?" The lead bipedal cat wearing more decorated full-plated armor approached me with a stiff walk, eyeing the terrifying bodyguards I had brought with me.


    "Yes. I am Jionni. Catalina told you of me, perhaps?" The bipedal cat nodded and I smiled. "Well then, let''s not waste any time. Time is precious in a time of war."


    "Right away, sir." The bipedal cat bowed slightly, his weapons still at the ready, in case we were backstabbers, but that cautiousness was unwarranted. Granted, I know why they were doing so, so I can respect their decision.


    I looked behind me to see the trolls and the five ogres following me with submissive gazes. My strength was one of the reasons why they would follow me without any complaints.


    Traversing through the town, which I would admit is better than the Monster Town back in my Dungeon, I scanned the area for any kind of living being, human, demi-human, or monster.


    There were none, and just seeing what situation they were in was enough evidence for me. They probably evacuated the none-fighters, and most of the fighters were at the front-line, defending the Dungeon with their very lives, while the rest were protecting the evacuees in case some enemies got past the line.


    The time spent walking was silent, the only sounds audible being our footsteps as we marched down the desolate road. A few minutes of walking later, I could hear cries, yells, and shrieks.


    ''We must be getting close.'' My deduction was right, as the more we walked, the louder the sounds got, their footsteps now being overpowered by the rumbling of the earth and the loud screeches of pain, anguish, bloodthirst, and death.


    "Jion! You''re finally here!" Not long after, we finally arrived near a gate. Dozens of bipedal cats and other species, humans, demi-humans, and monsters alike, all stood ready, awaiting their turn when they would be sent to the warzone where they would defend their home with their lives.


    Catalina, being the catwoman who gave me my nickname, rushed towards me without a care in the world, her cat tail swishing in the air as she hugged me with her body.


    "Lina, it''s good to see you. I''ve brought some of my men to help with the invasion." Catalina stopped with her hug and let me go, only to come face-to-face with five mean-looking ogres and a dozen trolls. Her jaw dropped as she saw the 17 figures I had brought, before beaming into a bright smile as she glomped me once more.


    "Thank you so much, Jion! I didn''t think you would bring ogres and trolls!" Catalina let go of me once again as she stared at the five colorful ogres. "An ogre alone is worth a company of human soldiers, and you brought five of them! Let''s not forget the trolls, who were said to be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. That reminds me, why didn''t you let them defend your Dungeon when you were being invaded?"


    "Well, to put it in simple terms, my primates respawn when they die, but they do not." I said, and she nodded in understanding.


    "I''m doing the same. As of now, there''re still no casualties my side, since those who have fallen will respawn once the invasion is over." I looked at the various sentient beings all waiting to be called to battle. Catalina noticed my action and smiled. "I''m not sending them out there, except for the felines."


    "Those bipedal cats the size of a human are called felines?" I asked, and she nodded, her cat ears twitching as her tail swished to and fro, subtly wrapping around my legs.


    "Yes, anyway, I won''t be sending my residents out on the frontline. They''ll be inside this wall, ready in case the invaders breach the gate." I hummed, and she clung to me once more, a happy grin forming on her face. "Also, Drake is out there, so I''m sure there won''t be anything to worry about."


    "¡­ GGEZ¡­" I chuckled once I heard the bomb that Drake was out there wreaking havoc and unconsciously muttered out game lingo. "I feel sorry for the invaders now."


    "They''re invaders wanting to take my head. As far as I''m concerned, they won''t be gaining any sympathy from me." Catalina scoffed as she let go of me again and turned around, her feet bringing her closer to the gate. "Come on, I''ll show you how the warzone looks like."


    "Lucky me." I chuckled and followed the catwoman, her residents once more parting to grant her an unobstructed path towards her destination. Behind her, I followed, and behind me, the ogres and trolls followed.


    Heading towards the stairs that led directly to the top of the wall, I commanded the ogres and trolls to stay at the bottom, next to the gate. They accepted and promptly stood on alert near the giant closed gate.


    Following Catalina upwards, the sounds of combat gradually grew larger and larger. At the top, I was greeted by a sight that would literally make the raid on my Dungeon look like a fucking tea party in contrast to this kind of destruction.


    Trees burned beyond recognition, corpses lining the ground like puppets without strings, a river of red staining the ground, its smell reminiscent of iron, and the destruction of land like it was clay molested by a toddler in an adult''s body.


    "Holy shit¡­" My jaw dropped at the sight of destruction. Catalina scowled at the scene, her tail standing straight up and puffed out.


    "I know, right? Those Human Movement Federation assholes are going too far now, targeting Dungeons all over the country." Catalina growled out the words as she clutched at the parapets, fully glaring at the destroyed landscape.


    "Wait, they are behind this? Then we''re situated in the same country. Huh, small world¡­" I muttered absentmindedly, while Catalina gave me a smile.


    "Yes, it seems that we are closer than we thought." Catalina sighed and let go of the parapets, her eyes on mine. "Anyway, you know what this means, right? What the Human Movement cult actions mean for the Dungeon Masters all around the country?"


    "¡­ Well¡­ All I could think of was an all-out war against the Dungeon Masters and the rulers of the country." Catalina nodded and I realized the dire situation that would happen if I didn''t get my Dungeon up to speed. I couldn''t rely on Drake forever. "Shit¡­ this is bad¡­"


    "I know, right?" Sighing once again, Catalina tapped my shoulder with a tiny grin. "After all this is over, I need to relieve some stress. Up for one night, big boy?"


    "Yes, yes, but first, I want to bash me some human cultists." I quickly made Drakhan''s Shadow tangible and grabbed the [Bloodweep War Hammer] from my inventory, along with the skillbook that was left gathering dust inside. ''I forgot to use the [Infamous Rock Warrior Hammer Arts] because of all that happened, but now is a good time as any.''


    Learned skill: [Infamous Rock Warrior Hammer Arts]


    [Infamous Rock Warrior Hammer Arts] ¨C An ancient hammer-wielding technique used by humans, demi-humans, and monsters alike. While wielding a hammer, you gain 35% damage reduction. Passively increases STR, VIT, and END by 10%.


    ''Fucking finally, a percentage stat gain. They better not nerf me again, or I will go fucking ballistic and sic Drake on them.'' Grumbling at the memory of getting nerfed because of "reasons", I saw Catalina looking at me with her eyes wide open.


    "Jion¡­ What the fuck was that!?" Catalina rushed towards me as she inspected my body like an overly-worried lover, not that it would be that far from the truth. I don''t know why I''m still hesitating to move our relationship to the next level, but it''s probably just me being shy. I''ll get over it eventually.


    "You know what a skillbook is?" She shook her head, and I facepalmed. ''Of course, she doesn''t have a System, so skillbooks are a foreign concept to her.''


    "Well, it doesn''t matter. Just know that it''s something like a boost for me. I can''t explain it either." She perked her ears when she heard me say boost, but I quickly shut her down before she could ask. "Also, can you please keep that secret? Only Domino and Drake know about it."


    "¡­ Okay, but I still want an explanation."


    "In private." I smirked, and she smirked back. Heading back down, I saw the ogres and trolls looking at me with wide eyes. "Alright boys, it''s time we caused some mayhem."


    The ogres and trolls quickly got over my look and roared as Catalina, from atop the wall, ordered her men to open the gate, granting us passage towards the warzone.


    The first to go forward were the trolls, then followed by the five colorful ogres, then me. Raising the hood up and masking my face with the attached mask, I used my mana reserves to coat myself in fire, tornadoes of flame licking my surroundings as I walked the destroyed earth.


    At the thought of serving well-deserved karma upon the cultists, I grinned madly, my inner psycho resurfacing as the Bloodweep Hammer rested on my shoulder.


    And with my adrenaline soaring high, I roared.

 Chapter 174 - Monke And Friends Commit War Crimes

    A/N: Caution, huge amounts of gore (and maybe memes) ahead.


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    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Drake was having a good time bashing heads and crushing skulls, the blood and gore spewing from their craniums not a hindrance for the seasoned killer. Drake tilted his head backwards as a sword barely nicked his nose bridge.


    Grinning, Drake delivered a powerful punch towards the gut of the overextended soldier, his stomach caving in and erupting from the back due to the force of his punch. At the same time, his eyes popped out of their sockets as the soldier let out a cry of pain before falling into a heap of his own flesh and blood.


    "Ahh¡­ Good ol'' R&R, although a lot of karens and boomers would disagree." Drake cracked his neck as the soldiers surrounding him stood still, afraid of running into their deaths. If this was any other person, you could kiss their ass goodbye as they''re shredded to bits by the swords of the soldiers, but Drake was anything but ordinary. "Come on and slam and welcome to jam!"


    Reciting a meme as he clenched his gauntleted fists tighter, Drake snarled with a manic smile plastered to his face, before rushing into the mass of soldiers, the armored men now panicking at the human¡­ No, demon rushing at them at speeds no normal human could comprehend.


    Once the two forces met contact, Unstoppable Force, broke through the totally-movable shield, broken bodies of men flying into the air and landing on the ground with a loud thud. Most of the soldiers who were subjected to this attack died instantly, while others were not so fortunate.


    They felt their bones break and organs rupture, their heartbeat going into overdrive as pain consumed their entire being. Those who were lucky enough to not be targeted, promptly tucked their tails and ran for their lives.


    Drake, seeing the retreating form of the soldiers, snickered as he dropped down on his knees, taking the stance of a runner''s starting position.


    "I feel most alive when rapidly approaching my kill!" Drake had his mouth wide open as he took off, his feet instantly bringing him to the closest running soldier in under a second. Grabbing his head, the soldier flailed his arms, his sword nearly nicking Drake''s body, if he wasn''t pushed to the ground instantly, his head bursting like a watermelon as brain matter covered in thick blood splattered over the ground.


    Lunging at another soldier, who stood stock still due to fear, Drake punched the soldier in the face, her left eye popping out of her face as the entire right side of her face caved in.


    Dropping to the ground, dead, Drake wasted no time and ran for the nearest soldier to mutilate and/or obliterate with his fists.


    Not far from the raging natural disaster known as Drake, the five ogres: Zurug, Ugut, Igruk, Xek, and Touzig all roared out as they trampled on the puny soldiers with their towering bodies, their weapons all caked with blood and organs as they mercilessly pummeled the soldiers to their death.


    "Leave no survivor! For the Chieftain!" Zurug, the red ogre and their leader, raised his double-headed axe, or labrys, and charged at the enemy soldiers who were standing defiantly against the odds. Behind him, his fellow ogres charged along with him, except for Xek, who stood behind and raised his staff and chanted a verse.


    "Xevic Ascenaeial Raviigus." Purple mist began to coalesce at the head of Xek''s staff, before exploding out into the area. Those who were touched by the purple mist, began to cough of blood and bleed out of every pore of their body. The ogres, trolls, and those who were not on the humans'' side, however, did not get affected, even when surrounded to the brim with the purple mist.


    Xek cackled madly as the human soldiers who were affected by his spell slowly died an agonizing death, their faces twisted into insurmountable anguish and horror.


    "Ahhh¡­ Their death throes brings joy to my shaman heart. I should thank Chieftain for making us come along." Xek once more chanted another verse as his staff glowed an eerie black.


    "Malsus Nimtuna Inteyuairum Ecruaeytra Lobcane Nimum." Once his chant was done, Xek''s staff unleashed a giant wave of black, inky mist going forward, turning any unfortunate soldier along its path to decay in the most agonizing way possible. The ogres, trolls, and those on their side were unharmed once again.


    While he was chanting those verses, two trolls decided to defend the ogre shaman, their iron clubs and metal armor clinking against one another as they stood rooted to the spot, intent on killing any human that would dare approach their comrade.


    The trolls also followed the ogres into battle, but chose to focus on defense instead of offense since the ogres were doing pretty well on that front.


    Trailing behind them, a veritable monster wearing a cloak with flames licking around his body approached slowly, his mask under the hood making it impossible to discern his face. A giant hammer rested on his shoulder, its form forcing fear and terror into the hearts of all humans witnessing this spectacle.


    "How I wished there was heavy metal blasting as BGM. Meh, can''t have everything¡­" The towering monster invoked fear in every human who bore eyes to the figure, their legs trembling as they felt their lives slowly taken away by either the aggressive ogres, the passive-aggressive trolls, or their ogre shaman.


    They were already losing morale due to the appearance of these monsters in which not one of the common foot soldier could attempt to fight, much less on the same footing, but witnessing this?


    They knew this raid was a lost cause.


    "Anyway, let''s spice things up, shall we?" The monster raised his hands, and giant walls of earth jutted out from all around, trapping every soldier not fast enough to run away. "That''s better. Zurug, call of your ogres, let me have a crack at ''em."


    "Understood, Chieftain." Zurug, who was relishing in his kill, nodded and backed away, the ogres and trolls all following the commands of the monster covered in flames.


    The remaining soldiers who were trapped inside with the monsters numbered no less than 50, and the monster paid no mind to their numbers. Instead, from under the hood, an eye socket glowed red, and the flames around him grew stronger.


    "Here''s Jionni!" Jionni hefted his hammer up and slammed it on the ground, causing a tremor to occur within the area. The soldiers, not used to earthquakes, stumbled on their feet as most of them dropped to the ground.


    Capitalizing on this, Jionni waved his arm, and numerous earth spikes emerged from the ground, piercing at least a dozen soldiers, their screams the last action they did as they all slumbered for eternity.


    Jionni then lunged at a nearby soldier and grabbed his head, the soldier screaming all the while as the flames around the monster''s body melted his armor, molten iron seeping into his skin.


    Not intent on prolonging the suffering of the poor asshole, Jionni threw the screaming soldier into the air and swatted him like a fly with his hammer, his entire body exploding into bits of fleshy chunks and gore as he impacted against the earth wall.


    Seeing the fate of more than a dozen soldiers in just a second, the remaining soldiers'' morale dropped below rock bottom, and all of them ran for their lives as they clawed away at the earth wall in hopes of digging a hole through it.


    Chuckling at the display, Jionni grabbed a soldier who was too slow to react and brought him to eye-level, the soldier discharging due to the fear, the smell permeating through both of their noses.


    "Tell me, little human¡­ For what reason did you think that invading a Dungeon was a good idea?" The soldier said nothing as he continued to struggle, his mouth hung wide open as his vocal cords let out a shriek.


    Annoyed at the act, Jionni burned the soldier''s face off, his struggling ceasing as his brain got barbecued due to the intense heat. Letting go of the corpse, Jionni eyed the rest of the soldiers who were doing their best to escape.


    "Well, there''s still a lot more to interrogate, and I think today''s a good day to test my skills against live dummies." Jionni''s grin under the mask grew manic as he lunged at another unfortunate soldier.


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    "Sir! The raid''s a fail! We need to leave!" A soldier pleaded towards his commander, only to be rewarded with a swift slice to his neck, his head rolling of his shoulders and onto the ground, blood gushing out like a fountain from the decapitated neck.


    "Coward. Nobody retreats. Our enemies are only animals! Savages that only know how to use brute strength!" The commander, a man in his prime decorated with countless of medals raised his sword. "Forward march! Give these animals a taste of the strength of humans-"


    The commander was stopped from completing his speech by a swift punch to his chin, his jaw breaking and unhinging as he fell to the ground. His screams of pain and agony froze the soldiers under his command.


    "Now, who''s this I see? The idiot noble I spared back in the day? Didn''t think we would be reuniting anytime soon." Drake laughed as he stepped on the head of the noble, tears and snot staining the ground.


    The soldiers, noticing the presence of the one who attacked their commander, readied their weapons and pointed at the offender.


    "Now, now, one wrong move and this guy gets it." Drake sneered at the soldiers, who were at a loss as to what to do with their current situation. "¡­ Eh, who cares."


    Drake stomped his foot hard, the head of the noble bursting like a melon as his pained grunting and struggling ceased. The soldiers, not expecting the sudden death, froze like a deer caught on headlights.


    Drake, however, was grinning at the scene.


    "Surround on all sides, with no reinforcements on sight. A good enough handicap, if I do say so myself." Drake shrugged as he scanned the area around him. He raised his arm and made a come-hither gesture towards the soldiers.. "Now then, come get some."

 Chapter 175 - Monke Massacre

    45 EXP gained!


    Dropping the dead man on the floor, I lunged at the nearest soldier who was trying to escape from the killbox I had created with my Earth Manipulation. To be honest, it was not my best decision in terms of cost, but it was effective in trapping the soldiers from escaping.


    MP: 1,337 / 2,592


    The erection of the walls alone cost me close to half of my mana, and that wasn''t all. Maintaining my Flamegod mode is slightly taxing on my mana, but not enough to warrant a problem with these cannon fodders.


    I can hand the bosses to Drake. Knowing him, he''s probably creating a bloodbath right this very moment.


    Grabbing the fleeing soldier at the head, I threw him down on the ground causing him to cough up blood and saliva. I then placed my foot on top of him, trapping him under my weight. His eyes, regaining clarity, looked up to me filled with fear. I chuckled at his expression, and leaned down, his eyes reflecting the mask I wore, one of the eye sockets glowing red.


    ''Huh, neat look.'' I complemented myself in my head as the soldier beneath me struggled fiercely to get out of my clutches.


    "Ah, ah, ah¡­ No need to be in such a rush. I just have a few questions to ask, then you can go." The soldier beneath me nodded desperately. "Tell me something about those in charge of your religion. You know, the big cheese."


    "I-I-I don''t know anything about them! I swear!" The soldier frantically waved his hands as he searched for his weapon, one I already burnt to molten iron with my flames. "I''m just a c-common foot soldier! They don''t tell us important things!"


    "Huh, a valid point." I hummed as I looked around me; the rest of the soldiers were still trying to claw their way out of the killbox I had made. "However, not enough to satisfy me."


    I lifted Bloodweep up into the air and brought it down, the soldier clenching his eyes shut as he waited for his death, only to open them as they looked to his right, the hammer striking the ground beside him.


    "One last chance, you answer me right, you get to live." I raised Bloodweep and hefted it back to my shoulder. "What do they tell you common foot soldiers about your leaders?"


    "They only told us about how we should follow their commands to create a brighter future, otherwise, we risk our families! That''s all I know, please! Spare me!" The soldier then made a release, his pants getting stained by the piss coming from his crotch.


    I looked back at him, and sighed.


    "Well, as promised, you get to live." I lifted my foot up and the soldier began to make a run, only for my hand to grab him and knock him out cold. "Although, I only promised to let you live, not to take you prisoner. Zurug, take this human and tie him up. Do the same for the rest of the humans here. Those who struggle too much, you have my permission to kill them."


    The ogres roared and leaped into the fray, the panicking soldiers now even more terrified due to the behemoths lunging at them with bloodthirsty smiles.


    I cracked my neck as I prepared to leave the killbox to go look for Drake, but Xek interrupted my take-off.


    "Chieftain, are you sure you want us to capture these humans?" Xek pointed at the remaining humans with his staff, an eerie, black glow emanating from the tip.


    "Yes. Even if they are of no use to me as of now, they are useful in generating income for my Dungeon, as well as providing a free workforce. The more residents I have, the faster my Dungeon grows. It would be best if I was able to procure residents, either willingly or forcefully." I explained this to the green-skinned ogre, who nodded in understanding as he raised his staff once more.


    "If you command, Chieftain, then I shall follow. Attaeutra Auxlium Temaiutum." The staff glowed gray, before some kind of mist flowed out of the tup of the staff. The mist spread far and wide around the killbox, where the ogres and trolls were having fun either killing or knocking out the humans who were trying to escape.


    Once the mist reached those remaining humans, no matter what they did, they all collapsed on the ground as they all lost consciousness.


    "A sleep curse?" Xek nodded and I chuckled, impressed at the variety of spells this green-skinned ogre had under his belt. "Impressive. I''ll have to ask you to show me your list of spells in the future. For now, I want all of you to haul all surviving humans back to town and ask Catalina to heal them. Afterwards, tie them up, bring them near the portals and guard them until I and Drake return."


    "Understood, Chieftain." Relaying my orders to their leader, I decided it was time to leave and find Drake. Taking a running start towards one of the walls, I charged forward, my shoulder breaking the wall of dirt with no effort as the wall crumbled behind me.


    "Now, where the hell is that guy?" I asked myself and heard an explosion go out in the distance. "There''s my answer."


    Running once again, I zoomed through the forest, various corpses of both felines and humans littering the ground I traversed. Blood stained my feet as I continued on running as the explosions in the distance continued to grow louder and louder.


    Soon enough, I arrived at my destination, and saw Drake going HAM on the soldiers, either by knocking them out violently with his gauntlets, or killing them with his gauntlets.


    Chuckling at the scene, I ran past the trees and zeroed in on a soldier who was trembling. Lifting Bloodweep, I swung it horizontally, sending the trembling soldier and three more around him flying into the air, their broken bodies landing on a heap just a few meters away.


    180 EXP gained!


    Noticing my presence, the rest of the soldiers grew panicked at the sight of another monster crashing their party, and judging by the looks of things, I was probably more terrifying than Drake, seeing that I was covered in flames and was hefting a giant hammer that dripped with blood.


    "Jionni! Didn''t think you would make it!" Drake laughed as he crushed the skull of one soldier who tried to attack him, the soldier''s body crashing to the ground, lifeless. "You''re late!"


    "Eh, had to capture some of the humans for questioning. You know how it is." I smashed a soldier''s sword with my fist, magic coated around it. The soldier, now without a weapon, screeched and made a run for it, only for her to experience Bloodweep come crashing down on her body, turning her into red paste.


    45 EXP gained!


    "Ha! Right you are on that!" Drake dodged another sword swing and punched through the offending soldier''s gut, his gauntlet emerging out the other side of the solider, his screams causing the rest of the soldiers to flinch. "Anyway, mind lending a hand here? I don''t want to take too long."


    "What does it look like I''m doing?" I let Bloodweep get coated in fire as the already intimidating sight of the hammer turned even more intimidating. "Anyway, less talking, more killing, but spare the higher-ups."


    "¡­ Yeah, about that¡­" Drake laughed sheepishly as he blocked another attack and killed the offender. "I already killed their leader¡­ So¡­ Yeah¡­"


    "Drake¡­ You¡­ You know what, nevermind¡­ Just kill them all¡­" I sighed and continued to commit war crimes against humanity, their blood, organs, and guts scattering around the area as they exploded with every swing of my hammer.


    I also noticed that my hammer replenishes my HP whenever it absorbs blood, but since my HP almost always stays full, it never got the chance to do so. The only time id did so was when I was stabbed in the stomach by a soldier lucky enough to dodge my swing. Naturally, he became red paste later, and that was when I found out the sweet mechanic.


    Drake, however, was going nuts against the soldiers. Dodging, blocking, taunting, you name it. He did everything, and nobody could touch him.


    A few minutes of war crimes later, the soldiers finally decided that fighting wasn''t worth it and ran for the hills. I''m surprised they stayed long enough for their numbers to dwindle to tens from their hundreds, but I''ll chalk that up to fanaticism, at least until their dysfunctional survival instincts kicked in.


    Drake wanted to go after them, but I stopped him.


    "Let them go. They''ll relay that the Dungeon is dangerous enough that their numbers weren''t able to move past the first room." I explained. "There are two outcomes to that. They either: leave the Dungeon alone, or come back stronger, and there''s a higher chance they former option happens if there are people to let them know how dangerous the Dungeon is."


    "¡­ What about them learning valuable information about the Dungeon?"


    "Then what use are the Hunters?" I replied, and he shut up.


    "¡­ Touche."


    I snickered as we looked at the carnage around us. "Anyway, should we go back?"


    "I''m tired, so yeah.. Let''s go back."

 Chapter 176 - Monke Homecoming

    Heading back to the Dungeon''s town, I was greeted by a worried Catalina, but when she saw me, that worry was gone and was instead replaced by a beaming smile.


    "Jion!" Catalina rushed to hug me with her arms, her cat tail wrapping around my thigh as she pressed her body against mine. Beside me, I could see Drake looking at me with bloody tears of jealousy flowing down his cheeks.


    Stroking the catwoman''s cat ears, I smiled, and Catalina continued to press her body against mine.


    While that was going on, I was granted the scene of every resident in Catalina''s Dungeon staring at me like some kind of deity amongst men.


    "Uhh¡­ What''s the backstory behind that?" I wondered aloud, Catalina''s cat ears perking up at my self-question.


    "Oh, that? They mostly see me as this tough, stern woman with a chaotic streak in her actions." She explained, and I sighed. I was a bit confused by that statement, seeing that her actions in the Dungeon Games and back in my Dungeon were anything but tough, but I continued to pet her head, the catwoman eliciting a purr as she nuzzled my hand.


    "Anyway, I need to go. Domino is probably worrying about me right now, and Drake looks like he''s about to commit war crimes against me." I pointed at Drake, to which Catalina twisted her neck to get a glimpse of an incredibly jealous human wearing gauntlets.


    Catalina laughed at the scene and let go of me, before hugging the, quite-possibly, strongest human to walk the land with a big smile on her face.


    Drake froze up in shock at the contact of a woman who smelled like catnip.


    "Thanks, for helping out with my Dungeon." Catalina released the man who still stood stock-frozen on the spot. "Anyway, I shouldn''t keep you long. Just follow my felines, and they''ll guide you back to the portal. Some healers are also waiting at the Portal Zone. Jion, I''m visiting you after I get my Dungeon under control again."


    "Noted." I nodded, and grabbed Drake by the scruff of his neck. The man was still frozen solid in his shocked state. "Drake, I thought you slept with a girl already, why the fuck are you freezing up?"


    The man made no move to respond, and I sighed. Dragging the human statue made of flesh and bones, the crowd of residents parted before me, forming a path wide enough for me and my living statue to walk through.


    At the end of the crowd, we were greeted by the same felines who guided us here, their body gestures signifying that they were less wary and more grateful for our presence.


    "Thank you for helping us. Follow us, we''ll take you back to the Portal Zone." I nodded and followed the group of felines, Drake now slung on my shoulder like a sack of potatoes.


    A while later, Drake snapped out of his funk and struggled on my shoulder.


    "Ack! What the fuck? Jionni, put me down!" I complied and promptly dropped him off like a sack of potatoes on the ground. His back hit the stone road and he grunted in pain. "Ouch! What the fuck was the for!?"


    "I don''t know? Maybe becoming a statue after being hugged and refusing to respond to my actions for a few minutes was a factor?" I said, sarcasm dripping in my tone as he winced.


    "¡­ Yeah, sorry about that. Just didn''t have any physical, opposite gender contact for a few weeks." I helped Drake up from the ground, and the felines in front of me stopped to look at us, their eyes holding curiosity and confusion within.


    Standing up, Drake dusted the dust off of his clothes then began to walk ahead.


    "Come on, I still want to sleep." Drake yawned and I chuckled light-heartedly. The rest of the felines continued escorting us as I and Drake made some banter here and there about some things.


    I''m still a bit confused as to why I''m not that affected by corpses anymore, but I''ll chalk that up to experience.


    []


    []


    []


    "Ahh¡­ Home sweet home¡­" I smiled as I looked at the familiar scene of the forest and the bustling Monster Town in the distance. Four healers accompanying us looked at the scene with a bit of apprehension, but shook it off as they reminded themselves that they were here to heal some of their own who got wounded when defending my Dungeon. "Zurug, bring those humans to the Cagehouse, I''ll have some of my primates interrogate them for information."


    The red ogre nodded and forcefully brought along 13 injured humans with him, their hands and feet tied to ensure that they wouldn''t be able to run.


    The healers healed them, but not enough to bring them to full health, only enough to make sure that they wouldn''t die.


    "Come along, you four. Drake, you can go ahead and get some rest." Drake smiled as he rushed along the path, his destination already set in his mind. I, however, escorted the four healers, who were looking at every angle to see if there were any traps or other things that might harm them.


    We traveled along the path, some primates patrolling nearby, greeting us as we walked along. The four healers looked at them with visible shock, clearly signifying that they had never seen this type of monster before in their lives.


    For the record, the healers were all felines dressed in robes that would liken one to a mage.


    Once we arrived at the gates, we headed inside the town. The huge gates were already open since there weren''t any threats inside my Dungeon. All around us, the felines looked at the bustling town with critical eyes, their intentions totally bare to my mind.


    ''Eh, maybe they''re just protective of their master. I can see my primates doing the same thing.'' I thought amusedly as I led the four healers to a building that served as a hospital for injured monsters. Inside, some alraunes and arachnes helped with the medication of the injured humans because of their expertise in using herbs and controlling threads.


    "Ah, Jionni. Good to see you. I assume the defense on Catalina''s Dungeon proved successful?" Wulfstan, who was sitting on a chair nearby the two twins, the injured female twin lying on the bed and the male twin grasping her hand as he sat on a chair next to the bed, voiced out his question with a smile.


    "It is as you say." I approached the twins, the male twin still awake and worriedly grasped the hand of his sister and the female deep in her sleep as she focused on recovery. "I''ve brought some healers. Two of you, remain here and work on the injured."


    The felines behind me nodded and two of them separated from the others, their gaze focused on the injured female, their staff glowing as they chanted some verses to complete their healing spell.


    "I''ll be heading towards Tigre''s room now. I''ll see you in a bit." Wulfstan nodded and I left the room. I heard a relieved sigh coming from inside, whether from Wulfstan or Constantin, I had no idea, but I was sure that both of them were relieved without a doubt that their other member was going to survive.


    With the two felines still following me, I entered another room, and was greeted by a sight I would never have dared to think was possible in my past life.


    A giant orgy, with an injured tiger demi-human going strong, even with his wounds.


    They all looked at me for a moment, before I noped the fuck out of there and tossed the two felines inside. The felines screeched as they were kicked inside a veritable tiger''s den. I stayed behind the door, and heard the shrieks of females as they assaulted the screeching felines, their shouts and scratches at the door doing jack shit as I held the door closed, my survival instincts going to full throttle.


    ''Sorry about that, felines. I''ll give you something as an apology, after you get out alive.'' The scratches and yells slowly grinded to a crawl, and feeling that there was no more danger, opened the door, only to find the two felines cowering in the corner as the girls all snarled at the two and me with their clothes on.


    Tigre also looked at me once again with looks that could kill, but I paid no heed to that.


    "Those two are your healers, let them heal the injured, and kick them out if you so want to continue your activities." I said that all with a straight face, their faces not changing slightly from the scowls they gave me. Hell, the felines also looked at me like I was some kind of evil overlord, so, as a reasonable person, I got the fuck out of dodge and accessed the Market tab to see what kind of gifts I could give to the felines who helped heal the injured.


    Exiting the hospital, I then set my sights on a place where I could get some relaxation. Walking up to a stall, I saw an Arachne cooking up some fried meat. She gave me a smile before presenting me with a barbeque stick filled to the brim with juicy meat.


    Digging into the food, I sighed as I relished the taste the food gave my taste buds. If this was some kind of cooking manga, the people eating the food would have their clothes burst out, but for me? I would probably have all of my fur shaved off.


    Good thing this isn''t a cooking manga.


    I chuckled, and continued on eating to satisfy my hunger and relax from the stressful day.

 Chapter 177 - Monkes Dream Encounter

    (-y¡­ -e up¡­ -nni.. -ake up¡­)


    I groaned as my head pounded. My eyes refused to open no matter what I did.


    (-ey¡­ Wake up¡­ -ionni¡­ Wake up¡­)


    Words continued to enter my ears. The longer my eyes stayed closed, the more complete the words sounded.


    (Hey¡­ Wake up¡­ Jionni¡­ Wake up¡­)


    My eyes twitched, my eyelids finally opening after what felt like an eternity. Once they were open, I was greeted by a scene I would never expect to see again in a few more decades¡­


    "The¡­ Void¡­?" I felt my body floating within the vast expanse of darkness, my limbs flailing about as gravity held no sway in this area.


    (Jionni¡­ Finally awake, I see¡­)


    I perked my head at the words, the voice now clear in my mind. Looking around the dark void, I saw nothing but the familiar darkness encompassing my vision.


    That is, until I saw something shimmer in the distance.


    (Follow the light¡­ It will guide you to me¡­)


    As if hypnotized by the voice, I willed my body to float forward, the shimmering in the distance slowly growing larger as I neared the object.


    (Follow the light¡­ It will guide you to me¡­)


    The words continued to enter my ears on repeat, each syllable uttered hypnotizing me further as all I could focus on was the shimmering in the distance.


    I didn''t know how long I was floating for¡­ Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks?


    Time was a long-forgotten concept in the void. No amount of questioning and theorizing would solve the reason why the void had no concept.


    (You''re close¡­ Just continue¡­)


    The words changed once the shimmering in the distance showed me its figure.


    A human, one whose body looked like it was chained to the spot.


    (You''re close¡­ Just continue¡­)


    I followed the voice, his words once again hypnotizing me as I continued forward in a daze.


    (Almost there¡­)


    I hastened my approach, its words giving me a surge of power as I swam quickly in the vast expanse of darkness.


    Finally¡­ After who knows how long¡­ I finally reached my destination¡­


    (Jionni¡­ It''s great to see you...)


    I snapped out of my daze and realized the voice inside my head was coming from the man in front of me. His eyes were blindfolded, his arms trapped in chains, his body and legs restricted with iron, and his mouth stitched with thread.


    "Wha¡­ What the fuck¡­?" I could do nothing but stare in abject horror at the being before me. The sheer pain and discomfort the man was going through was probably something I could never imagine in my entire life.


    (Heh¡­ A sensible reaction¡­)


    The man spoke, his words resonating inside my head rather than entering my ears, I realized.


    "Telepathy¡­?"


    (Correct¡­)


    My question was answered, and the man in front of me made no sort of movement, his chest not even rising up and down as if I was standing before a corpse.


    (I assure you¡­ I am no corpse¡­)


    The bound man''s head twitched ever so slightly, his face tilting directly in my direction. My body froze at that, fear gripping my heart as the pressure hidden within his blindfold caused me to tremble.


    (Now then, Jionni¡­ I assume you are curious¡­ As to why you''re currently here¡­)


    Due to the daze I experienced earlier, I realized once again that I was currently stuck once more inside the void.


    Terror gripped my mind as I thought of the implications. Did I die? Did someone kill me? Why can''t I remember¡­?


    I gripped my head as I tried to remember. My mind refused to recollect the memories in my brain. I was beginning to hyperventilate, but was snapped out of it by the man''s voice entering my head once again.


    (Calm down Jionni¡­ You aren''t dead¡­ You''re just dreaming¡­)


    ''A¡­ Dream¡­? Yes¡­ It has to be¡­ Just a dream¡­ Just a¡­ dream¡­''


    I closed my eyes, taking in deep breaths as I willed my body to calm down. The man in front of me refused to speak up as I continued on trying to calm myself.


    A few moments later, I was finally calm. My breathing steady, I opened my eyes and stared directly at the bound man in front of me.


    (Calm already¡­? That''s great...)


    The chains that bound his hands like a prisoner shook as the man moved his hands. I was going to assume that the chains would break, but I was wrong.


    (These chains that bind me are inderstructible¡­ The Gods that wanted me dead but couldn''t kill me trapping me here in the void for eternity¡­ You, Jionni¡­ Are my only hope at escaping this eternal prison¡­)


    I looked at the man as he continued to stare at me with his blindfold on.


    "¡­ Why should I trust you¡­?"


    The man chuckled, even though his mouth uttered no sound.


    (Why¡­? Because I''m the one who gave you your System¡­ The Gods that trapped me here are the ones that, in your terms, nerfed you¡­ The messenger that told you of your nerf is just a spirit¡­ Easily controlled by higher beings¡­ I was also the man who gave your precious Dungeon Helper¡­)


    My jaw dropped as his words entered my mind.


    "¡­ What¡­? How do I know what you''re saying is true¡­?"


    The man chuckled once more, and lifted his chin up.


    (This¡­)


    My Status Menu opened automatically; my commands were ignored as he rummaged through every window of my System.


    (Hmm¡­ Your stats are not half-bad¡­ However, when pitted against Praeccathae''s heavy hitters, you falls short. Your skills are also average, but sorely lacking in levels¡­ Your perks are okay, but still less than average¡­)


    He listed my skills one by one, each word causing my jaw to drop even lower.


    (But I can see why¡­ Your Quest feature is being blocked by the Gods... The only quests I was able to send you were the first you received and the hidden quest you completed¡­ Let''s fix that, shall we¡­)


    [Quest Generated!]


    [Learn about the mysterious figure in front of you!]


    [Learn name: 0/1]


    "¡­ What¡­?"

 Chapter 178 - Monkes Awakening

    [Quest Generated!]


    [Learn about the mysterious figure in front of you!]


    [Learn name: 0/1]


    I stared at the quest prompt in front of me with wide eyes. I looked at the man who was still chained up with a bewildered look as chuckling kept on entering my mind.


    (Do you believe me now¡­?)


    I nodded dumbly as the evidence laid in front of me stared back at me.


    (Great¡­ First off, I''ll give you my name... As the objective completion of your newly generated quest¡­)


    I looked back at the bound human, my eyes still wide in confusion, elation, and anxiety.


    I could do nothing but accept, and the man chuckled once more in my mind.


    (This might come as a shock¡­ But you may know me as Drakhan¡­)


    My eyes widened in realization.


    "I¡­ I knew I recognized that voice¡­" I said absent-mindedly as the human¡­ No¡­ Drakhan continued to chuckle in my head.


    (Do you know the reason why my mask and cloak were given to you as a reward from the Dungeon Games¡­?)


    I shook my head at his question.


    (Do you remember when Chythos, the God of Monsters, went missing during the final event?)


    I nodded, and I gasped in realization.


    "¡­ He met with you¡­"


    (Correct¡­)


    His chuckles continued to echo in my mind, his jovial tone a stark contrast to his current predicament.


    (I told him to give you those two items¡­ It was the only way for you to form my Shadow and for me to be able to bring your consciousness back in the void where I currently lie imprisoned.)


    I stayed quiet as Drakhan continued with his words, his voice still echoing in my mind.


    (But that isn''t the reason why I brought you here¡­ The real reason is to warn you¡­ Goddess Phoemis, the Goddess of Humanity, was one of my old friends back when I was still a mortal¡­)


    "¡­ The Goddess of the Human Movement cult¡­?"


    (As much as I would want to say no¡­ Yes¡­ She is the Goddess of that cult¡­ But there''s a reason for that, and it has something to do with my warning... Phoemis¡­ My old friend¡­ Has been killed by a mortal¡­ Her corpse lay rotting on Praeccathae soil¡­)


    I was about open my mouth and speak, but Drakhan gave me no chance to.


    (Gods and Goddesses, when they die, are supposed to dissipate into the vast cosmos, their remains forming new Gods and Goddesses¡­ Not rot in a world like some kind of mortal¡­)


    Drakhan sighed and I kept quiet, my unasked question answered by his explanation.


    (But I digress¡­ The mortal who killed her is the leader of that cult¡­)


    I froze and the implications of his words dawned upon me.


    "¡­ They invaded Lina''s Dungeon just before I slept¡­ And judging by their numbers, I assume they wanted to either take over or exterminate¡­ That means¡­"


    (It is as you say¡­ The leader of the Human Movement cult is targeting Dungeons specifically¡­)


    "But why? Why waste soldiers in this fruitless endeavor?"


    (Who said it was fruitless¡­?)


    I froze in shock once more, his words forming a giant pit in my gut.


    (The leader of that cult is a subordinate of another God¡­ One whose name I have no idea of... What I do know is that God has something against Chythos¡­ And they would stop at nothing to get what they want¡­)


    "¡­ Does this mean¡­"


    (Yes¡­ This is possibly a start to another Heavenly War¡­)


    Drakhan sighed and I focused on specific word Chythos mentioned.


    "What do you mean by another?"


    (It is what I way it is¡­ Another Heavenly War¡­ It has happened before, and it is not pretty¡­ Trust me, you wouldn''t want to be in the middle of something like that¡­ Which is why you need to prepare¡­ If Dungeon Masters die left and right, Chythos won''t stand idly by¡­ Before that happens, I need you to root it out at the source¡­)


    I was about to respond, but a migraine stopped me. I grabbed my head and curled myself into a ball as I floated in the darkness.


    (Our time is up¡­ You mustn''t tell anyone about this¡­ Otherwise¡­ We risk having the hostile God knowing of our intentions¡­ The only ones you could tell the information you heard today is Drake, Domino, and your summons¡­)


    I tried to respond, but the pain in my head continued to grow, until my vision grew hazy and I felt my consciousness fading.


    (Jionni¡­ Remember¡­ If you want to survive¡­ Trust me¡­)


    My eyes closed and I felt the energy in my body whither into nothingness¡­


    []


    []


    []


    "Aghh!" I woke up with a start, sweat pooling on my face as I beheld a worried Domino looking at me with a tiny frown.


    "Papa¡­ Are you okay¡­?" Her voice tinged with worry snapped me out of my stupor, and I patted her head with my right hand.


    "¡­ No¡­ I''m¡­ I''m not okay¡­" I admitted to my surrogate-daughter, who proceeded to climb on my chest and lay her tiny body against it.


    "Do you want¡­ To talk¡­?" Her voice soothed my soul, and I smiled.


    "Yes¡­ But first, we need to call Drake." I grabbed Domino and got up, making sure that she wasn''t pushed off the hammock. Putting her on my shoulders, I got off the hammock and stretched my back. "Can you order one of the primates to wake him up? Tell him that I have something important to discuss with him."


    Domino nodded and proceeded to use the Dungeon Menu to contact one of the free primates to follow my order. While she was doing that, I accessed the Dungeon Menu as well and took a look at my Resident Income.


    Dungeon Resident Income:


    DP: 28,422


    EXP: 13,835


    DP: 37,205 => 65,627


    EXP: 1,920 / 16,000 => 15,755 / 16,000


    I smiled at the result. Drake is doing wonders for my DP and EXP daily income. At this rate, I''ll be able to level up every other day, and gain a lot of DP to expand and fortify my Dungeon even more.


    But before that, I still had one more thing to check, and that was the quest I got from Drakhan.


    [Learn about the mysterious figure in front of you!]


    [Learn name: 1/1]


    [Finish Quest: Y/N]


    Seeing no other option, I pressed Y and watched as the rewards pooled in my inventory.


    [Learn about the mysterious figure in front of you!]


    [Learn name: 1/1]


    [Hidden Objective 1: Realize the potential danger you''re in.]


    [Rewards: Drakhan''s Strides]


    [Hidden Reward 1: Realize you''re not an idiot.]


    I felt giddy at the reward, but then fell silent at the hidden reward.


    ''Seriously, Drakhan?''


    =You called?=


    ''You know what¡­ Nevermind¡­'' I sighed and continued walking, my previous mood now gone due to the trolling original Drakhan did to me.

 Chapter 179 - Monke, Human, And Child

    Walking through the Master''s Path with Domino snuggly sitting on my shoulders, I delved into my mind to pass the time.


    ''I have enough DP to jumpstart my Dungeon in terms of production, defense, and capacity. The only thing to decide is which one to do so¡­'' I cupped my chin as my legs continued to guide me through the straight tunnel, the damp floor cold to the soles of my feet. Domino hummed as she kicked both of her feet in a playful manner, her head tilting from side-to-side as she picked up on a rhythm.


    ''Although this is a good time to strengthen myself as well, but then again, if it wasn''t for Drake helping defend my Dungeon, I''m sure that the primates wouldn''t be my only casualties.'' I winced at the thought of having my Residents die. Some of them are expendable, sure, like the goblins or kobolds, but it would be better in the long run if none of them died and I experienced over-population. ''I have a whole dimension to myself, since that''s what a Dungeon is. A dimension is limitless in space, so over-population isn''t a problem.''


    Arriving at the foot of the stairs, my legs scaled them with ease on auto-pilot, leaving my mind free to wander.


    ''Space isn''t a problem right now, so adding more rooms to my Dungeon will be put on hold¡­ Production is steady, so that can also be put on hold¡­ That leaves defense¡­ As if my defenses weren''t enough¡­ Then again, we have a crazy person who killed a Goddess gunning for every Dungeon Master in existence, so defenses are the only plausible solution¡­''


    Tapping Domino''s leg, she looked at me with curious eyes, her humming stopping as she focused her gaze on mine.


    "Yes Papa¡­?" She tilted her head cutely, and I chuckled at her lackadaisical response.


    "Tell the primates to step up their training." Domino looked at me confused, before following my order without any questions.


    Once again descending into silence, I scaled the stairs and finally reached the top. A few more minutes of walking and I finally reached the end of the tunnel.


    It wasn''t until a few more minutes later that I arrived at the door leading to Drake''s current home.


    I knocked on the door and waited for it to open.


    "Coming!" From behind the door, I heard Drake call out, shuffling footsteps entering my ears as the door opened. "Finally. One of your primates woke me up because you had something to tell me."


    "Yep." I popped the ''p'' as I affirmed his words. "Let''s head inside, though. Wouldn''t want to talk in plain sight."


    He nodded and moved out of the path so I could enter the house. Inside, I saw that he had already set up a table with drinks and light snacks such as chips. Taking a seat on one of the couches, I grabbed Domino by her waist and placed her on my lap, the girl leaning on my chest as she stared emptily at Drake.


    Taking a seat himself, Drake grabbed a cup and took a sip from it. I did the same and drank from the cup that was right in front of me.


    "¡­ Cola?" I asked, and Drake smiled. I smiled back and took another sip, also giving Domino the other cup provided, filled with cola. She took a glance at it and sipped the ice-cold beverage with her tiny lips, her eyes widening for a moment before she chugged down the whole drink with fervor. "You like it?"


    "Yes¡­" Domino nodded her head so fast, she might as well have gotten whiplash by the end of it. Both I and Drake chuckled at the response and Drake refilled her cup with the pitcher full of ice-cold cola.


    Without question, she gulped it down like a starved animal. Chuckling a bit at her antics, both Drake and I settled for serious faces as the tension in the air rose.


    "So¡­ I assume that you didn''t wake me up for a house visit?" Drake asked and I nodded, Domino, who was content to keep drinking cola continued without stop, her arms shaking as she lifted the heavy pitcher to pour more cola into her cup.


    "You make a good assumption." I sighed and gestured for him to hold out his arm. He did as I asked, and I grasped his right wrist with my left arm, a confused look etching itself on Drake''s face. "Tell me, what do you know about Drakhan?"


    "You mean the spirit stuck inside the gauntlets around my arm? Not much, except that he is incredibly helpful." Drake shrugged and took a mouthful of cola.


    "What if I told you he''s the one who gave me my System?" And just like that, I was assaulted by cola spitting on my face. Domino wasn''t faring any better, her hair wet and her face matted with the stuff.


    "S-sorry!" Drake quickly grabbed a towel from his satchel and moved to wipe the liquid off of our faces, only to get a bit from Domino, who hissed at Drake with a scowl.


    "Ow!" Drake retracted his hand as he shook of the pain, while Domino snatched the towel from his hand as she wiped the stains off of her head. Once she was done, she then proceeded to wipe the soda from my face and fur.


    "¡­ Drake, please don''t do that again¡­" I deadpanned at Drake, who was sheepish enough to look shameful.


    "Loud and clear¡­" Drake nursed his boo-boo as he plopped back down on his seat. Due to his slip-up earlier, Domino still scowled at him and I patted the irritated little girl with my hands.


    After a few minutes of cooling down, the three of us were finally back to speaking terms.


    "Anyway, as I said before: Drakhan is the one who gave me my System. He also said that the leader of the Human Movement cult killed a Goddess, whose corpse now lay rotting in this realm, and is gunning for every Dungeon Master under the sun." Summarizing the entire chat I had with Drakhan in the void, Drake hummed as he adopted a thinking posture.


    "¡­ Did he say which Goddess¡­?" Drake looked at me with dead eyes, his expression slightly scaring me, but Domino glared back with dead eyes of her own.


    "Yes¡­ The Goddess of the Human Movement cult¡­ Goddess Phoemis." I replied, and Drake smacked his head on the table.


    "¡­ Fuck¡­ Fuck¡­ FUCK!" Drake yelled out as he slammed his head on the table over and over again. I moved to stop Drake from continuing his self-destructive action (not that it was needed), but stopped when I saw Drake looking at the ceiling with dazed eyes.


    Sighing, Drake looked back at me, his face looking like it had aged a decade or so.


    "Sorry¡­ Just some more bad memories¡­ You know how it goes." I nodded in sympathy with the admittedly tired-looking Drake. "Leave me alone for awhile¡­ I¡­ I need some time alone¡­"


    Looking at the man, I nodded once more and hefted Domino onto my shoulder.


    "Hey, if you need someone to talk to, just know that I''m here for you." He gave me a glance and then a brief smile before I headed out. Outside of the house, I looked at Domino, who was once again humming like nothing heavy had happened earlier.


    "Domino, want to play some games?" Domino quickly snapped her gaze at me with a tiny smile.


    "Yes¡­" Chuckling at the obvious response, I formed another Master''s Path and headed back to the Dungeon Core Room to play console games with my surrogate daughter.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "What do you mean Erika''s life signal vanished!?"


    "It is as I say, m''lord. Erika''s life signal vanished, meaning she has perished."


    A loud crashing sound echoed across the hall as an average looking man threw a bunch of trays stocked to the brim with food on the ground.


    "Why!? Why did she die!? She was a candidate for one of my generals! How could she have died while chasing a single heretic!?" The average-looking man continued to throw a temper tantrum as various foodstuffs littered the floor. The man in front of him dressed in a butler''s outfit watched it all happen without batting an eye.


    As the tantrum continued to grow even more violent, the butler sighed and reached for the average-looking man.


    "M''lord. Please calm down. You''re going to make the maids cry with the work you''re giving them." This knocked the average-looking man out of his tantrum as he stared at the devastation his tantrum brought.


    "¡­ Yikes¡­ Sorry about this, Laum¡­ Care to call the maids to fix this up? And give them a raise while you''re at it."


    "As you wish, m''lord." Laum, the butler, bowed and turned heel, his back straight as he exited the room. The average-looking man then sat back at the table, which was now messy thanks to his tantrum.


    "Why the hell did you die, Erika¡­?" The man palmed his face as he thought back to the female knight, the only person who would''ve been brought to general status had she remained instead of chasing after a single heretic due to her principles.

 Chapter 180 - Monke And A Timeskip

    Dungeon Resident Income


    DP Income: 142,110


    EXP Income: 69,175


    DP: 65,627 => 207,737


    Level up! X4


    It''s been five days since my chat with Drake, and I''ve been busy getting my Dungeon up to speed¡­ Again¡­


    I don''t know how many times I''ve done this in just the past month, but that just goes to show that living in this world isn''t so simple.


    Anyway, during those 5 days, I''ve gathered a bunch of DPs from my daily DP income and some more from the domesticated animals currently living in my Dungeon that were slaughtered for food.


    I''ve also increased my monster count again, thanks to some goblins, orcs, and various monsters wandering inside my Dungeon to find shelter from the fanatical humans wanting to eradicate all non-human sentient species.


    ''Well¡­ At least thanks to their efforts, my Dungeon is steadily growing and, so far, I haven''t seen any invaders coming since their failed invasion.'' I cupped my chin as I sipped from the cup of coffee on the table in front of me.


    Because of the quietness, on the other hand, I sent some of my primates skilled in espionage to scout out the area around my Dungeon for any signs of hostile threats camping around it, and in the meantime, they''ve been reporting that they haven''t seen a single hide of human skin in the five days they''ve been deployed.


    I breathed a sigh of relief at that, but that just meant that if they do come for me again, they won''t be holding any punches. Luckily, I have Drake with me, so if ever they decide to attack my Dungeon again, they better be ready for a retaliation of a lifetime.


    Also, sometime between the first and second day, Wulfstan and his charges left my Dungeon through the portal after their full recovery, stating that they would be reporting to their master about the successful defense against the invaders in my Dungeon.


    Tigre and his group did the same after they were all fully healed.


    The next day, they came back, bringing news about the trade me and Oshurkova were about to implement.


    Adhering to the agreement, I used my DP to buy any kind of modern product, such as instant food, some modern tools that would work with electricity (I made sure to tell them that), and some other things, such as entertainment products.


    Like Match Boy and the game that would probably revolutionize the entertainment industry, Tinymon.


    Anyway, once I showed them my products, they were all too happy to trade with me, giving me a bunch of supplies for defense and production. I''ve only accepted materials because the tools I''ve currently given to my smiths and toolmakers are from the post-industrial era.


    Of course, that put a huge hole in my DP reserves, but it was money well-spent. Now, I can mass-produce weapons and armor at a faster pace, and my primates won''t be too preoccupied with creating a bunch of gear every time new faces show up.


    That wasn''t all. I''ve made sure to give the primates skillbooks, specifically, those who were exemplary at their work pertaining to their work. I can confidently say that right now, my primates are going HAM with the production of their wares and items.


    Come sometime next month, I can see an economy bubbling up inside my Dungeon. Of course, I''ll have to sort out the nooks and crannies of it, just to make sure there won''t be any loopholes.


    And by me, I mean Nicholas, Bentley, and Luke. They are more well-versed in economics than I am.


    Which brings me to my current DP count.


    DP: 207,737 => 3,226


    This might look like I''m not saving my DP, but this is an investment to increase productivity in my Dungeon.


    Money well spent¡­


    Although I haven''t bought a room yet because I didn''t need the space, and if, for some reason, the first floor is breached, they still have to traverse the second, third, and fourth floors, which I made to be total deathtraps.


    The fourth floor, instead of making it like the second floor that is filled with hazardous biomes, and the third floor which is a giant, radioactive wasteland, I''ve made the entire fourth floor into a giant labyrinth.


    If that wasn''t all, I''ve filled it to the brim with spikes, and had them cursed with the help of Xek, the green ogre shaman from the Colorful Ogre Tribe.


    And the primates there are probably the deadliest of the bunch. They aren''t outfitted with state-of-the-art armor, nor are they geared with the strongest weapons, though I plan to once the smiths finish mass-producing them, the reason why they are the deadliest of the bunch is that I commanded them to memorize the entire layout of the labyrinth, and being the loyal primates that they are, committed to this task like rabid fanatics.


    If the invaders ever reach that level, they better be prepared for guerilla warfare the likes which they''ve never seen before.


    ''That reminds me, I haven''t changed my class yet after reaching level 20¡­'' I took another sip of coffee, emptying the cup in the process, and laid it back down on the table. ''Status.''


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla (Hybrid)


    Class: Tank


    Level: 20


    Exp: 14930 / 20000


    HP: 9310 / 9310


    MP: 2862 / 2862


    Str: 120 (+162) => 282


    Vit: 164 (+143) => 307


    End: 129 (+123) => 252


    Agi: 75 (+80) => 155


    Dex: 86 (+95) => 181


    Int: 77 (+125) => 202


    Wis: 76 (+125) => 201


    Cha: 53 (+10) => 63


    Luc: 1


    [Would you like to change Classes? Y/N]


    Yes, I''ve finally reached level 20, and can now change my class. I have no problems with my physical power and endurance, so that left magic. I really wanted to continue with the full brawn type since I''ve gotten attached to my fighting style, but life sometimes gives you a reason to change your ways, and this is one of them.


    ''Yes.''


    After selecting the ''Y'' button, I was greeted by a screen that showed me the possible selection of classes I could choose from.


    [Colossus]


    [Mana Tank]


    To be honest, that [Colossus] class is very tempting¡­ so tempting that I might as well disregard the [Mana Tank]. Although, I''m curious as to why there are only two options available.


    ''Meh, not like there''ll be any difference.'' I hovered my hand over the [Mana Tank] option, only to stop because of a voice ringing in my head.


    =Are you sure you want to pick that one, Jionni?=


    Drakhan''s voice echoed in my mind as my hand hovering over the option retracted from the holographic screen.


    ''Drakhan? Why stop me from choosing that option?'' I raised my eyebrow at the voice in my head.


    =Because, in my experience, going for versatility wouldn''t be that good in the long run. Sure, you might be able to handle multiple situations alone, but what''s the use of your Dungeon then? Your subordinates? Think carefully Jionni.=


    I opened my mouth to speak, only to close it at the last second and ponder my decision.


    ''Drakhan isn''t wrong. If I go [Mana Tank], I could handle myself in a fight better against enemies, but that''s only if I''m alone and they are slightly more powerful than me or weaker, but if I took [Colossus], I might not be able to fight against certain opponents, but then again, what''s the use of my Dungeon¡­?''


    Placing my trust in Drakhan''s soul piece, I hovered my hand over the [Colossus] option and picked it without hesitation.


    [Class Changed!]


    Perks Gained!


    [Giant''s Strength] ¨C Gain the strength of giants. Increases STR 20%, VIT by 15%, and END by 10%.


    [Unflinching] ¨C You are a rock made of iron. You gain 25% damage reduction passively, and any attack that deals less than half your HP will not cause you to flinch.


    Skills Gained!


    [Colossus Wrath] ¨C Deals (STR+VIT) x10 damage to any target. Passively increases STR by 25.


    [Giant''s Roar] ¨C Yell into the heavens, placing the fear of God in any unfortunate enemy to hear your shriek. Passively increases END by 25.


    Smiling at the result, I could already feel myself getting stronger. Sure, it wasn''t magic, but super strength has a magic all of its own.


    That said, the main perk that got my attention was the [Unflinching] perk. That''s a huge damage reduction, and if I pair that up with my [Infamous Rock Warrior Hammer Arts], then I have about 70% damage reduction at any given moment.


    I''m becoming an OP bastard¡­!


    Snickering devilishly, I thank Drakhan once again for guiding me down this path.


    I still haven''t checked my skills though¡­ I grinded them while there was nothing good to do, specifically, [Lightning Manipulation], [Wind Manipulation (EvR Style)], and [Golem Crafting].


    Right now, they are sitting pretty with a good few level ups from my grinding.


    [Wind Manipulation (EvR Style)] +2 levels


    [Golem Crafting] +2 levels


    [Lightning Manipulation] +2 levels


    So far, that''s everything that happened in these past five days, but during these five days, I''ve been thinking about something.


    More specifically, the elf twins. They''ve been nothing but loyal, albeit sometimes tardy on some occasions due to their¡­ unique relationship¡­


    ''Maybe it''s time I gave them something.''

 Chapter 181 - Monke And The Elves Plus Dragonewt

    Exiting the Master''s Path, I found myself walking through the new walkways built in the Human Town. Marveling at the newer construction, I smiled to myself at how my Dungeon had grown over the month. No longer was it a cave with only one floor and two rooms.


    Now, it is a bigger cave, with more floors and more rooms. It''s not really exciting when said like that, but factor in the labyrinth, wastelands, hazardous biomes, and a functioning town on the first floor, and a person could see how far my Dungeon has come in just a month.


    Entering the wall-less town, I saw a bunch of humans and demi-humans going about their day, greeting me as I passed by.


    Over the course of the week these humans and demi-humans have been here, they''ve been surprisingly chill with their sudden transfer, as well as happy.


    Well, when you go from medieval standards to modern standards, I could take a guess as to why they would like it here more than their previous accommodations.


    Passing through the crowd of people that numbered a few dozen, I reached my destination. Knocking on the door, I waited for a few seconds before I heard shuffling coming from behind the door. Moments later, the door opened, and Mariona opened the door while wearing¡­


    "What the fuck are you wearing?" Mariona looked down at her attire, then blushed.


    "Sorry!" She slammed the door on my face as the elf quickly retreated into the house to probably get into a better state of dress.


    "¡­ Didn''t think she would do the naked apron thing¡­" I cupped my chin and stored the memory in my memory banks for future purposes. I passed the time waiting by scrolling down the Dungeon Market tab to see if there was anything I could get for Domino when I returned.


    A few minutes passed and the door opened once more, my eyes being drawn to the sound created. Mariona stood in the walkway, more modestly dressed than before.


    "Sorry you had to see me like that, Jionni." Mariona scratched her cheek as her foot tapped on the floor, a slight blush dusting her pale cheeks. "Anyway, why did you come here?"


    "I''m here to talk about your services to me." I closed the Dungeon Menu and approached the elf, who was still standing in the doorway. "Both of you were the first demi-humans to take up residence here in my Dungeon, and you are also the most loyal, even if there are times when both of you could be more¡­ Tact, with your relationship."


    Mariona chuckled sheepishly as the blush on her face intensified, her right foot tapping the floor faster now.


    "Anyway, I''m not here to talk about your relationship with your sister. I''m here because it''s time I gave you both a reward." Mariona''s eyes widened as she stared at me with a gaping mouth, her tapping foot now quietly still as silence began to descend around us.


    "Are you sure, Jionni? Me and my sister haven''t done that much to help out yet." Mariona moved out of the doorway, giving me passage into the house.


    "Nonsense," I walked through the path, entering the house while ducking under the doorway that was shorter than me, "You were the first demi-humans to live here, and you also helped with the new humans and demi-humans to familiarize themselves with the area. You may not have helped with defending my Dungeon as of now, but that doesn''t mean your tiny deeds went unnoticed by me and my primates."


    Mariona stared at me, mind-boggled at the fact that I acknowledged their helping the new faces to adjust, like any normal boss should.


    ''This world needs an overhaul in how they treat their employees.''


    "Wow¡­ I¡­ This¡­ Thank you¡­ Jionni." Still surprised at my heartfelt comments, Mariona stuttered out a weak thanks as I chuckled at her response.


    "Now, where''s your sister?" I looked around the living room; the area was clean and tidy without that much dust.


    "Merethyl? She''s at the hospital tending to the still asleep dragonewt." Her surprise gone, Mariona grabbed a bag that hung next to the door. "I was about to leave and visit her to bring her lunch, but since you''re looking for her as well, why not tag along?"


    "Sure." I nodded and the both of us exited the house, Mariona making sure that the door was locked before smiling and pocketing the key.


    Once again, on the streets, both Mariona and I talked about various topics as we traveled, from inane topics like what I used to keep my fur glossy to intimate topics like where she could get a dildo.


    Yep, she asked me where she could get a dildo for her and her sister''s sexy times. If I didn''t have a relationship with Catalina, I would''ve been crying tears of blood at that point.


    "¡­ I''ll just give you a bunch of them. Take them as some sort of extra gifts." That was my response and Mariona gave me a hug, my arm being smushed between her breasts.


    Not gonna lie, Mariona''s and Catalina''s breast differ so much from each other, I could tell the slight differences apart.


    Once she was done from hugging my arm, we both continued our trek through the streets, greeting humans and demi-humans we passed by.


    Fast forward a few minutes later, and we were now in front of the hospital, which had been renovated from looking like a run-down clinic into a giant, modern hospital with a self-automated cleaning system.


    I will fucking splurge my DP when it comes to the health, safety, and happiness of my residents. Less frustration equals a lower chance of rebellion, and higher loyalty.


    "Well, she''s in here, and we''ve been getting some help from the arachnes for the various wounds the residents get during their work." I nodded at her words. After all, spider silk is generally good for wounds.


    Heading inside the hospital, we were greeted by Lara, who was manning the counter, a bored look plastered on her face as she yawned while flipping through the pages of some manga I had circulated around the Dungeon.


    Once she noticed our presence, she quickly perked up and replaced her bored look with a surprised one, mostly due to me.


    "Is Merethyl in?" Wiping her surprised look away, Lara nodded and searched the computer (I had them installed for less workload and conveniency) for the room Merethyl was in currently.


    "Room 101, East Wing." Mariona nodded and walked through the corridors, I following behind her.


    "¡­ Did you really need to ask where your sister was? Didn''t you say she was tending to the dragonewt who was still in a coma?" Mariona nodded at my question.


    "Yes, it''s just our obligation to do so. Keep respect in the workplace, as they say." I hummed in agreement at that quote.


    Once again descending into silence, we walked through the hallway leading to the East Wing. Now in front of the door labeled E-101, Mariona knocked on the door and without hesitation, opened the sliding door, showing Merethyl wearing her usual outfit, but with a doctor''s coat as an addition.


    "Mari? Jionni?" Merethyl noticed the two of us and placed the piece of paper she was writing on top of the desk she was currently sitting behind. "What brings the both of you here?"


    "Your lunch." Mariona curtly responded with a smile and raised the bag she had brought with her. "And Jionni says he has something to say to the both of us."


    Merethyl looked at me, and I gave her a reassuring smile.


    "Take your lunch first. We''ll talk later." Merethyl relaxed and took the bag of lunch from her twin sister''s hand. While she was busy eating with her sister, I approached the comatose dragonewt to check if she was faring well.


    So far, she didn''t look any different from when I first found her, except she was a little bit skinnier than before, but otherwise, cleaner.


    Examining her closer, I grabbed the scouter from my inventory and checked her stats.


    Name: Inziz


    Gender: Hermaphrodite


    STR: 1769 (-1500) => 269


    AGI: 1869 (-1500) => 369


    INT: 1669 (-1500) => 169


    I grew speechless at the information given to me by the scouter in my hand.


    "Wait, what the fuck!?" I was so surprised that my thoughts gave way into my mouth, shocking the two elves who were busy eating at the desk.


    "Jionni!? What happened!?" Mariona, who was the most reactive of the two, quickly got into a stance ready to fight, while Merethyl stumbled, reaching for her staff that was leaning on the wall nearby.


    "¡­ No¡­ Nothing happened. I was just surprised." I looked at the two elves and gave them a look at my current expression. "I didn''t think she had both the male and female genitalia¡­"


    The two elves fell silent for a moment, then burst out in yells.


    "WHAT!?"


    While the two had their outburst, I noticed the dragonewt''s eyelids twitching, before the two of them opened, giving way to two crimson eyes with yellow slits.

 Chapter 182 - Monke And Scaly Lady

    "Where¡­?" The dragonewt''s glazed crimson eyes slowly started to focus on the ceiling, before shifting her sights towards my direction. "Who¡­?"


    I backed away from the dragonewt, my head turning to the two elves who were staring at the waking dragonewt with shocked eyes.


    Reacting quickly, Merethyl, the elf currently assigned to taking care of the ex-comatose patient, moved to the side of the dragonewt.


    "Hey." Merethyl caught the attention of the dragonewt, her eyes now unglazed and focusing clearly on the face of the elf.


    "¡­ Elf¡­? Where am I?" She tried to raise her body, only for her elbow to buckle and send her crashing back to the soft bed.


    "Don''t move. You just woke up from a month-long coma." Merethyl did some actions that even I, in my medical inexperience, had no idea of. "Can you tell me the last thing you remembered?"


    "¡­ I remember¡­ Goblins¡­" I winced at that, and judging from the flinch coming from both Merethly and Mariona, they did so as well. "¡­ No¡­ no no no¡­"


    Her eyes dilated as the circumstances behind her coma resurfaced, her breaths coming in short gasps as she struggled for air.


    Merethyl reacted accordingly, coming to the dragonewt''s, hand grabbing the scaly woman''s shoulder.


    "It''s okay, they aren''t here." Merethyl continued to whisper into the ears of the dragonewt, her shivering gradually grinding to a stop, her breathing now calm and steady. Once it was over, however, the dragonewt clutched the sheets tightly, tears pouring from her eyes.


    She cried, her face being buried into the sheets hugged into her face. Beside her, Merethyl continued to console the dragonewt.


    Deciding it was best to leave the dragonewt woman to herself as her fellow females console her, I glanced at Mariona and gestured to the door. She nodded, and I saw myself out, not willing to cause more problems with the woman who had just recalled her rape session.


    She will probably be uncomfortable with the opposite gender for the moment, but I''m sure she will go ballistic if she sees any goblins, so until her problem is resolved, no goblins are to come around the Human Town, lest they want to risk her wrath and become a stain on the ground.


    And instant DP for me, no matter how small.


    Leaving the room, I stayed outside just beside the door until someone calls for me. To pass the time again, I opened the Dungeon Menu and browsed through the Market tab for anything worth of purchase.


    "Oh, here they are¡­" Browsing through the adult section of the Market, I bought some toys for the twin elves. I''m still a bit uncomfortable with their relationship, but the twin maid Dungeon Masters took the cake.


    On top of being in a sexual relationship most of the time, they do S&M play¡­


    Their sexual activities aside, purchasing the toys from the Market tab and having it placed in my inventory, I browsed through the catalogs once more, this time checking for anything that would help with my growth.


    DP: 3,226 => 1,726


    After a few minutes, the door beside me opened, catching my attention in the process. Looking at the cause, I saw Merethyl looking at me with a serious look.


    "She wants to see you." I tilted my head curiously at her words.


    "Me? Why?" Merethyl shook her head as she looked at me with her eyes, the same confusion present.


    "I don''t know. She just wanted to see you." I nodded and headed in with Merethyl at the front. Once inside, the dragonewt looked at me with an anxious expression, but wiped it off her face, replacing it with a neutral expression.


    "You wanted to see me?" She did nothing at first, but nodded, and I approached the dragonewt, who was lying on the comfortable bed.


    "Are¡­ Are you Jionni?" This quickly got warning bells ringing in my ears, my eyes narrowing at the dragonewt fresh from a coma.


    "¡­ Did the elves tell you about me?" She shook her head, and my mistrust of the dragonewt grew stronger. "Then how do you know my name¡­?"


    "¡­ Drakhan told me." My suspicions vanished and I looked at her with a very confused face.


    "Did¡­ Do you have a piece of equipment from Drakhan?" She nodded and materialized a dagger in her hand, the design leaving a lot to be desired, but make no mistake, I could sense its inherent power just by standing nearby.


    The elves did as well, their skin bristling at the sight of the average-looking dagger.


    "¡­ I presume that Drakhan''s soul-piece has been talking to you while you were asleep?" She nodded again and I sighed. Taking a seat nearby, I looked at the two elves.


    "You two, leave us for a moment, and make sure nobody comes near this area until I call for you." The two elves nodded and left the room as commanded. Once they were gone, I materialized the cloak and mask, as well as the boots that I got from the mission Drakhan gave me to learn his name. "So¡­ Drakhan''s been talking to you via his soul-piece¡­ What did he tell you?"


    "Nothing much, other than a monster named Jionni, should help me when I wake up." She gripped the dagger in her hand tightly, her other hand brushing against the sharp blade of the dagger.


    "¡­ Okay, I''m going to be blunt. When you woke up, you were asked by Merethyl, the glasses-wearing elf, what you remember. I assume that was about your time with the¡­ goblins¡­ right?"


    She flinched and began to slightly hyperventilate. Moving quickly, I approached the dragonewt and brought her into a hug, my fur brushing into her skin.


    "It''s okay, they''re not here. They won''t harm you again." The dragonewt''s breathing slowly stabilized as her body stopped shaking. Letting her go, she looked at me with a slight smile.


    "Thanks¡­"


    "No, that was my fault. Bringing up that topic was incredibly cruel of me, but I needed to know. How did you get captured by the goblins in the first place?" She froze in place, her eyes dilating as she stopped caressing the dagger in her hand. "You have a piece of Drakhan''s equipment, and you are a dragonewt."


    Her breathing hitched, and she sighed, tears flowing down her eyes.


    "I¡­ I got betrayed¡­ Poisoned by my very own teammates." The dragonewt scowled, her hand gripping the handle of the dagger tightly, tears dripping onto the sheets and hands. "It wasn''t a normal kind of poison. It weakened the target, so much that it takes near a year to reverse its effects."


    ''That explains the status debuffs when using the scouter. It must''ve been even worse the day when I just found her.'' Recalling the scene of the three women covered in white, bodily fluids made me nearly lose my shit.


    "Do you remember who?" She nodded her head.


    "Yes¡­ A human bastard by the name of Linuel. If the rumors surrounding him was correct, he was a supporter of that Human Movement Movement¡­ Or cult¡­"


    "Then both you and I have the same enemy." I chuckled, and she looked at me with a confused gaze. "The leader of that cult wants every head of the Dungeon Masters in the world, and since I am one, I''m also on the top of his shit list."


    "¡­ Wait, how do you know that?"


    "Drakhan told me, and no, you aren''t allowed to say it to other people. Only those who have pieces of Drakhan''s equipment are allowed to know this top-secret information." Her eyes widened, and I sighed. "I''m going to be honest with you, I need all the help I can get. I''ve met with Drakhan, his real body, and all I can say is that if the perpetrator of this fiasco is allowed to roam, a Heavenly War might break out. I assume you know about the term because of Drakhan''s soul-piece telling you since your mouth is open."


    She dumbly nodded, and I chuckled, a bit amused at her reaction.


    "So, we have the same enemy, and I''m also sure you want revenge on the bastard who caused you this suffering." Her previously shocked look vanished, replaced with a murderous look, a growl coming out from her throat.


    "Oh, believe me, if I see the bastard, I''m returning the favor 100-fold." The dragonewt scowled, and I hummed.


    "With all that said, you want to partner-up?" She nodded without any hesitation whatsoever. I grinned and held out my head. She grabbed it and we both shook. "Welcome to my Dungeon. By the way, I haven''t heard of your name yet."


    "Inziz. Call me Inziz. Also, I''ll have you know I''m a girl at heart, even if I have both a dick and a pussy. I noticed you staring at my crotch while we talked earlier." I averted my eyes and whistled, her snickers entering my ears as I did so.


    "Anyway, it''s time I take my leave. Also, I''m telling you this, do not leave this area. I don''t know what you''d do if you see any goblins in your current state." She growled a bit, her mind now focused on a murder spree on green-skinned little men.


    "Noted."


    Leaving the dragonewt to her rest, I exited the room and came across the two elves who were guarding the area.


    "Tend to Inziz," I said, motioning to the door, "and then come see me outside."

 Chapter 183 - Monke And Reward Ceremony (lol)

    Making my way through the corridor, I encountered Lara once again reading from the manga in a rather¡­ lazy fashion. The moment she noticed me, however, she quickly placed the manga under the desk and greeted me with a hasty smile.


    "J-Jionni! Where are the others?" Lara focused behind me, nothing but the empty halls greeting her sight. "Are they still tending to the dragonewt?"


    "You could say that." I chuckled and approached the counter, my hand resting atop the surface. "The dragonewt woke up. Her name is Inziz¡­ And she has a rather¡­ peculiar organ system, specifically, the sexual reproduction system."


    "¡­ The what now?" Lara tilted her head, confused at the term that flew over her head. I looked at her with a confused gaze, before remembering that even if this world had the internet, its technology was still within the middle-ages. That, and their internet is like it was just released, only reaching up to 2 kilobits per second.


    "The girl has breasts, a pussy, and a dick." That got Lara to blush bright red, her lips quivering as they opened and closed multiple times, trying to form a coherent response. Chuckling at her display of embarrassment, I removed my arm from the counter and grabbed something from my inventory. "Here, for doing your job, even if it isn''t that much."


    The clunking of metal snapped Lara out of her embarrassment as I tossed a leather sack from my inventory to the counter. She grabbed the sack and untied the knot that held it close, and once she got a good peek of what was inside, she beamed at me with a joyous smile.


    "T-Thank you, Jionni!" She reached her hand into the sack and pulled out what seemed to be a knife for cooking. A really sharp knife for cooking. Inside were more cooking utensils professional chefs back on Earth use when they''re cooking in gourmet restaurants, meaning that all of them were state of the art.


    "No need to be so surprised. I always reward my subordinates, depending on their merits. Although¡­" My eyes held a sinister gaze as the color drained from Lara''s face. "My punishments are just as harsh if you screw up big time."


    "R-Roger¡­" Lara bowed her head, but nonetheless, was thankful for the gift I had given her. Patting her head like I would a child, she grumbled at the treatment, but leaned into my touch all the while. Noticing her action, she quickly retracted her head and a massive blush grew on her face.


    Snickering at her display once more, I headed out of the hospital, my chuckle entering the ear of the embarrassed gnome who was manning the counter.


    []


    []


    []


    Sitting on a bench outside of the hospital, I busied myself with calling Oshurkova. I waited for the call to connect, and lo and behold, my waiting was rewarded with a vampire lady looking as if she was going to die from exhaustion.


    "Wow¡­ You look like shit." I commented, and she scowled.


    "I feel like shit, blyat." She groaned and smacked her head on the desk. A pile of papers beside her was shaking slightly but stood strong, like a tower made of steel. "The paperwork just won''t end¡­"


    "Why not¡­ I don''t know¡­ Hire some other guys to do that paperwork for you?"


    "And risk igniting my Dungeon because they signed a piece of paper allowing one of the shops to test their self-made bombs in the testing ground without any safety precautions? Not a chance." She snorted and lifted her head from the table, thick eye-bags lining under her eyes.


    "Yikes¡­ Just what kind of residents do you have inside your Dungeon?"


    "Eh¡­ Normal ones, bloodthirsty ones, crazy ones, you name it, I have them." She chuckled and grabbed a glass of alcohol that was sitting on her desk. She took a huge gulp of alcohol like it was water and gave out a satisfied sigh as her cheeks blushed red, even though she was technically a corpse. "Wulfstan and his proteges are part of the normal ones."


    "So it seems." The conversation died around there, and the both of us were just relishing in each other''s comforts, even though we weren''t physically near each other. "Anyway, I have to go. I still have some things to do, and by the looks of it, you do too."


    I looked at the stack of papers and her, noticing where I directed my gaze, scowled and smacked her head on the table again. Smiling sheepishly at her display, I cut the call before she could rant more about her predicament than actually do some of her work.


    Letting out a huge sigh, I leaned back on the bench, my eyes slowly closing as I felt the warm embrace of sleep take me.


    []


    []


    []


    "-nni¡­ Jio-"


    My eyes twitched as a voice entered my ears.


    "Jionni¡­"


    I then heard my name. Opening my eyes, I was greeted by a flash of light, temporarily blinding me as I let out a hiss. Once my eyes got adjusted to the light, I looked at the cause of my sudden departure from dreamland.


    "Oh, I take it you two have finished tending to Inziz?" The twin elves nodded, and I stretched, my back making popping sounds in the process. "Anyway, now that you''re here, let''s go back to your house. I want to do this in private if possible."


    Both of them nodded, and we went on our way back to their house, the trek being long and silent, unless we passed by another human or demi-human.


    Once at the front of their house, Mariona approached the door and unlocked it with the key inside her pocket. The door slowly opened and the three of us entered without any delay and closed the door behind us.


    "No need to make any kind of snacks or beverages, this won''t take long." I told them, and the two of them made their way to the living area, me following behind them as they walked.


    Once seated, I addressed them with a tiny smile on my lips.


    "Before I start, I''m assuming your sister already told you what this was about?" Merethyl nodded, and I tapped on the table. "So basically, what I''m going to reward you for is something only Nicholas, Domino, or I can do, and that is accessing the Dungeon Market."


    The two of them looked at me with visible confusion in their eyes. Chuckling at the scene, I brought up the menu in front of them, showing them what it entailed.


    "The Dungeon Market is a place where you can buy anything with the right amount of currency. The currency we use is DP, and DP is gained every day depending on how many non-summoned monsters, humans, or demi-humans you have inside a Dungeon." I explained. Both of them seemed to get it, with them making humming noises as they paid attention to my words. "Now, as for you, I''m going to grant the both of you access to the Dungeon Market, albeit with some limitations, like Nicholas'', for example. As for your DP, I will supply you with a daily allowance depending on your actions."


    They both gave a nod, and I smiled in response.


    "That said, there''s another gift I have to give the both of you, and Merethyl, your sister suggested this." Realizing the ''gift'' I was about to give them, Mariona blushed beet red while, Merethyl looked at her twin with a raised eyebrow.


    Snickering to myself, I accessed my inventory, and haphazardly placed them all over the desk, various sex toys of differing colors spilling onto the desk and on the floor, shocking the two elves into speechlessness.


    "Well, anyway, now that I''m done with my task, I''ll be heading back to the Dungeon Core Room. Enjoy your gifts. Oh, and one last thing," I looked back at the two speechless twins with huge blushes on their faces, Mariona''s lip slightly quivering to that of a smile and Merethy already starting to pant, a manic expression starting to form on her face, "To access the Dungeon Market, just think or call out ''Dungeon Market'' and go nuts."


    Laughing to myself as I headed out of the house, I prepared a Master''s Path once more, leading into the Dungeon Core Room.


    "Oh, wait, I still need to call Catalina." As I walked, I opened the Dungeon Menu once again and called Catalina. I didn''t even need to wait for two seconds before the call was picked up.


    "Jionni! I missed you!" If it wasn''t for her not being physically in front of me, she would''ve lunged at me. "When can I visit you? I''m bored here! My residents are always talking about you and Drake. They want to meet with you again. Can you schedule a visit?"


    Her machinegun talk notwithstanding, I nodded dumbly and she cheered brightly. A few more back and forth chats, and we both hung up.


    ''Well, at least I have something to do tomorrow¡­''

 Chapter 184 - Monke Back In Lovers Dungeon

    Resident Income:


    DP: 30,952


    EXP: 14,933


    DP: 1,726 => 32,678


    []


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla (Hybrid)


    Class: Colossus


    Level: 21


    Exp: 9863 / 21000


    HP: 10360 / 10360


    MP: 2930 / 2930


    Str: 127 (+213) => 340


    Vit: 172 (+170) => 342


    End: 137 (+162) => 299


    Agi: 79 (+80) => 159


    Dex: 91 (+95) => 186


    Int: 82 (+125) => 207


    Wis: 81 (+125) => 206


    Cha: 56 (+10) => 66


    Luc: 1


    []


    It was the next day, and I was getting ready for the trip back to Catalina''s Dungeon. I bought a bunch of stuff from the Dungeon Market, ranging from food, household appliances, and entertainment items.


    I even included some sex toys, since I''m pretty sure Catalina would want some of those.


    As I was about to depart, however, something clung to my leg and I looked at the offender. Domino was grabbing my log of a leg with a tightened grip, grumbling from her mouth as she refused to let go.


    "Domino?" I grabbed her arms and gently tugged her off. Kneeling on the ground as I made eye contact with the little girl, I placed my hand on her head, gently combing her hair. "Do you want to come along?"


    She nodded meekly as she basked in my touch, her head leaning into my palm as if it was some kind of magnet to her head. Chuckling at the scene, I stood up and grabbed her by the waist, hefting her up into my shoulders as she let out a tiny yelp due to how sudden it was.


    "Alright, I''ll let you come along and meet Mama. You better behave, otherwise, I''m sending you back here, okay?" She nodded with a bright smile¡­ Well, as much as her neutral face could do, at least.


    Heading through the Master''s Path I had the Dungeon generate, we spent the trek in silence, both of us just relishing in the comfort our warmth gave each other.


    "Excited to see Mama again?" Domino nodded and I chuckled, her arms wrapping around my head as she gave me a hug with her tiny body. "That reminds me, is there someone staying behind in the Dungeon Core Room?"


    "Yes¡­ I called Gong¡­" Humming at her words, I tickled her sides, the little girl eliciting gasps from the tickle torture as she hung on my shoulder for dear life.


    "You should''ve told me earlier, not that I would''ve minded." I grinned, and Domino pouted at me, her heels hitting against the left side of my chest as her legs swung in the air. "Anyway, before we go there, we need to call Drake. Request a primate to go wake him him up, if he is asleep, that is."


    Domino nodded and opened the Dungeon Menu. A brief call between her and a primate went on as I continued walking through the damp passageway.


    The call ended, and Domino gave me a thumbs-up, and I rubbed her head with my hand while making sure she didn''t fall off, her body hugging my head as she let out a mewl.


    []


    []


    []


    "¡­ Why¡­? I was about to fall asleep..." Drake grumbled as he yawned, already wearing what seemed to be his regular clothes, which consisted of a plain black T-shirt, jeans, and white sneakers. "By the way, thanks for these. You have no idea how much I wanted to feel soft fabric clothes again."


    "Why? Do tunics not impress you?" He grumbled more and gave me a look.


    "They''re itchy!" Drake stomped his feet, the ground beneath his feet caving in slightly due to his strength. "This world has the equivalent of dark ages technology with a motherfucking internet with a speed that would make the slowest internet provider in our time cringe!"


    I chuckled, and he continued to grumble, mostly because I inserted something into his schedule.


    "Anyway, what does your girlfriend want again?" He yawned once more, scratching the top of his head as tears came out of his eyes. "And why do I need to come with you?"


    "Because her residents want to meet with us. They want to thank us, apparently, and no way am I missing out on getting laid again." I smiled and Drake snarled at me, while Domino tilted her head due to not understanding the adult talk that was going on between us two.


    "You lucky bastard." Drake grabbed my free shoulder and gave me a glare that could kill the weak-willed, which soon turned to admiration. "Teach me your ways."


    "Go to the brothel and have an alraune take away your virginity. At least, the human-like ones." Drake looked like he had eaten a lemon, and I cackled at his expression. "Oh man, you should see the look on your face!"


    "Shut up." Drake let go of my shoulder and tucked his hands into his pockets as we continued down the road, heading towards the passageway that led to the Monster Town.


    []


    []


    []


    "So, any heads up on what the residents of the Dungeon beyond reactions would be like?" Drake tapped his finger on the side of his head as he stared at the portal under the arche.


    "Be ready for anything?" I shrugged and unhesitatingly stepped through the portal, with Drake following me. The two of us decided not to bring any guards with us just to show that we came in peace.


    That, and with Drake around, I don''t think that would be necessary.


    Moving through the portal was like traversing through a giant passageway, which reminded me too much of the void I was in after I died, but there was an exception.


    There was light at the end of the tunnel, something that wouldn''t exist in the void because, in general, the void is nothing. Nothing can exist there, and nothing remains there, but for some reason, souls of the deceased, gather there after their mortal bodies die¡­ At least, that''s what I believe.


    I didn''t meet any other deceased souls during my time in the void, so that assumption might as well be null and void¡­


    I facepalmed.


    "Jionni? What are you doing?" Drake noticed my action, as well as Domino, who was looking at me with a confused face, her head tilting slightly to the side.


    "Don''t worry, I just unknowingly made a pun." At that, Drake chuckled, and we continued on moving through the dark passageway, Domino barely concealing her excitement at the thought of seeing her Mama again. ''And then me and Catalina will have some sexy times, so it''s up to Drake to be her uncle while I have some fun with kitty¡­ Damn, I sound like an asshole.''


    Not that I regret being one. I''m still jealous of Drake being an OP bastard, but I''ll let that go seeing that he has a bunch of dark backstories that I don''t want to happen to me.


    []


    []


    []


    Stepping out of the portal, the three of us found ourselves in a busy area with a lot of monsters, humans, and demi-humans going about their business, either just passing by, or unloading shipments of cargo after traveling through the other portals surrounding the area.


    "First time I see this place bustling with activity." I mused, and Drake beside me nodded.


    "That''s because we were in an emergency last time." Turning around, I saw Catalina strutting about with a smile on her face, the smile growing brighter once she saw Domino perched atop my shoulder with an equally bright smile.


    For Domino''s standards, at least¡­


    "Lina, it''s great to see you." The catwoman in question approached the three of us, flanked by two feline guards fully kitted out with high-quality armor and weaponry.


    "And you as well, Jion." She cupped my chin and gave me a kiss, Drake beside me crying tears of blood.


    "Fuck you Jionni¡­ Fuck youuuu¡­" Catalina let go of my lips after a few seconds of affection, and we both chuckled at Drake''s jealousy.


    "I can arrange for you to go have some fun in our brothels, if it so pleases you." In his response, Drake shook his head and went silent, some grumbling once again coming from his mouth. Catalina couldn''t help but laugh at that. "I''m sure that a lot of my people would bed someone like you."


    Drake continued grumbling.


    "Anyway, Domino, go on, greet your Mama." Catalina looked at the girl in question, and in her vast expanse of wisdom gathered in her mind, the catwoman squealed and snatched the little girl off of my shoulders.


    "Oh my god! You are cute, no matter how many times I see you!" Being crushed in her breasts, Domino struggled to get away from the weapons of mass destruction, to us men at least, and gasped for air as she escaped.


    "Mama¡­ Scary¡­" She quickly jumped off and clung to my leg once more, the comical scene of Catalina crying coming into view.


    All I could do was laugh at the scene and relish in Catalina''s amusing reaction.


    "Anyway, the residents are waiting for us, right?" Catalina nodded, and I grinned.. "Well then, let''s go meet them."

 Chapter 185 - Monke And A New Dungeon

    Leaving the portal area, Drake, Catalina, Domino, two feline guards, and I walked under the giant arch that connected this place to the outside.


    Walking closer to the catwoman, I tilted my head in her direction, and she looked at me with a smile.


    "By the way, I didn''t get to ask you this because we were in a hurry last time." She hummed and I continued, Drake listening in as we did so. "Is your Dungeon more focused on trade? That''s what I''ve gotten through my observations, at least."


    "Hmm¡­ Yes, you are correct on that front." She motioned her hand behind us, our eyes following and meeting the various monsters, humans, and demi-humans unloading shipments, into various vehicles used to transport said cargo. "It is why we also had trouble defending against the raid a few days ago. Some of my men have been focused on escorting the traders out of my Dungeon, causing them to be late in arriving against the force of humans the both of you faced. That, and my felines aren''t really that cut out to be defenders against a well-trained group of armed soldiers numbering a few hundred."


    We walked past a few more busybodies here and there as we continued forward, some of them giving us smiles and eyes of wonder, particularly, the little children playing about the streets.


    I waved back at them, causing them to giggle and wave back. Besides me, Catalina and Drake chuckled at my action.


    "You are always good with kids." Drake mused as he looked at Domino still perched atop my shoulder like an ornament, her arms playing with the fur on top of my head.


    "Indeed, and that shows in how you manage your daughter." I rolled my eyes at their claims, but didn''t disagree with them. I may think I am not that good with kids, but if other people tell me I am, who am I to tell them off?


    "Anyway, we shouldn''t be that far from our destination." Catalina then surprised me by jumping at my side and hugging my arm in between her breasts. "Shall we?"


    I smiled and Domino, who shook a little because of the sudden weight added at my side, shifted to my opposite shoulder so she could get closer to her Mama.


    Meanwhile, Drake was looking at me again with jealousy, his eyes squinting and his lips forming a frown, gritted teeth showing.


    Rolling my eyes at his display, the four of us, six if you counted the two feline guards still following us, continued on in silence, content enough just to feel each other''s presence and being at awe with the spectacle of the bustling city without it looking like a ghost town.


    []


    []


    []


    "Here we are." Catalina let go of my arm as she gestured for the two feline guards following us to open the double doors in front of us. "This is the place where we hold most of our meetings, and the leaders of various factions inside my Dungeon are inside waiting for us."


    "I see¡­" I cupped my chin with my free hand as Catalina guided me inside by grabbing my other arm once again, with Domino trying to bridge the gap between her and me with her actions, and Drake still being the jealous OP protagonist of his own novel.


    Heading inside, we were greeted by another guard, and instead of a feline, she was a cat demi-human.


    "Master?" She looked at Catalina with sparkling eyes, and Catalina cringed at the sight of her subordinate.


    "Melanie, what are you doing here?" The catgirl in question looked at Catalina with a lovesick smile, before she spotted me with her master clinging to my arm like a high school girl would and a little girl sitting on top of my shoulder.


    "M-master! How could you!" She then cried out, large, comical tears seeping from her eyes and into the ground as she wept. "How could you replace me, you''re one true love, with a brute like that! You even had a child!"


    And just like that, all of us present stared at the catgirl like she was a total nutjob, except Catalina, who was pinching the bridge of her nose with irritation.


    "Melanie¡­ How many times have I told you this¡­" Catalina glared at the catgirl, who was still weeping on the floor like a lover had just dumped her after going behind her back. "We were never a thing. That was just a one-time thing."


    "Still! You can''t ignore my feelings! Our sweaty skin glancing off of each other¡­ The hugs and kisses we exchanged... Our sacred gardens rubbing to assert dominance¡­ Ehehehehe~" As the catgirl continued to list down more and more scandalous sentences, Catalina''s face began to glow red, and the catgirl in question went off the deep end, chuckling at herself as a blush adorned her cheeks, her eyes dazed as she looked at nothing in particular.


    "¡­ Is this normal?" I questioned the catwoman with a raised eyebrow, and she just sighed, her face still red from the embarrassment of having her previous nightly escapades revealed to me, Domino (who didn''t care), and Drake, who was busy sporting a nosebleed.


    "Right, I forgot you were into yuri¡­" I facepalmed as I glanced at Drake''s current state. "Anyway, we should get going. We don''t want to keep the others waiting."


    From my words, Catalina perked up, and she tightened her hold on my arm. I also grabbed on Drake''s right shoulder with my free arm, dragging him along as he daydreamed about some girl-on-girl action.


    Even though I didn''t want it to happen, the catgirl noticed us leaving. She hastily stood up and ran after our group.


    "W-Wait, Master! I still haven''t told you about our time trying out those wonderful¡­ wonderful¡­ t-toys¡­ Ehehehe~" Catalina stiffened once again, and I couldn''t help but giggle at her shocked and embarrassed state. Drake was starting go down deeper into the yuri rabbit hole of daydreams as he heard the words come out of the catgirl.


    "So¡­ Toys, eh?"


    "Shut up¡­" I smiled impishly as I covered Domino''s eyes and grabbed a dildo from my inventory. Showing the item I fished out from my inventory to the blushing catwoman, her jaw dropped and I leaned in closer to her ear.


    "I might just use it on you the next time we have our fun, wouldn''t you agree." I grinned as I saw a lustful smile appear on Catalina''s face. I quickly deposited the sex toy inside my inventory, laughing aloud, and removed my free hand from Domino''s eyes.


    She blinked once, then twice, before settling her gaze on her blushing Mama who was sporting a lewd smile, and then back at her uncle Drake, who was kneeling on the ground with another lewd smile.


    I chuckled at her actions and rubbed her head. Grabbing Drake once more from the ground, I tugged on Catalina''s arm, and she snapped out of her lewd daydreams.


    "¡­ Later¡­ We''ll do it later¡­" She leaned into my ear and whispered the words which made me get my little Jionni to go stiff a bit. Behind me, I saw the catgirl still sporting a lewd smile plastered on her face as she continued to fantasize about the night she and Catalina did the deed.


    Sighing, Catalina tugged on my arm and we continued onwards, my arm dragging the daydreaming Drake along as he continued to fantasize as well.


    Also, the catgirl noticed us moving and moved to catch up as well.


    []


    []


    []


    "So¡­ These are the two then?"


    "Indeed, they are."


    We were now seated around a round table that was eerily similar to the round table I had in the meeting area of both the Monster Town and Human Town. There were 8 seats in total, all of them being occupied, with me, Catalina, and Drake each occupying one.


    That left five other seats, each of them having a figure sat upon as they stared at me with open curiosity, wariness, wonder, and hope.


    The one who spoke first was a female fox demi-human with three bushy tails that waved around the air. She looked at me with a fanged smile, her emerald eyes with orange slits for pupils glowing underneath the light coming from the chandelier hanging above us.


    "We are eternally thankful for your coming to provide us with your aid." She bowed, showing off her massive cleavage with the poor excuse of a dress (in the formal sense) she was currently wearing. "As such, the five of us, leaders of our own factions living within the Dungeon of our Master, Mistress Catalina, have pooled our resources to offer our saviors a gift."


    She raised her head and clapped once, the doors leading outside bursting open as two guards, another female fox demi-human, although only sporting a single tail instead of their leader''s three, and a male human who looked like he hit the gym at least 10-days a week.


    They were bringing what seemed to be a giant box that was wrapped in chains with small holes punctured on the sides.


    The moment I saw that box, I had an inkling of what was inside.


    Laying the box on the ground gently, the two guards stood at its side as they unwrapped the chains that locked it securely. Once it was no longer chained, they opened the lid, which caused the box''s walls to fall to the ground, revealing the contents to every person inside the room.


    "Nya~?" A catgirl, along with about four other humans and demi-humans stood in a pose, dressed seductively as they stared at me with awed eyes.


    "¡­ Pardon my French¡­ But what the fuck?"

 Chapter 186 - Monkes Night (R-18)

    Looking at the five young girls all looking like they were in their late teens, I slowly creaked my neck to look at the fox demi-human, who was looking at me with a neutral face.


    I then shifted my gaze towards Catalina, who also had her jaw drop as she stared at the five young women posing for me with seductive dresses cast upon them like a ribbon.


    "Does... this not please you, Lord Jionni?" The fox demi-human stared at me, her fingers tapping on the table in a steady rhythm. Looking around, I also saw the other faction leaders looking at me with confused gazes.


    "¡­ Catalina, permission to punch them?" Behind me, Drake smacked his knuckles against his palm, a malicious glint forming in his eyes.


    "¡­ As much as I would like for you to do that, I''m afraid not." Catalina shook her head as she sighed, her head leaning back slightly as she opened her eyes and regarded the fox demi-human in front of her. "Murakami, care to explain why you chose this kind of reward?"


    "Don''t all strong men form a harem?" At her logic, I facepalmed, and Catalina herself nearly lunged at the fox demi-human, whose name I now know to be Murakami, at least a part of it. "Is it not true? All of the men I have served under before had formed their harems."


    "¡­ I can''t deny your point there." Catalina sagged in her seat as she pinched the bridge of her nose, a low groan coming from under her mouth. "So, Jionni, as their payment for you saving our behinds, the faction leaders have all selected a young girl from there group and decided to send them to you to serve as your concubines."


    The five young girls that would be considered jailbait back on Earth approached me with nervous, but excited attitudes, one of them looking like she just wanted to hug my fur and turn me into a body pillow.


    Of course, they were all stopped in their tracks as a hiss came out from Domino who was sitting on my lap.


    "¡­ Stay away from Papa¡­" Domino glared at the five girls, who were threatened slightly, but ultimately did not see the young girl as any kind of threat. This made them continue their approach, and Domino tried to lunge at them with her teeth bared.


    Before she could do so, however, I patted her head with my giant hands and whispered in her ear, "It''s okay¡­ Just behave."


    This had the intended effect of calming her down, and once she was calm enough, I sent the five frozen girls a look that told them not to approach any closer. They complied and stayed rooted at their spots, my eyes then shifting to the fox demi-human who was looking at me with a neutral expression still plastered on her face.


    "I''m sorry, madam, but I can''t, in my good conscience, tear these girls away from their homes." I gestured towards the five girls who deflated at my words, not one of them even eking out a sound as they lay silent, observing the situation unfold as time passed.


    "I see¡­ But I would have to decline your refusal." Murakami sighed and looked like she had aged a few decades older. "You see, Lord Jionni, we leaders of our respective factions would''ve given you anything other than lives as a reward for helping us in our dire time of need. That option, however, was immediately crossed out when we thought of our respective homes."


    Murakami then moved towards the five young girls, who were still observing the whole situation unfold, with one of them nearly bursting into tears. This gripped at my heart, and quite possibly, even the rest of the leaders currently inside the meeting room.


    "These aren''t your ordinary demi-humans or humans. They are half-bloods, and because of that, we cannot have them inside our respective factions." This got me to narrow my eyes at her, my hands suddenly stopping stroking Domino''s hair as the air around us tensed.


    "¡­ Why not?" I growled out, her words giving rise to my anger at the racial discrimination so obviously smacked in my face.


    "If it was our decision, we would''ve, but it seems traditions in our community have long since been a part of us." The rest of the faction leaders nodded, all of them looking sick and tired of the shit that was thrown at them during their time leading their own faction. "We do not want to risk an uprising, and Lady Catalina gave us refuge with the condition that we keep our people under control. If we kept these five within our respective communities, we risk having Lady Catalina''s trust broken and our current peace destroyed."


    "¡­ I don''t understand. If that is so, then why not have someone else that isn''t from your faction take care of them?"


    "One reason, nobody was trustworthy enough, until Lady Catalina told us about you, at least." She smiled gently as she lightly shoved the five girls to approach me. "And your display here is enough to cement our decision that you are worthy."


    "¡­ One last question: why the box and the dresses?" I pointed at their current state of clothes, which caused the five girls to shrug and walk closer towards me with a nervous smile.


    "Don''t ask us that. Ask those girls. They''re the ones who asked for those skimpy clothes and the box¡­"


    At her words, my face met the table.


    []


    []


    []


    (Lemons ahead! Skip if you don''t want cringe smut ''cause I newb¡­ Yes, this is my first time writing smut¡­)


    "I didn''t know, okay!"


    "At least put in a little effort by actually monitoring your Dungeon."


    I groaned as both Catalina and I entered her house, the catwoman hugging me by the arm, all but dragging me through the doorway.


    After that fiasco of a meeting, I had Drake guide the five girls back into my Dungeon, after getting them suitably dressed, mind you, with Domino, but not before spending a bit of time wandering around Catalina''s Dungeon with a pair of feline escorts following their every move.


    "Anyway, welcome to my home. Not really that extravagant, but at least it''s better than nothing, right?" She snorted as she led me to the living room, giving me a glimpse of what the inside looked like.


    Also, her house was located in the Dungeon Core Room, so yes, I am currently within walking distance of the core that powered her entire Dungeon, as well as her life.


    That spoke volumes about the trust she placed in me.


    ''Maybe I should do the same¡­'' Some food for thought, I told myself¡­


    "Heh, I have a house back in my Dungeon, but I mostly sleep on a hammock outside." This got Catalina to stare at me with a raised eyebrow, but she did not pursue the question that was stirring in her mind as we sat on the sofa.


    She did, however, lean closer to me, her breath tickling my fur as she gave my arm a nuzzle.


    "So¡­ Now that we''re alone¡­" Her words trailed off as her tail shook erratically. Chuckling, I patted her head and gently grabbed her tail. Catalina let out a moan as I did so.


    "You horny cat." I chuckled louder, and the cat in question blushed as she pressed her body against mine, our warmth traveling through one another as we stayed glued to each other. "You were anticipating this, weren''t you?"


    "For the past week. Now hurry up and undress so I can see that huge boner of yours."


    "Down girl, down girl." We both chuckled as we bantered with one another, before it devolved into me wrapping my arm around her shoulder as our faces grew nearer, her hot breath tickling the tip of my nose.


    Without further hesitation, our lips met, our tongues quickly intersecting in between as we both struggled for dominance. Our lips locked in place as I gently pushed Catalina down on the sofa, my hands slowly gripping the fabric of her clothes.


    Separating from her lips, a bridge of saliva formed between us, dripping down onto Catalina''s clothes, a lewd smile on her face as she looked up at me with a heavy blush.


    "You led last time; I''ll do it this time." She nodded, and I slowly removed each article of her clothing.


    Piece by piece.


    Fabric by fabric.


    Until only her skin was left. Pale, supple breasts adorned with pink hard nubs that all but invited my lips to them.


    Lowering my head, I licked her left nipple. Catalina let out a light moan of ecstasy as she felt her nipple being toyed with by my tongue, and not long after, my teeth.


    She moved her hand downwards and grasped at my raging boner that was struggling to break free from its prison. Noticing the touch, I smiled and cupped her other breast with my hand as I played with her other nipple with my thumb and finger.


    Letting out an even louder moan, she raised her free hand and bit on her finger. Suddenly stopping my assault, I towered over her, the catwoman looking at me with dazed eyes as a thin trail of saliva dripped from her mouth.


    My dick struggled even harder against its prison made of fabric, and as the warden, I set it free, its deafening roar making its presence known to all who dared to witness it in its magnificent glory.


    My pants slinking to the ground, I grasped Catalina''s shorts and slowly slid them off, along with the piece of black fabric that covered her dignity.


    Her pink cavern was slick with liquid dripping out of its entrance. I lined my dick against it, her entrance opening slightly as my dick slowly slid itself in.


    "Nghh¡­" Catalina let out a low moan of pleasure as the head made its way inside. My grin then split my face as I rammed inside of her all at once, my dick hitting deep within her caverns.


    "NGAAHH!!? J-Jionni!?" Not expecting the sudden insertion, I chuckled and slowly dragged my dick out of her crevice, the slimy walls refusing to let go of it as they struggled to keep it in, before I rammed it in once more with full force, this time hitting the inner-most part of her cavern without any problems. "Khk¡­ Cumming¡­!"


    Liquid came spurting out of her pussy, staining my stomach with her love juices while my dick laid motionless inside her pussy.


    "¡­ Goddamn it¡­ You''ve been abstaining¡­ Horny cat¡­" I panted slightly as I felt the walls constrict against my dick. Slowly moving again, I thrusted in with a rhythm this time, causing Catalina to moan out loud as her tongue lolled out. "We''ll be here all night, so let''s enjoy it, shall we."


    Grinning, I started moving again.

 Chapter 187 - Monkes Night 2 (R-18)

    (Still Lemons, scroll down if you want to skip cringe smut¡­)


    "Nyaaa¡­~ Ngaaahhh¡­~" Catalina panted as the sofa beneath us rocked back and forth. Grabbing her tail, her back arched up as she let out a mewl, her tongue hanging out as a lewd smile graced her face. "J-Jioooonnn¡­~ Not¡­ Not my taaiiilll¡­! Nyaaa~!"


    As I leaned forward, I cupped her breasts with my free arm and placed my lips next to her ear.


    "I know you love it." I panted slightly as the walls around my dick clenched harder. I noticed her hand slipping down her navel and touching her hard clit. Her fingers wiggled, pressed, and clinched the nub, making Catalina moan in ecstasy, her eyes rolling upwards as she leaned down on the sofa face first, muffling her moans.


    Furrowing my brows, I let go of her tail and grabbed her shoulders before lifting her up. Her moans were once again loud and audible as she let out gasps every time I thrust my hips.


    "C-Cumming¡­! Cumming!!!" My thrusts became faster as her walls tightened around my dick like a vise, Catalina''s body shuddering as liquid poured out of her pee hole as I continued to fuck her pussy. "N-No¡­ Wait! S-stop J-JiON¡­!! NYAAAA!!!"


    Her orgasm continued to peak as I kept on thrusting. My limit was slowly closing in, and Catalina''s moans and shrieks of pleasure did nothing to curb my approaching ejaculation.


    As she continued to squirt her love juices all over the couch, I reached my limit, and my thrusts became faster and stronger.


    Letting out a yell, I thrust one last time, the tip of my dick hitting her cervix as white liquid jutted out of my urethra, staining her walls white once more.


    Catalina let out an ear-piercing shriek as she felt her pussy fill up with my white seed, the insides of the slick cavern turning even more slippery as my dick began to go soft.


    ''Ugh¡­ Fuck¡­ Never gonna get tired of this¡­'' I panted slightly as I pulled out of Catalina''s pussy, cum dripping out of her hole and staining the sofa white.


    Catalina flopped down on the sofa, hot gasps leaving her mouth, and I leaned backwards, my dick going soft as I panted slightly.


    "Still¡­ Don''t have the stamina¡­ For continuous ejaculation¡­" I panted out as Catalina slowly rose from her prone figure, her eyes gleaming with lust as she eyed my limp dick. "C-Catalina¡­? No¡­ Let me rest first¡­"


    "Not. Happening." She grinned and placed her hand on my dick. She lowered her head near it, then gave it a lick, my cum and her love juices still staining it. "At this rate, I''m gonna get addicted to the taste."


    She smiled lustfully and continued to lick my limp dick, touching herself as she did so. I was confident that my penis wouldn''t get hard, but it seemed Catalina had other plans.


    I felt my blood pump into my penis, and by God, did it fucking hurt and feel good at the same time.


    Gasping out, my dick enlarged within her palms, and Catalina stroked my shaft roughly as she kept licking on it.


    "C-Catalina? What¡­ What did you do¡­?" She licked my hard dick one last time before raising her head to meet my eyes, a lustful smile and a giant blush adorning her face.


    "Blood bending." I groaned out loud as she lined her pussy with my dick and immediately slammed her hips down. She let out a moan of pleasure as I bottomed-out, a gasp escaping my lips as she did so.


    "F-Fuck¡­ C-Catalina¡­!" I let out a weak cry of protest, only for the catwoman to ignore my pleas as she continued to raise her hips and slam them back down. "Ghk¡­"


    All I could do was endure and hope that I didn''t cum immediately. From my last time with this catwoman, she gave me hell when I came before her, and I didn''t want to experience it again.


    Then again, cumming while she orgasmed felt way better than just doing it alone, so I had another reason to not cum prematurely.


    Gritting my teeth, I fully submitted to the catwoman in front of me, who continued to use my dick like a brand-new toy, her breasts swaying in the air every time she moved. Not wanting to be outdone, I cupped her breast with my left hand and played with her nipple. My right hand, however, slinked into my inventory to grab something that would give me an edge in this battle of attrition and pleasure.


    Grasping at the item, I quickly pulled it out and lined the head against Catalina''s back-hole, which she noticed and glared at me with a full-out blush.


    "J-Jion¡­ Nyaa¡­~ D-Don''t you¡­ D-dare¡­ Ahhhh¡­~" Catalina moaned out loud as she continued to slam her hips, my dick hitting her cervix every time she did so. Grinning weakly, I inserted the head of the dildo inside her anus and she let out another shriek of pleasure.


    "J-Jion¡­ W-wait¡­!" Pushing more of the dildo inside, her tongue lolled out as her eyes rolled backward. Nevertheless, her hips continued to slam down on autopilot, love juices mixing together. "Ahh¡­~ F-Fuckkk¡­~"


    I noticed her hips slowing down, and with that opening, I thrust my hips upward, surprising the catwoman. She let out another loud moan as I assaulted both her pussy and ass, her tail clinging to my hand that grasped the dildo, making a mess out of her insides.


    It wasn''t long until both of our limits were reached and we both climaxed at the same time. We both let out gasps and moans of pleasure, and Catalina laid on top of my body, her hot breath tickling my chest.


    "You¡­ Y-you did better than last time¡­" She gave out a weak but satisfied smile as my dick went limp in her crevices, the dildo already slipping out of her ass as her tail slowly dragged it out, giving her more pleasure as she let out another moan. "You could''ve done better¡­ Though¡­"


    "A-As if¡­" I smiled back, my hand patting the back of her head. "Just a reminder, this is my second time having sex¡­"


    We both stared at each other, then laughed before our lips connected once more, tongues dancing about in between.


    We made out like that for a few seconds before separating, a trail of saliva forming in between our two tongues.


    "By the way, do you want us to be official now?" She gave me a hopeful stare, and with those eyes and what we had just done, plus my feelings for her already cemented within my heart, I had no other reason to deny her.


    "Yes." I smiled back then leaned in to kiss her again, which she received, but this time, there was no tongue play, just a plain, loving kiss shared between two official lovers.


    This got Catalina excited again, and she used her blood-bending magic to make me hard once more¡­


    "Goddamn it, woman. Your horniness knows no bounds¡­" I chuckled dryly, and she prepared herself to take in my dick once more.


    []


    []


    []


    (Lemon over. Safe to read now. Goodbye, cringey smut)


    I woke up with my body feeling slightly sore from last night''s activity. Beside me, Catalina slept like a log, a line of drool dripping from her mouth.


    Silently chuckling at the scene, I got out of bed, still in my birthday suit, and headed towards the nearest bathroom. Washing my fur and body wasn''t that much of a challenge, and in just five minutes, I had done what most people back on Earth could not do when in the shower.


    Take a bath, brush my teeth, scrub my body, and clean out any other liquid that stayed after our nightly activities.


    Walking out of the shower, I dried myself with the towel that was hanging on my shoulders before dressing in my everyday clothes.


    Basically, pants and a t-shirt that were sitting pretty in my inventory were gathering dust.


    "Had a fun night?" I looked towards the voice only to see Catalina still naked as the day she was born, some cum still leaking from her pussy as she walked towards me, a hand placed on my chest as she smiled sultrily at me. "I know I did."


    She licked her lips, and all I could do was chuckle.


    "I sure did, Lina." I patted her head and gave her a small kiss on the lips, which she reciprocated with full force, her tongue once more dancing and twirling together. We separated shortly after, and she gave me a wink.


    "Give me a couple of minutes, and I can accompany you back to the portal zone." I nodded at her words, and she left for the bathroom. Going down the stairs, I found a chair and sat on it, waiting for the time Catalina came out of the bathroom fully dressed.


    No way in hell am I sitting on the couch that we just defiled with our juices. I can still smell it from here.


    Grabbing a fruit with green skin from my inventory, I took a bite out of it, its delectable juices sweetening my mouth with its flavor.


    I ate the guava in silence while waiting for Catalina, and not a few minutes later, she came walking down the stairs in her normal daily clothes, consisting of a pain t-shirt with the words ''I Popped a Cherry'' written in bold font on her chest.


    She also wore shorts that reached up to her thighs with a hole in the back for her tail. Her raven black hair reaching just above her shoulders, and her golden eyes looking back at me with love.


    "Anyway, shall we go?"

 Chapter 188 - Monke And Some News

    Dungeon Resident Income:


    DP Income: 30,952


    EXP Income: 14,933


    DP: 32,678 => 63,270


    Level Up!


    It''s been day since I spent the night in Catalina''s Dungeon. Nothing really happened that day, just me returning to my Dungeon, being greeted by Domino and Drake, while my¡­ Concubines that were liable to land me in jail back on Earth were sent to the Human Town where they could help with the community.


    Of course, this didn''t stop them from actually trying to gain my favor. Apparently, in their entire lives, only I and, to some extent, their faction leaders showed them kindness and respect.


    Their smiles as they frolicked around the plaza in the Human Town, or their grunts of satisfaction as they finished a job well done, were soothing to the hearts that surrounded them, be they human or demi-human.


    One more thing to add: they were actually good fighters for their age. I could still remember the time they gave Krag and Lara a run for their money when they asked them to fight.


    It seems that when there is nobody willing to help you, you have to do everything in your power to survive.


    All in all, these five girls are a great boon to my Dungeon¡­ And for the love of the FBI god, even though they look like they''re in their teens, they are already past their legal age.


    Blame that on malnutrition.


    Placing my hand on the tree next to me, I pushed lightly and the hammock I was lying on began to swing. Retracting my arm back, I laid it under my head as I closed my eyes, a deep breath exiting my mouth while the hammock swung side to side.


    Materializing the cloak and mask, I snickered under the hood as it blocked the incoming sunlight that came from who knows where.


    ''Ahhh¡­ Some peace and quiet¡­'' Lounging on the hammock was the best. Truth be told, this past week was very draining on my mind. Commanding the primates, grinding my skills, and entertaining Domino, to name a few.


    So when a day like this came, I was fully intent on spending my time just lazing around. I could afford that much, at least?


    =Oho¡­? Lazying around, I see¡­=


    ''And just like that, my disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.'' I sighed inwardly, before opening my eyes to take a glimpse of the surroundings. "What is it, Drakhan?"


    =Well, I''ve just got word from one of my soul pieces, the one in the dragonewt¡­ is he a male or is she a female?=


    "Both." I replied tonelessly as I watched a leaf fall from the tree.


    =I see¡­ Anyway, from what my soul piece learned from her memories, before she was dumped into the village to be the goblins'' plaything, she was attacked by a man. That much you knew, right?=


    I nodded my head wordlessly. A question rose in my mind, but I let Drakhan continue just so I could get back to resting if the news wasn''t so important.


    =The thing is, the man who attacked her is in cahoots with the Human Movement cult, and their reason for doing so is because of her rather interesting past.=


    "¡­ Oh please no¡­ Don''t do this to me¡­" Inside my head, I could hear the soul piece of Drakhan chuckling to himself, a wide smile threatening to split his face in two.


    =The dragonewt is the last of her tribe, the daughter of their leader even, and to make sure that descendants were aplenty, they gave their daughter a dick capable of ejaculating healthy sperm. Pretty neat, huh?=


    "¡­ Okay¡­ didn''t need to know that information, but whatever." I shook my head to remove that horrifying thought of giving a girl a dick against her wishes¡­ Then again, it was pretty hot, not gonna lie¡­ "Anyway, you said something about the attacker being with the Human Movement cult, anything to add on that?"


    =You''re no fun¡­ Anyway, yes, that is indeed the case. I''ve also heard this from my other soul piece that is within the Human Movement cult: The man is planning to head to your Dungeon to avenge Erika, the female knight whom Drake killed.=


    "¡­ I just wanted peace¡­" I groaned as I placed a palm on my face. Getting up from the hammock, I stopped its swinging by placing my hand on the tree right next to me. "Thanks for the heads-up, Drakhan."


    =Anytime.=


    [Quest Generated!]


    [Repel the incoming raid!]


    [Ensure that the raid on your Dungeon doesn''t succeed.]


    [Rewards: @*A(F*A>?]


    "If there wasn''t enough motivation before, now I have some." Grinning, I swiftly dropped down to the ground, my feet landing on the soil with a loud thud. Stretching slightly, some sounds popped in my back and neck, a refreshing feeling overcoming my body as I proceeded to open the Dungeon Menu.


    "Hey, Drake, you might want to hear this."


    []


    []


    []


    "They''re coming here? Again?" Drake''s demeanor nearly gave me a heart attack. He wasn''t the easygoing, laidback guy I knew who lived here, instead, here was a veteran fighter who was hellbent on revenge.


    "Yes, they are." I didn''t flinch, however. I knew Drake had an axe to grind against those human cultists because of their actions that caused the death of one of his closest friends, even if he was the one to put her down.


    "Good." Drake''s expressionless face gave way to visible anger rising within. He snarled, and his gauntlets materialized. "Now if you''ll excuse me, I have to tell some other people about the incoming raid. I''ll handle this side, you handle the monster''s side."


    "Done deal." I stood up and materialized the cloak, mask, and boots that I had hidden earlier when I came here. "Just a heads-up, I''ll place you at the front so you can tear those bastards a new one."


    "You know it." Drake smiled slightly, but his anger was still radiating off of his figure, suffocating me slightly due to the pressure.


    "And tone down your anger¡­ You might kill someone just by walking past them¡­" I said with a deadpan, and Drake blinked, before sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Damn, that''s some fine anger control."


    "Learned it from the very best." Drake sighed forlornly as we both headed out of the house. Once outside, we parted ways, Drake heading for the Shaiydon''s residence and me towards the passageway that led to the Monster Town.


    []


    []


    []


    "Again? They''re coming here again?" Gobun, the elderly goblin, cupped his chin as thin fingers tapped on the table.


    "Yep. Apparently, losing one of their own in pursuit of a single heretic placed a bad rap on them, and now, they want to take action to recover their losses." I explained what I had heard from Drakhan when I traveled through the passageway leading to this town.


    It took an hour, but now all the leaders in the Monster Town met in this singular building, our usual meeting place.


    Rosada, Aratella, Gobun, Zurug, Shonah, Vas, and Qog all sat around the round table with contemplative looks on their faces. Gone were the flirting fa?ade of Rosada and the nervous mannerisms of Aratella. Gobun changed from his usual senile nature, replaced by a survivor who had overcome impossible odds. Zurug was still the same, albeit more serious and less devoted to worship.


    Shonah, Vas and Qog, however, were not that different from when I met them. Sure, I haven''t mingled with the three as much as I did with the others, but these two I knew were loyal, which is why they were the leaders of their respective groups.


    "Do they have a death wish? To throw their numbers against a well-defended Dungeon that wiped out a single company of their soldiers?" Shonah snorted as she chuckled maliciously. "Fools, the lot of ''em."


    "Bah, their idiocy means more meat for us." Qog slapped his belly, roaring laughter echoing around the room. "Their meat is just divine. The supple meat, the rough meat, the tough meat¡­ Ohohohohehehe¡­ The tough meat¡­"


    "Addiction to human meat aside, don''t try anything funny against our Lord''s human subordinates, we should create a contingency in case the humans have a trump card." Vas, the kobold leader, who was also one of the smartest in the room, sniffed the air with his nose, his head facing the door with a narrowed gaze. "Qog¡­ did you just¡­"


    "I did." Qog affirmed Vas'' suspicion, and the kobold could only sigh as he slumped back on the chair.


    "You insufferable glutton." Vas facepalmed, and Qog barked out his laugh. Moments later, the door opened and in came various orcs, all bringing trays full of steaming, hot meat freshly off of the stove.


    "Oh, come on, Vas. It''s noon, and even our Lord here knows that continuing this discussion on an empty stomach would be irritating, right Boss?" Qog laughed, and I couldn''t help but chuckle. Vas smacked his head on the table after that, and the rest of the members laughed out loud.


    "Got to admit, porky over here has a point. Don''t want to talk with an empty stomach. We would all be cranky by the end of this meeting otherwise." Aratella smiled as she moved to grab a juicy piece of manga meat that was sitting pretty on one of the trays, its scent all but tempting the arachne to move in and lunge for a bite.


    "Where are your manners, Aratella? You must wait for our Lord to begin before we can eat." Rosada smiled. Aratella glanced at the alraune, then looked at me, before retracting her hand.


    ''Well, might as well dig in.'' Gaining the looks of everyone inside the room, I shrugged and grabbed the fabled manga meat in my hands. The bone was warm to the touch while juice dripped down its brown, meaty surface. "Well then, here''s to a successful defense."


    I bit down on the meat, and all I could think of was the flavor empowering my thoughts.

 Chapter 189 - Monke And Hooman Revenge

    After having a full course meal, I settled down on the chair with a satisfied smile. All around me, the other monster leaders also sat on their respective chairs heaving sighs of contentment as their bellies bulged shamefully.


    Well, none so much as Qog, who was busy cleaning his teeth with a bone he picked from the leftovers.


    "This was delicious. What kind of meat did you use?" I asked the orc leader, who grinned at me while patting his enlarged belly.


    "Glad you asked, Boss. The meat used here is from wolves, deer, and some pigs, while there was some human meat mixed with it." Once he finished his words, I stared at him in shock. Looking at the empty plate where the manga meat I devoured ravenously once sat, I gagged slightly, but didn''t let it show towards the monster leaders, who seemed unphased by the mere thought of eating human body parts.


    Well, it technically isn''t cannibalism since they don''t share the same species, even though they move and act like humans, but that''s the same for any sentient being that could form coherent thoughts.


    I was just a little surprised that the delicious food I was eating was also comprised of human meat. Being a former human, I was, of course, anxious about it.


    Nevertheless, though¡­


    ''The people living in the Human Town cannot know about this¡­'' I mentally concluded. That was just a disaster waiting to happen if word got out that the monsters here were eating human meat.


    Of course, they wouldn''t put my residents on the course menu. The monsters cannibalize themselves all the time, but if the humans or demi-humans learned that the monsters were eating meat that was related to their species, it would put them under duress and fear for their safety, thinking they would be next on the chopping board.


    Digressing from that thought, I stood up from my chair, my slightly bulging belly due to our feast earlier jiggling slightly, I glanced at each monster in the room, all of them lending their attention to my towering figure.


    "As much as we would like to praise Qog''s orcish cooks, we need to get back to the matter at hand." All of them nodded and leaned forward, their attention now fully directed at me. "This raid would be highly different from the last raid. On their last raid, my primates and the reinforcements I called in were able to annihilate them to the last man, some of them being captured and sent straight to the prisons in the Human Town."


    I opened the Dungeon Menu and showed them a live feed of the prisoners'' lifestyles currently residing in the Human Prison.


    It showed one casually chatting to another prisoner, who was also chatting back, a neutral smile on his face. Next to them, some other prisoners were busy playing with the phones they had been provided with as they lounged about lazily.


    The prison there was more like a giant boarding house than a regular detention center.


    This was to ensure that when the time came, they would willingly switch sides, thus increasing my viable workforce. I can''t trust inmates to not make a mess of things when instructed to do a job.


    First, make them happy. Show them that living inside my Dungeon shouldn''t be feared. Second, put them to work, where they would contribute to the growing society nestled within my Dungeon. It might take a while, maybe a few weeks to a few months, depending on the person, but in the long run, all my efforts to make them happy would''ve been worth it.


    "Excuse me, Jionni." Aratella piped up from her seat, her eyes glaring at the humans with anger bubbling within. "But isn''t it better to execute them instead? Those fanatics cannot be reformed."


    I looked at the arachne with a raised eyebrow and considered her opinion.


    "Well, you''re right about one thing. Fanatics cannot be reformed." Her spider legs ceased skittering for a while, a smile blossoming on her face as she looked at me. "But the prisoners currently staying in the Human prison aren''t. We killed all the fanatics when they raided my Dungeon. I would''ve killed them with my own hands as well, but these humans¡­ I noticed that they are just normal soldiers roped into this religious war their higher-ups started."


    I chuckled madly, a mad glint appearing in my eyes as I glanced at each monster leader, all of whom were starting to sweat nervously, my inner psychopath raging within at the thought of letting the leaders of this hypocritical movement suffer.


    "So, I thought, why not convert their soldiers to fight for the other side." This got all of them to ponder the thought, all of them arriving at the same conclusion I did in just the span of a few seconds. "During this raid, our objective isn''t only to repel the invaders; we are to capture any one of them, seemingly forced into this fight, and kill all the others. We will not let anyone escape."


    I sat back down on the chair, the silence in the room deafening. All the monster leaders stared at me, before all of them nodded together. As one, they raised their hands and yelled into the heavens.


    "For our Lord!"


    "For the Chieftain!"


    I smiled at their enthusiasm. Once this raid blows over, I''ll be sure to give out rewards to each of them.


    Leaning my head on the backrest, I smiled while facing the ceiling. All these monsters, willing to sacrifice the lives of their tribe to ensure that my Dungeon, and in turn, their new home, stays safe.


    ''I''ve come a long way from just a single room¡­'' Reminiscing the memory of the first Hunter party that invaded my Dungeon, I frowned. Those nameless adventurers¡­ Perhaps¡­ If I had chosen a different approach¡­


    I shook my head. There''s no use in dwelling on the past now. Focus more on the present and the future.


    Standing up from my seat, I let out a sigh and regarded each monster leader with a serious face.


    "Ready your tribes. This time, you''ll be joining the frontline. I''m afraid even my primates won''t be able to handle this alone. The last raid was enough of an example." I grimaced at the memory of the complete stomp against my primates. If it weren''t for Drake, Wulfstan, and Tigre interfering at the right time, then they would''ve easily made their way to the wall of the Monster Town.


    Which would''ve been a disaster.


    If my primates, those who could easily beat goblins, kobolds, orcs, and some others on their lonesome, lost that badly against a well-trained company of human soldiers, then what would a ragtag bunch of monsters, all of them differing in size and strength, do when faced with a foe that not even those stronger than them could do in a group?


    "Our enemy is coming at us with marching horses. They won''t stop until all of us are dead. If we lose this fight, we will all die, so put your backs into it!" I yelled, and all of them shouted at the same time, giving me their own version of a salute.


    Although the part where I would die was something that would be next to impossible, seeing that the second and third floors were next to impossible to penetrate with unprepared items, but it would be a pain in the ass to rebuild.


    And it would also cost me all of the hard work I had done. Gathering the monsters, ensuring their safety, the humans, the demi-humans, all of them, gone¡­


    I was not about to let that happen.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "So¡­ This is Kazanpan¡­ I''ll admit, for a town bordering the Slakaston Empire, they are surprisingly lax in their security."


    "Well, it''s because of Erika taking some of the soldiers to assist her in chasing the heretic she was pursuing. Due to that action, the security of the town was crippled, but the governor wasn''t really worried since Erika was leading them. That ended up backfiring, though."


    "Ah, true¡­"


    The man smiled as he eyed the scared gazes of those cowering in their houses. Riding atop his horse, followed by a veritable army of well-trained knights devoted to the cause, and the rabble of common soldiers, cannon fodder, really, they marched through the roads, filling every corner of the street with their advance.


    They had already notified the new governing head immediately after replacing the Shaiydons who fled, so their march proceeded smoothly.


    Arriving at the exit leading to the forest, which housed the Dungeon where the heretic was currently staying, the mounted man gave a grin.


    "I wonder if they would give me a challenge?" The man unsheathed his sword partly, its blade glimmering under the sun''s rays, his reflection showing a twisted smile on his face. "Or would they fail to satisfy me. Only time would tell¡­"


    The man sheathed his sword back as he glanced slightly at his army, a number of 1000 marching through the streets without any problems.


    He sighed; the cost of this was too high. He argued with his superior back-and-forth on this, but the death of Erika had him spooked.


    ''Oh well¡­ Most of them would die, that''s for certain.'' The man cackled as he gripped the reins of his horse. ''If they were able to kill Erika, then it''s not a bluff to say that only about 20% would live to tell the tale of this venture.. Not that I mind though. More blood equals more fun!''

 Chapter 190 - Monke And Another Raid (1)

    It''s been an hour since the meeting concluded. All around me, I could see various monsters and humans going about with hurried steps, all of them either bringing some crates with weapons, armor, arrows, and other things related to war and sieges.


    On the wall, the primates were arming the ballistae I had installed by using DP to buy them. For each tower in the defensive wall, a ballista sat atop of it, manned by goblins and orcs. Orcs to aim the thing and goblins to help reload. There were also boiling oil cauldrons being prepped on the wall.


    Now, I could''ve just mounted turret guns or automatic gun turrets, which would''ve been better than these medieval implements, but here''s the problem.


    I don''t have enough DP.


    The only gun turrets I could see in the Dungeon Market were either manned or unmanned. Now, that wouldn''t be much of a problem when factoring in the DP. The problem is that all turrets have infinite ammo and don''t need to be reloaded, and they won''t overheat. Because of this feature, a single piece of modern gun-turret cost me 50,000 DP for an unmanned one.


    Because of that, I was only able to buy one, and I was going to have the sharpshooter in my dungeon to man that turret. Right now, Mariona was screaming from the top of her lungs about the wanton destruction she was causing to the innocent forest residing in my Dungeon, bullet holes marring their barks and trunks as empty bullet cartridges fell on the stone rampart.


    Her manic laughter aside, as she laid bullet upon bullet on the innocent tree, I also had the mages practice their spells, most of which consisted of humans and demi-humans.


    It seems that Drake did a good job of convincing the humans with his words.


    I also saw Nicholas strategizing with the monster leaders as a giant map of the first-floor area was laid on top of a table with various figures placed atop it at strategic locations.


    Namely, the entrance chokepoint. Because the entrance was a narrow passageway, only a handful of humans could enter my Dungeon at a time, which they would capitalize on with a group of primates waiting at the exit.


    That said, a bunch of other primates, accompanied by other monsters whose stealth was on equal footing with theirs, I commanded to scout the area outside my Dungeon and once again lay traps.


    Xek was also overseeing the trap making by adding incredibly fatal effects to each trap they had placed, although only inside a boundary I set so that he wouldn''t push out too far.


    "Ready to kick ass, Jionni?" I tilted my gaze to the side, seeing Drake approaching me with his gauntlets in full view. "I swear, these fanatics are on a whole ''nother level."


    He grinned and I chuckled, grabbing a bottle of alcohol from within my inventory before taking a swig.


    "You drink?" Drake asked with a raised eyebrow due to my action. Well, I wouldn''t blame him. This was the first time I drank in front of him, or in my whole life, for that matter.


    "Just today¡­ Damn raids are getting on my nerves¡­ It''s been what? A little over a month, and I''ve already been raided twice by damned soldiers of the country." Taking another swig, I felt my vision wobble slightly. "Woah¡­ I better not drink too much¡­"


    "You fucking lightweight." Drake devolved into laughter as he snatched the bottle from my hand before gulping the entire bottle''s contents down with one swig. "Ahhh¡­ Nothing like a good kick to start the day."


    "Oi! I paid good shit for that!" I proclaimed, and Drake snorted.


    "And risk having you drunk on the battlefield? Nope." Drake tossed the empty bottle back into my hands with a grin. "As much as I would like to see you fighting drunk against the soldiers, I''d rather not risk your life because you couldn''t hold your drink."


    I opened my mouth to counter his arguments, but closed it back once I saw his expression, daring me to talk back.


    "Yep, thought so." Drake sighed before sniggering. "Anyway, you got a plan?"


    "Yeah. Make those who are proficient in planning do all the work." I pointed at the group of leaders strategizing on how my Dungeon would retaliate against the incoming invaders.


    "Aren''t you the leader?"


    "And as the leader, I have the power to delegate matters I am not proficient with to those who are." I countered before roaring into laughter, Drake laughing along as well. We got some looks from the surrounding people, but once they saw me and Drake, they went back on their way to do their current jobs. "Anyway, I''d better get going. Even if I had given them the job of strategizing our battle plan, I would still have the final say."


    "Eh, true that." Drake and I stood up, before sharing a fist bump. "If you need me, I''ll be at the ramparts overlooking the construction of my secret weapon."


    "¡­ Wait, secret weapon?" When I looked back, Drake was already gone. "¡­ When I get my hands on that man¡­"


    Sighing, I forgot Drake for the moment and made a beeline towards the impromptu planning table that was situated near the ramparts. I also noticed Drake standing next to Mariona, who was still laughing like a maniac as she let loose on the trees outside.


    "Sheesh¡­ Trigger happy much?" I muttered with my hand over my mouth. Moving through the busy street, the various monsters, humans, and demi-humans making way for my advance, I arrived at the planning table in record time, all of the members present noticing me and looking at me with serious faces.


    "Ah, Jionni. Came at the right time." Nicholas stood straight and approached me before patting me on the shoulder. "We''ve come up with a plan that would make it possible that the only casualties we would incur are the primates and not a single one from the monsters, humans, or demi-humans'' side."


    "Oh? Do tell." Approaching the table, I saw the war map that was a genuine copy of the first area of my Dungeon. Various figures were scattered all around, but one thing I noticed was that each of them was placed strategically at some points.


    Like a figure of a sniper on top of a hill nearby, and a figure of a horse inside the forest that was a little bit further away from the main road, where the invaders would most likely pass, seeing that moving through the forest would give them a disadvantage.


    "First off, your primates. Each of them will be serving as the front-line and, no offense to you or them, sacrificial pawns to weaken the enemy." Nicholas explained a bit anxiously. I couldn''t blame the man, not when he directly insulted me and my summons, but that was alright. If the primates weren''t able to respawn when they died, then I would''ve quickly disagreed with the notion.


    "None taken." I nodded, and all of the members around the table heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Mhm¡­ Anywho, once the primates are done with their first wave of attack and eliminate a good number of enemy soldiers, those being the ones posted right next to the entrance where only a handful of them can pass through at a time, they will retreat, giving way to the next attackers."


    "The snipers?" I asked, and Nicholas nodded. I had bought some sniper rifles, nothing too advanced, just standard rifles since even the weakest one could pierce through medieval armor.


    We tested them with the armor that the last raid soldiers wore, and it easily pierced them.


    I was only able to buy about five of them because they were hella expensive. At least they didn''t consume any ammo.


    I gave them to the primates, who were right now practicing with them to get a good feel for the gun. I have full faith in Chip''s teachings. After all, he''s the damn ape that learned how to use a bow proficiently without any help in just a matter of days.


    He''s still my deadliest sniper as of now, and with a gun in hand, you can bet that he will be taking names.


    Still, I don''t like the names he suggested. Why the hell would a normal person name their best subordinate ''The Black Angel of Death from the Depths of the Almighty''?


    Until I find a good title for him, his codename will stay as Chip.


    "Yes, the snipers. While the primates retreat, the snipers will cover their rear from a nearby hill. When the soldiers notice where the shooting is coming from, the snipers will quickly relocate to this spot while the primates once again attack with full force, giving enough time for the primates to move." Nicholas said, and I had to give him props for fully utilizing the fact that my primates are willing to die because they just can''t permanently die, unless they die outside of my Dungeon, of course. "That cycle will continue until either A. The primates lose a significant number of their troops, or B. They reach this line right here. Once either of those two happen, the cavalry, still made up of primates, will rush them down from the side. Assuming that the soldiers are all weary and panicked from the harassment, this will deal a huge blow to the enemy forces."


    "Not a bad plan, although where do the other monsters, humans, and demi-humans come into play here?" I pointed that out, and Nicholas grinned.


    "That''s the best part; they don''t. Unless the enemy forces reach the walls, the residents won''t need to lift a finger. Except for those in charge of the ballistae and Merethyl on the... Gun she''s currently using¡­" Nicholas gulped as he eyed the now near-insane elf. "I still don''t believe that''s a gun."


    "It is a gun." I deadpanned for the nth time.


    "Anyway." Coughing into his hand, Nicholas continued. "If all goes right, the residents won''t lift a finger, and all the casualties we''ll have accrued will only be from the primates, who will all revive in a few hours."


    "And if it doesn''t?"


    Nicholas'' eyes narrowed, the rest of the monster leaders doing the same.


    "Then we probably need to hope that the casualty count won''t go up too high¡­"

 Chapter 191 - Monke And Another Raid (2)

    "So, anything of interest happening here?"


    "By interest, you mean this trigger-happy elf littering holes in the forest? Then yes." Drake deadpanned as he continued to watch the elf bombard the forest with bullets with a manic smile on her face. "If you mean the invasion forces of the enemy, then no, not yet."


    "Smart-ass." I rolled my eyes as I approached Mariona, who was behind the turret gun. "Oi, that''s enough."


    "J-Jionni!?" Mariona was so engrossed in her manic revelry that she jumped slightly, causing the turret gun to point upwards suddenly. Lowering our heads, I grabbed Mariona''s arms and pulled them off the turret, silence descending after the last bullet fired echoed around us.


    "Do you want to cause friendly fire, woman!?" I rebuked him as Drake hid underneath a pile of sandbags, which he grabbed from inside his hammerspace.


    "S-Sorry, Jionni! It won''t happen again!" Mariona stiffened as she gave me a salute, her eyes slightly wide due to the anxiety she was emitting.


    "You better. Next time, point that gun at the enemy and rain hell upon them. Don''t target the trees. I thought elves were supposed to value nature." I snorted, and Mariona could only chuckle sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head.


    "So, are we done here?" Drake crawled away from his hiding spot, his gauntlets still in full view.


    "And you, I thought you would''ve stopped Mariona''s shooting spree?" I narrowed my eyes at Drake, who whistled innocently as his eyes strayed everywhere but at me. "You know what, forget it. Let''s just head back down and meet with the leaders. They''ve come up with a plan, and we''re still deciding where to fit you in."


    "Or I can just¡­ You know¡­ Rush at them like a mad bull?" Drake tilted his head as he smacked his gauntlets against each other. Truth be told, I wanted to do that too. Just sic Drake on them and watch the chaos ensue with popcorn in hand, but that wouldn''t do.


    "Nope. This battle will teach my primates and the monsters how to defend themselves against future raids. We can''t keep relying on you to do our shit whenever an enemy attacks." I replied, and Drake just deadpanned at me with his arms hanging at his side.


    "Uh, yes. You can rely on me. Not like I''m gonna up and leave just because I feel like it." Drake approached me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "Look. I''m not leaving this place. I''ve had enough of adventuring and just want to spend my time sleeping or playing games. Thanks for the consoles, by the way."


    "You really won''t leave my Dungeon?" I asked, skeptical about Drake''s claims.


    "Yep. To be frank, I''m tired. Out there, I can''t spend at least a day without some kind of scandal, attack, or just plain murphy screwing over my ass. At least here, I can get some peace and quiet from time to time, unless we''re being attacked, that is." Drake shrugged as he let go of my shoulder before heading down the stairs. "Anyway, let''s go. You wanted to squeeze me into your strategy, right?"


    I watched as Drake slowly descended the stairs with a neutral expression. Sighing, I followed him as well, with Mariona following as well.


    A few minutes later, the three of us were back on the ground discussing with the other monster leaders about Drake''s placement.


    "So, you''re saying that I have free reign?" Drake''s lips twitched upwards, his eyes holding a childish glint of manic glee. "Meaning, I can do whatever I want?"


    "Yes, just be sure that your actions don''t mess up the plan for the primates. Remember, as much as this is a fight for survival, this is also a learning experience so that we can be better prepared for the next invasion." I supplied with a hand cupping my chin. Drake chuckled slightly as he thought of all the things he could do to those human cultists.


    It seems that he''s still hung up about Erika; not that I blame him, though.


    "Jionni, what about the dragonewt¡­ Man or woman?" Nicholas scratched his cheek as he thought about the peculiarity of the newly awakened comatose patient.


    "Both." I sighed before continuing. "But she prefers being called by her original gender, which is a woman, so let''s go with that. Moving on, she will also join in the effort but will be staying near the gate to protect Mariona from any kind of projectile that may come her way."


    "I see." Nicholas nodded and looked respectfully at the other monster leaders. Ignoring them for now, I focused on Drake, who was grinning madly, his gauntlets clenched tighter like a vise.


    "You okay, dude?" Drake snapped out of his trance as he heard my voice, his grin disappearing as it was replaced by a frown.


    "To be honest, no, but I will be once I get to cave in the leader''s head." Drake shook his hand, which drew my attention to the gauntlet.


    "Good luck to you then, because the dragonewt, Inziz, called dibs on their leader. He''s the one who left her to be a goblin baby factory." Drake froze when he heard my words. "Drakhan told me. His soul piece within the enemy numbers is a very good spy."


    "¡­ I call dibs on their vice-captain then." Drake concluded with a nod, and I could only stare incredulously at him.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, really." Shaking my head, I left Drake to his mumbling. At a loss on what to do for preparations, Nicholas already had the planning and strategy covered, and the rest already had orders given, so I strolled around the town with no visible destination set in mind.


    I didn''t notice my feet dragging me up the ramparts and in front of the mounted turret, its barrel no longer emitting any smoke.


    Dragging my hand across its surface, I contemplated whether or not I should try out this bad boy, but a primate stopped me from doing so.


    "Boss. So glad to see you." Chip appeared out of nowhere, adopting a kneeling pose with his trusty compound bow, Primal Shot, slung behind his back. "I''ve been tasked with delivering this utmost important message from the mighty Gong himself. He said that his scouts had found an army worth 1000 strong and were marching towards your Dungeon as we speak!"


    "¡­ Wait, run that back at me again?" I blinked, my ears probably going deaf, which wasn''t when Chip retold the message he was supposed to give. "Holy fuck almighty¡­"


    My hand twitching slightly at the thought of the number of enemies that were about to arrive in my Dungeon in just a few hours, I rubbed my temples as Chip continued to stay in his kneeling position.


    "Chip, thanks for your dedication to the defense of our home." The primate in question shook in delight, his kneeling figure quivering slightly. "Tell Gong to recall all his troops and ready themselves for a fight of a lifetime. This isn''t just a defense, this is a fucking war, and we are not about to lose this. Is that clear?"


    "Yes, boss!" Chip quickly stood straight, giving me their own version of a salute as he vanished once more from my sight.


    "¡­ That primate just keeps on surprising me¡­" I sighed as I recalled the various abilities he had gained during his lifetime. The ability to shoot bows with near precision, now extending to guns as well. The ability to vanish with nary a sound. If Drake hadn''t been there, I''d have assumed Chip was the protagonist of a novel about a chunnibyou who was reincarnated as a chimp, and that his fictitious powers were real and not made up.


    Come to think of it, there are a lot of reincarnates here¡­ Is he one of them¡­?


    Shaking my head at that idiotic thought, I quickly headed back down to relay the numbers of the enemy that was fast approaching my Dungeon.


    "Nicholas, you might want to hear this."


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "I guess that the Human Movement cult is fast approaching. Ugh¡­ This is going to be one hell of a clean-up¡­ Drakhan''s new world better be worth it once the revolution is done¡­"


    A lone god sat upon his throne, red heavenly wine sloshing about in his goblet embroidered with gold.


    "M''lord, the human cultists are fast approaching his Dungeon. Should we intervene?"


    "No, let them defend. Once they repel the threat, we''ll have to move to phase two." The God Chythos took a sip from his goblet, the wine tasting as usual. "Drakhan better be prepared for the chaos that''s about to ensue when I do so."


    "Are you still sure that this is the right idea, m''lord?" Uius asked from his usual position. "I''m worried that our decisions will come back to bite us in the end."


    "No need, Uius." Chythos grinned as he downed the wine in the goblet with one gulp, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips after he did so. "I''ve seen the future, and everything is clear now. These visions, no matter what we do, will always end up happening. It''s as if fate declared this as the final timeline. We''re siding with the winning team, so don''t get your panties in a twist, eh?"


    Chythos held out his goblet, and Uius obediently poured some more wine into it.


    "Forgive me, m''lord. I am just worried about your safety."


    "It''s fine, Uius. No master could wish for a better servant like you."


    The two remained silent as they continued to watch the war unfold in the giant screen in front of them.


    "That said, I still wonder how Jionni is going to overcome this without Drake.. I''ve only seen tidbits of this part in my visions, and I''m curious."

 Chapter 192 - Monke And Another Raid (3)

    "Well¡­ As much as I would like to deny this, the numbers of the enemy invaders change nothing." Nicholas sighed as he grabbed a cup of Joe and took a sip from it, the cup being served to all monster leaders by the alraunes who were now helping in the war effort instead of being used as courtesans. "Whatever number they throw at us, nothing will change in our strategy. This is the best we can currently do with our current forces. At least that¡­ And I still refuse to call it that¡­ Gun will be useful when they reach the walls, although that would be one of the worst-case scenarios."


    "And pray tell, what are the other worst-case scenarios?" I pursed my lips, my curiosity taking over my brain as my eyes stared directly into Nicholas''.


    "One thing that I could recite from the top of my head is Drake somehow being put out of action." Nicholas shook his head, and I froze upon hearing that. "Not like the bastard is gonna die anytime soon. If they have a counter for that man, it''ll be something along the lines of teleportation. Status effects don''t work on him."


    I cupped my chin, my mind going a thousand kilometers a minute as I imagined Drake not being here to help us with the war effort.


    ''Yeah, no, if that does happen, this invasion will go downhill very fast.'' I grimaced, and Nicholas, as well as the other monster leaders, sympathized with my conclusions.


    We all don''t want to die and lose those important to us, and Drake is the strongest shield we currently have at our command.


    "I''m not gonna tempt fate and say that I''ll be careful." Drake suddenly spoke out from his seat; his previous mumblings already finished the moment I revealed the number count of our enemies coming for our heads. "Instead, I''ll just say no promises."


    "Eh, fair point." I shrugged, and the two of us shared a laugh, confusing the rest of the monsters and elves that were surrounding us.


    Even in the direst of times, you can count on Drake and I to make fun of our current situations¡­ I''ll chalk that up to Drake''s Filipino heritage for being like that¡­


    Like seriously, back on earth, even during flooding, Filipinos will still play at a gaming hub, even if their lower halves are already sinking beneath the water. Or how about the time when one Filipino played outside during a storm, pretending to be some kind of superman.


    "Anyway, we should probably get ready." Our laughing stopped, and I regarded Nicholas, as well as the rest of the monster leaders, with serious eyes. "I assume that most of the preparations for our defenses are ready?"


    "Ready and waiting." Nicholas looked up at the ramparts, prompting me to do the same. "The cauldrons are full, the ballistae are loaded, and our men are ready for bloodshed to commence, although I hope it doesn''t come to that point."


    "You and me both, Nicholas." I patted his shoulder, and from beside me, Drake snorted.


    "Just better be ready when they reach the gates, though I doubt they''ll be having fun when they see Mariona tearing them a new one." Drake chuckled before mumbling out the rest. "I swear, infinite ammo? What is this, a video game?"


    Shaking my head, I looked at Mariona, who was content to just observe as a wallflower amongst the leaders of each monster species, as well as the de facto leader of the humans and demi-humans'' faction.


    "Mariona, get back up there to the gun turret, and please, for the love of all that is holy, don''t riddle anymore holes in the forest." Mariona gave a shaky salute, and I couldn''t help but snicker at her trembling arm. "Relax, I won''t punish you, although Merethyl probably would. I observed that she liked nature, and you just gone and done reduced a sizeable area of trees into a mess of bullet-riddled groves."


    At the end of my words, Mariona paled, and her trembling grew worse. Deciding to stop my teasing for now, I chuckled and pattered her shoulder.


    "Get going." I said in a soft tone. "Inziz is probably waiting for you at the top by now. Merethyl is by the gate tending to last minute preparations. If you want to visit her, I don''t mind. Just make sure that when the invaders arrive, you''re already stationed at your post. Is that clear?"


    "U-Understood!" Saluting once more, this time relaxed and determined, instead of the rigid post she adopted earlier, Mariona turned heel and quickly made a beeline for her sister, who was making sure that the able-bodied monsters, humans, and demi-humans were wearing their gear right.


    "Krag, Lara, and Anduin should be by Mariona''s side as well¡­ And Domino should be playing with Alice back in the Human Town, along with other children her age. She''s also guarded by Chia, and a bunch of other primates." Placing a hand over my mouth, I recalled the various positions of those noteworthy people in my Dungeon. "Nicholas will be with the monster leaders, Drake will be with the vanguard, Mariona and Inziz atop of the ramparts, Chip will be with the snipers, Gong is also part of the vanguard¡­ What else did I miss¡­?"


    "Uh, Jionni?" I felt a tap on my shoulder. Looking at the person who did so, I saw Drake looking at me with a slight smile. "No need to overthink this. Just believe in your subordinates."


    "¡­ As corny as it is to say this, you''re right." Both he and I chuckled, our sense of humor nearly identical to each other. "Anyway, good luck out there, and you better not get baited into a trap. You''re an OP bastard, and I refuse to think a measly trap would get you in a bind."


    "Hey! You''re the one with an army at his beck and call!" Drake pointed at the numerous monsters, humans, and demi-humans all congregated in one spot as they all fell in line with their mish-mash of gear suited to their bodies.


    "And I''m also pretty sure you could bring all of them, including me, to downtown with just your fists." I deadpanned, and Drake had the gall to look embarrassed. "Anyway, you better head over to the frontlines. Gong should already be there."


    "¡­ Fine. You still need to pay me extra." Drake grumbled, and I chuckled.


    "Sure, what do you want? Some more eroges? Some more RPG eroges? Or more fighting eroges?"


    "Fuck you." Drake flipped me the bird and headed off, leaving me busting a gut while he left.


    "Oh¡­ Hahaha¡­ I needed that¡­" Wiping a tear that left my eye, I shift my attention towards the monster leaders and Nicholas, who observed my interactions with Drake. "Anyway, I''ll be heading off as well. I''m the owner of this Dungeon, so it also falls to me to help in the efforts."


    Materializing the cloak, mask, and boots that were undeniably from Drakhan''s own armory, I vanished from plain sight, a feature I had discovered when playing around with the cloak.


    What''s scarier than a nimble assassin equipped with poison weapons that could vanish from sight?


    A huge monster hefting a giant hammer that can also vanish from plain sight with just a single thought.


    Grinning to myself, I left the safety of the town and also headed to the frontlines, the Bloodweep War Hammer already resting on my shoulders as I traversed the dirt road.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "So, that''s the place." Linuel viewed the cave entrance with his eyesight enhancing magic. "Looks like an ordinary cave to me."


    "Indeed, it does look like so, but we should be wary. Erika fell to this Dungeon, so who knows what kind of horrors awaits us inside that dark cavern."


    "Right you are." Linuel stopped feeding his mana to his magic as he glanced at the human army he had brought along. "Set camp here. Scouting unit, ready your men, locate any traps in the area."


    The soldiers saluted, and the scouts, ones garbed in robes with light leather armor hidden underneath, made their move. They had a short sword and a dagger hanging from their waists.


    Only about 20 of their scouts moved ahead, carefully plotting out their movement and scanning the area for any traps they could see.


    It wasn''t long until they saw their first trap.


    They quickly disarmed the trap with no words exchanged, showcasing their professionalism and experience. The rest of the scouts who were not disarming the trap went on ahead and found more traps littering the area, all of them looking cursed to give those that got caught in them a very bad day.


    Traversing through the forest like it was their backyard, they found and swiftly disarmed traps that they discovered without any casualties or hang-ups.


    Once they reached the mouth of the cavern, all of them looked at each other, sharing a wordless conversation. They ended up with everyone agreeing with each other and all of them quickly made their way back to the camp.


    They knew the last raid never had any survivors. Why waste their lives trying to scout if there''s a high chance of dying when setting foot inside the clearly dangerous Dungeon?


    That''s the job for the soldiers.


    Heading back to the camp, they never noticed a black-furred monster handling a very high-tech bow, its sights trained on their leader''s head.


    Grinning, the monster packed up its bow and made its way back to the Dungeon.


    "These humans will rue the day they dare confront the Dungeon of my master."

 Chapter 193 - Monke And Another Raid (4)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Are you sure that there are no traps left around the entrance?" Linuel asked the lead scout with a raised eyebrow. Looking around, he saw the scouts who had participated in disarming the traps kneeling on the ground, their heads bowed, save for their leader.


    "I assure you, commander, all the traps we have seen have been disarmed and removed." The lead scout didn''t get up from his kneeling position as he waited for a command from his superior.


    "Very well. Stand." The scouts all stood as one, their eyes staring straight into empty space with their heads rigid like stone. "Dismissed. Take a break, the frontliners will take up the mantle."


    All of them saluted in unison, their right hands making fists as they positioned them a foot apart from their diaphragm.


    Dispersing from the area, Linuel was left alone to stew on his own thoughts. He knew a lot of people would die in this raid, and he was happy, no, thrilled for it to be the case.


    ''Don''t worry my darling, soon, you''ll have all the blood you can lust after!'' Cackling mentally, a cry from behind jolted him out of his trance. Looking at the source of the sound, he didn''t hesitate to raise an eyebrow.


    "What the hell was that?" Approaching the soldier who cried out, now sitting on his ass with sweat pouring from his face, he grabbed the man''s soldier and tugged him forcefully, but not harshly. "What was that about?"


    "I-I saw something moving towards the Dungeon, sir!" Linuel looked at the cave entrance, his hand still grasping the shoulder of the spooked soldier. He turned his gaze back on the soldier, and with a smile, he brought him back up.


    "Thank you for informing me about that." Patting the soldier''s shoulder, he let go and turned heel. "Men, change of plans; they know we''re here. Let''s give them a warm greeting, shall we?"


    The roars were deafening, and Linuel smiled bloodthirstily.


    ''Well, change of plans, darling. You''ll be getting blood sooner than expected.'' Linuel grasped the handle of his blade, his fingers playing about with the jeweled handle which seemed to gleam underneath the sun''s rays.


    []


    []


    []


    "Drake!"


    Drake turned his head and saw empty space before it shimmered, Jionni appearing from the empty space like smoke.


    "Jionni? I thought you''d be staying back at the Monster Town?"


    "Nah, I need to fight too. Been getting rusty." Jionni shrugged as he rotated his shoulders. "Besides, with you here, I''m counting on you to haul my ass back to the Monster Town if things get hairy. If you don''t, you''ll be dealing with a very depressed Domino and a catwoman hellbent on either killing the person responsible for harming me or castrating you. Whichever is closer."


    Jionni snickered when he saw Drake pale slightly at the thought of being castrated.


    "Anyway, he should be here anytime soon¡­" Jionni placed his Bloodweep War Hammer on the ground while adopting a pose that screamed "chuunibyou," not that it really mattered at this point.


    "Boss. I have returned bringing you news about our current enemies." Chip dropped from the tree-lines, leaves slowly falling as they landed on the grass with nary a sound. "It appears that they are on the move. As I speak, at least half of their numbers are closing in on our home. They also disarmed all the traps outside without any casualties."


    "¡­ So, they have professional scouts and trap disarmers." Jionni cupped his chin as he adopted a thinking pose. Drake sighed at his habit that popped up after too much stress, but can the man blame him?


    It''s only been a month and a few days and already an army is right at his doorstep.


    "Chip, did you see the scouts moving among them?" Chip shook his head, and Jionni breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, not that it really mattered, but the less versatility on their side inside my Dungeon, the better."


    All of them relaxed slightly, but do not mistake this for weakness. If their body language was any indication, they were still prepared for a fight.


    "Anyway, Chip, I think it''s time you got to your post." Jionni looked at the edgelord of a chimpanzee with serious eyes. "Gather your team; we must not fail. Do you understand?"


    "Yes boss!" Giving a salute, Chip quickly jumped back onto the tree lines and swung from tree to tree with finesse.


    "Drake, you''ll be leading the fight along with Gong. This time, I''ll be there to support and take down any unguarded soldier with my invisibility." Jionni hefted up his hammer and placed it on his shoulder. "See you later."


    And just like that, Jionni once again vanished like smoke, leaving no trace behind whatsoever. However, Drake could still sense his presence nearby, albeit incredibly diminished.


    If it weren''t for his honed senses, he would''ve probably thought that Jionni had teleported.


    Blinking, Drake turned around and moved to meet with Gong, who was busy lying in wait within the bushes, their dark visages camouflaged underneath the shades.


    It''s a good thing that Jionni had the option to turn down the light inside his Dungeon, a feature he had just figured out in the past few days after Erika''s raid.


    The plan was simple: wait for the enemies to arrive, suddenly make Discord Light Mode a reality, and attack while they''re still blinded.


    Once the enemies got their bearings back, they would retreat and let the snipers pick them off one by one with their sniper rifles.


    When the supporting fire ceases, they throw themselves once again at the enemies and retreat after a sufficient amount of time has passed.


    Rinse and repeat until either the enemies retreat, which they would then make chase unless they got outside of their Dungeon, or they get too close to the wall of the Monster Town.


    In case the latter situation happens, the primates are to make a full retreat while Mariona provides cover fire along with the bowmen and ballistae that are situated atop the ramparts.


    As for what they would do once that happened, Drake had no idea. He didn''t stay focused too long because all he could think about was getting back at the damned cult that dared took away one of his old friends.


    "Gong." The gorilla in question looked at Drake''s direction and nodded, his hands forming gestures while he did so. "You nervous?"


    Gong shook his head, a sneer forming on his face while gripping tightly onto his mace. He gestured a few more hand signs, and Drake understood what he was relaying.


    "Oh, you''re angry that these humans dare tread upon Jionni''s Dungeon with malicious intent?" Gong nodded and smacked his shield. "Well, you''re not the only one. Those humans took something precious from me, and I intend to do the same, with interest, of course."


    The gorilla chuckled, and Drake followed soon after. A few seconds later, silence descended on the area as they saw movement in the entrance.


    Staying completely still, Drake, Gong, and the rest of the primates waiting in ambush silently observed the humans that, line by line, entered the Dungeon with their shields raised high.


    Gong was the one tasked with giving the signal for attack, but deciding that it wasn''t the correct time to do so, he waited.


    More human soldiers, all armored with better quality steel than the last invaders, slowly marched through the entrance. Their eyes scanned the area with utmost vigilance.


    It was until the third row of soldiers entered the Dungeon that Gong gave the signal.


    And what a signal it was!


    An ear-shattering roar pierced the ears of all those nearby. The humans, not expecting the sudden noise, dropped their guards and grasped the sides of their head, their ears ringing.


    At the opening made by their leader, all the primates roared and howled in unison, causing more pain to the human soldiers who were helpless against this physical attack.


    It was then that the dim light inside the Dungeon suddenly brightened, causing no small amount of pain and irritation to the humans.


    With their ears ringing and eyes stinging, the human soldiers could do nothing but tremble on the ground as they tried to recollect themselves.


    But the primates wouldn''t allow that.


    As one, all of them jumped out of the bushes, gorillas charging with their tower shields raised up and chimpanzees riding them with their spears at the ready.


    To say the first wave of monsters triumphed against the soldiers unfortunate enough to be the vanguard was an insult. The primates massacred the vanguard of soldiers with ease; it wouldn''t even be labeled as a fight.


    Alas, that was just the first wave of soldiers. The next wave of human soldiers ready to die for their cause were glaring at the primates who massacred their own.


    Spears raised high, all of them marched. Cold and calculated footsteps marked the ground they walked on.


    Behind them, mages protected by an encirclement of soldiers bearing tower shields and heavy armor chanted lines of power, further bolstering the defense of all their allies.


    The two sides glared at each other before all hell broke loose.


    Meanwhile, at the back of the army''s advance, Linuel grinned sadistically, his blade calling upon its master to revel in the blood spilt, whether it be ally or foe.

 Chapter 194 - Monke And Another Raid (5)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    A gorilla dug his tower shield to the ground, several bolts of magic slamming mercilessly against the iron wall moments later.


    The gorilla gritted his teeth as he endured the onslaught of magic. His chimpanzee rider, a friend he acquainted with during his free time, was already on the ground with his head split open.


    He knew that he would be revived a few hours later, but seeing your friend die in front of you was no less a harrowing experience.


    Roaring out once the final bolt of magic slamming against his shield subsided, he charged towards the deadly wall of spears surrounding the enemy mages.


    Besides his charging figure, dozens of other gorillas, some of them having their chimpanzee riders already down for the count, charged as well.


    The human soldiers all tensed up, their spears steady as they pointed them towards the charging gorillas.


    Based on logic, the spears would''ve crumpled beneath the might of a gorilla hefting a tower shield, but magic was a giant factor in balancing the odds.


    The spears met shields, and a booming sound resounded across the forest, gorillas and humans alike being pushed back. Not wasting the opportunity, mages from behind the human wall of iron quickly cast numerous elemental bolts to strike upon the exposed primates.


    Elemental bolts met black fur and flesh, cries of pain escaping the lips of the gorillas. Flesh burned, blood dripped, and bones cracked.


    A sizeable number of gorillas went down at that point, causing the rest of them to retreat for the moment to get their bearings.


    "The monsters are retreating! Give chase!" The soldiers roared, their heavy boots leaving imprints on the ground as they advanced.


    It was time to show these monsters the might of the human army.


    Until a loud bang entered their ears and one of the leading soldiers tumbled to the ground like a puppet with its string cut. Blood pooled underneath the helm of the unmoving soldier, causing no small amount of confusion and dread at the sight.


    "ARMS UP! DUCK YOUR HEADS!" Their squad commander yelled from behind, his figure protected by the various enchantments laid on his armor. Following his command, all the soldiers, front and back, planted their shields on the ground and ducked, sacrificing vision and mobility for defense.


    "Mages! Scan, now!" Order after order left his mouth, the soldiers and mages under his command doing their best to follow through. Loud bangs entered their ears once more, causing the soldiers to jolt in place.


    Some soldiers fell after that, with holes in their heads that bled profusely. This caused their morale to take a nosedive, their fear of death taking precedence over their mission.


    When the mages were done with their scan magic, they saw outlines of monsters on the nearby hill. The commander narrowed his eyes at this revelation.


    "DO NOT COWER!" Their commander, who was trembling slightly due to a bullet slamming against his invisible shield, gripped his sword tight and raised it in the air. "FORWARD MARCH! MAGES, CREATE A STRONG BARRIER AROUND US!"


    The mages all chanted in unison, sigils and magic circles appearing all over the air around their group. More loud bangs and a few more added to the death toll, but the soldiers didn''t stop, those behind the dead quickly taking their place with determined shouts.


    The magic circles around them brightened, and the sigils all converged on them. A glowing barrier suddenly appeared over the soldiers, like some kind of ethereal coating.


    More gunshots echoed, but this time, none of the human soldiers dropped dead, the bullets being unable to penetrate the barrier generated. Smirking, their commander gathered air in his lungs before shouting.


    "FORWAAAAARDD!!!"


    The soldiers roared, and their march quickened. No more gunshots boomed once the barrier was erected, giving the soldiers the safety they needed to advance.


    Seeing their advance, Drake, who opted out of the first wave, chuckled in amusement.


    "Well, they''re smart. I''ll give them that." Drake stretched his arms, readying himself to lunge into the fray. "Too bad they didn''t count for me messing up their plans."


    A grin forming on his lips, he jumped out of the bushes and into a high-spirited soldier at the front. The soldier''s roars were cut short as a gauntlet separated his head from his neck, blood gushing out of the fatal wound like a fountain.


    All around them, the soldiers stood still, their eyes focused on the man who dared murder his own kin in front of them. This caused their morale to plummet before exploding, with everyone wishing the heretic a gruesome death.


    "AVENGE OUR BRETHREN! KILL THE HERETIC!" The soldiers'' roar signified their eagerness to take down this monster in human skin. Drake, ever the joker, grinned madly as his eyes swept across the area, taking in every bit of detail he could before settling into a stance.


    "Oh, I''ll enjoy this." Drake laughed madly as he dodged a spear to the face by tilting his body to the side. Grabbing the shaft, he pulled, dragging the soldier along and giving him a love tap to the gut with his free hand.


    Said love tap caved in his entire stomach, forcing it out of his body through a massive hole on his back. Blood gushed out of the wound and the soldier fell to the ground, dead.


    This shocked the soldiers momentarily. Taking advantage of their temporary lapse in judgment, Drake rushed towards another soldier and gave him a knuckle sandwich. The soldier subjected to the attack instantly had his head and neck broken. His head tore messily off his body, staining the soldiers surrounding him red.


    Not letting up, Drake grabbed the nearby soldier and tore his face off, his eyeballs dropping from their sockets. He then kicked the groin of the other soldier, still shocked from the sudden gore he had just witnessed.


    His balls popped, and an ear-piercing scream shook the earth. Jionni, who was observing nearby with invisibility on, couldn''t help but cross his thighs as he grimaced.


    The soldiers, seeing the fate that had befallen their brethren, cried out in anguish and dread. Anguish at the deaths of their comrades, and dread at the thought of the incredibly painful death one could give a man.


    The man who had his balls popped didn''t need to suffer long as his head caved in when Drake put him out of his misery.


    "So, are you going to come now?" Drake grinned as he made a come-hither gesture, his eyes blazing with righteous fury. He may be taking this fight like a joke, but he is far from joking around.


    He is downright furious.


    ''Scare the cannon fodder, and kill the head.'' Breathing out, he glared at the soldiers surrounding him.


    Or more precisely, the man behind their strings.


    With a yell, the soldiers all moved forward, spears in front and shields held high. Not daunted by the veritable wall of iron and spikes, Drake dashed forward, fully intent on meeting head-on their charge.


    Once close enough, Drake vaulted, spears quickly adjusting themselves to skewer the man once he came down. In front of Drake, he saw elemental bolts heading straight for him.


    Smirking, Drake held out his hands to block the incoming magic attack.


    The elemental bolts landed against his gauntlets, but instead of crying out in pain, Drake laughed out loud. His gauntlets were now glowing, different colors shifting every millisecond as he poised himself to smash through the wall of iron.


    Still laughing, he punched a spearhead with his gauntlets, the spearhead breaking underneath the massive pressure coming from the gauntlet. His gauntlets went all the way through the shaft as well, wood scattering all around, piercing the eyes of those unfortunate enough.


    Soldiers screamed out at the sudden pain, but that didn''t prepare them for the massive explosion that was about to commence a few moments later.


    The gauntlet landed on the face of the shocked soldier who had his spear broken. He immediately died as his head popped like a balloon. His brain matter and blood flew all over the air as Drake continued his rapid descent.


    Once his gauntlet met the ground, a thunderous blast caused the earth to rupture. Human soldiers near the point of impact were thrown away like ragdolls, their armor, once their safe haven, now their inescapable prison as they descended to the ground at an alarming rate.


    For some reason, the explosion cancelled out the magic enchantments that were currently adorning their armor. This included their commander, who was promptly shot in the head by Chip''s squad in the nearby hills.


    At that moment, their morale plummeted. Some of the surviving soldiers, of which there were still a lot, in the area wished for nothing but to leave and preserve their lives.


    Drake, rising from his kneeling position, glared at the soldiers who were staring back, metaphorical daggers piercing his body all around. Smoke rose from the crater he had just created, covering parts of his body.


    There were still plenty of soldiers surrounding him, but his show of might earlier had made the soldiers tremble.


    But that wasn''t enough to cow them into submission.


    A clapping sound from behind him made him redirect his gaze to the source.


    "Well, well, well¡­ I didn''t think Drake, the God''s Chosen and the Right-Hand Man of the Demon King, would be frequenting this lowly Dungeon." Linuel approached with laidback strides, a mocking sneer plastered on his face. "Alas, as much as I would like to fight you here, there is no possibility of me winning."


    Hearing this from their general made the soldiers pale. If their general had no chance against this man, then what could they possibly achieve!?


    "So, you''re surrendering?" Drake raised an eyebrow, and Jionni, who was nearby, watched all of this unfold with a watchful eye.


    Jionni felt a pit in his stomach, and his instincts told him to kill the new face right here, right now.


    Hefting his Bloodweep War Hammer, Jionni lunged at the man, whose eyes swerved to the side and in his direction.


    "No, I''m just evening the odds." Smirking, Linuel leaned back, dodging the swinging hammer by just a hair''s breadth. Snapping his finger, Drake froze in place, his body refusing to listen to his commands. "Bye bye."


    In an instant, Drake vanished from the spot, and Linuel''s ring that was on his pinky crumbled to dust.


    "And you¡­ You must be the Dungeon Master.." Linuel stared at empty space, his smirk never leaving his face. "Let''s have some fun then, shall we?"

 Chapter 195 - Monke And Another Raid (6)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Linuel lunged forward, his sword poised straight. Jionni, who was invisible, quickly dodged to the left to avoid the incoming thrust. Gritting his teeth, Jionni cursed his problematic situation.


    ''Motherfucker! Where''s Drake? Judging from their conversation earlier, Drake isn''t dead. Teleportation?'' Jionni made his getaway under the guise of his invisibility. Thankfully, the soldiers surrounding him were not well-versed in locating opponents who their eyes couldn''t see.


    "He got away." Linuel clicked his tongue and raised his shield arm. He buckled at the force that slammed against his shield, but wasn''t affected much. "All men march. Show these monsters the power of the human race!"


    The soldiers roared, their morale once again soaring to the sky. Eyeing the hill nearby where the gunfire came from, Linuel grinned maliciously.


    "Mages, bomb that hill." Linuel pointed to the hill where the mages chanted. "Decimate it."


    The soldiers marched forward, no longer dropping like flies since the gunfire had stopped once Linuel ordered them to fire upon the hill. Each footstep echoed across the forest, their boots leaving imprints on the ground.


    Meanwhile, Jionni''s retreat brought him to the forefront of the primate group, where Gong was currently lying in wait for the soldiers to pass through the area.


    "Gong, I want you to delay their advance as much as possible." Jionni ordered his right-hand gorilla, to which Gong nodded. "It''s no longer possible to use our current strategy. I''ll have to speak to the others about this. In the meantime, delay them as long as possible."


    "Roger." Gong looked behind him at the various primates, all ready to die for their master.


    Smiling at their dedication, Jionni hastily made his way back to the Monster Town. Gong quickly ordered the primates to get into position.


    "Gorilla tactics¡­ Kill them all¡­" Gong huffed, and the primates under his command all agreed. Until the enemy surrenders, they have no leeway to capture some of their forces.


    []


    []


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    "Ack! That damn bastard!" Chip grimaced as he pulled out a giant piece of wood that pierced through his leg. Dropping a few drops of healing potion he had in reserve on the open wound, it closed shut and stopped bleeding.


    "He dares make a mockery out of me and my Boss!? Nay! I say nay!" Chip grabbed his compound bow and gave his sniper rifle to a nearby primate. "All of you, head to the second vantage point. Lay waste to our enemies who dare intrude on our sacred grounds."


    The five primates nodded and quickly made their way through the forest, all of them sporting a few wounds, but none fatal.


    "C''mon, Primal Shot. I think it''s time you made your crush proud!" Chip grinned as he swung from tree to tree, his compound bow whispering sweet words into his ears as he did so.


    Nearing the battlefield, he saw Gong and the primates all engaged in mortal combat, with the primates on the losing side.


    The magic of the humans proved too much to handle for the primates, and with their support still relocating, it would be a matter of time before their line of defense crumpled.


    Scowling, Chip readied his compound bow and knocked an arrow. Taking aim at one of their mages who was keeping the invisible barrier up for the soldiers at the front.


    Once all the air was expunged from his lungs, Chip let the arrow loose.


    The arrowhead flew in the air, and Chip''s aim was straight and true. The barrier that protected them was punctured by the seemingly normal arrow.


    The mages saw the arrow and were shocked by it penetrating their barrier, but it was too late.


    It pierced through the head of the target mage, the corpse falling to the ground with wide eyes. Not a moment later, the arrow glowed, and Chip smiled in victory.


    "Ka-boom." Chip called out as the arrow exploded, limbs and viscera raining from the sky as they drenched the surviving soldiers in their color. "Gotta thank your crush for your enchantments, eh, partner?"


    Gliding his hand over the compound bow affectionately, Chip slung it over his shoulder and relocated to a new position.


    On the frontlines, seeing that their barrier faltered for a moment, Gong raised a war cry and rallied the primates to charge.


    Without the barrier, the primates dealt a huge blow against the enemy invaders. Heads were crushed, limbs severed, and bodies punctured; it didn''t matter how they died, all of them died brutal deaths.


    The same could be said for the primates. During their charge, some of them also got caught up in their enemies'' weapons. Whether by luck or skill, primates all died the same.


    At the backlines, the surviving mages reorganized themselves, desperately ignoring the brutalized corpses of their fellow colleagues.


    Chanting once again, the mages quickly erected another barrier to safeguard their frontline and reinforce their position. They didn''t want to get hit by another sneak attack like earlier.


    In the middle, Linuel praised the person or monster who was able to deal such a huge number against his army.


    "I''ll hand it to them; that shook our morale." Linuel cracked his neck and jumped to the frontline. "I think it''s time I joined the fight."


    Grinning, Linuel made a beeline towards the lead monster, who was the biggest of all of them. The monster was heavily armored from head to toe in heavy metal, the only visible parts of his body being his face.


    He hefted a giant tower shield twice his size, effectively blocking any kind of attack that came his way. On his other hand, he held a war hammer that required a human to use two hands to wield it effectively.


    Needless to say, without the barrier, that monster was a major problem.


    "Too bad, my blade thirsts for strong opponents!" Linuel grinned madly and swung his blade as he rapidly approached the monster. Gong noticed the incoming human and moved to block it with his tower shield.


    What he didn''t expect was for the blade to cut through his shield like butter and bisect his body in one swing.


    Huge amounts of blood gushed out like a dam, staining everybody in the area red, Linuel included. This, however, didn''t impede him; instead, it made him crave blood even more.


    "Yes¡­ Yes!" Linuel cackled happily as his sword absorbed the blood splattered on its blade, its silver sheen gleaming in the light. His pupils constrict as he points his blade towards the sizeable number of primates.


    "Come at me! Show me your worth!" Linuel, now in his bloodthirsty state, charged once more after going into a stance. Behind him, the soldiers who were used to his antics roared and followed behind, spears ready to pierce through the black-furred beasts.


    The primates, now without their leader, flinched slightly but never faltered. Chip, who saw the death of Gong, cursed and knocked another arrow.


    Aiming at the man who killed Gong, Chip let the arrow loose.


    The arrow flew through the air, heading straight for Linuel''s head, only for him to tilt his neck back slightly. It grazed his cheek, making him bleed, but that served to entertain Linuel even more.


    Directing his eyes towards the direction where the arrow flew from, he saw another monster that was smaller than the big one he killed earlier.


    Laughing insanely, he dashed through the chaotic battlefield towards Chip, who cursed and deposited the compound bow back inside a hammerspace.


    "Shit¡­!" With one swing, Chip''s head left his torso as blood painted the trees red. Smiling, Linuel quickly made his way back to the battlefield, where he would continue to go crazy by killing monsters with his blade.


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    "Bad news!" Jionni arrived back at the Monster Town, surprising the various leaders.


    "What?" Nicholas narrowed his eyes at the Dungeon Master.


    "Drake''s gone." This shocked everybody who heard his words. "I don''t mean dead. I mean, he was somehow teleported by their leader."


    "Same shit." Nicholas growled as he smacked his hand on the table. "Drake is too stubborn to die, but without him here, it''ll be harder to defend. What''s the status on the frontline?"


    "Bad." Jionni scowled. "Their leader is one helluva monster. I''m not sure I can fight him without getting wounded. I can win, but not without sacrifices."


    "¡­ Then it seems it''s come to this." Nicholas sighed as he eyed all of the monster leaders. "Are you all prepared to lay down your lives to protect your home?"


    All of the monster leaders roared, their arms raised high above their heads. All around us, the monsters, humans, and demi-humans who were listening in followed suit, a deafening cry of determination echoing all around.


    "Good." Nicholas turned to look back at Jionni.


    "I''ll go ask Inziz. She should know more about their leader, since she had first-hand experience with the man." Nicholas nodded, and Jionni quickly climbed the ramparts.


    Up above, Mariona fiddled with the gun turret, sweat dripping from her forehead as Inziz glared at the horizon. Noticing Jionni''s ascent, the two of them turned to look at the Dungeon Master.


    "Inziz, what do you know about Linuel?"

 Chapter 196 - Monke And Another Raid (7)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "That asshole?" Inziz eyebrows raised, she gripped her weapon of choice, a zweihander. "Not much I can tell you, but he''s a bloodthirsty maniac."


    "Yeah, I figured." Jionni''s earlier encounter with the man told him that much. "Do you know any of his weaknesses?"


    "Weaknesses?" Inziz furrowed her brows, Mariona glancing from the sidelines. "Not much, just that he tends to lose himself in himself when in that state."


    "So¡­ Not really a weakness." Inziz nodded, and Jionni sighed. "Well, at least I can work with that. Chances are, they''ll be able to reach the town. Inziz, you sure you can handle protecting Mariona?"


    "Pfft." Inziz scoffed as she raised her zweihander. "It''ll take more than a month-long coma to put a dragonewt out of commission."


    Smirking, she snapped her fingers and a transparent barrier appeared in front of the gun turret facing the forest.


    "There. Proof enough for you?" Jionni smirked, impressed by Inziz''s chantless barrier magic.


    Because of his System, Jionni was able to cast magic without chanting, a benefit he was grateful for. As for the specifics, he had no idea, but he could ask those well-versed in magic, such as Merethyl.


    He cupped his chin. ''Come to think of it, the only person I know who uses magic in my Dungeon that isn''t a monster is Merethyl. I''ll need to ask the other humans or demi-humans if some of them know how to use magic.''


    Filing that thought for the future, Jionni nodded and bid goodbye to the two protectors. Mariona manned the gun turret while Inziz plopped her ass on a nearby crate.


    Heading back down the stairs, he tried communicating with Chip, only to get static. He did the same with Gong and got the same result.


    "Shit¡­" Jionni made haste back to the ground, realizing the fate that befell them.


    Setting foot on cobblestone, Jionni made a beeline straight for the monster leaders and Nicholas.


    Nicholas, who was busy preparing himself for the fight of his lifetime, armor donned and weapons strapped, noticed Jionni running straight at them.


    "Jionni? What''s the rush?"


    "More bad news. The invaders had probably crushed the frontline by now." Nicholas flinched, and so did the rest of the monster leaders. "Prepare yourselves, we''re going to have a siege."


    All of them nodded, quickly scattering to further prepare themselves. Thankfully, all of their gear was placed in a tent nearby, making their preparations faster.


    Jionni looked at Nicholas, who was done donning his gear, and let out a sigh.


    "Nicholas, where''s your daughter?" Nicholas raised his eyebrow at the line of questioning, but otherwise didn''t mind it much.


    "At the Human Town. She''s with the others left behind in case some soldiers make it past here while we''re fighting."


    "Good. I''ll send her a message to head down to the third floor along with the rest." Nicholas gaped at Jionni''s decision.


    "What? You can''t be serious!" Nicholas grabbed Jionni''s shoulder, rage coursing through his veins. "The second and third floors are goddamned death traps! How can they even get there in one piece!?"


    "I have a contingency for that." Jionni rummaged through his inventory and took out a stone. It wasn''t an ordinary stone; it was one used for teleportation.


    Nicholas knew what the stone was the moment he saw it.


    "This will teleport everybody there into the safe area on the third floor. I''ve already designated it, and the primates guarding said floor will be their protectors for the time being."


    "¡­ You''re not taking anything by chance, huh¡­?"


    Jionni chuckled depressingly.


    "Hey, we might not win this fight. Their leader is just that strong. Let''s not forget to mention the army he has at his beck and call."


    Nicholas sighed and glanced all around him. Various monsters, humans, and demi-humans were all ready and prepared to lay down their lives for their homes.


    "¡­ Is it possible to bring the rest there?" Jionni understood what he meant and nodded.


    "Yes, it is possible, but that won''t solve our problem." Jionni gestured to the town he observed getting built within just a month. "If the first floor falls, we''ll be giving the invaders a valuable stronghold for them to anchor in. You already know what will happen if that comes to pass."


    Nicholas sighed, fully understanding the gravity of their situation.


    "Damned if we do, damned if we don''t¡­ Damn cultists¡­" Nicholas fiddled with his sword that Jionni gifted him, its blade somehow gleaming within the sheath. "Give them an inch, and they''ll take a mile."


    "I see you understand the consequences." Jionni raised his hood and let the mask attached to the hood cover his face. "If they take the first floor, who''s to say they won''t take the second? Or the third? If they were just humans, it would be impossible to break through, but with magic, anything is possible."


    "Right you are on that." Nicholas smiled grimly as a tap on his shoulder caught his attention. "Luke?"


    "I''m back, sir." Luke smiled as he greeted Jionni as well. "I''ve done as you requested."


    "Great. Now, one last thing." Jionni handed over the teleport stone to Luke, who accepted it with a confused look. "Give this to Alexis, and stay with her. Protect the non-combatants."


    "As you wish." Luke accepted and quickly hauled ass.


    "Well, with that out of the way, we can now focus on the defense and killing those cultists." Jionni scowled as the cultists were brought to his mind.


    "Yeah." Nicholas chuckled slightly. "By the way, if I die here, promise me you''ll take care of Alexis and the rest."


    "Hey, no death flags while I''m here." Jionni smacked Nicholas upside the head with a glare.


    "Right, right." Nicholas laughed heartily as he unsheathed his sword and headed for the closed gates. "Come on, hurry up, lad! We''ve got some cultists to kill!"


    Jionni followed after when Nicholas let slip his original accent.


    ''Huh¡­ Irish¡­'' Jionni wondered as he observed the man.


    []


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    []


    "That''s all? What a disappointment." Linuel scowled as he decapitated the last monster. They all used some guns he had never come across before. As much as he wanted to take them, the monsters were able to deposit them in some kind of hammerspace before dying, denying Linuel the chance to take them.


    "Such as waste." Linuel shook his head, his body covered in blood from the executions he had just carried out.


    Swiftly heading back to his men he left behind in favor of killing those pesky sharpshooters, Linuel thought of more blood coating him and his blade at their next encounter.


    Arriving at his destination, Linuel smirked as the soldiers greeted him with a salute. In front of them, dozens upon dozens of black-furred monster corpses lay, their blood filling the area with their scent.


    Which served to invigorate Linuel from his disappointment earlier.


    "Good job. We march onward, for the glory of the human race!" Raising his sword, Linuel roared, and the soldiers followed suit, their cries echoing around him.


    Letting his blade absorb the blood that pooled on the ground, Linuel moaned at the ecstasy that filled his mind.


    Whether this was a common occurrence or not, the soldiers all ignored their leader''s obvious orgasm at the mind-breaking sight.


    His eyes ablaze, Linuel''s sword-arm trembled as his blade continued to absorb blood, drop by drop. As it coalesced around his blade, Linuel could feel the liquid embrace his body with its alluring scent.


    It made him crave more, but these monsters wouldn''t satisfy him anymore.


    ''I need to find it! That invisible monster!'' Laughing like a maniac, Linuel''s blade finished absorbing part of the blood scattered across the area. "This won''t satisfy me, nor my blade! I need to find it!"


    His yells were ignored by the soldiers as they continued to march. Linuel sighed as his post-nut insanity left him.


    "After that, Drake is next."


    []


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    []


    Drake cursed out as he landed with a loud thud, his mind turning and his ears ringing.


    "What¡­ The fuck¡­?" Grabbing his head, Drake blinked numerous times to try and clear his vision. After a few minutes, his vision cleared and he saw a familiar grave right in front of him. "Well¡­ Shit¡­"


    Standing up, Drake dusted himself off as he approached the grave.


    "Hello again, Erika. I promise I''ll come back next time, but for now, I have to go back." Running his hand across the length of the broken sword, Drake leaped from his spot and made a beeline straight for the Dungeon.


    ''It took me more than an hour to reach there by walking. Running will take me probably half an hour¡­ Shit¡­ The Dungeon better be standing when I return¡­''


    Running through the forest, Drake took the fastest route towards the Dungeon, and logic dictated that a straight line was the fastest way to travel.


    Trees? Boulders? None of that mattered to Drake, who needed to arrive in Jionni''s Dungeon without a moment''s notice.


    ''Next time, I''m asking Jionni for a teleport stone.''


    Ignoring the various yelps of animals and monsters nearby, Drake continued with his hurried pace, the gauntlets in his hands shimmering ever so slightly.

 Chapter 197 - Monke And Another Raid (8)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Standing atop the ramparts, Jionni glared at the horizon, countless human soldiers marching towards the town. Beside him, Mariona gripped the gun turret''s grip with slightly trembling hands.


    Inziz stood behind her, her right hand grasping the handle of the zweihander resting on her shoulder. Scowling, she looked at the man responsible for her misery at the hands of goblins. Sure, she saw some living within her savior''s Dungeon, but that hatred was pushed aside to give way to her festering rage bubbling within her core.


    ''I will enjoy watching you die.'' Inziz swore as her eyes rested upon the figure of the blood-drenched man, an insane smile plastered on his face.


    "Mariona, fire at will." Mariona obeyed, her eyes filled with contempt at the soldiers marching towards her home.


    "With pleasure." Mariona''s arm stopped trembling and she pressed the triggers, a hail of bullets storming down towards the soldiers.


    Their shields already raised, they waited for the attack to impact, confident that their shields would hold.


    The bullets made contact, and quickly made swiss cheese of the magical barrier surrounding them. The bullets then shredded the metal shields the soldiers used, even going as far as to puncture their armor as well.


    Dozens of human soldiers fell down with blood-curdling screams, blood spraying out as bullets riddled holes in those unfortunate enough to get hit.


    The other soldiers who weren''t made victims by the bullet storm quickly dodged to the side and took cover behind some trees. They hoped the thickness of the trunks would keep them safe from the unknown yet deadly attack.


    "What the hell is that!?"


    "I don''t know! Just take cover! Maybe they''ll run ou-" The soldier''s reply was cut short by a bullet, finally puncturing through the trunk and piercing her head.


    "Shit! Retreat! Retreat!" One soldier yelled, his fear giving way to panic, only for his plea to be cut short by Linuel, who immediately beheaded the man.


    "Don''t retreat! Everybody forward! There''s only one attacker atop the ramparts!" Linuel growled out as more soldiers fell like flies. "Reach the wall! They won''t be able to hit you there!"


    Taking the lead, Linuel dashed through the forest and quickly entered an open area, giving the defenders a clear line of sight to his figure.


    Mariona, manning the gun turret, immediately set her sights on the man, while Inziz scoffed.


    "No way you would kill him with that toy. Focus on the other cannon fodder." Mariona raised an eyebrow at her statement, but otherwise followed through.


    Inziz was the one who knew the most about the man, after all.


    Some bullets managed to land on Linuel''s form, only to have no effect on the man. Mariona was glad she followed Inziz; otherwise, more time would''ve been wasted by targeting the man instead of those pesky soldiers.


    Jionni noticed something glowing from within the tree lines and saw it heading their way. Moving to intercept, he was stopped by Inziz, who gave him a smirk.


    "No need." Inziz''s hair fluttered roughly in the wind as magic bolts impacted the barrier. Mariona yelped, but otherwise, continued pelting the soldiers who were now coming out of the trees to rush in suicidally with bullets. "See?"


    Jionni stared at her with eyebrows raised, before snorting.


    "Color me impressed. For a girl who just got out of a coma, you sure are at the top of your game." Jionni snickered, and Inziz laughed.


    "Ha! Coma or not, dragonewts are just born different."


    "And that second sexual organ?" Jionni questioned, to which the dragonewt shrugged.


    "Eh, I''m the last of my tribe. I''m pretty sure Drakhan already told you why." Inziz materialized the dagger connected to the said person before dematerializing it. "Plus, it makes for some of the best situations in bed."


    I sighed the moment Inziz licked her lips.


    ''Why am I surrounded by horny females everywhere I go?'' Jionni thought back to the women in his life who were all horny and in dire need of the bonk stick.


    "Anyway, bed talk later, fighting now." Jionni glared at the man who was still rushing to the battlefield while ignoring the various arrows, ballistae arrows, and bullets that sometimes headed his way.


    Jionni''s archers on the wall and ballistae joined the fight when Mariona started firing, although all of them were less impactful than Mariona''s gun turret.


    Another explosion caught their ears, and the two of them quickly looked to the side, only to see a burning tower with goblins and orcs all burning to death.


    "Shit." Jionni gritted his teeth as Inziz raised her eyebrow.


    ''No love lost if goblins or orcs died.'' That''s what Inziz thought, but Jionni seemed particularly hurt by the occurrence.


    ''Fuck¡­ My DP¡­'' If Inziz had learned about what Jionni thought, then she would''ve chuckled.


    Gathering her mana, Inziz quickly made a barrier that spread all around the ramparts, with the thickest concentration located at Mariona''s spot.


    "Inziz, Linuel seems to be approaching. Do you want to join?"


    "Nah. As long as I can see him die, I don''t care who deals the killing blow." Inziz shrugged, and Jionni nodded, before quickly scaling down the stairs to meet with Nicholas.


    At the bottom, Nicholas and the other monster leaders looked at the burning rampart tower.


    "Damn¡­ Our first casualties¡­" Nicholas clicked his tongue as Gobun and Qog lamented the fact that some of their own died at the hands of these human invaders.


    "No need to worry. We all knew this would happen eventually." Qog groaned as he got over his lament quickly. "Monsters like us all die daily, either by hunting, getting hunted, or just plain bad luck. Such is the way of our life."


    Qog got all the monsters in the area nodding, throwing the humans and demi-humans for a loop.


    "Sorry for your loss." Nicholas could do nothing but offer his condolences to the monsters. Laughing out loud, Qog patted the man''s shoulder.


    Nicholas groaned at the weight.


    "Ha! First time a human ever expressed that to us." Looking around, the rest of the monsters chuckled at Nicholas, albeit all of them expressed their thanks to the man who cared.


    "Nicholas." They heard their leader''s voice and swiftly moved to listen. "I''m heading out. I need to take their leader''s attention off of you all."


    "¡­ We don''t have much of a choice, do we?" Nicholas shrugged along with the rest of the monster leaders.


    "No. If my instincts are serving me right, he can kill all of you before dying. Something I''m not too keen on happening." Jionni surmised as another explosion hit their ears. Looking above, they saw another tower being pelted by magic bolts, although it was still standing strong thanks to Inziz''s barrier.


    "I trust you all will handle the underlings?" Nicholas snickered.


    "Oh, trust me. We will." Jionni smiled before vanishing.


    Heading back up the rampart, Jionni prepared to take a leap off the wall, already getting ready to enter Flamegod mode.


    ''Invisibility won''t work on the bastard. I guess going in guns a blazing is the only way.'' Leaping off the wall, flame began coating his body shrouded by Drakhan''s cloak, the shadows coming alive as the flames turned a darker color.


    Eyeing Linuel, who was still charging through the fields like a madman, continuing to ignore the dying screams of his subordinates, Jionni puckered his lips as his feet touched the ground.


    A loud crashing sound entered the ears of all present, but none of the soldiers stopped moving in favor of reaching the walls faster to avoid the rain of death coming their way.


    As a crater formed below his feet, Jionni rose to his full height, a giant war hammer resting on his shoulders as shadowy flames licked his surroundings.


    "Come at me." Jionni growled quietly as he launched himself towards Linuel, who grinned like a maniac upon seeing him.


    "Finally! Time to see if your blood would satiate my blade!" Linuel cackled as he readied himself to receive the incoming attack.


    Hammer and sword met, and a veritable shockwave emanated from them, throwing the charging soldiers around them off balance.


    Not wasting this opportunity, the archers let loose a storm of arrows while Mariona continued to rain bullet after bullet upon the exposed soldiers.


    "I knew it! You are strong!" Linuel licked his lips as the two of them disengaged. "And you got me good too!"


    A stinging pain coursed through Linuel''s leg. Upon closer inspection, he saw his greaves were charred black, with his blackened skin showing.


    Shrugging off the damage, Linuel got into another stance, his eyes solely focused on the monster in front of him.


    "Show me what you can do!" Linuel launched himself at Jionni, who scowled and channeled magic through his body¡­


    Before manipulating the entire earth around them.


    Craters appeared haphazardly around the monster, whose rock-solid stance refused to budge as the earth trembled. This caused more humans to stumble at their charge, giving the defenders a chance to kill more soldiers.


    But for each soldier killed, more would pop up, and at this rate, they would reach the wall in under a minute.


    Blocking an attack from Linuel, Jionni shoved him off harshly and attacked with his hammer.


    With his form broken, all Linuel could do was block the attack with his sword.


    ''Gorilla Go Smash! Cannon Blow! Colossus Wrath!'' Activating all three skills in unison, Jionni roared out and smashed his hammer against Linuel, sending him flying at high speeds, breaking the sound-barrier.


    His body broke through trees like a ragdoll, various bones crunching at the devastating blow that would kill any veteran fighter in under a second.


    The soldiers halted upon seeing the scene, their eyes wide in fear and disbelief.


    Before roaring laughter graced their ears.


    "Yes! YES! This is what I crave!" Linuel stood up, his body broken and bloodied, limbs bent at unnatural angles that would put a normal man out of commission. "GIVE ME MORE!"


    His eyes catching the scene, all Jionni could do was curse the world for having this kind of enemy.

 Chapter 198 - Monke And Another Raid (9)

    A/N: I apparently forgot to number my chapter titles correctly... Stupid author... It''s fixed now...


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    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Jionni swiped his hammer from right to left, causing Linuel to dodge backwards before propelling himself towards him once more.


    Growling, Jionni encased his left hand in hardened earth and blocked the incoming attack, Linuel''s blade sinking a centimeter deep into the gauntlet made of enhanced dirt.


    Smirking, Linuel quickly twisted his body in the air as Jionni flung him off with monstrous strength. He laughed loudly as machinegun bullets pelted his form without making a dent in his defenses, landing on both feet.


    "How the hell does that work?" Jionni scowled, irritation beginning to surface in his chest. The response he got from Linuel was more laughter.


    "Enchantments, my wonderful friend!" Linuel got into a pose as he licked his blade stained with blood from the battlefield. Various human corpses surrounded them, the echoing gunfire raining down destruction upon the charging madmen. "Though, I still have to ask, is this all you can do?"


    Jionni remained silent as he got into another stance, before he elbowed a soldier who was running at him with his sword raised. The soldier''s head tore brutally off from his body, blood pouring out of the fatal wound as it stained the ground red.


    Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in judgment, Linuel dashed forward and slashed at Jionni. Taking notice of his sudden action, Jionni quickly moved to counter, only to fall short as the speed of his adversary topped his.


    Feeling a stinging pain in his chest, Jionni hastily retreated while swinging his hammer at Linuel, who jumped to the side and aimed his sword at his shoulder.


    Instantly, Jionni used magic to create a small crater beneath Linuel''s right foot, causing him to stumble when he landed. Capitalizing on his exposed form, Jionni continued with his swing, using the centrifugal force to increase his hammer''s momentum as he spun around.


    Because Linuel momentarily lost his balance, he was unable to strike when Jionni''s back was turned, and could only defend against the powerful attack heading his way.


    Combining his three direct attack skills, one of them consuming at least half of his current HP to increase the damage dealt, Jionni''s hammer struck directly on top of Linuel''s blade.


    As if it was made out of some kind of impervious metal, Linuel was launched into the air once more as he turned into a ragdoll. The sword was seemingly unharmed as he flew.


    The blood seeping into his hammer''s head, Jionni felt his health restored, a wonderful effect on his hammer''s part.


    Sadly, as much as Jionni wanted the man to die, Linuel was proving to be a far more challenging opponent, even if his feats against him were a light slash on his chest and being turned into a ragdoll.


    "That hurts!" And as always, the lunatic man got up from the ground with a manic smile on his face. "Entertain me more!"


    ''Is this guy a masochist or something?'' His thoughts taking an unnecessary, but reasonable turn, Jionni quickly blocked the slash with the pole of his hammer. As if his fatal injuries were non-existent, Linuel dashed around Jionni at speeds he wasn''t able to catch up with.


    A slash on his back drew blood, and Jionni groaned.


    Turning around, Jionni swung his hammer coated with shadowy flames. Linuel backed up before rushing in again, ignoring the shadowy flames licking his body as his eyes focused on the monster.


    Smiling, Linuel aimed his sword at Jionni''s chest and thrust. Not willing to be made into a sheathe for his blade, Jionni''s other hand let go of his hammer and encased it in earth before grabbing the blade.


    The blade''s tip fell a centimeter short of drawing blood, and without wasting time, Jionni pulled the blade away from him, while simultaneously dropping his hammer on top of Linuel.


    In a seemingly impossible reaction, Linuel let go of the blade to avoid being pulled before dodging Jionni''s blow once more, only for him to jump at him once the hammer landed on the ground.


    A slight tremor spread across the battlefield, soldiers here and there tripping during their charge as bullets and arrows pelted them down. Right beside the wall of the town, the first soldiers to make it there quickly scaled the walls with the gear they were bringing.


    Within some of the soldiers'' backpacks, they brought adjustable ladders tall enough to scale a 20-meter-tall wall. The reason they could fit the ladder inside the backpack was due to the enchantments placed on them by the enchanters back at HQ.


    Quickly taking them out, the soldiers adjusted them within the span of a few seconds and propped them up on the wall. Once they were done, all of them didn''t hesitate to scale it with their hands trembling in fear, excitement, and zealotry.


    Mariona, who saw the soldiers scaling the wall, scowled.


    "The gun can''t aim where they are! Inziz, tell the monsters to use the boiling oil!" Mariona quickly sent out a barrage of bullets towards more soldiers still rushing in like madmen, while Inziz set out to do as she was told.


    Meanwhile, Jionni and Linuel''s fight brought them near the walls, allowing them to take in a few more soldiers'' lives as collateral. Linuel had already recovered his blade after surprising Jionni with his sudden unarmed lunge.


    The result was Jionni''s left eye being gouged out, blood trailing down his face as he scowled.


    Now at a disadvantage with his vision, Jionni kept on accruing more and more injuries, while Linuel seemed to be moving faster every time he was injured.


    Parrying Linuel''s attack, Jionni felt a blade sink slightly into his left side, droplets of blood leaking to the ground from the wound.


    ''Shit!'' Jionni growled as he grabbed the head of the soldier who got a lucky hit and squashed it to a pulp with his bare hands. ''At this rate, I''m going to lose¡­''


    Linuel, who watched the exchange with visible glee, launched himself once more at Jionni, fully taking advantage of his foe''s blind spot.


    Jionni held out his hammer and caught the blade once more with its shaft, his teeth gritting harder than ever before.


    Using Earth Manipulation, Jionni willed for a handful of sand to spray itself against Linuel''s grinning face.


    Due to the small amount and the chaos ensuing around him, Linuel didn''t notice the attack and had his face covered in sand.


    Closing his eyes, Linuel cried out, before getting his neck grabbed by the monster in front of him.


    Roaring, Jionni smashed the man to the ground with his enormous strength, a dust cloud exploding outwards and a giant crater forming underneath.


    Not done with him yet, Jionni brought him back up and slammed him to the ground again, another dust cloud emerging from the area.


    This shook the entire field as more soldiers once again stumbled at the tremor that rippled underneath. Mariona, at the top of the ramparts, gunned them down with post-haste.


    Jionni let the man go, seeing that his body was unmoving on the ground. He raised his hammer with both hands and quickly brought it down.


    Only for Linuel to snap back up and pierce him through the chest.


    Coughing out blood, Jionni roared out and pushed him away, the man letting go of his sword since it was stuck within Jionni''s body. Not wasting the opportunity, Jionni slammed the hammer down on top of Linuel, who finally dropped dead as his entire body was turned to paste.


    The last action the man did before his untimely death was smile in satisfaction.


    Dropping to his knees, Jionni felt his entire body shudder as his vision slowly blackened.


    ''Not now¡­'' Gritting his teeth, Jionni grabbed the handle of the blade and pulled it out with one tug. Feeling pain, the likes of which he had never experienced in his life, Jionni roared out, inadvertently stopping all sorts of movement in the entire Dungeon.


    The smoke cleared, and every monster, human and demi-human able to view the field, looked upon Jionni with mixed reactions.


    From the human soldiers'' side, they were both celebrating and horrified; the former due to the fatal wound the monster sported, the latter because of the death of their own commander.


    On the Dungeon''s Residents'' side, all of them stared in horror at what could''ve been the death of their Dungeon Master.


    However, as is customary for Jionni, he had a get-out-of-jail-free card hidden within his inventory.


    ''This hurts like a bitch!'' Jionni eyed his HP meter carefully as he grabbed a potion from his inventory and chugged it down like a madman.


    HP: 542 / 10,960


    His HP stopped dropping and he breathed a sigh of relief as his wounds closed. His eye, however, didn''t regenerate, so his vision was still wonky.


    HP: 3,761 / 10,960


    ''Thank Drakhan for this System. If I didn''t have this, I would''ve died the moment my heart got pierced.'' Exhaling out, he eyed the soldiers, who all had very shocked looks on their faces.


    "ALL OF YOU! SURRENDER! YOUR LEADER IS DEAD!" Jionni roared out, and all attacks from both sides ceased. The soldiers all looked at Jionni for one second before screaming out and continuing with their charge. "Well, I tried."


    Jumping into the fray once more, Jionni had one goal in mind. To get rid of these monsters that wore human skin.


    ''There''s still a lot of them¡­ This is going to take a long while¡­'' Jionni looked up at the ramparts, where fighting had already begun.. Monsters, humans, and demi-humans alike dropped to the ground with wounds, fatal or not.

 Chapter 199 - Monke And Another Raid (10 - End)

    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Drake finally reached the cave entrance after about half an hour of nonstop running. Drake rushed inside, his gauntlets brimming with power and not even a little winded.


    Upon his entrance, Drake spotted the corpses of humans and monsters alike, intact or not. Cautiously walking through the puddles of red, blood sticking underneath his boots, Drake gagged slightly at the awful stench.


    ''Never could get used to this.'' The gore and viscera would always make Drake squeamish, no matter how many times he had been in the same scenarios during his time in this world.


    Raising his hands in case an attack came flying at him, he encountered another monster corpse. Bisected in half at the stomach, his face was eternally set in an expression of anguish and frustration.


    "Gong¡­" Drake growled, a pit forming in his stomach as he hastened his travels. Combing through the forest path, Drake heard loud explosions coming from the direction of the Monster Town.


    Doubling his efforts, Drake ran through the thick foliage smeared in blood, corpses of humans and monsters littering the area.


    Jumping over the corpse of another human, a female by her body''s composition, Drake spotted a few mages casting explosive magic towards the walls of the Monster Town.


    Narrowing his eyes, Drake relaxed his body as he blended with the forest, his presence vanishing within the trees and bushes. Approaching the casting mages stealthily, Drake noticed about five guards encircling the four mages, all eyes keeping watch on the perimeter.


    Nonplussed by the scene, Drake continued his crawl, his enchanted boots not leaving any kind of mark that could reveal his location.


    While climbing a tree, Drake made sure his actions didn''t cause any noise. Standing atop a branch, he took a crouching position before launching himself at the nearest mage, his gauntlets whirring to life as a red, ominous glow came from gems embedded deep within its structure.


    Noticing the incoming attack, the guards yelled out, but they were too slow to prevent the attack from landing, the mage''s head popping like a balloon and his blood spraying those behind him.


    Shrieks came from the rest of the mages, who were petrified at the gory death of their comrade. Taking this chance, Drake quickly threw a haymaker at the nearest mage. Her face contorted in fear as it shifted into anguish and horror as the gauntlet landed on her stomach.


    Her back burst open, intestines flying out as the slimy organs smacked themselves against the chest plates of the guards behind the now dead mage.


    Snapping out of their funk, the soldiers quickly trapped Drake in a circle, their spears raised and shields planted on the ground. The surviving mages all backed up and aimed their hands at Drake, chants coming out of their mouths verse-by-verse.


    Smirking, Drake cracked his neck before lunging at the guard behind him. The soldier braced himself to take the attack head on, his tower shield impaled on the ground.


    Drake threw a straight and punctured through the soldier''s tower shield like tissue paper, shocking the soldier behind the shield. Drake didn''t stop there, however, as his straight continued forward, the soldier''s chest caving in as the gauntlet landed.


    Immediately dying from the fatal attack, the soldier fell to the ground as his weapons clunked to the ground.


    Twisting his body, Drake threw a roundhouse kick at the soldier who was trying to pierce him with his spear. His leg hit the shaft, smacking the spear aside, and Drake followed up with a reverse roundhouse kick to the soldier''s head.


    The soldier''s neck snapped and his body crumpled to the floor, eyes rolling in random directions.


    Not wasting anytime, Drake quickly moved on to the next soldier, who immediately discarded his shield and went on the offensive with his two hands, grasping his spear.


    Once he saw that their shields were of no use, it was a simple decision to drop them to the floor. The other surviving soldiers followed his example and dropped their shields, both hands on their spears, as they kept their distance from Drake.


    Dodging to the side, a fire ball narrowly missed Drake''s head, his hair slightly singed from the heat. Raising his right gauntlet, he blocked a spear thrust aimed at his chest with the back of his hand.


    Pushing the spear off, the soldier stumbled slightly at the surprising strength hidden beneath the normal-looking body, but recovered quickly. Sweat dripped from the soldier''s brow as he observed Drake''s dodges, blocks, and parries.


    Twisting his body to the right, Drake dodged a spear thrust. Leaning to the left, Drake dodged a lightning bolt that landed on the tree behind him instead, the bark catching fire.


    Not that the forest wasn''t already aflame.


    The fireball earlier landed on a bush, and the fire behind Drake was growing massive by the second.


    Scowling, Drake felt the sweat drip from his forehead as the temperature began to rise. Rushing forward, Drake dodged a spear thrust, dropped to the ground to avoid another fireball, setting the forest even more into a blaze, and rolled over as a spear embedded itself on the ground where he last lied down.


    Drake kicked his legs upward, catching another spear thrust with the heel of his foot. Redirecting the spear to the ground, Drake grabbed the shaft and stole the weapon from the soldier, before using it as a standing stick and throwing it at its owner.


    Not fast enough to dodge, the spear pierced the soldier''s head, his screams cut short as all functions in his body eternally ceased.


    Looking at the remaining soldiers, Drake jumped as he narrowly avoided an earth spike aimed directly at his crotch. He would''ve shivered at the thought of having his family jewels speared through, but not when in a life-or-death fight.


    Stepping on the bark of a tree, he kicked and zoomed through the field, closing the distance with his opponents in just a split-second. The tree he kicked fell over due to the power his legs possessed.


    Blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the area red as heads were violently punched away from their bodies. Drake''s body, now drenched in the blood of his enemies, burst into flames as the red liquid all but vanished into the gauntlets he was wearing.


    The mages, seeing that their guards were now dead, redoubled their efforts to rain down hellfire on the man they deemed a heretic.


    "Puh-lease¡­ As if your magic could harm me now that I''m in this state." Drake gestured to his body, which had tribal tattoos marked on it. Each stroke of the twisting and curving lines a different color. "Anyway, I should probably finish this."


    In an instant, Drake appeared before the two mages and grabbed their heads, pleas coming out of their mouths, which Drake filtered out.


    "Say hello to Inphion for me." Drake smiled, before crushing their heads in his grip, blood quickly absorbed in his gauntlets to avoid a mess. The headless corpses dropped to the ground, blood leaking out of the gaps in their necks.


    Snapping his fingers at his job well done, Drake hastily made his way to the Monster Town, only to see a veritable scene straight out of the World War, except if the soldiers were wearing medieval armor instead of green fatigues.


    The area was dead silent, with blood soaking the area like a lake. Directing his gaze to the Monster Town, he saw the gate was destroyed.


    "Shit¡­" Cursing aloud, Drake swiftly made his way through the bloodied battlefield. Arriving at the gate, he peered in, only to see more corpses, this time from monsters, humans, and demi-humans. However, there were more human corpses than those of monsters and demi-humans combined.


    Not seeing a sign of life anywhere, Drake clenched his fists, his feet hastily making their way through the battle-torn town.


    Only for a familiar face to greet him.


    "Well, glad you''re back." Jionni smiled tiredly at Drake, who chuckled in response.


    "Sorry I didn''t make it to the party." Drake sighed as he finished chuckling. "So, party''s over, I''m guessing?"


    "Yep¡­ Just finished a few minutes ago." Jionni turned back and walked. "Come on, follow me."


    Drake did as he was told and followed Jionni through the heavily damaged town. As they continued, more corpses continued to appear, until they seemingly lowered in count.


    The reason was revealed as they arrived at the main plaza.


    A spire of corpses, all of them burning as the scent of charred flesh entered their noses. Grimacing, Drake turned away from the burning spire of corpses in favor of looking at the surviving monsters, humans, and demi-humans.


    "We didn''t take any prisoners. All of them were adamant about fighting to the bitter end¡­" Jionni sighed as he sat on the ground, a groan coming out of his mouth. "Even if this was a victory, the losses we accrued would outweigh our achievements¡­"


    "¡­ Don''t worry, Jionni." Drake patted the gorilla/human hybrid''s shoulder. "You''ll be able to build up again. In this world, monsters, humans, and demi-humans all accept death whenever a battle ensues. It may dampen the moods of the others for a while, but all of them inevitably move on and look at the future with hopeful eyes."


    "¡­ Goddamn that was cheesy, but nonetheless, inspirational." Jionni laughed slightly as he stood up. "Thanks, I needed that."


    "Anytime, big guy.." Drake retracted his arm and gazed sadly at the corpses of the monsters, humans, and demi-humans, all living within Jionni''s Dungeon in a straight line with tarps covering them.

 Chapter 200 - Monke And A Shift In Locations

    Invaders Repelled!


    Humans Killed: 1042 ; 52,000 DP ; 46,890 EXP


    Special Human [Linuel Gastreede] Killed: 1,250 DP ; 1,000 EXP


    Total DP Gained: 53,250


    Total EXP Gained: 47,890


    Level Up!


    Level Up!


    I looked at the devastated town from the top of the ramparts, smoke billowing into the sky from the ruined buildings. Letting out a deep breath, I checked the Dungeon Resident list to get the death count from my Dungeon.


    Goblins: 59


    Kobolds: 42


    Orcs: 39


    Lizardmen: 6


    Humans: 17


    Beastmen: 3


    Elves: 2


    Alraunes: 4


    Arachnes: 2


    Wolves: 32


    Trolls: 1


    Total: 207


    207 deaths¡­


    If it weren''t for the home advantage, my primates, and my intervention, there would''ve been a lot more casualties than recorded. It was a huge blow to my daily DP income, as well as the workforce of my Dungeon.


    Not to mention that there would be a very somber mood hanging over the Residents'' heads for a couple of weeks to mourn the loss of their loved ones.


    The silver-lining to all this? I got two levels and enchanted weapons and armor, numbering a few hundred.


    The majority of them were destroyed in battle, but those that remained intact were quickly placed inside the armory.


    Looking at the giant spire of corpses of the fanatical human soldiers, I scowled as Nicholas had the larger monsters douse them with oil before setting them ablaze with a torch.


    On the bright side, no important figures were killed during the invasion.


    The spire of corpses burned magnificently as the stench of charred bodies filled the air. The monsters, used to the smell, all howled at the demise of their enemies, while the humans and demi-humans silently cried beside their deceased loved ones.


    "So, you gonna go down there?" Drake piped up from the edge of the rampart, his legs swinging in the air. "You gonna give them a speech?"


    "Hell no." I retorted with a snort. "I''m not good with speeches, you know that, right, Drake?"


    "Heh, true." Drake tucked his hand inside his satchel and rummaged around for a moment. When he brought it back out, I noticed he was holding a bottle. Unplugging the cork and bringing it to his lips, Drake chugged down mouthfuls of alcohol, the scent stinging my nose.


    "What about you? What are you going to do?" I raised my eyebrow at Drake as he continued to chug down alcohol until he emptied the bottle. "Are you sure your liver''s gonna be fine?"


    "My liver''s made of steel¡­" Drake burped as he let out a contented sigh. Putting the bottle back inside his satchel, he brought his knees up and hugged them together. "And I don''t know. I know I want revenge on those human supremacy assholes, but after seeing the damage done to you and your Dungeon, I''m thinking of staying."


    "You sure?" I asked back, my other eyebrow raised as well.


    "Until you can take on this level of invasion without casualties, yes, I think I''m staying." Drake smiled as he stood up. "Like the assholes leading the human cut would live long anyway. If I don''t get to him first, then time will, or some other bastard. Whichever comes first."


    Shrugging, Drake dusted himself off as he walked behind me, my eyes following suit.


    "Anyway," Drake stretched his arms above him, making some satisfying popping noises from his upper back, "we should get going. I still think you should give them a speech, though."


    As I gazed at his retreating figure, my mind brought me back to the scenes I had witnessed while killing human scum.


    Goblins being beheaded, Kobolds being burned, Orcs being butchered, and their fellow humans being tortured to death.


    Shaking those thoughts off, I followed Drake down the stairs.


    "Maybe you''re right." Drake turned around and gave me a grin. "That''s one of the things I could do to ease their burdens."


    Smiling, Drake patted me on the back as he burst out laughing.


    "Good. Don''t worry, it won''t be hard."


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    ''Where am I¡­?'' I looked around only to see a familiar sight. ''The void¡­?''


    (Finally, I''ve been waiting for quite some time now.)


    Turning around, I saw Drakhan again in all of his splendor, wrapped in chains like a caged animal.


    "Drakhan? Why did you call me here?" I narrowed my eyes, and Drakhan gave off a reassuring smile.


    At least, I hope that''s what he gave me.


    (No need to fret, Jionni. I''ve only called you here because I have some things to tell you.)


    "Mhm¡­ Go on¡­" I sat my huge ass on the ground¡­ air¡­? Whatever, as long as I felt something holding my weight.


    (First off, as you''ve learned, one of my soul pieces informed you of the incoming invasion, am I correct?)


    I nodded, and Drakhan smiled before continuing.


    (Tell me, have you seen a sword that absorbs blood, much like your hammer?)


    I widen my eyes, hands quickly reaching for the inventory as I grab the sword in question and pull it out.


    "You mean this?" I showed the sword, Linuel''s sword to be precise, to Drakhan as he appraised it with a smirk forming on his face.


    (Yes, this is the one. That sword is known as Bloodfiend, and it was one of my personal weapons at the time.)


    "Let me guess, it feeds on blood and makes the wielder stronger as a result." I deadpanned at Drakhan, who gave a slight chuckle.


    (In summary, yes, but the thing is, this sword is much more than that, aside from the clich¨¦ title.)


    I snorted at his joke.


    (Bloodfiend here can absorb blood, and as long as the wielder is in physical contact with the sword, he cannot feel pain and will be healed constantly. If you''ve wondered why the previous wielder kept on throwing himself at you like a madman, even with his limbs in total disrepair, this is the reason.)


    I hummed and looked at Bloodfiend, its ordinary appearance making its legendary status look like a troll.


    (Yes, yes, I know what you''re thinking. Why is the sword so ordinary looking? Blah blah blah.)


    I chuckled and rolled my eyes at his exasperation.


    (Imagine this. What do you think would happen if some guy saw you as easy pickings and you were holding a very expensive looking sword? Now, imagine that same guy, but you only have a cheap sword.)


    "Yes, I get your logic." I sighed, and Drakhan snickered. "Anyway, Bloodfiend aside, what is the real reason why you called me here."


    All of a sudden, Drakhan''s demeanor immediately shifted. His eyes were sharp and his body rigid as he stared at me dead in the eyes.


    (Jionni, this might come as a shock to you, but me and some of the Gods whom I''ve brokered a deal with have come up with a plan to oust those foolish Gods that look down upon everyone who isn''t one of their group.)


    "¡­ Are you talking about a holy war?" I asked, and Drakhan shook his head slightly.


    (Heavenly War, not Holy War, but yes. That God I mentioned that''s gunning for all Dungeons? He''s overstepped his boundaries too far in so little time. Chythos and I have agreed to send all the Dungeons to another dimension for the time being to beef up your security.)


    "Wait¡­ You can do that?" My mouth hung wide open as Drakhan sighed.


    (Yes, we can do that. I suggest you prepare. We''ll be transporting you in a few hours, and during that time, we''ll not be able to communicate until you all have returned.)


    I opened my mouth, but closed it when Drakhan glared at me, cold sweat pouring from my face due to the pressure it emanated.


    (And before you ask, no, we cannot transfer you permanently. At most, you have one year to strengthen your Dungeon. At the least, only about a month, and don''t get your hopes up about the year limit.)


    "Can I ask you about the dimension you''re transporting us to then?"


    (Sadly, the dimension is random, but all Dungeons will be transported to the same dimension, but in different areas.)


    "Oh, okay." I sighed in relief. ''At least I can still see Catalina and the others.''


    (Our time is up. Remember Jionni, always think that you have a month to prepare. You may not know this, but about one-fourths of the total Dungeon count in Praeccathae has been turned asunder due to the God''s influence.)


    "That bad?" Drakhan nodded, and I felt a shiver going down my back. "What about the other Gods?"


    (What about them? They don''t care, remember? I can count the number of Gods who give a shit on this world with one hand.)


    Drakhan scowled, before shaking his head. I then felt a migraine forming in my head as my vision went dark. Before I passed out, however, I heard Drakhan letting out a few more words.


    (Jionni, if you find yourself in danger, do not be afraid to invoke the System''s might.)


    []


    []


    []


    "What the fuck¡­?" Drake uttered a curse as his jaw hung wide open, while I did the same thing.


    "What the fuck, indeed¡­" I rubbed my eyes and hoped that what I saw was just a big fucking joke.


    After I woke up, I explained to Drake our current circumstances, and he all but reassured me that he would help to the best of his ability.


    Feeling that secrecy was no longer needed, I also relayed this information to the various leaders in my Dungeon. After preparing for the dimension shift, here we are now, at the entrance of my Dungeon looking out into the outside.


    And damn¡­ Why are we inside my old school, with my old classmates looking at us with slowly rising horror.


    "Reverse isekai?" I asked, and Drake nodded.


    "Apparently, yes¡­ Please¡­ Please don''t nuke us¡­"

 Chapter 201 - Monke And Old World

    For a single second, everything was silent. I, a human/gorilla hybrid, and Drake, a BAMF with his gauntlets in full view, stared stoically at the college students, who were beginning to panic.


    "¡­ We come in peace?"


    At that single moment, everything went to hell. Screams echoed through the room as students began standing up and shoving their way out of each other to be the first to get out of the classroom.


    The teacher was no better, following the students'' example and nearly trampling over a poor girl with his formal shoes.


    "Now how I wanted this to be the first meeting between the inhabitants of this world, or rather, Earth." I sighed, and Drake chuckled slightly beside me. In any case, why are they so quick to get riled up? Couldn''t they just, I don''t know, talk to us first?"


    "And risk getting mauled to death by a giant gorilla? Yeah, right." Drake snorted as he entered the room. The room was now dead silent, with furious shuffling noises coming from outside as the students and teacher all rushed to the nearest exit point. "If you were human, maybe they would''ve had another reaction, and your intimidating figure ain''t giving them a reason to stay."


    "Touche." I rolled my eyes and followed after Drake. Behind me, Nicholas and Luke followed, wonder visible in their eyes.


    "What kind of place is this?" Nicholas wandered his way to the window, his mouth hanging agape as he stared at the scene beyond. "Dear Xyneas¡­"


    "What did you see, Nicholas?" Luke paced beside him and his mouth hung agape as well. "Dear Xyneas¡­"


    I laughed at their expressions as they beheld the scene outside. Towering skyscrapers, bustling vehicles, and hundreds of humans all going about their daily lives. Well, until a loud alarm broke us out of our reverie.


    "Well shit¡­" Both Drake and I sighed, while Nicholas and Luke tensed up in alarm.


    "What does that sound mean, Jionni?" Nicholas narrowed his eyes at me as he grasped the handle of his blade. "From what I can gather, this is some kind of alarm, is it not?"


    "Yes, this is an alarm." I nodded and facepalmed. "Which is an incredibly bad thing for us. This kind of alarm signals the local police force to respond post-haste. It''s the equivalent of calling the town guards, but much faster and more dangerous."


    "And why is it dangerous?"


    "Because they have guns that are vastly superior to yours." I said, and Nicholas paled as he recalled the turret gun that was placed atop the ramparts.


    "You mean that thing on top of the ramparts?"


    "That, and more." He paled even more as Luke shivered slightly. "This is going to be a pain in the ass. Once they arrive, they''re going to treat us like criminals and do everything in their power to either arrest us or kill us. I''m leaning towards the latter because I''m a giant gorilla that looks human."


    Looking out the window, I heard the sirens getting louder every moment. Clicking my tongue, I gestured for the two humans to enter the Dungeon and wait for further instructions.


    They nodded and quickly entered my Dungeon which was probably in another dimension, seeing that the entrance connected to an old classroom of mine before my death.


    "Drake, I know that bullets won''t work on you." Drake chuckled as he thumped his chest.


    "Hell no. Never again shall I get scared by puny plastic that spews lethal bullets." Drake looked forlorn for a second before shaking himself off of his stupor. "That, and Truck-kun won''t run me over again."


    "I''m pretty sure a truck can fling you a few meters away, but otherwise, you would remain unharmed." Drake shrugged and snorted. As we chatted, the sirens grew louder, and I stared at him with a speculative look. "Should we greet them?"


    "You sure you''re bullet proof?" Drake asked, and I grinned.


    "My System is slightly turning me into an OP bastard, so yes, I am now bullet proof." Both Drake and I snickered. "Although, don''t go pointing a Barrett M107 at me. It might not kill me, but it would hurt like a bitch."


    Drake winced.


    "Yeah, that might hurt¡­"


    We heard tires screeching and loud shouting from outside. Taking a peek through the window, we saw a sizeable detachment of police officers, all armed with assault rifles and pistols as their main back-up.


    One of them held a megaphone and began shouting.


    "This is the Massaware Police Department! We have you surrounded!"


    "Ahh¡­ Good ''ol US of A." I chuckled, and Drake rolled his eyes. "Anywho, what should we do? I doubt going out there is going to be a good idea."


    "And have them come in and go for shoot to kill? Yeah, no. We greet them, then if they decide to shoot, we show them some of our¡­ specialties, shall we say?" Drake grinned maliciously as he eyed the police force outside. "Besides, it''s not like we''re the only ones going to fuck shit up in this world. Didn''t the entire surviving Dungeon Master population and their respective Dungeons get transported here as well?"


    "¡­ You make a valid point¡­" I hummed and cupped my chin. More shouting from the outside caused me to make a decision faster. "Alright, let''s go out and introduce ourselves."


    []


    []


    []


    "Do you not need to wear armor?"


    "No need. I want them to see me like this so they won''t refute our claims. Who in their right mind would ever imagine a human/gorilla hybrid talking perfect English being true?" I rolled my shoulders and Drake rolled his eyes.


    "If you get shot at the spot, don''t blame me."


    As the two of us neared the exit, we both bickered back and forth. After all the various things that had happened in Praeccathae, humans and assault rifles wouldn''t scare us.


    Unless they''re packing grenade launchers, which I doubt they have, a barrett, which I also doubt they have, and magic, they wouldn''t be able to get past my defenses. I''m also sure that if they indeed have grenade launchers or a barrett, it would at most hurt me and scratch my HP.


    As we stepped outside, the police forces and everybody in the area all went quiet. After a few seconds of awkward silence, a shout came from behind the wall of police cars.


    "See!? I told you!" Some light scuffling later, and the man who shouted was silently dragged away from the area by his friends or classmates.


    "At least they evacuated the entire school before they announced themselves, otherwise, they would''ve barged in unannounced." I mused, and Drake shrugged beside me.


    "Eh, true." Drake cracked his neck as guns pointed in our direction, assault rifle barrels mostly aimed at me, the most dangerous looking animal to them.


    "So¡­" Drake raised his voice, garnering the attention of everybody in the area. "Uh¡­ Jionni, help me, I got nothing."


    "¡­ You idiot." Judging by their shocked faces, my words sent them into a literal shock as they experienced firsthand a talking animal.


    I slowly approached the encirclement with a cool face as the human police officers tensely reacted, fear and apprehension rising from within their core.


    Once I got close, a little too close, judging by a warning shot that landed next to my feet, I stopped and glared at the man who shot the gun.


    The man in question withered at my gaze and trembled, his gun and aim shaking as a result.


    "So¡­ I guess this is a new thing for you, ain''t it?" Once again, they were thrown into a loop. The students at the back, probably otakus or pious researchers who wanted to use me as some kind of research study for their papers, all stared at me with wide eyes. "A talking gorilla. Very cool, huh?"


    The silence was deafening, and I could see a bunch of students and passersby taking out their phones to record the incredibly mind-blowing event.


    "Anyway, I just wanted to warn you that some things may appear on Earth. Some are hostile, some friendly. Might want to tell the higher-ups, kings, presidents, and generals, to get ready for some real mind-blowing shit." I looked at them and they stared at me like I was some kind of madman in a gorilla suit.


    It was then that some imbecile decided he didn''t like me and fired. A bullet hit my head, and my neck craned back slightly from the impact. The bullet, however, crumpled and fell to the floor.


    "Oh, hey now, that wasn''t nice." I glared at the man who shot, his hand trembling from the ineffectiveness of his weapon. "Eh, consider this a warning. I''m one of the nicer ones, but if you do this to another one like me, and they have a bad temper, all of you better be prepared."


    Raising my hand, a golem made of concrete and pavement rose in front of the man who fired, sweat pooling beneath his eyebrows.


    With a single step forward, the golem lunged, and the officer fell to the ground, quaking in fear.


    The golem then stopped, before crumbling into slabs of concrete.


    Everybody present looked at the scene with morbid fascination and fear. Me? I was having the time of my life.


    ''Goddamn, I am a fucking troll.'' Cackling mentally, I enjoyed the faces of everybody here. ''That said, this might bite me in the back, but this is the only thing I can think of from the top of my head to show them that something huge is coming.''


    "Anyway, that''s all I have to say. Feel free to use the school, but the room leading to my place stays off limits¡­ That is, if you still want to use the school, which I doubt you all will." I shrugged and turned around, hearing Drake laughing loudly as he eyed the faces of the officers.


    "Come on, Drake Espinosa, let''s go back." A teacher and some students from the crowd perked their ears up as they heard the name. Looking back, Drake saw familiar faces and stared at them for a few moments, before ultimately following me with a sigh.


    "You''ll get to see them soon, Drake¡­ I think¡­" Drake smiled slightly as he punched me in the shoulder.


    "Geez, what are you, some kind of big-brain planner?"


    "No, I am smol-brain. That''s why this is the only way I can think of that would give us the best chance to negotiate with those higher up in the food chain."


    Both he and I laughed before heading back to the room where the entrance to my Dungeon lay stationary.


    That said, I wonder if my old stuff is still in that place¡­? Wouldn''t hurt to go check....

 Chapter 202 - Monke And Some Actions

    Walking through the barren school hallways with Drake, we observed the various rooms that lay empty, save for some of the students'' stuff that was left behind when they ran during the emergency.


    "Damn, this place hasn''t changed at all, huh?" I wondered aloud while Drake whistled, going through a poor lad''s bag with furrowed brows.


    "Well, didn''t think one would be this bold to bring this kind of literature in school." Showing me the thin book, I smirked as I saw the incredibly lewd anime art on the cover page, featuring tentacles assaulting a woman. "Wonder what would happen if the teachers and his classmates saw this."


    "Well, instant call to the Dean''s office, that''s for sure." I shrugged with a smirk, grabbing the book and pocketing it inside my inventory. "Yoink."


    "Hey! That''s mine!"


    "And? Didn''t I give you a bunch of ero-manga for you to read?" He lost the voice to complain when I brought up what I did for him. "Yeah, I thought so."


    "Can I borrow that at least?" I nodded and he pumped his fist, which took a chuckle out of me due to how childish his actions looked.


    "Anyway, I wonder if my old stuff is still here." I looked at the lockers as we walked through the desolate hallway. "I think mine was in this area. How about yours?"


    "Weren''t our lockers next to each other?" He raised his eyebrow, and I frowned.


    "¡­ Yeah, I think I didn''t pay that much attention to you back when we were classmates." I gave him a shrug and he snorted.


    "Yeah, with your broody, angsty personality back then, I could take a guess." I hissed, and he burst out laughing. "Although you are changing quite drastically from before, which you should take as a win."


    I thought back to the residents in my Dungeon, Nicholas, Luke, the Shaiydons, the twin elves, the gnomes, Anduin, and Alice¡­


    Domino¡­


    Thinking about them put a smile on my face.


    "Yeah, you''re right." As we walked through the hallway, I recognized the familiar locker with my name on it. "Huh, it''s still here. I thought they would''ve cleared it out after my death."


    "Don''t they throw out the stuff inside those only during summer break?" Drake raised a point, and I cupped my chin in thought.


    "Hmm¡­ Fair point." Shrugging, I approached the locker and took a single glance at the lock. I sank into my mind to remember the password, fiddled with the lock and inputted the code I dug up from my mind.


    With an audible click, the lock unlocked and I grinned.


    "Well, let''s see if it''s still there." When I opened the locker, I saw the poster of my favorite anime when I was still living in this place. Grabbing the poster with a smile, I ripped it out of the locker wall and placed it in my inventory.


    Reaching inside the locker, I grabbed some of the stuff I left behind before I died, namely, my phone, because I was running back to get it before I got stabbed. Tapping the phone with my finger, I found out that it had next to no juice left, sitting at an impressive 2% battery charge.


    "Damn, that is one strong battery." I have no idea how long this phone has been in sleep mode, but I can say that the battery life is quite good.


    Looking at the notifications, I saw only two missed calls and a bunch of texts. Inputting the password, I read each and everyone of them quickly, a frown forming on my lips.


    "Can''t even bother to remember my fucking name¡­" I sneered as I deleted every message those two assholes sent me after I died.


    "Something happen, Jionni?" I stared back at Drake with an impassive look before sighing.


    "Yeah, my parents. Turns out, they were angry that I died and flooded my phone with a bunch of nonsense." Drake furrowed his brows, and I clicked my tongue. "They didn''t even remember my name right."


    "Well shit¡­ You think we can pay them a visit?" Drake''s eyes lit up with malicious intent, a fierce grin forming on his face. Laughing, I patted him on the shoulder and calmed the man down.


    "No need. Those two don''t deserve the effort." I closed the locker once everything valuable inside was pocketed inside my inventory, namely, my phone, my diary, and some other useless knickknacks that I had grown attached to during my lonely life. "That said, if they show themselves in front of me, I will give them something to remember me by."


    "Noice." Drake gave me a thumbs up, and we both laughed. Our laughter was cut short, however, as shuffling was heard behind us. "Well then, time to go."


    "I still want to check my locker." Drake gave me a deadpan, and I shrugged.


    "Sure, I''ll hold them off then." The two of us separated, and I made my way to intercept the detachment force. It didn''t take long for us to meet, guns pointed at me with their eyes nervously observing my every move.


    "Sup." I waved my hand and every gun fired at me without remorse, the bullets impacting against my skin and fur, but not drawing blood and leaving no mark. "Close, but no cigar."


    Smoke billowed from the barrels of their guns. Bullets dropped to the floor as the police stared at me in abject horror.


    "F-Fire! Don''t stop firing!" Shaking my head, I gave the officers time to reload before they sprayed me once again with ineffective bullets. Once the barrage was finished, I stood tall and proud, not a mark to show on my body.


    "Y''all done?" I raised my eyebrow, and all of them took a step back. "Well then, my turn."


    Cracking my neck, I placed one foot in front of the other before I instantly lunged at them. The officers screamed, but I was too fast for their normal human reflexes.


    Bonking an officer on the head with my fist, the officer went down unconscious. The officer next to him I gave a cool smile, before flicking his face with my large fingers, knocking the man unconscious as well.


    Two down, I looked at the rest of the detachment and saw about four more. The four officers all looked at me with fear, before one of them bolted for the door.


    "R-Run!" His words caused the primal fears of humans to rise and gave way to their urges to surface.


    "Hold up, we''re not done yet." Flicking my hand upward, a huge wall of earth cut off their escape route, their eyes wide in shock and dismay. "Don''t leave the party without accepting some desserts first, will ya?"


    Rolling my shoulders, I took one step forward, and the officer turned to look at me with wide, constricted eyes. Grinning, I leapt at them and grabbed an officer''s shoulder. He screamed and tried to push my hand away.


    He did everything in his power to escape, but none of them even budged my arm for even a centimeter. Accepting his fate, the man looked at my towering figure, a terrifying grin glaring down from above.


    "Night." I whispered, and slapped him unconscious, the man''s muscles going taut in my grip as he went limp. "Now for the rest of you."


    The officers all gulped as they accepted their fate with the monster in front of them, namely me.


    []


    []


    []


    Outside, I dragged the unconscious bodies of officers with a rope I had inside my inventory. All the people had their phones out and were recording the scene with morbid fascination. Their squad leader, presumably the one holding the megaphone, looked at me with terror.


    "They aren''t dead. Just unconscious." I spoke up, and everybody there clung to my words with hope. "Do this stunt against another one like me, and you might not even have corpses to bring back."


    Placing the group of unconscious police officers in front of me, I stared at their squad leader with impassive eyes.


    "By the way, tell your higher-ups that I want to have a talk with them. Maybe later in the day or tomorrow, you can let me know if you called them. In the meantime, I''ll be chilling inside the school. See ya."


    Turning back once more, I noticed some students looking at me with thinly veiled hope. Some were friends from back when Drake was alive, I think.


    Heading back inside, I met up with Drake, who was reading what seemed to be another ero-manga in his hands. His eyes digested the literature with gusto, a grin forming on his lips.


    "Oi, you horny but virgin bastard." I smacked the top of his head, which snapped him out of his trance.


    "Hey! I was reading!" Drake pouted before he placed the ero-manga back in his satchel hammerspace. "Anyway, what happened? I heard gunfire."


    "Well, they decided pelting some bullets at me was a good idea. I smacked all of them unconscious." I replied with an amused grin. "I also asked them to call some of their higher-ups. Who knows, it might be a bigwig, seeing that we''re impervious to their bullets."


    "Yeah, that might be a possibility." Drake muttered as he adopted a thinking pose. Smacking his head again, he glared at me as he clutched it hard.


    "Come on, enough of that. Let''s go eat first, and come back later. Hopefully, they''ll have responded to my request." Shrugging, the two of us headed back to the Dungeon to get some grub to eat.


    "By the way, you noticed them, right? My old friends?" I nodded and patted his shoulder.


    "Don''t worry, if it makes you feel any better, you can go to them¡­ At least when there isn''t anyone around to see. That would be a disaster waiting to happen."


    Drake snorted, and we both continued our way to my Dungeon.

 Chapter 203 - Monke And Negotiations With Advanced Hoomans

    "So, how was the outside?"


    "Just as we expected it would be." I replied to Nicholas, who looked at the two of us with worry. Beside him, Luke was staring at the entrance of my Dungeon with narrowed eyes, his hands grasping the handle of his sword.


    "Sir Jionni, we heard some gunshots from here. Did something happen?" I looked at Luke and shook my head.


    "Yep. Something did happen, although nothing to worry about." Drake snorted from beside me as he heard my words.


    "''Nothing to worry about,'' he says, but weren''t you pelted with gunfire?" The two humans stared at me with shock in their eyes, mouths hanging slightly agape.


    "And? Do I look injured to you?" I spread my arms and showed off my entire figure to the three humans surrounding me.


    "Show off." Drake pouted, and I laughed.


    "Shut up, OP protagonist bastard." As Nicholas and Luke watched our exchange, imaginary question marks floated above their heads. "Anyway, it''s still too dangerous for any of you to go outside. Lockdown the entirety of my Dungeon, and if any human enters, force them out, but do not kill."


    Accessing the Dungeon Menu, I called out towards Gong, who had respawned a few hours after his death against Linuel.


    "Boss? You called?" Gong was looking fine after all the shit that happened to him, a good mentality to have, regarding constant deaths among the primate populace.


    "Yes, I want you and Nicholas to perform a joint operation together. Call all available primates to lockdown the entrance; no one goes out, and no one goes in, unless it''s me or Drake, understood?" Gong nodded on the screen and I cut the feed. "Sorry to heap this kind of workload on you, Nicholas, but we are in a very bad spot right now."


    "I understand, Jionni." Nicholas trembled slightly at the memory of tall buildings and fast-moving vehicles. "If the residents of this world are capable of those kinds of powerful, magical enchantments, then I believe the residents living in your Dungeon stand no chance."


    "Heh, I know." I chuckled slightly. "Until I am able to supply my forces with gear on par with those of the residents of this world, we won''t be able to repel an army barreling into my Dungeon."


    "Also, what you saw outside weren''t magical enchantments. Those were the products of science and technology." My words threw Luke and Nicholas for a loop, while Drake laughed at their amusing expressions. "At least from what I experienced, this world doesn''t have a single iota of magic. All of the things you have seen today were the results of years upon years of research. To understand this better, just think what would happen if you combined water and fire."


    "I get steam?" I nodded at Nicholas'' reply.


    "Correct, now what would happen if I applied that steam to an intricate part of machinery built with just metal without any sort of magic with a single purpose in mind?" Nicholas was already lost in my flurry of words, the same with Luke, and to some extent, Drake. "It''s like that. Only those knowledgeable in the craft would know, and because of them, they pushed this world into an era of technological wonders."


    "¡­ How is that possible?" Nicholas asked one more question, and my response was a shrug.


    "Hell if I know. I''m not a scientist that knows how chemical reactions work, nor am I a mechanic that knows how to operate machines like an extension of myself." Taking a deep breath, I shook my head to get the knowledge stuffed in my head since high school out. "Anyway, before my long-winded rant, me and Drake here were just about to get some food. Would you like to come?"


    "No, but thank you for the offer." Nicholas replied, and Luke bowed. "I still have that operation you gave me and Gong to do."


    "And I''m here to support Sir Nicholas." I smiled at the two, before grabbing Drake by the arm who was now reading the ero-manga he was holding earlier back in the school.


    "Thank you for your loyalty. I''ll be sure to reward you sometime in the future, but for now, Drake and I need to eat."


    Leaving the two to their devices, Drake and I walked through the forest path leading to the Monster Town.


    =By the way, you should get a new name for that Monster Town of yours.=


    ''Drakhan? How can you speak with me? I thought I wouldn''t get to hear from you while in this world?''


    =That was my original body. I''m just a soul piece stuck in the equipment you''re wearing. Of course, I can communicate with you, although I cannot contact my others back in Praeccathae, as well as our original body.=


    "I see¡­" Humming, I noticed Drake looking at me with a curious stare.


    "You talking with Drakhan?"


    "Yep." We both went silent after that brief exchange, our stomachs rumbling due to our hunger.


    []


    []


    []


    "Well, this is interesting."


    "You could say that again."


    In front of the school was a motherfucking limo bringing along the most important person in the country.


    "Of all the things I could''ve met with, it was the goddamn president." I sighed and I heard Drake snicker from beside me.


    "Well, it could''ve been worse." Drake raised his hand and he counted. "Like a tank blowing up the school, an aircraft blowing up the school, or a nuke blowing up the school and the city."


    "Drake, you''ve watched too many movies."


    "Isn''t this situation just like in the movies?" I opened my mouth, only to close it back when I had no response to give.


    "Fair point." I saw the limo door open and the president, Mason Downs, exited the vehicle with a group of bodyguards following his every step.


    Cameras flashed brightly from the sidelines, a huge number of vultures¡­ Sorry, I mean reporters, recording the scene with incredible attention. No doubt, this was about to be the top story of the year, or probably the century.


    A talking gorilla/human hybrid that could bend the earth to his will? Yep, magic confirmed. Otakus would be crying with joy right now.


    I wonder what would happen if I show them the demi-humans back inside my Dungeon, along with the fantastical race of monsters?


    Total chaos, no doubt. In the forums, at least.


    Waiting at the entrance, both Drake and I observed the approaching figure of the president accompanied by his bodyguards numbering eight, all of them armed to the teeth.


    As he got closer, I noticed his muscles tense at my figure. The bodyguards following him cautiously watched my every move, down to the twitch of my fingers.


    I gotta say, those are some fine quality fighters right there.


    They stopped in front of me, their eyes scrutinizing for anything on my person, save for the brand-new shorts and shirt I was wearing. Drake beside me couldn''t care less about the meeting instead, opting to read his hentai manga in peace while the reporters recorded his every move.


    Let the censorship commence!


    Jokes aside, since the president didn''t speak first, I opted to do so.


    "Greetings, I assume you are the leader of this kingdom?" Beside me, I noticed Drake subtly eyeing me with a raised eyebrow.


    "Why, yes, I am indeed the leader of the United States of America." The president replied in a smooth voice. "And you must be the person who some people had said, came out of a portal-like substance from the air."


    "Right you are on that." I chuckled good naturedly as cameras flashed from the sidelines, the blinding light prickling my eyes somewhat. "This might come as a surprise, but I bring a warning to you, and all leaders of this entire world."


    "And what is that?" The president stared at me impassively, not giving any kind of hints of his emotions.


    "Well, come with me and you''ll see. Bring along your guards if you must, and some of those messengers just outside the perimeter." I pointed at the people outside, some of the officers tense at my gesture.


    "¡­ Very well." After pondering for a few moments, Mason nodded and ordered a few police officers to get some reporters, presumably those in his pocket, at least, to follow them inside the school.


    We waited in silence, his guards glaring at me, threatening me with their actions that if I so much as stepped out of line, they wouldn''t hesitate to kill me with force.


    Not that they could harm me, nor could they harm the OP protagonist, who is Drake, right beside me.


    ''Well, so far so good. At least they didn''t resort to full-on force, but seeing that there were a lot of people, I can see why. Plus, we haven''t done anything to warrant our deaths, either. Sure, I knocked out some police officers, but I can reason that they shot me first.


    But since this world is a fucked up one, where even people would fight for the rights of an animal, even if said animal was running at them with the intent to make them a meal, who knows how that scenario could go down?


    I''m just glad they decided to use diplomatic means first, before needless violence.


    "I assume everybody is ready?" I looked at the president and his group. Surrounded by bodyguards in smart suits, with about three journalists and their cameramen recording the scene, the president nodded.


    "Yes, we are."


    "Follow me then." Turning heel, me and Drake entered the school, with the group of humans following slightly behind.


    "You''re taking a huge risk here, Jionni." Drake whispered to me with a frown.


    "I know, but we''ve already been compromised the moment those students saw us. We need to gain their trust quickly if we don''t want to get invaded with military might."


    It might be a far-off scenario, but humans are capable of doing so if they feel threatened.. Just give them an excuse, and you can say goodbye to any kind of diplomatic resolution.

 Chapter 204 - Monke And Tourism

    I led the group of humans to the classroom, which held the entrance to my Dungeon. I did spend some time pondering under the silence about why it was located there, but I''ll chalk it up to RNGesus.


    "We''re nearing our destination." I called out, and the humans behind me tensed, the reporters recording live with their cameras. The president also braced himself for any kind of horrifying scene that lay behind the door to the classroom.


    When I opened the door, not only were the humans behind me shocked, but even I was too.


    "Jion! Finally! I''ve been waiting for you for a while." Catalina smiled, before narrowing her eyes at the people I was leading to my Dungeon. "And who are these guys?"


    Her cat ears twitched as her tail stiffened slightly. The reporters, meanwhile, were busy recording the animal appendages connected to the young woman, various watchers from home and on the streets widening their eyes.


    I''m pretty sure that some of them may have called this scene edited, were it not for the recording being live.


    "The leader of this country and his people." I shrugged, and Catalina raised an eyebrow at the humans. "They''re all humans. Are they supremacists as well?"


    Her words got the attention of nearly every single viewer currently watching the feed. Behind me, the president narrowed his eyes at the claim about "humans" and "supremacists".


    "No, you could say that the only intelligent species in this world are humans."


    "So¡­ No demi-humans? No monsters?" Catalina looked shocked for a moment before sighing wistfully. "Then, does racism exist here?"


    Her question pierced the hearts and minds of many anti-racists, all of whom sympathized with the catwoman. At least, that''s what I thought.


    ''Oh boy, western Chirper will be up in flames in a few hours.'' I snorted at the thought. Looking behind me, I glanced at the president and his subordinates. "This here is Catalina, another one like me."


    "Like you?" The president voiced his question with a curious gaze, intent on gaining as much information as he could from me. Smirking at his actions, I nodded and turned heel.


    "Yes, like me." I ushered them to follow me. The humans glanced at each other for a short while before deciding to continue on their untrodden path. "Keep those cameras rolling; you wouldn''t want to miss what''s on the other side."


    Entering the portal, Catalina, Drake, and I stepped through the swirling vortex, our feet landing on cold, damp ground. Behind me, the president and his friends stared in shock at the sudden change of scenery.


    "What¡­?" The president couldn''t help but wonder aloud at the sudden shift in locations, from a well-used schoolroom to a damp cave cavern. Along with him, the bodyguards and the reporters also blinked in confusion and awe at the veritable magic.


    "Come on."


    Urging them to walk faster, Catalina, Drake, and I moved quicker, our steps reverberating around the damp cavern. Tiny droplets of water dripping to the ground in puddles enter our ears as we walk along the passageway.


    The moment we saw light filtering inside the passage on the horizon, I smirked, my troll spirit rising once again. Beside me, Catalina looked at me with slight confusion, and Drake shared my grin and thought process.


    ''This is going to be good. Although, I''d better hold back on threatening them too much.'' My grin threatening to split my face in half, I calmed myself by taking deep breaths of air. Meanwhile, Drake was silently cackling to himself at the possible priceless expressions of the humans once they entered the forest.


    The light grew blinding, and our feet stepped onto soft grass, eyes squinting against the light.


    "Welcome to my Dungeon, president." Their eyes, now used to the light, grew clearer and the moment they saw green flora, their eyes widened once again.


    "What the¡­" One of the bodyguards'' words summarized the thoughts of all humans present. Possibly included in that list are those watching this live feed from the comforts of their homes.


    "Sir Jionni." From behind a tree, Luke, garbed in his suit of armor with his impeccable looks, drew a quiet sigh from one of the female reporters. "I see you''ve brought guests."


    "Indeed, I have. Guard the entrance, I will personally escort them to the town." Nodding in understanding, Luke went to a nearby tree and spoke with a gorilla hiding within the bushes.


    Coming out in full view, the humans were scared shitless of the gorilla in heavy armor with a giant tower shield that covered his entire front and a huge mace in his other hand. Eyes glaring at the humans, the gorilla shrugged, before moving to another spot where he could hide.


    Gulping down some saliva, one of the bodyguards trembled slightly at the scene. Silently laughing at their expressions, I gestured for them to follow.


    "Come now, no need to get cold feet." Walking along the dirt path, our group passed by an area with arches, the portals within them no longer visible.


    I had relocated them to somewhere inside the Monster Town to ensure faster trades and so that the enemies couldn''t ambush the Dungeon on the other side.


    One memory of one of the portals connecting to Catalina''s Dungeon in the area with the most traffic made me wince.


    As the humans continued to record the scenery, we continued on moving.


    It didn''t take long for our group to reach the gate leading to the Monster Town. The humans saw a gun turret resting atop the ramparts manned by a fantastical creature known as an elf, of all things, and had their jaws drop.


    Snickering at their expressions, Jionni commanded the primates to open the gates.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    Mason Downs was a practical man. As the man who led the country, he was, of course, swamped with work and his daily dealings in the pit of vipers known as political debates. Taking on this job caused him to lose some hair, but none of the situations he had encountered in his entire term serving the country would prepare him for this.


    It was just an ordinary day. Meet up with some senators, give out some specifically picked out words so the media wouldn''t pick him apart, and do some paperwork.


    Imagine his reaction when an urgent report from one of the 51 states called for his attention. Apparently, a gorilla that walked like a human and could talk took over a college institute. He was tempted to call off this lunacy, only for the news to begin and his brows to furrow.


    Quickly taking action, instead of telling a representative to head over there and resolve the situation, Mason decided to do it himself. Who knows what would happen if the representative he sent was secretly against his agenda?


    He couldn''t trust a single snake in this place; their tongues were silvery and their words sweet as honey.


    So, without hesitation, he called for a chopper to quickly transport him to Massaware. And if this did boost his reputation as a result? Then bonus points to him.


    Arriving at the scene, he was flabbergasted. The videos on the screen did no justice to the gorilla in front of him.


    He was tall and was bulkier than possibly the bulkiest bodybuilder on the planet. And if his ears weren''t full of earwax, then he''d heard that guns wouldn''t work on him.


    When he called him the leader of his kingdom, he quickly made a response that wouldn''t make him out to be some kind of dictator in the eyes of the media. The gorilla then said something about a warning, which he wanted to hear.


    It was a supernatural event, no doubt about that, but if his warning was pertaining to his appearance in his country, then all the more Mason should follow him inside the school.


    He was technically risking his life here, but if the gorilla wanted, he would''ve died the moment he approached him. That would cause the army to deploy and possibly avenge his death.


    This was a risky venture, Mason admitted to himself. But in these trying times, where countries were at each other''s throats because of secret dealings behind closed doors, Mason needed a trump card, sans the nuclear warhead hidden in the country.


    After calling some reporters who were pro-Mason, they made their way into the school in silence.


    Then, another shocking event graced their eyes.


    A catwoman. An honest-to-God catwoman, with cat appendages as real as his skin, greeted the gorilla with a warm smile, before it turned into caution the moment she saw them.


    They were led inside the portal after the gorilla and catwoman finished exchanging a few words. Truth be told, Mason was anxious and worried, none more so than those accompanying him to the unknown.


    Stepping into the portal, he expected anything to happen. So, when he landed his feet on damp ground, he couldn''t help but be surprised, and slightly disappointed. After traversing the passageway and exiting the cavern, his disappointment vanished and was replaced with shock and wonder.


    He knew this was a goldmine.. And he would be damned if he couldn''t bring this talking gorilla into his good graces.

 Chapter 205 - Monke And The President

    Inside the Monster Town, the president of the USA stared in shock at the bustling community of fantastical creatures known as monsters.


    Huge orcs towered over the humans as they passed by, lugging around huge crates of products. Arachnes glanced at the humans, before going about with their lives. There were also some humans and demi-humans, namely beastmen, running some errands here and there.


    "Chieftain?" A gruff voice called out to me, prompting our group to turn around. When we did so, we saw a mass of red muscles, shocking the humans into silence. "New faces?"


    "Zurug? Are you on patrol?" I watched Zurug nod as he brandished his huge labrys with a single arm.


    "Yes, Chieftain." Zurug placed the labrys on his shoulder, striking an intimidating pose for the humans. Gulping in slight anxiety, the president and his group took a step back slightly. "Xex told Zurug to find Chieftain. Said Xek had something to show."


    I raised my eyebrows at his words and grinned slightly.


    "Sure, I''ll head over there now." Bidding goodbye to the ogre, Zurug nodded, then left, his labrys still resting on his shoulders. "If you''re curious, the ogre''s name''s Zurug. Don''t let his speech impediment get to you. Most of the monsters living here have some kind of verbal impediments."


    The group nodded, and we went on our way. Walking through the crowded streets of the Monster Town, we were greeted by various monsters, humans, and demi-humans, all of them looking warily at the group of neatly dressed humans following behind me.


    It didn''t take long for us to arrive at the Colored Ogres Tribe house. In front of the house, Xek was sitting on the ground in a meditative state, the grass shifting beneath his feet as the wind slightly picked up around him.


    "You''ve arrived, Chieftain." Opening one of his eyes, Xek grinned as he stood up. Grabbing his staff that was lying on the ground, he smacked the bottom of the pole on the ground, a gale of wind exploding out of him. "And I see you''ve brought guests."


    "Yes, I did." Xek looked at the humans with a stare, scrutinizing anything from the mannerisms of each human in the group present. He zeroed in on a female reporter, however, who was busy talking to the camera right behind her. "Are they recording this with their¡­ What did you say this was again, technology?"


    "Indeed." The president quickly directed his eyes at me. With confusion present in his gestures, I smirked at him, his reaction showing me that he was fooled for a second, thinking that I was some kind of uninformed monster about their technology.


    "I see." Xek rubbed his chin as he fiddled with his staff. "Anyway, I wanted to show you something."


    Raising my eyebrow, I looked at Xek as he procured something from his pocket. It looked like a mix of metal and an egg. In fact, I was tempted to call this an "iron egg" due to how it looks.


    "Crystallized Black Magic." Xek grinned as he showed the iron egg-lookalike to us. The president looking on in curiosity, the same as his bodyguards and reporters.


    Me? I was drooling figuratively. Catalina also looked impressed, while Drake was nodding with his lower lip protruding forward.


    Approaching Xek, I took the crystallized magic from his hands and rubbed it gently, its black sheen shining in my eyes.


    "This is wonderful." Grinning like a lunatic, I placed it in my inventory and thanked Xek. "I''ll have you rewarded when I finish touring around my guests."


    "Thank you for your kindness, Chieftain." Xek bowed and entered the house. Turning back, I saw Catalina looking at me with impressed eyes, and Drake was giving me a thumbs-up. The president and his group were confused throughout the whole ordeal, but were nonetheless curious about the exchange.


    "Now, where was I? Ah, right. Welcome to my Dungeon, where monsters, humans, and demi-humans live in harmony with each other. My name is Jionni, the owner of this Dungeon." I gestured to Catalina, who waved at the humans with a cheerful grin, although her eyes still held wariness. "This is Catalina, another leader of her own Dungeon. Now, you might be thinking, ''What is a Dungeon?''"


    The president nodded silently, opting to listen instead of letting his voice be heard.


    "Well, to put it simply, a Dungeon is a place inside a different dimension. It is infinite in its capability to expand, and also incredibly flexible." Their eyes widened as I navigated to the Dungeon Menu, taking in the futuristic, holographic screen that appeared in mid-air. "As the leader, or by my title, the Dungeon Master, I can create any kind of Dungeon I want, so long as I have the funds."


    "What kind of funds?" The president looked at me with concealed greed in his eyes, but his face showed no signs of said intent.


    "Dungeon Points, or DP for short. And no, I''m not talking about that action. Get your minds out of the gutter." I snarked in a joke, gaining no reaction from the group of humans in front of me. However, I was sure that I had garnered a reaction from those viewing through the live video feed. "DP can be used to purchase anything the Dungeon Master thinks of. Weapons? Check. Armor? Check. Magic? Also check. Anything is at the tip of your fingers, but all of it comes at a price."


    "How do you gain DP, Jionni?" The president asked another essential question I wanted him to ask.


    ''This risky venture is bearing fruit. Now, if I could just get him to agree with my terms.'' Grinning, I continued with the explanation. "There are two ways I can get DP. The first one is to have other people not native to the Dungeon live here. Total DP calculated is dependent on their race, but in special cases, their strength. Now, I''m not trying to be racist here; it''s just how it is. Some people are born luckier, I guess."


    Shrugging, I stared directly into the camera.


    ''I''ve probably pissed off a lot of people, mostly on Chirper, but who cares? There are a lot of woke people there; might as well trigger them.'' Cackling mentally, I looked back at the president, who was clearly in favor of fostering a relationship with me now that he knew the pros.


    In fact, the pros far surpass the cons. Anything you''ve ever wanted? Right at the front of your fingertips? All you need is just the right amount of currency, and all you need to get it is to have people live inside.


    "Then there is the second way. It''s simple. Kill those non-native to the Dungeon." Once I said that, the group of humans froze. "Which is a very inefficient way, may I add. Although some Dungeon Masters might prefer that way over the other."


    And with that, my glare increased in intensity.


    "This is the warning I''m giving you. Dungeons will appear all over the world. Some are hostile, some are friendly. I''m not even the strongest of them, and your bullets can''t penetrate my skin." I looked directly into the camera. "I suggest you all prepare. Declare martial law or a state of emergency, I don''t care. Make sure that if ever a Dungeon pops up, if they''re friendly, befriend them. If not, scout them before attacking. They might be part of a group, and you don''t want to anger a group of Dungeon Masters."


    The group of humans went silent as they stared at me with either anxiety or fear.


    "Anyway, I think it''s time you leave. You can still use the school, but if you want to enter my Dungeon, contact me with this first." I handed them a tablet that I bought from the market, and then a Teleport Stone that could send them to the entrance. "Use this. This will take you back to the entrance."


    "Wait, can I ask you a few questions?" The president finally spoke up as he approached me with a stern gaze. I raised my eyebrow, and nodded. "What do you mean by Dungeon Masters stronger than you?"


    "I''m talking about me being an ant and them being elephants." I gestured to Drake. "Take this guy for example. Drake, would you show them?"


    "Really? Now?" I nodded, and he sighed. "Fine. All of you, follow me."


    We followed Drake outside the town. Rolling their shoulders, the cameramen all recorded his actions in extreme detail, not letting even a frame escape their sights.


    Sighing out, Drake materialized his gauntlets, the surprise already taken out of the humans after their brief tour. Taking a stance, he clenched his fist and let out a light punch.


    A giant chunk of the forest was torn out of the area as a buffeting gale of wind unbalanced all of the humans. I was still standing straight, while Catalina hid behind me, using my body as a shield.


    "That was just a light punch." Drake suddenly said, causing everyone of them to go pale.


    "Now you understand? If so, please, prepare yourselves." Snapping my finger, the stone in their hands began to glow, before their group vanished into a beam of light. "Gotta love the teleport stone commands."


    "You sure that was a good idea?" Drake looked at me with skeptical eyes. My response was to shrug back.


    "Hey, I didn''t have any other ideas. At least with this, they can prepare, and they owe me."


    "True." Drake shrugged, and Catalina hung on my back like a cat.


    "You''re from this world, right? Him too?" Catalina''s eyes were sparkling. I chuckled, and Drake did as well.


    "Yes, we are. Come on, I''ll tell you more about my world as we eat.. I''m hungry again."

 Chapter 206 - Monke And A Near Riot

    "So, what do you want to know?" I asked Catalina, who was busy slurping down some noodles we had bought inside the Human Town.


    "Ebriting!" I raised an eyebrow, and Catalina swallowed her food. "Everything!"


    "Well, why not?" Slurping down some noodles and some delicious broth, I recalled the various items I could list off from the top of my head, before slapping myself in the forehead. "Right, I forgot that existed."


    Catalina tilted her head, and I dove into the Dungeon Market. Buying a book that had brief descriptions of the technology on Earth, I smirked as the book materialized in my hands. Giving the book to Catalina, who had her lips pursed as she glared at the book, I spoke.


    "Here, this book contains most of the technology humans have made during their time. Including the military grade versions." Catalina pouted as she accepted the book. "What? I can''t tell you everything? I was just a civilian when I died."


    "Killjoy." Catalina pocketed the book inside her satchel, which was enchanted with space-expanding magic, as seen by the large book being put inside without any problems. "Thanks for the book, anyway."


    "You''re welcome, Lina." Snarking out a comment, I was rewarded with a playful punch on the shoulder as Catalina continued slurping down some noodles.


    An idea forming in my mind, I smirked, garnering the attention of both Drake and Catalina.


    "I know that look." Drake raised an eyebrow as he drank some of the broth by lifting the bowl to his mouth. "What''s the grand idea that''s popped up in your head now?"


    "Simple, watch some news." Drake and Catalina looked at me, confused. Buying a TV that was connected with the satellite on Earth, Drake realized my intentions as a grin formed on his face.


    "Oh, you bastard. I''m loving your idea." Drake laughed while Catalina still had question marks floating above her head.


    "What? What are you two talking about?" I shrugged and grabbed the remote before turning the TV on.


    "Watching the reactions of the inhabitants." The screen instantly showed a news station that was busy discussing my appearance, with a photogenic lady being the news anchor for the station.


    "This just in: President Mason Down has issued a¡­" The lady continued blabbering the decision of the president in a very urgent manner, her tone of speech indicating how serious the scenario was.


    "So, the country is in DEFCON 4. At least the president is taking measures for his country. Who knows what would happen if another Dungeon Master decided to say ''fuck all'' and invade a few cities?"


    Both Drake and Catalina scowled at the fact. The two of them were averse to needless violence, and since they knew that we were here to strengthen our Dungeons instead of inciting war and panic, attacking the natives was something both of them didn''t want to do.


    If the natives attack first, however, then the gloves are off.


    "Ah right, forgot that the funniest reactions are from the forums or live videos on another media platform." Clicking on the remote, I accessed the MyTube website and saw at least a few mytubers reacting live to the news. "Ohoho¡­ This will be fun."


    After clicking on a famous mytuber, who also happens to be a Vtuber, the three of us were bombarded with a loud screech.


    "EEEELLLLVVEEESSSS!!! YES! THEY ARE REAL!" The female Vtuber yelled loudly into the mic, causing our eardrums to burst slightly.


    "Holy hell! That''s a pair of lungs the girl has on her." Catalina flattened the ears on top of her head as she tried to block the noise.


    Both Drake and I covered our ears with our hands, not expecting the sudden earrape to occur.


    "Change channel?"


    "Change channel." I nodded at Drake''s proposal and looked for another mytuber, still a Vtuber, to watch.


    This time, the Vtuber was still female, but quieter and, overall, less ear-rapey.


    "I saw cat ears! Real cat ears! Do you think if you begged management hard enough, they''d allow you to travel abroad and meet-Oh hell no, chat!" The Vtuber''s model did an X with her arms as her eyes turned into ''> <'' symbols. "I don''t think management will even let me near a possible life-threatening hazard."


    At that point, I switched to another mytuber, who was recording his video live at the scene.


    "Bro, a lot of people over here are riotin''! The police are getting overwhelmed by the second!" The mytuber quickly zoomed in and saw a police officer smack a black guy with a baton. "Police brutality!"


    "Yep, that officer''s fucked." Drake nodded in agreement as I stated flatly.


    "Why? All I see is a guard doing his best to uphold the law?"


    I stared at the sweet, summer child that was Catalina. Giving her the most pitying look I could ever conceive, she stared back at me with a confused expression.


    "What? What did I say?" I sighed and patted her head, playing with her cat ears while I was at it.


    "Laws in this world are¡­ Backwards, sometimes. I still remember the law that says if you ever think that someone is threatening you, you have the right to kill them. Give them a warning shot, however, and then you''ll be the one in trouble."


    Catalina gaped at me, her jaw dropping to the floor.


    "That''s¡­ That is fucked up."


    "Tell me about it." Drake clicked his tongue as he continued to watch the minor riot. "Uh, Jionni, shouldn''t you do something about this?"


    "¡­ Maybe? But I doubt the president would want me out for the time being." I looked at the screen one more time, seeing that more of the police forces were getting ready to use non-lethal force. "On second thought, I might need to do it now."


    Gulping down the last of the noodles, I stood up from my seat and hurriedly created a Master''s Path heading towards the entrance of my Dungeon. I was running when I noticed Drake and Catalina following me to the path.


    "Use the passageway leading to the Monster Town. Only I can use this passage." With both of them nodding, they separated from me and left me all by myself.


    Not perturbed by that, I continued with running.


    []


    []


    []


    Reaching the first floor of the school building, I saw that the riot outside had intensified. I don''t know why the fuck would people riot like this just because they saw a glimpse of supernatural creatures, but humans will be humans.


    Stepping out of the school, I eyed every single human in sight that froze upon seeing my figure. Even the police officers stopped their struggle as they eyed me with wariness.


    "Why the fuck is there a riot going on here?" My words shocked all of those present, with some of the people beginning to voice their righteous opinions. ''Great, just my luck.''


    "Okay, plan B." I sighed and approached the line of police officers, who all looked like they wanted to be anywhere but near me, but their profession wouldn''t allow it.


    Stopping in front of the humans, who were now nervously trembling slightly at my daunting form, I leaned in next to a police officer and gave him simple words.


    "Let your leaders know I''m bringing one lucky person into my Dungeon so he can record more of the things inside." The officer looked at me like I was plotting something, but seeing no other choice, he nodded and grabbed his radio.


    After a few arguments and a potential promotion lost to the officer, he nodded and I looked upon each human within the vicinity.


    "Alright! I have a proposition for all of you." I raised my voice, catching the attention of every single pedestrian in the area. "I will call one of you to accompany me into my home. While inside, I will allow you to record anything you see with your cameras."


    "You." Pointing at a human who was recording the whole thing live, another person who was probably also a mytuber, I made a come hither gesture. "Come over here."


    The person stiffened up slightly, but nonetheless acquiesced to my demand. Standing in front of me, the man looked nervous as all hell.


    "Finally, we made it." Behind me, I heard Catalina voice out with relief, the entirety of the human populace looking at the catwoman with increased attention. "Jion, you got things handled here?"


    "Eh, the big ''ol bag of muscles will take care of it." Drake shrugged beside Catalina, his gauntlets nowhere to be seen.


    "Thanks for your vote of encouragement, Drake." I rolled my eyes before looking back at the nervous human in front of me. "What''s your name?"


    "G-Gary."


    "Oh, alright, G-Gary. Come follow us and we''ll make it worth your while." Intentionally messing up his name, the mytuber did nothing to correct my words as he wordlessly followed my lead, his phone recording everything in HD.


    "Will it stop the riot?" Once I was next to the entrance where Drake and Catalina were waiting for me, the man whispered in my ear his worries.


    "I don''t know. I just hope it will. I can''t predict the people here in the 21st century, after all."


    As we walked, the man continued to record the scene happening right in front of me. A few minutes of walking later, and we were finally in front of the portal leading to my Dungeon.


    "So, do you have anything to ask so far?"

 Chapter 207 - Monke And A MyTuber

    "Are the elves we saw real?" The mytuber didn''t hesitate to ask the question, an excited gleam appearing in his eyes. A raised an eyebrow as my response. "Meme material collected."


    Even in the face of possible death, the Mytuber was all about securing good content and memes. A man I can respect.


    "Yes, the elves in my Dungeon are indeed real, although I doubt they''ll let you go anywhere near them." I shrugged, but the mytuber was otherwise unperturbed. Instead, he was giddy as a motherfucking junkie on a high like no other.


    We entered my Dungeon through the portal, and a quick shift in locations later, we were inside the familiar, damp cavern.


    "Woah¡­" The mytuber stared in wonder as he entered the cave entrance. "That feels so¡­ weird¡­"


    The three of us in front ignored the man as we traversed the dim cavern. I noticed with my senses that the mytuber hastily followed us, intent on not being left behind inside the dark, scary cavern.


    "So, what''s your name?" Drake was the first person to speak up during the silence.


    "MyTuber name or real name?"


    "Either of the two." Drake shrugged, not really caring about the name the mytuber could give him.


    "HelloWorld. That''s my MyTuber name." Drake stared at the man with narrowed eyes, the man fidgeting at the deadpan stare.


    "¡­ So unoriginal." Drake scoffed before turning around, dismissing the man with rolling eyes. An imaginary arrow pierced the mytuber''s heart as the insult hit him directly in the feels.


    Catalina was shocked at the name, a little bit disappointed at the naming scheme of the man, while I was just laughing my guts off.


    ''Welp, there goes his dignity.'' As a frequent viewer of MyTube videos, I can predict what will happen if situations like these arise. There are various options, but the one I''m waiting for the most is the meme value.


    Like, come on, Drake just said that in the flattest, most deadpan voice and face I''ve ever seen, and it was recorded in 4k!


    The mytuber? I don''t care. He''ll survive, but he''ll be teased by his fanbase for a while before it settles down.


    ''I wonder if the sandwich guy is watching this? Be toxic, and get turned into a meme. Classic FPS moment.''


    "We shouldn''t be that far now." As the seconds went by, the mytuber behind us began to become even more excited and anxious. Once the light at the end of the tunnel appeared, the mytuber looked as if he wanted to bolt right then and there. "Uh, one more thing. Do not show any kind of hostile intent, or even separate from us three; otherwise, you might get mistaken as an invader by my residents."


    The man nodded, paling a bit due to the underlying threat.


    Once we stepped out into the forest, the man gulped as he saw a battalion of primates all decked out in iron. The man shrunk and I felt like cackling like a madman.


    "Greet the welcome committee, HelloWorld." I gestured towards the primates, and they all thumped their weapons on the ground. "Don''t worry, they won''t bite."


    The man yelped and quickly hid behind me as he felt something brush against his rear. Looking back, he saw a goblin, female, might I add, looking like she was blushing.


    "Nice rear." The goblin said, which caused the mytuber to turn purple. Unlike some of the goblins portrayed in the media, here the goblins look goddamned atrocious, save for some special kinds that look like humans but have green skin.


    This goblin female was the former, and she looked like an 80-year-old witch with short stature. Not to mention her sagging breasts, held up with only a piece of cloth.


    Snickering at the man''s misfortune, I regarded the primates in front of me with a stern glare.


    "Okay, who let her near the entrance?" I pointed at the goblin, and all the primates pointed at one person. Said person was Drake, who was laughing up a storm. "Drake, you goddamn troll."


    "What? Quality content, baby!" Drake cackled as he looked directly into the camera. "Hello, chat."


    This freaked the mytuber out. Feeling that one of our secrets was about to go up in flames and be revealed to the rest of the people on live camera, I sighed and decided to come out clean.


    "This man here was once a resident of Earth." The mytuber quickly snapped his camera in my direction. "I suppose it was a few months ago, maybe years, but we don''t know how time flows in different worlds, now do we?"


    "Anyway, this man, Drake Espinosa, was a student at Massaware University who was killed by a truck ramming him after being shoved by two robbers running from an ongoing robbery. Sounds familiar?" The mytuber had his eyes wide upon hearing the information. "Yes, all those memes about Truck-sama are real, but there is only a 0.0000000001% chance of it happening to a person."


    I was sure I made the suicide rate in a bunch of countries spike, but those who would intentionally do that are idiots. At least the normal ones. Those with mental instability will need help, so they won''t try Truck-sama''s route to reincarnation.


    "I am also a reincarnate." I gestured to myself, and the man looked at me with a stupefied expression. "Yes, I became a gorilla. I think there was news about a school killing, one where a student stabbed one student to death in the school courtyard in this very city?"


    The man nodded with a pale face.


    "Yes, that was me. By the way, you know who you are." I glared at the camera. I was intentionally scaring the little shit who killed me, but otherwise, I won''t be doing anything to the lad.


    At least he got me away from that oppressive family, right?


    "Anyway, let''s not stay here for too long. I assume you want to record some of the fantastical sights inside my Dungeon, no?" The mytuber, glad to get away from the topic of reincarnations and death, no matter how curious the topic was, nodded his head frantically. "Alright, you all, go back to your posts."


    I gestured towards the primates and they gave me a Monke salute. Giving us a path, Drake, Catalina, the mytuber, and I walked through the passage.


    Once we were a good distance from the entrance, the mytuber suddenly asked me a question.


    "What is it like in the other world?" I tilted my head slightly, before shaking my head.


    "It''s shit. I get why a lot of people would want to get isekai''d to another world, but take this into account." I lifted my hand and raised a finger. "One, you are in a foreign world and have no idea what to do. Two, gods exist, and they sometimes mess with mortal lives. A prime example is Drake here."


    I gestured towards Drake, and he flinched, a dark shadow falling over his face.


    "Three, there are a lot of strong people there, so unless you get a cheat on the first day, you will be fucked, either literally or figuratively. Four: There are various intelligent species living in the world. You think racism here is bad? Just wait until you get over there and are born with a tail in a human supremacist government. And lastly, five: monsters. If you have a bad day and encounter one of them, hope they don''t think you''re a snack, or get ready to make a home inside a monster''s belly."


    After I finished my impromptu speech, the mytuber looked as pale as a ghost. Smirking at his expression, Catalina slapped the man with her tail, a smug grin plastered on her face.


    "Oi, wake up. This ain''t the other world." Catalina stretched before lunging at me like a playful cat. "Anyway, Jion, why don''t you show Domino to these people?"


    "¡­ Show Domino? No, why the fuck would I?" I looked at Catalina like she was a mentally deranged person instead of my girlfriend.


    "It might just show that you aren''t a brute, like most humans think." She whispered in my ears, and truth be told, I was considering her words. If it worked, relationships could bloom faster, and my improvised plan to get more residents inside my Dungeon. If not, then Domino can remain out of sight from the outside world for a while.


    "Fine." After considering the pros and cons, I agreed with Catalina, who glomped my head with her chest. "Now get off of me, you horny cat."


    "Aww¡­" Catalina pouted as her ears flattened against her head.


    Meanwhile, the mytuber recorded our exchange with curious eyes and a very bad premonition in his chat that could spell the end of his career.


    Opening my smartphone and checking his channel, I smirked as I saw his chat go wild with furry comments.


    At least I''m giving him some good publicity.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "I need a drink¡­" Mason rubbed his temples as his TV continued to show the live feed coming from the mytuber currently inside his Dungeon. Beside him, the general of the US army, his long-time friend, sighed tiredly.


    "So, what should we do with these¡­ Unforeseen circumstances?"


    "As of now? Nothing. Unless we''re ready to lose men, we stay away from his Dungeon and lockdown the area."


    "What about diplomatic relations?"


    "That could work, but I''m still skeptical about his motives." Mason looked back at the TV as it showed the catwoman latching herself onto the gorilla. "But I''m leaning towards diplomacy. Did you hear what he said? Anything he can think of is at his fingertips, and all he needs is currency. Currency he can generate by having people inside his Dungeon."


    "I can see why you would want to have him as an ally, but are you sure that he won''t backstab us the moment he gets what he wants?"


    "I''m not sure, but I''ll just have to take the risk."

 Chapter 208 - Monke, Domino, And Cuteness Overload

    We now stood in front of the gate that led to the Monster Town. Aside from the name, the mytuber was staring with his mouth agape, his camera pointed directly at the massive gate that was gradually raising itself.


    "W-woah¡­" The mytuber uttered a shocked utterance, his hand holding the camera slightly trembling. "It''s¡­ It''s bigger than I''d imagined¡­"


    "Well, you will find that some objects here are built with creatures that tower over humans in mind." I shrugged as the gate fully opened itself with the help of the various residents atop the ramparts. "It would also be nice to have some larger space to store some of our stuff."


    "No joke." The mytuber sweatdropped as the camera moved to face an orc who was on his way out, hefting a large stack of logs on his shoulders.


    "Boss." The orc greeted me with a nod, to which I responded with an acknowledging smile. "Who this puny human?"


    The orc towered over the human as he leaned down to closely inspect the shivering mytuber.


    "H-Hi¡­" The mytuber squeaked out a response as he hid behind his camera.


    "Heh, weak meat." The orc snorted before looking back at me with an acknowledging nod. "Me continue with task, boss. Good day."


    The orc left silently once he was done greeting me and intimidating the mytuber, who was still trembling at the scary encounter with the orc.


    "Those fantasy books and anime did them no justice, did they?" The mytuber nodded furiously at my comment. "Well, enough standing around. We still have a huge tour that I have to show you."


    The mytuber nodded and we entered the Monster Town. Tapping my shoulder, Drake whispered to me that he would separate from us for the time being. Catalina, meanwhile, all but clung to me as her tail snaked itself around my waist.


    As Drake walked away, the mytuber continued to film every agonizing detail he could with his camera.


    "So, any questions so far?"


    "Yes, actually." The mytuber scratched his cheek with his free hand. Pointing towards the exotic monsters, he questioned, "Are they arachnes?"


    "Yes, they are." I looked towards the monster he was pointing at. She was small, with a human upper body and a spider lower body¡­ And she was skittering towards me at a rapid pace.


    "Big hairy monster!" The young arachne all but yelled as she sped towards me with manic glee. Jumping on my leg, she rapidly scaled my body and settled once more on my back, her human body hugging my head like a body pillow.


    Beside me, Catalina looked a bit shocked and creeped out at the action, but otherwise cooed when she saw the innocent expressions of the young arachne giggling as she clung to me.


    All of this was recorded on camera, mind you.


    "Ah! Dungeon Master Jionni!" A familiar voice brought me out of my stupor as another arachne ran after the little menace, her spider legs skittering across the ground. "T-terribly sorry about my little sister."


    "It''s fine." I waved her off as I patted the young monster girl behind me, which elicited more giggling as she snuggled into the back of my head.


    All the while, the mytuber caught everything on camera, a grin forming on his face.


    "Yo, Qhithish, been a good girl?" She nodded as she kept on leaning into my touch. Laughing, I rubbed her head before grabbing her waist. "Anyway, you should get back to your sister. I still have some stuff to do."


    The young arachne pouted, but otherwise, nodded as she skittered back to her older sister, who was giving her younger sister a tired smile.


    "Qhandi, tell Aratella I''m going to visit her later. I have something to tell her." She nodded, and the two of them went on their way. Looking back at the mytuber, he was giving me a look. Rolling my eyes, I gestured for him to follow me once again.


    "So, any other questions?" As we walked around the town, various monsters, humans, and demi-humans greeted us all the while, I asked the mytuber. The mytuber hummed before locking his gaze on another monster.


    "Is that a¡­" Looking at where he locked his gaze on, I saw a good-looking goblin male, who was busy eating some kind of slop, which they have a taste for.


    "A goblin? Yes. If you''re asking what they''re eating, I have no idea, just that they have taste for it." I shook my head as I exhaled. "Anyway, any other questions not pertaining to monsters?"


    The mytuber opened his mouth, before closing it and thinking hard about his next question.


    "Yes, actually, is what you said about your¡­ Currency true?" Tilting my head, I accessed the Dungeon Market and bought a phone that was the pinnacle of their technology currently. For some reason, anything that was related to Earth was drastically cheaper than back on Praeccathae.


    "Yes." Tossing him the phone, the mytbuer caught it while fumbling about. "Check the specs of that phone."


    An eyebrow raised, the mytuber scrolled through the settings and checked the phone''s specs. Once he saw it, he did a spit take.


    "Yo, what the fuck!?" The mytuber looked at my shit-eating grin with his mouth wide-open. "This isn''t a hallucination, right?"


    "Nope. Take it, I have no need for it anyway." The mytuber gulped down his salive, before showing the specs of the smartphone to the camera.


    64 GB ram, 1 TB storage, and a nice gaming processor.


    That was for a phone, mind you.


    "Papa¡­?" I stiffened up when I heard the voice of my surrogate daughter. Looking behind me, I saw Domino approaching me with a flat face. "Papa¡­ Who is that?"


    She pointed at the mytuber without shifting her expression. The man, who glanced at the young girl, had his mouth drop even further.


    "You¡­ You are this girl''s father¡­?"


    "Surrogate father." I corrected the mytuber before any misunderstandings could crop up. I''ve had enough with those from the arachnes village. I''d like to not see those misunderstandings anymore, thank you very much. "And yes, I am."


    I lifted her up onto my shoulders, where she snuggled closer into my head. Catalina, who was content with observing the situation play out, approached the two of us and snuggled even closer.


    "Mama¡­" Domino''s words caused the man to freeze up. Not that I don''t understand. A gorilla, albeit one that looked like a human, had a beautiful catwoman as a girlfriend, and had a cute daughter.


    I was also the leader of my own Dungeon, which was pretty much an isolated country with its own self-sustainable economy.


    It wouldn''t be out of place to see even a hint of envy in the eyes of the mytuber.


    "So, HelloWorld, meet Domino, my cute, surrogate daughter." I rubbed Domino''s head. "Be careful, though; she''s hostile towards any of those not associated with my Dungeon, meaning you."


    The man shrunk slightly as the piercing gaze of my daughter bore into his figure.


    "Anyway, I think it''s time I end this tour. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me right now." The man perked up and cupped his chin.


    "How dangerous are the other Dungeon Masters compared to you?" I raised an eyebrow at his question.


    "Ah, finally, a question that''s important to your world''s survival." I smiled before approaching the man. "The answer is pretty simple: I''ve already told you that I''m like an ant compared to others, but what are the specifics? Let''s just say I''m a grenade, and they are nuclear warheads."


    The man paled, and I gave him another one of those teleport stones.


    "So, for all of those watching this livestream right now, please, for your safety, prepare for some weird shit." I snapped my fingers and the man was teleported out of my Dungeon. "Ugh¡­ I want to go back to sleep now."


    "How about we cuddle?" Catalina suggested, and Domino nodded gleefully, though her expression did not show how happy she was.


    "Sure." I sighed and hugged the two with my arms. "Could use some sleep and some hugs right about now. If there was any other option, I would''ve taken those, but nope, my Dungeon entrance just had to appear inside a classroom¡­"


    Heading to the house that was mine in the Human Town, Domino, Catalina, and I chatted about some other mundane topics.


    []


    []


    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Ahahaha! A new vorld avaits!" Odette glanced at the huge skyscrapers and humans that were passing by her. The humans that she saw looked at her like she was just some lost child with a very strong imaginative mind. "Time fur more experiments!"


    The girl cackled as she looked at a nearby skyscraper.


    "But first, some nice experiments!" Odette grinned as she pointed towards a nearby skyscraper, before she channeled magic into her hand.


    The next moment, a giant fireball flew towards the skyscraper, shouts and screams echoing throughout the area as it impacted against the building.


    Glass shattered and humans burned.. As all the chaos ensued, Odette smiled maliciously, as various humans stayed clear of the dangerous child who wielded flames.

 Chapter 209 - Monke And A Favor

    Catalina, Domino, and I lied on the bed with each other as company. Hugging the two closer to my body, Domino and Catalina both uttered a contented sigh as they snuggled in deeper.


    Rolling my eyes at the scene, I grabbed my phone and connected to Earth''s internet. This was a new phone, completely different from my old one, but most of the files were copied to my new phone.


    Especially the cultured images and videos. There was no way I was going to delete those.


    Scrolling through some of the forums, I saw a discussion about my appearance and my so-called warning.


    Reading some of the comments, I sighed and shook my head. Of course, there would be humans stupid enough to dismiss my claims as total garbage and link them to a political strategy the current president was currently pursuing.


    Those people infuriated me from the moment they made comments about political ideologies and how they wanted to protect society by threatening to kill me and the president.


    ''Welp, welcome to the 21st century, I guess?''


    Scrolling down even further, I caught a comment that made me raise an eyebrow.


    *Oi! You guys check this out!*


    A link to a video was posted right below the sentence. My curiosity piqued, I opened the link and was taken to MyTube, where a scene right out of a goddamn apocalypse was currently happening. Turns out, it was also live.


    "I warned them." That was all that came out of my mouth as I observed the chaos. Buildings were toppling, humans were dying, and monsters roamed the streets. Looking at the humans, I can tell that the city was somewhere in Asia, specifically, Eastern Asia. "Well, not like my words would immediately spread like fire. It''s been what? A few hours?"


    Watching the video as Catalina and Domino snuzzled against my chest, I saw a familiar silhouette cackling madly in the video. Squinting my eyes, my heart leaped, and I quickly rose from my position.


    This had the unintended side effect of waking Catalina and Domino from their slumber in a rough manner.


    "Wha!? Jionni!" Catalina glared at me with a pout, with Domino copying her expression and failing. "What was that for!?"


    "No time. You know Oshurkova''s sister?" Catalina tilted her head, but otherwise nodded at my question. "She''s causing huge trouble in one of the countries on Earth."


    "¡­ Shit. If her previous actions are to go by¡­" Catalina shuddered. "Things won''t end well. We need to contact Lady Oshurkova now."


    Rising from the bed, I quickly maneuvered through the Dungeon Menu so I could call Oshurkova. It took a few seconds before the woman could pick up, but once she did, I could tell she was having the time of her life.


    And by that, I mean her having a date with her fated partner for eternity, paperwork.


    "¡­ I said this before, and I''ll say it again. You look like shit." I snarked at Oshurkova, who responded with a dry chuckle.


    "I know. Damned papers won''t leave me alone." Oshurkova sighed as she eyed another stack of papers on her table. "Anyway, why did you call me?"


    "Kova, I assume you''ve been transported as well?"


    "Yes, I''ve been doing my best to lay low, and my Dungeon hasn''t been discovered as of now." Oshurkova tapped her fingers on the table as she spoke. "That said, I doubt it will last that long. Just earlier, my scouts outside had given me the status report. I''m lucky my Dungeon is inside a dilapidated storage building with low traffic."


    "That''s not what I want to talk about right now." My voice held something of a deep foreboding. Raising an eyebrow, Oshurkova stopped tapping her table and focused all of her attention on me. "It''s about your sister."


    "What about my sister?" Oshurkova instantly sat straight and stared straight at me.


    "She''s causing trouble¡­ In one of the cities of a large country." Oshurkova scowled and bit her fingernails.


    "How large is the death toll?" I grimaced, and Oshurkova only needed that much to gleam the information out of me. "Shit¡­ The sun''s still up, so I can''t go out¡­ Jionni, I''m cashing in that favor."


    "Yep, I saw that coming." I shrugged and got ready to move. "However, I''m going alone."


    "Why?"


    "Because I know this world. This is my homeworld before being sent to Praeccathae, and the weapons here are no joke." I thought about the nuclear warheads hidden within the leading countries. "All it takes is just a single push of a button, and you can say goodbye to a city or a country."


    "¡­ Well, fuck me." Oshurkova sighed and leaned into her chair. "My Dungeon is connected to my sister''s. I''ll give you permission to go through, and I''ll contact the Residents on her side to let them know that someone will be coming through the portal."


    "Thanks. Just give me a few moments and I''ll be in your Dungeon soon." Cutting the communication, the final scene I saw of Oshurkova was a tired, but hopeful smile.


    "I''m coming with."


    "No." I immediately shut down Catalina''s help, which caused her to growl. "Look, as much as I want back-up in this¡­ mission¡­ I can''t."


    Materializing Drakhan''s shadow, I let the cloak shroud my body in its figure, a mask set firmly in place over my face.


    "I can shrug off bullets, but I don''t think you can. That is reason enough to not let you follow me."


    "¡­ I want to deny that statement, but I know I can''t." Catalina sighed before hugging me. "Promise me you''ll be safe. Please?"


    "I will." I hugged the catwoman, and included Domino who was looking at me with worried eyes. "I''m off."


    Separating from the two, I exit the house and quickly make my way to the two portal arches.


    []


    []


    []


    "Well¡­ I didn''t think you would want to follow me."


    "And miss the opportunity to go to Japan? Hell no." Drake playfully punched my shoulder. "Plus, Catalina asked me to keep an eye on you, so here I am."


    "Of course¡­" Facepalming, the two of us chuckled before it became full-blown laughter.


    We were currently inside the portal heading towards Oshurkova''s Dungeon.


    "So, what is the favor Oshurkova wants you to do?" Drake asked while playing with his feet as we hovered in this tunnel of space.


    "Stop her sister from doing anything more than what she is already doing." I showed him the video of Odette chuckling manically as soldiers all garbed in green fatigues shot at her with no positive result.


    "Wait¡­ Is that Kaintotsukawa?" Drake looked at the video with growing horror. "No! My extended family lives there!"


    "¡­ Shit. More reason for us to hurry."


    A few more seconds and we were vomited out of the portal. In front of us stood Wulfstan and his two mute proteges.


    "Lady Oshurkova told me you were arriving." Wulfstan stood up from his position, his two proteges doing so as well. "I take it something has happened?"


    "She didn''t tell you?" Wulfstan shook his head, and I hummed. "Well, I guess it is a personal thing for her. Anyway, could you lead us to the portal leading towards Lady Oshurkova''s sister''s Dungeon?"


    "Ah¡­ Now I see why this needs to be kept hush-hush." Wulfstan nodded sagely as the two mute Hunters tilted their heads. "Alright, you two, follow me. Constantin, Cecilia, you take the rear."


    Following Wulfstan in silence, both Drake and I admired the bustling city that is, for all intents and purposes, a metropolis.


    "What floor are we on, by the way?" Wulfstan looked back at me with a snicker.


    "Seventh floor, out of 32 floors." I closed my mouth shut the moment I heard the number of floors Oshurkova had.


    "No wonder she was always swamped with paperwork." I muttered inadvertently, and Wulfstan caught my voice with a laugh of his own.


    "Right you are on that, Jionni." Wulfstan grinned as we continued our trek through the bustling roads, a bunch of intelligent species living in complete harmony.


    Well, maybe not completely, but at least they are maintaining the peace.


    "It won''t be long now, and I think Lady Osrhukova''ll be waiting for you there." Wulfstan said as we passed underneath a sky bridge with more people going above it. "Until then, feel free to take in the sights."


    Drake cupped his chin as he observed the place.


    "Not gonna lie, this place is fucking awesome. If this Dungeon is heaven, then Jionni''s place is a turd on the roadside in the middle of nowhere."


    "One, ouch¡­ Two, I completely agree with you." Feigning hurt, I patted Drake''s back before we both burst into laughter. A few seconds later, our laughter died down and we continued the trek in silence.


    There were a few times where my eyes would be drawn to something, but I ignored all of them to focus at the task at hand.


    "We''re here." Wulfstan stopped right in front of me. Stopping as well, Drake and I looked at our destination with raised eyebrows.


    "This looks like a rundown warehouse." I commented off-handedly, and Wulfstan chuckled.


    "That''s the point. Lady Oshurkova should be waiting for you inside¡­ Probably." Wulfstan turned heel and began to walk away. "Until next time."


    I nodded at him, and Constantin and Cecilia bowed at me for a second before following their master.


    Turning back to the rundown building, I grabbed the door knob.


    ''Time to put my game face on.''

 Chapter 210 - Monkes Fast(lol) Response

    Entering the rundown warehouse, the first thing I spotted was Oshurkova looking haggard as all hell, a far cry from her appearance during the Dungeon Games.


    "Looking at you personally right now, I really want to smack you so hard you fall asleep." I commented, and Oshurkova giggled.


    "I want you too. Sadly, my responsibilities forbid me from taking a rest at this time." Oshurkova then looked at the swirling portal right behind her, a blank expression taking up her face. "And this right here is one of my responsibilities. That is why I''m coming with you."


    I appreciate the help, but what about the part of me going alone?" I rolled my eyes while Drake beside me whistled.


    "Because Odette is my sister, and she it is also partly my fault for not setting her on a leash." Oshurkova sighed before she eyed Drake with a tiny smirk. "And if it isn''t Drake, the right-hand man of the Demon King¡­ How''s the man doing, by the way?"


    "Last I checked, the Demon King was chilling with his family." Drake shrugged with a slight smile. "Although, that could''ve changed because of our current circumstances."


    "Wait, based on your conversation, the Demon King himself is also a Dungeon Master?" I asked the two overpowered beings with a contemplative look. Drake had the audacity to look sheepish, while Oshurkova chuckled at my lack of knowledge.


    "Yes, he is." Oshurkova glanced at Drake for a moment, before she looked back at me after a brief nod from Drake. "He is the Dungeon Master with a Dungeon that has at least a hundred floors. For all we know, it could''ve expanded by now, because that statistic was about a century ago."


    "¡­ Well¡­ Remind me to never antagonize him then." I nodded my head sagely while Drake barked out a laugh.


    "Don''t worry. The Demon King is mostly harmless, unless you have the intention of harming his family, then all gloves are off."


    "As much as I would like to continue this lighthearted conversation," Oshurkova faked a cough, which caught our attention, "my sister is still out there causing trouble. And it is imperative we put a stop to her shenanigans lest the damage reach a threshold where the leaders of the country will be unwilling to form a partnership with us."


    "Point." I nodded and both Drake and I approached Oshurkova who was already standing right next to the portal. "So, anything to tell us about your sister''s Dungeon?"


    "Yes, just stick with me, and everything will be alright. Do not, however, and her residents might just pounce on you." I engraved her warning into my heart. Drake, not so much.


    I''m pretty sure nothing here on Earth, except for nukes, could harm the OP bastard. Unless Earth has developed technology within the time frame when we were dead, Drake could become the king of the world.


    After all, no matter how much society tries to act all civilized and stuff, when they meet something or someone with such great strength, they can do nothing but submit or perish.


    The 21st century''s society isn''t any different.


    Entering the portal, the three of us shared no words as our visions distorted. Breathing in and out calmly, I waited for a few seconds before we once again stood on solid ground.


    "Lady Oshurkova." A bowing monster greeted us with a neutral face. "This humble lizardman greets the Mad One''s sister."


    "¡­ Mad One?" I asked out of curiosity, and the lizardman was looking at me as if I was some kind of uninformed savage.


    "My sister." Oshurkova scowled as she heard the title. "It''s the title she accepted from her residents. Truth be told, I don''t like the title, but if my sister is happy with it, who am I to judge?"


    "Oh¡­" I pursed my lips as my brain processed the information.


    "Anyway, it''s good to see you again, Lushrui." Oshurkova approached the lizardman before she grabbed the lizardman and straightened his posture with a quick tug. "And stop this respectful nonsense. When not in a ceremony or on an important occasion, I don''t mind informality."


    "¡­ Fine. Anyway, the Mad One''s been going on a rampage outside again. I''m afraid she might cause higher powers to strike her down at any moment." Lushrui voiced out his concerns as his tail kept on slapping the ground behind him.


    ''Lizardmen seldomly slap their tails on the ground when feeling tense... Anxiousness Frustration? Maybe both¡­''


    "Lead us to the entrance then. Jionni over here," Oshurkova pointed at me with her thumb, the lizardman recognizing my presence, "knows this world. He is familiar with the military forces of the countries that reside on...Earth, was it called?"


    "Yes, Earth."


    "Confusing name aside, the power held by nations here are not to be trifled with." The lizardmen growled as he looked at me with a critical eye.


    "Give me a likely scenario in the future if the nations retaliate?"


    "That''s a tough question, since I was just a civilian back here and most of the military grade stuff were kept hush-hush." I shrugged and hummed. However, their weapons here are sufficient to compete with fireballs thrown by battle mages at a rate no mage could match. That''s just their weakest weapon, however."


    "¡­ Shit." Lushrui cursed as he turned his back to me. "Quickly, we don''t have much time. Follow me."


    The three of us ran after the lizardman, who guided us through the winding tunnels of Odette''s Dungeon. As we ran, I noticed that the tunnels were mostly barren, save for the occasional monster, human, or demi-human we encountered.


    After about a minute of running, we were standing in front of another portal.


    "This will lead you to the first floor right next to the entrance." Lushrui gestured to the portal, his eyes mostly focused on me. "Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''ll have to prepare the hospital in case the Mad One gets severely injured."


    I raised an eyebrow at his statement and was about to ask why, but Oshurkova stopped me from continuing.


    "Let''s just say our sibling squabble doesn''t really turn out well every time." I hummed at her response and was left satisfied. "We should probably head in now."


    "Jionni, enough questions. Focus on the task at hand." I looked at Drake, who was gazing at me with serious eyes that weren''t anywhere near his default laid-back expression.


    "Alright." Nodding, the three of us entered the portal and were sent directly to the first floor, which consisted of something out of a steampunk genre film. "Damn, this place looks dope."


    "You could say that again." Chuckling, we ran past the awe-inspiring environment and reached the exit. Outside, we could hear screams, explosions, and other sounds that could be likened to those of a battlefield.


    "I hope you know what to do, Kova." Oshurkova looked at me with a smile under her hood, her robes covering her entire body and skin from being exposed to light.


    "I''m good at improvisation."


    "And you just destroyed my hopes. Thank you." Snarking out a comment, the three of us laugh before stepping into the city of Kaintotsukawa.


    Which was like a smoldering mess the moment we stepped on the ground.


    Dozens of corpses lie along the pavement as burning buildings topple all around us. Amidst the chaos, a group of monsters did as they pleased with the residents of the area.


    That was either helping them escape or outright killing them when Odette was watching.


    "Well¡­ It could be worse¡­" Drake muttered, and I facepalmed.


    "Drake, you sonuvabitch." I groaned, and Drake realized what he had done, before facepalming.


    "I just jinxed us, didn''t I?"


    "Yes, yes you did." One look at the sky, and I could see various helicopters coming our way, filled to the brim with soldiers. "We need to find Odette quickly before those soldiers touch down. I''d rather not find out whether the two of you are bulletproof. "


    Oshurkova nodded, and we moved as one, marking down the entrance to her Dungeon, which happened to be a damn manhole.


    At least it was concealed.


    "Oshurkova, if you were your sister, where would she be in the chaos."


    "The tallest building." Without skipping a heartbeat, Oshurkova instantly replied, and her eyes locked on to the tallest building nearby. "That one, I think."


    "Alright, worth a shot." The three of us sped towards the building that was effectively a skyscraper.


    Inside the skyscraper, we saw a bunch of files, papers, and dead bodies scattered around as monsters, humans, and demi-humans patrolled the building.


    Looking at Oshurkova, she nodded and I stood up.


    ''Welp, they don''t like stealth mode. Time to go full on HAM, then.'' Shrouding myself in shadows and hefting the Blood Weep War Hammer on my shoulder, I approached the nearest patroller and smacked him upside the head. The monster went limp and alerted the others due to the noise he generated when he fell down.


    "Hello." Waving at the monsters, humans, and demi-humans, they all roared, and I retreated, with a veritable horde of bodies coming at me with the intent to kill.


    ''After this, I''m taking a vacation.''

 Chapter 211 - Monke And The Unique Sisters

    Before, subduing people with my strength was such a goddamn chore. Now? It was a cakewalk.


    Dodging a swing of an axe with a sidestep, I immediately countered with a hook to the face, the orc who attacked me dropping to the ground in a heartbeat. Instead of celebrating my victory against the unconscious orc, I blocked another attack with the handle of my hammer and pushed it off.


    The human who was holding the sword, the one who attacked me, was thrown back slightly as he stumbled. Capitalizing on the vulnerability, I kicked the man''s gonads, resulting in him dropping to the ground with foam coming from his mouth.


    Behind me, I saw Oshurkova yawning as she knocked three monsters with one swing of her hand unconscious. Of course, the reason wasn''t the swing of her hand, but the water encasing their heads as they felt all the air diminish inside their bodies.


    Drake, meanwhile, was having fun bashing heads with his gauntlets, monsters, humans, and demi-humans alike, fearing the man as they ran as far away as possible.


    That said, those who were also targeting me seem to have backed away with fear in their eyes. Shrugging, I hefted the Blood Weep War Hammer back onto my shoulder as I eyed Oshurkova, who seemed to have dealt with her fair share of assailants.


    "Finally." Oshurkova sighed before approaching the nearest person in the vicinity, that being a female demi-human who was quaking in her boots. "Tell me, where''s Odette?"


    "Y-you mean the Mad One?" She trembled even more as she spoke the title, symbolizing the fear and terror the Dungeon Master had instilled in her residents.


    "Yes, the Mad One, my sister, Odette." She deadpanned as the demi-human paled even further, her shaking intensifying even more.


    "S-s-s-she''s at the t-t-t-top f-floor¡­" Stuttering out the words, the demi-human fainted, and the rest of the people around us refused to move, in fear of suddenly garnering the wrath of the Mad One''s sister.


    "¡­ She''s probably a new one." Oshurkova shrugged and approached Drake and I, who were chilling right beside each other while watching the events unfold. "You heard her. The top floor."


    "Well, that will be quick." Pointing at metal doors, Oshurkova looked at me with a confused face. "You don''t know what an elevator is? Strange, I thought the people back in Praecatthae would''ve already invented an elevator with their magic."


    "Oh, an elevator. Of course, I know what that is. I just didn''t know elevators here looked like that." I facepalmed, while Drake laughed at my fuck-up.


    "Drake, stop laughing." Drake, in turn, laughed even harder. Sighing, I looked back at Oshrkova, who was staring at our exchange with a smirk. "Not another word."


    "As you wish." Oshurkova just stared at me with a knowing look, causing me to shrink back onto myself while Drake''s laughter continued. "Anyway, the elevator should take us to the roof, right?"


    "If it does, then yes, but I doubt it would directly take us to the rood. Maybe the floor below it." Oshurkova nodded, and the three of us headed inside after calling it down. Drake was already done laughing at my mistake, but still nudged me from time to time to remind me of my slip-up.


    ''What a friend.'' Because of my size, I sighed as we waited inside the cramped elevator. Luckily, the elevator had a weight limit of four times our total weight.


    As we waited inside the cramped box of metal, jazz music blaring out from the speakers, Drake moved closer towards me.


    "Hey, after pacifying Oshurkova''s sister, what are we going to do with the JSDF?" I looked at Drake with a pointed glare.


    "Talk. Whatever we do, we should just talk. Do not take aggression, and if they ask for compensation, we will give it to them. We owe them this much, at least from Odette''s rampage."


    "I don''t like your idea, but it is the only option when the other is a complete war. From what Drakhan said, we''re here to get stronger, not wipe out an entire world." Drake and I looked at Oshurkova in shock when she mentioned that. "Did I forget to tell you I have one of Drakhan''s many pieces of equipment on me?"


    "Yes, yes you did." Both Drake and I said it in unison with a deadpan, causing Oshurkova to laugh.


    "Here, I''ll show you." Placing her hand on top of her eye, she reached deep into her eyesocket and pulled out the eyeball. Flinching at the sight, Drake and I looked at the glass eye that was lying on top of her hand. "This is the Eye of Sharok, capable of intimidating those weaker than you with just a single glance."


    "One, don''t do that without warning. Two, that''s hella useful, but only slightly with our current circumstances." Oshurkova nodded as she placed the artificial eye back in her empty eye socket.


    "Yes, I agree with you on that front." Oshurkova wiggled her head around to check if the eye was placed inside properly. "If this has the power to place subtle suggestions inside the minds of those seen, then it could make negotiations with the¡­ What did you call it¡­ JSDF?"


    Drake nodded, and Oshurkova continued.


    "Yes, JSDF. It could make negotiations with the JSDF run smoothly." The elevator stopped its ascent, and the metal doors in front of us opened. "You were right, we are probably at the floor below the roof."


    "Yep." The three of us got out of the elevator and saw that the floor was barren of life. Looking for the nearby stairs, we scaled the stairway and finally reached a closed door. Opening it, Osrhukova was the first to exit, followed by Drake, and me.


    "Finally, you''re here, Oshurkova." Odette turned towards us with a neutral face before turning joyous when her eyes landed on my figure. "Undt you bought me test subchect number 3071!"


    My flat stare was probably the flattest thing I had ever had the fortune of doing in the entirety of my life. Drake, once again, was beginning to laugh up a storm at the mention of me being a test subject.


    "Odette." Oshurkova tried approaching the loli, only to be stopped with a low growl.


    "Do nicht kome kloser, you bitch." Odette spoke with such toxicity, I would''ve believed she was from the deepest pits of a nuclear power plant that had gone boom.


    "Odette." Oshurkova looked desperate, really desperate, but Odette wouldn''t give her the hope she needed.


    "Nein. Go back to your Dungeon, I haf nein business vizz you." She then walked past her before arriving before me with a gleeful smile. "But you, you I haf business vizz."


    I looked at Oshurkova, who was looking a little lost at the moment, and Drake, who was beginning to look like he was about to jump this crazy loli. Looking at the horizon, I saw the helicopters circling around us, guns trained on our figures for any kind of hostile movement.


    Looking back into those eyes... those eyes that held glee over my presence, as well as something more hidden beneath... I decided my course of action.


    "Tell me." Odette looked like her birthday had come early, and both Oshurkova and Drake were looking at me with shock.


    "I vant you to kome into mein Dungeon. For experiments." From the look of Oshurkova, accepting Odette''s request was next to suicide. Looking at the roaming helicopters, which seemed to be running out of patience, my decision was once again made for me.


    ''Motherfucking hell¡­ If I didn''t want more people inside my Dungeon for DP, I would''ve said fuck all and happily go to war with Earth, as long as I had support from my fellow Dungeon Masters, of course.'' Sighing, I stared at Odette in the eyes before nodding. "Very well. But first, can we talk with those guys in the flying machines?"


    Odette looked like she was on cloud nine, while Oshurkova was looking at me with a horrified expression.


    ''I fucking hope I didn''t choose the dead-end option¡­''


    "Promise?" Odette stared at me with those gleeful eyes, something that was incredibly wrong to put on the loli''s face.


    "Yes, promise." In just a span of a second, Odette instantly stopped the helicopters with a wave of her hand and landed them on the top of the roof, their rotors refusing to move as their landing skid lay flatly on the rooftop.


    This had the effect of confusing the people inside at the sudden disposition from the air and onto solid ground, before battle instincts kicked in and they started shooting towards us.


    Needless to say, Oshurkova was faster in placing a barrier in front of us, blocking the incoming gunfire. Meanwhile, Odette approached the soldiers with irregular strides, a happy grin on her face all the while.


    Their bullets did no damage to Odette, the projectiles bouncing off of her skin like paper balls. This shocked the soldiers, whose gunfire abruptly stopped at the surreal sight.


    "Hey! Experiment number 3071 said zat he vanted to talk to you!" Odette yelled out, further confusing the soldiers, before her words were processed inside their brains.


    Hesitating to pull the triggers, since they observed firsthand how useless it was, their main leader, probably their company leader, approached Odette with a scrutinizing glare.


    His guard was raised, and flanking him were two more soldiers, guns trained on the clearly dangerous individual who had landed their helicopters in a second with just a flick of her hand.


    "You''re ze leader? Great! Experiment number 3071! Kome here, zey vant to talk now!"


    Contemplating my life choices up till now, I left the safety of the barrier made by Oshurkova and approached the deadly soldiers. At least, towards those who can be killed by bullets.


    "Greetings. Can you understand me?" The soldier nodded.


    "Yes, I can." Even though I knew he was speaking a different language, one that I was not well-versed in, I was able to completely understand his words.


    "Good."


    Well then, I hope I don''t fuck this up¡­

 Chapter 212 - Monke And Headache Inducing Negotiations

    This entire scenario was completely unrealistic by normal standards. Only because of us shrugging off their bullets was this situation possible.


    I''m not one to think of unrealistic situations, but if this is the hand they gave me, then I will do my best to milk out every single advantage it can give me.


    "Now, before we get to talking, can you please tell your subordinates to lower their weapons?" I glanced at the soldiers still training their sights on us. The lead soldier, the one talking to me, hesitated for a second. "Come on now, it''s not like the bullets will do anything against us. You''ve seen it first-hand."


    The soldier looked at me, judging if my words were a total buff. If this was any other militaristic country, I was sure they would''ve shot long before they were circling the building. Sighing, the soldier gestured towards his subordinates to lower their weapons.


    The guns were now aimed at the ground. I gave their leader an appreciative nod.


    "Now then, first of all, I would like to formally apologize for the destruction my friend over here," I gestured towards Odette, who waved at me with a manic smile, "has wrought upon your country. All of us here will gladly pay for the damages."


    Now, I may be setting myself up for doom here, but I''m the one holding the cards. Their guns don''t work, so they can''t threaten me. They also can''t threaten me with missiles and bombs because our Dungeons are located in separate dimensions, and the only way to enter them is through the Dungeon Portals.


    I doubt a nuke can be guided through it without bumping into anything before it reaches the portal.


    "We must first contact our superiors about your claims." Their leader responded with a stern gaze, his eyes holding fury at the sight of dozens of wrecked buildings, cold corpses, and destroyed cars.


    Nodding at his decision, I waited for him to finish talking with the man behind the radio. As we waited, Odette decided to stand right next to me, her body sticking close to mine like I was some kind of magnet.


    "Once ve get to mein Dungeon, experiment number 3071, ve vill be testingkt somezzingkt I haf been vorkingkt on efer since I laid eyes on you." Odette subtly nudged my arm, which caused me to look at her for a moment.


    Behind me, I noticed Oshurkova and Drake warily eyeing the soldiers surrounding us with their guns still in their possession.


    The radio sputtered off, and the soldier was giving me a baleful look.


    "Our superiors will want to talk with you, but you must follow us back to HQ." Raising an eyebrow at his statement, I looked back at my companions and shrugged.


    "Sure." Their leader did a double-take at my immediate acceptance, but otherwise, he ushered us into the helicopters.


    Thankfully, these helicopters were designed to carry heavy objects, which is why I had no qualms with entering the flying contraption. Not that I will be that injured when we do indeed crash.


    In addition, I also noticed my companions were separated from me, so in total, there were four helicopters escorting us to their HQ.


    ''This is so fucking unrealistic, but when the supernatural becomes real, then what is?'' My thoughts going unheard, I stayed silent the whole way as we made our way above the cities.


    Closing my eyes, I tried summoning my status, which I hadn''t seen in quite a while.


    Name: Jionni


    Age: 0


    Gender: Male


    Race: Gorilla (Hybrid)


    Class: Colossus


    Level: 24


    Exp: 5776 / 24000


    HP: 11350 / 11350


    MP: 3132 / 3132


    Str: 148 (+219) => 367


    Vit: 196 (+179) => 375


    End: 161 (+167) => 328


    Agi: 91 (+80) => 171


    Dex: 106 (+95) => 201


    Int: 97 (+125) => 222


    Wis: 96 (+125) => 221


    Cha: 65 (+10) => 75


    Luc: 1


    ''I still have no idea how to increase my luck. Does that thing even do anything?'' I thought about the luck stat and what it did. ''I wasn''t lucky or unlucky during my time in Praeccathae, and even then, most of the important events were because of the Gods. Luck had nothing to do with it, so what is it to my System.''


    Opening my eyes, I looked around the cramped passenger area of the helicopter, with soldiers staring at my every move. Sighing internally, I closed the status screen and decided to get some rest for the incoming peace talks with the head of the Japanese Self Defense Forces.


    At least, that was what I was expecting.


    []


    []


    []


    "We''re here." I opened my eyes when I heard a voice calling out to me. Looking at their leader, whose name I still did not know, he gestured for me to look out the window, and I saw a large compound filled with soldiers in green fatigues or black shirts.


    Pursing my lips, I saw the welcome committee, each of them holding a gun to their chest as they waited patiently for the helicopters to land.


    "Nice welcome committee. Just remember that most of it won''t work against those like me who are stronger." I commented aloud, which got the rest of the soldiers inside tense.


    The helicopter descended, and not too soon, landed on the platform. Being escorted outside, I was briefly glared at by the man at the front, before it turned into a neutral smile.


    "Ah, you''re here." The man approached me with a hollow smile as he put his hand forward. "My name is Kawasaki Katashi. Nice to meet you."


    "Likewise." Grabbing his hand, I gave it a good shake. "My name is Jionni, no last name. By the way, where are my companions?"


    "They''re being escorted to different parts of the compound for a tour. Once done, you will all meet back here. Is that okay with you?" I stared at Katashi for a moment before shrugging.


    ''Not like they''re in any real danger. I''m sure they can destroy this place and some more with just a few flicks of their arms.''


    "Sure, not like there''s anything we have to do at the moment, Kawasaki-san." The man raised an eyebrow at my use of the honorific, but otherwise, led the tour around their base.


    ''I''m also sure this is a show of force, but rather than bullets, they''re showing their numbers, and their¡­ Stronger weaponry.'' I thought as I saw a tank on one side decimating a quickly propped up shack with just a single boom.


    Whistling, I marveled at the scene of a tank making big booms against puny wood. Sure, it was a spectacle, but when you fought against a man who literally did not die until he let go of his sword, this big boom wasn''t anything special.


    Plus, I can manipulate fire and create an even bigger boom.


    "So, first off, I would like to talk to you about the¡­ savagery one of your companions has caused my brethren, Jionni-dono." I sighed as the first topic of our negotiations came up in an instant.


    "Yes. That is understandable, Kawasaki-san. But let me share with you one thing in terms of us Dungeon Masters. I''m sure you already know this by now because of the news from America?" Katashi nodded, and I continued. "In retrospect, Dungeon Masters have a "Do what you want," kind of mentality, and Odette, the girl who caused those deaths, isn''t any different. You should also learn that Odette isn''t a young girl; in fact, she is older than she looks. Dungeon Masters are ageless, our forms stuck in stasis the moment we are subjected to the role."


    Kawasaki stayed silent as he digested the information I gave him.


    "Disregarding the age of the girl, Odette is probably the least destructive of the destructive Dungeon Masters. She isn''t innocent, that''s for certain, which is why I''m not defending her for the sins she has committed. But you just can''t stuff her into a prison cell at maximum security and call it a day." I stretched out my hand and conjured a tiny flicker of flame, prompting the soldiers to quickly train their guns on me.


    "We have magic at our disposal, real magic. The ones seen in animes, movies, or books. It can literally bend physics to our whims at the cost of our energy. Your prison cells won''t hold her. There''s also the fact that guns and, to an extent, missiles won''t work on her." I recalled the time Odette ragdolled Oshurkova with just a simple punch. "She is physically stronger than she looks, capable of bench-pressing a 16-wheeler with ease. I doubt your bullets could penetrate her skin too."


    Looking directly at Kawasaki, who seemed to have an epiphany regarding our situation, even if he looked skeptical, I dismissed the hovering flame over my hand with a single motion.


    "Kawasaki-san, in the non-existent chance you were able to kill Odette, that still does not solve the problem. Odette is part of a group, a group that her sister, the girl who was covered head to toe, is the leader of. If she learns she died at your hands, nothing will stop her from getting revenge."


    Sighing once more, I looked at the sky with somewhat tired eyes. "Please just heed my warnings and accept their apologies and their concessions to you, and strive for peace. It doesn''t have to end with an entire country going under because of revenge."


    Kawasaki stayed silent as he listened more and more intently to my words. There is a chance that he will not heed my warnings or those of his superiors, but this is our best shot at not destroying a country and moving in the right direction for peace.


    "We will also gladly help you with any Dungeon related problems that crop up in your country. We aren''t the only ones that got transported here." Kawasaki quickly turned his head at me with narrowed eyes. "There are dozens of factions among us Dungeon Masters, some even going solo. What''s worse, a lot of them are hostile to those outside of their Dungeons and their allies. Trust me, you do not want to fight with them without our help."


    "I see.." Kawasaki was only able to utter a single response as we continued our walk through the compound.

 Chapter 213 - Monke With General

    Heading inside a building, the four of us were reunited once again. Without hesitation, Odette quickly stood by my side, as far away from Oshurkova as possible. Drake was beside me, letting out a yawn as he continued to eye the dreary halls.


    "When you''ve run around the entire world, these military showcases of power quickly kill all the fun." Drake stared flatly at Kawasaki, who seemed to have ignored Drake''s statement.


    "Before we all let you go back to where you are from, General Kinoshita Takahiro would like to speak with you." Kawasaki looked at me with an emotionless gaze. "Please, head inside."


    Raising an eyebrow, I grabbed the door handle and pushed the door open. Inside was something out of a fucking sci-fi movie.


    ''Okay, I''m pretty sure this wasn''t invented yet in the world. Then again, each country has their own military secrets that they would go out of their way to prevent from spreading word to the common populace.''


    Heading inside, I heard Drake whistle beside me.


    "Okay, gotta admit. I didn''t expect this."


    "Same." I shrugged as the four of us continued to head deeper into the room.


    The room was dark, with the only source of light being the giant screen in front of us, showing a shadowed figure of a human.


    "Greetings, I am General Kinoshita Takahiro." The silhouette''s voice echoed all around the room.


    "Greetings to you, General Kinoshita. I assume you already know this, but my name is Jionni, with no surname. This is Drake Espinosa, Odette, and Oshurkova." I pointed to each of my companions, garnering a soft snort from the man on the screen.


    "Yes, so I have been told." The silhouette leaned forward; his figure reminiscent of one sitting behind a desk with his elbows propped on the table. "I would like to ask all of you a question. Starting from you, Jionni."


    "Ask away."


    "From what I saw in the American news, you were in America a few hours ago, and now you''re here, in Japan, my homeland." Humming in realization, I opened my mouth to give my response.


    "Simple teleportation, General." The general''s silhouette didn''t move, but I could imagine the shock on his face. "Dungeons that are a part of a group have access to each other''s Dungeon via portals."


    "Is that so?" The general rubbed his chin as he seemed to mull over his next question. "Then you, Drake. Are you also a Dungeon Master?"


    "Nope. I''m just a freeloader." I deadpanned at Drake as he looked at me with a face that said, ''What''s wrong with what I said?''


    "That said, Jionni here is my friend, so no matter what, I will stick with him to the bitter end." His resolute voice brought a smile to my face as I looked back at the giant screen showcasing the silhouette of the general.


    "No need to be alarmed, Espinosa-san." The general waved his arm slightly. "I will not do any wrong to you unless you have done something horrible, which brings me to my next question."


    The general''s face was impossible to determine, but it was not that hard to estimate that he was looking at Odette, who had a carefree smile on her face.


    "Odette. For what reason did you cause these unwarranted acts of destruction against my homeland and fellow countrymen?" The fury and venom in his voice caused me to get slight goosebumps.


    "Experiments. Humans back in mein old vorld vere veak. I vondered if humans here are any different. Turns out, zey''re ze same." Odette shrugged as she kept on clinging to my side. If this was without context, people would assume Odette was just a normal girl.


    Nope, she''s a goddamn psychopath with no remorse for her actions.


    "Experiments?" The general now looked ready to blow a fuse. Quickly stepping in to salvage the situation, I raised my voice to get the general''s attention.


    "General Kinoshita, with all due respect, sir, the world these two lived in before is drastically different than in this world." Quickly spouting off bullshit that also had some facts in it, I continued with my impromptu explanation. "To put it bluntly, it is something akin to culture shock. In their world, death is just something that happens. A village being burned to the ground isn''t anything new to them, and they have been dealing with that for¡­ How many years?"


    "I''d say centuries." Oshurkova quickly supplemented, catching onto my plan no matter how stupid it was. "Our homeworld was plagued by wars, and until now, it still is."


    "But in this world, it isn''t." Standing up, the general roared furiously. "Do you know how many of my countrymen are crying out for justice? I will not lie to you, if our bullets would''ve worked, we would''ve shot you all by now."


    "And that is perfectly understandable." I agreed with his statement, throwing the general for a loop. "As I said, death is normal, moreso in these two''s world. But even then, actions have consequences, and those who commit the act of murder will sooner or later taste Death''s grip without warning."


    "However, I''m not here to discuss death and whatnot, I''m here to make a deal with you. Let Odette go, and she won''t bother you ever again. In return, we give you the right to trade with us."


    "Do you have any idea¡­ What you''re spouting here?" The general looked ready to grab a gun from under his table and shoot at the screen. "This isn''t something that can be swept under the rug! My people want justice, and we need someone to make an example of."


    "If you go that route, war against Dungeons that can appear in any location inside your country will happen. And you''re not dealing with soldiers with morals here. You''re dealing with survivors who will do anything to get another day to live." Oshurkova growled at the thought of her sister being made an example of, even if she was the root cause of their current problem.


    "Is that a threat?"


    "No, it is a warning. Even if you are in the right, that does not matter to us Dungeon Masters. You wrong us in any way, and we will retaliate. Your laws hold no power over us."


    "¡­ You''re testing my patience here, Jionni." The general growled and sat back in his chair with a sigh. "I want peace, and the only thing we need is a scapegoat. More deaths are unnecessary. Your companion has been recorded and posted on the internet. The video is circulating around the globe as we speak."


    "And you don''t want the scandal under your noses to grow even bigger." Sighing, I closed my eyes and shook my head. "We can''t give you Odette. Oshurkova here will make sure of that. And to be honest, Drake here can level this entire area with just a punch. I assume you''ve seen the recording those news reporters had taken back in my Dungeon, right?"


    "¡­ Yes, I did indeed."


    "So, threatening us is out of the question. I''m telling you here, please¡­ Just let Odette go and release a statement about how she was killed. Fake her death, for all I care, because if you don''t and pursue this route, things will only go badly on your side."


    "¡­ Leave."


    The screen then instantly turned off, plunging the room into darkness.


    "I presume your talks have gone wonderfully?" Kawasaki''s sarcastic remark entered my ears as the door behind us opened.


    "Yes. Thank you for your time, Kawasaki-san. General Kinoshita gave us the green light to depart."


    "¡­ Understood."


    Smirking, I grabbed a stone out of my inventory and held it in my palm.


    "Yep. Tell the general I sent him my regards. Also, is he wants to call me, use this please." Tossing him the stone, he grabbed it from the air and stared at it incredulously. "It''s a communication stone. It can connect with its partner stone and be used like a telephone. Anyway, until then."


    Grabbing another stone, this time the teleport stone, I used it and in an instant, my vision was replaced by a forest, with some primates glad to see me back inside my Dungeon.


    "A dick move on your part, Jionni, but one I appreciate." Drake smacked my shoulder with his hand, a grin forming on his face. "Their general was pissing me off."


    "¡­ Why? In my eyes, he had all rights to be angry and demand for justice."


    "I don''t know. Maybe I''ve spent too much time with me ol'' pal, the Demon King." Drake hummed before yawning. "Anyway, I''m tired. I''m heading back home."


    "Happy nightmares." He flipped me off and I chuckled.


    "So, zis iss your Dungeon. Nicht vhat I expected, but schtill good." Odette glanced around the forest and spotted the large gate leading to the Monster Town.


    "Eh, for a month or so old Dungeon, I can say this is goddamn progress." Odette jumped on me as she played on top of my shoulders, while Oshurkova sighed depressingly.


    "You two hungry?" They nodded, and I decided to grab some lunch before heading back into their Dungeons.

 Chapter 214 - Monke And The Response

    Taking a large gulp of water, I eyed the screen in front of me showing the aftermath of Odette''s unwanted attack on one of Japan''s cities.


    "A lot of destruction. Thankfully, we got there earlier to ensure no other needless violence could be dealt with by my sister and her Residents." Oshurkova sighed and drank a glassful of alcohol like water. "I need more vodka."


    "Bah, you vouldn''t know good alcohol until it hits you." Odette snarled as she drank a cupful of jagermeister in one gulp. "Zank you fur zis, experiment number 3071."


    "Don''t mention it." Waving my hand, I took the glass in front of me. Giving it an experimental sniff, I gulped all of it in one go. This was one of Drake''s favorites. I believe he called it Tanduay Ice?


    "So, vhen vill you kome to mein Dungeon? I know you are busy mitt your own Dungeon, but I kan''t help but be ecstatic to finally haf a villingkt test subchect!" Odette got up in my face in an instant, face flushed from all the alcohol she has been partaking.


    "Don''t worry, I plan on honoring my promise to you." I shrugged and dumped another glassful of alcohol down into my gullet. "So, maybe later. After I had settled my work inside my Dungeon."


    While I was explaining that to Odette, the door to the house barged open and in came Catalina, who was looking at me with a loving smile, before it turned into shock.


    "L-Lady Oshurkova? I didn''t know you were visiting?" She shrank slightly into herself as she saw her superior. "And h-hello to you too, Odette."


    And if she squeaked while she was speaking, I paid no heed to it.


    "Indeed, it has been a while, Catalina." Oshurkova smiled at the catwoman, who otherwise gave another nervous smile when she glanced at Odette, who was not impressed.


    "Do I know you, beastwoman?" Odette narrowed her eyes at Catalina, who shuddered slightly.


    "Yes, you called me experiment number 3052 before." Catalina smiled anxiously as Odette had a glint in her eyes.


    "Ah! I remember you now! You were the one I tortured with my new brand of aphrodisiacs." At the mention of that topic, Catalina blushed beet red as she fidgeted in place, refusing to look into my eyes when I focused on her.


    "Is that when you had that fling with Mela-!?"


    "No! Don''t remind me!" She rushed at me and placed a hand over my mouth.


    ''Damn, she''s strong.'' I noticed as I had some trouble budging her arms while holding back. If I went all out, I could''ve thrown her away, but I''m not doing that to my girlfriend. No sir.


    "Alright, your dark past aside, can I ask why you are here?"


    "What, can''t I visit my boyfriend?" Instantly, she went all defensive, garnering a smirk from the vampire.


    "So, you finally asked Jionni?" Catalina went red once more as Oshurkova gave off a hearty chuckle. "And here I thought you were the "Reject all boyfriends" type of girl."


    "In the past, I was!" Her voice reaching an octave higher, she realized the person she was yelling at was the person who was her superior. Shrinking into herself once more, she quieted down, but all Oshurkova did was give out a heartfelt chuckle.


    "It''s alright, Catalina, I understand." Oshurkova took another swig of vodka. "More importantly, Jionni, what did the leaders of the countries in this world have to say about the appearance of our Dungeons?"


    "Truth be told, they''re split 50-50, with one side wanting to go¡­ War with us because we are technically aliens to their lands, while the other half wants peace." I explained to the three. "The latter are smarter, because they seemed to have comprehended our threat more than the former. I guess wherever you go, some people will always remain the same."


    ''Throw them out of the gene pool.'' With my sense of humour, I thought to myself. Laughing slightly, I noticed Oshurkova humming to herself about the possibility of a war breaking out.


    "We should probably prepare for the worst in case they go through with war. Although, I doubt they would be able to breach past the first few floors judging from their weapons and equipment."


    "Yes, I agree with you on that, even if I know the terror their super weapons could deal to us if they indeed use them." Shrugging, I downed another glass of alcohol. "What''s the point if they can''t even target our Dungeons, which are located in a separate dimension within their lands? Even if they manage to destroy us, the damage they will cause to their own will negate any kind of victory they may even regale in."


    "Vell, if zey go fur var, zen more test subchects fur me." Odette grinned as she downed more alcohol. "Ahhh¡­ Perfect alcohol, unlike zis heazzen''s tastes."


    "Hey now, vodka is a better drink than your¡­ jagerwhatever." Scowling, Oshurkova chugged down the whole bottle of vodka.


    "You take zat back!"


    As the two sisters bickered with each other, I observed their shenanigans.


    ''Even when they are at each other''s throats currently, they are still sisters.'' Smiling at the two, I saw Catalina looking at the two with a smile of her own.


    "This just in, Japan''s Prime Minister Kuwahara Takehiko''s statement on the sudden appearance of a Dungeon within Kaintotsukawa."


    I looked at the screen with interest, as did the others in the room. Odette and Oshurkova forgot their fight and looked at the screen with thinly veiled interest, while Catalina was looking at the prime minister with a scrutinizing gaze.


    "Today, at 3:31 PM, our peaceful land of Japan has been attacked by unknown assailants." Everybody in the hall quieted as the prime minister gave his speech. "They have caused more than a billion yen in property damage, and at least a few hundred citizens have been killed within an hour of their appearance."


    "The casualty count is still rising, with the efforts of our military helping with search and rescue of the citizens still inside the city." The Prime Minister gazed directly into the camera. "We have also arrested the culprits for their transgressions, and will suffer the consequences, but their leader is still at large and is deemed a major threat."


    The picture of Odette was shown on the screen, albeit a blurred one since it was hastily taken by a citizen who had escaped the chaos.


    "From what we have gathered by the Dungeon Master inside of our allied country, America, Dungeons are stationary, so as of today, Kaintotsukawa is to immediately be placed under lockdown. Those who have homes inside said city and have no other alternatives will be evacuated and temporarily sheltered by the government until further notice."


    "Do not worry, my fellow Japanese¡­ No, my fellow human beings. We will do whatever we can to combat this new foe that has appeared in our world. That is all."


    And with that, the prime minister left the podium and was escorted out of the venue with his security detail.


    "Well, at least the man didn''t say a war was going to happen."


    The three other Dungeon Masters nodded as Odette quickly stuck to my side, garnering a growl from Catalina, but didn''t act on it due to her fear of the loli.


    "So, now zat you''re done listeningkt, kan you kome to mein Dungeon now?" Odette questioned with a beaming smile, clearly excited at the prospect of me being under her every whim.


    Without context, it sounded kinky, but with context, it sounded motherfucking terrifying. At least I have comfort that Catalina, who was once one of her test subjects in the past, is alive to tell the tale, no matter how embarrassing it was.


    "Sure, I''ll just tell Domino about me leaving the Dungeon again and then we''ll go." Catalina stared at me in abject horror at the mention of my being a test subject for Odette.


    Although I''m sure that neither Odette nor I had said anything about me being a test subject in front of her. I''ll chalk it up to her experience.


    "Wait, Jion! Don''t!" Catalina pleaded with me to not go marching into my death. In my response, I patted her head and gave her a kiss on the forehead.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll come back here. I promise, and I don''t break my promise to people who are important in my life."


    Letting go of her, I stared back at Odette, who was grinning from ear to ear now.


    "Let''s go?" Odette nodded her head like an eager child, and she stood up from her seat.


    "Chawohl! Finally, a new test subchect! Zank you fur zis vonderful khance, experiment number 3071!" Odette rushed at me to hug me with her tiny arms. A low growl escaped from Catalina''s lips, but this wasn''t from any kind of jealousy.


    "If you do anything harmful to him, I will kill you." Odette shrugged off her threat and grabbed my arm with her own frail-looking but incredibly strong arms.


    "No time to lose! Kome on, experiments await!"

 Chapter 215 - Monke And Experimentation

    "Papa¡­" I shrunk back at Domino''s fierce but expressionless gaze. "Why did you¡­ agree to this¡­?"


    "Because I keep my promises¡­?" My response came out as a question as my surrogate daughter glared at me like I was caught red-handed with my hand in the cookie jar.


    "Bad Papa¡­" An invisible arrow pierced through my heart as the heart-rending mewl escaped Domino''s lips. "Please¡­ Come back fine¡­"


    "¡­ I will¡­" Approaching the young girl, I patted her head before embracing her in a bear hug. Of course, I held back. I didn''t want to break the poor girl''s spine.


    "Are you done yet?" Odette stifled a yawn as she observed the exchange between Domino and I. "If so, zen experimentation awaits, experiment number 3071."


    "Yes, yes." Sighing, I let go of Domino and placed her back on the ground, a pleading look plastered on her expressionless face. "Be a good girl and wait for me at home, okay? Until then, please make sure that the residents don''t burn down my Dungeon. Also, spend some time with Mama when you can, okay?"


    "¡­ Okay¡­" Domino nodded, and I turned around to face a beaming Odette. Behind her, a newly formed portal heading directly to her Dungeon lay dormant until it began to activate, swirling green wisps of aura filtering out from the rift.


    "Come on! I kan''t vait fur our vonderful experimentations mitt each ozzer, experiment number 3071!" Odette chirped gleefully as she grabbed my arm and all but tossed me through the portal in an instant. As I flew, I saw Domino looking at me with a shocked expression before my vision was taken up by the headache-inducing rift of various colors.


    What''s worse, was that instead of walking, I was chucked in like some kind of baggage, making the trip all the more unbearable.


    Luckily, it didn''t take that long before I exited through the other side, my back hitting the ground with a soft thud. Groaning, I placed a hand on my head and looked at the portal with hazy eyes.


    A figure exited the portal not a moment later. Due to my still recovering vision, I couldn''t see that well, but I was fully certain it was Odette.


    Her height and build were the first factors. As for the others?


    "Schtop lyingkt on ze ground! Restingkt iss fur ze veak, undt restingkt vastes faluable experimentation time!" Odette rushed towards me and grabbed my arms before pulling me upwards, my legs quickly keeping balance of my body lest I fall to the ground again.


    "Urff¡­ Next time, please don''t chuck me into a portal like that, Odette¡­ Ugggghhhurrppp!!" Groaning, I felt something rise within me, and without hesitation, I looked for a corner and proceeded to vomit my guts out. "Note to self, never drink alcohol before taking a portal."


    "You pansy. Your liver might need some upgrades, however¡­" Odette hummed as she eyed my stomach. Not wasting a moment, I quickly shut her down.


    "No, my liver is fine, thank you very much." I didn''t want to have my internal organs experimented on, thank you very much. "Also, you didn''t tell me what kind of experimentation you were going to do with me."


    "Oh, right. I forgot about zat." Odette snapped her fingers as an excited smile formed on her face. "We are going to see if your sperm will be able to make babies with humans."


    "¡­ Excuse me, but what the fuck?" I looked at Odette with shock visible on my features, while the girl shrugged.


    "Certain monsters kannot impregnate humans undt demi-humans." Odette furrowed her brows as she rubbed her chin. "Such as ze ogres undt trolls. You haf ze same build as zem, but more humanlike, as such, I vant to determine vhezzer or nicht your sperm vill be able to fertilize an egg cell from a female human or demi-human."


    "¡­ You want me to fuck a girl?" Odette shook her head with a sigh.


    "No, I vant you to echaculate in a bottle undt I kan konduct mein experiment from zere."


    Sighing in relief, I felt my body relax at the response.


    ''So, it''s just like donating sperm¡­ Okay, I can live with that¡­ Except¡­''


    "What are you going to do with my sperm, anyway?"


    "Create artificial life mitt some egg cells I had gazzered from a few uff mein residents." In a heartbeat, Odette responded to my question with a very controversial answer that may have gotten a quick response from the media if they were here to hear this.


    Luckily, they weren''t.


    "¡­ Alright¡­ Just my sperm¡­ Right?" Odette nodded, and I sighed once more. "Fine¡­ I''ll do it."


    "Excellent! Now, kome, follow me to mein lab vhere ve kan begin ze experimentation!" Odette smiled happily as she grabbed my arm once more and manhandled me back to her lab.


    Looking around, I finally noticed that we were in some kind of tunnel with the occasional light post at regular intervals. Once I saw the exit, I was able to make out something from beyond.


    The last time I was here, we weren''t able to head in deeper because we were in a rush to exit the Dungeon so we could stop Odette. However, now I was going to get a full view of Odette''s Dungeon.


    At least a floor of her Dungeon.


    Exiting the tunnels, my jaw dropped as the entirety of the scene greeted my eyes.


    "Holy fucking shit¡­" Picking my jaw back up, I couldn''t help but let out a tone of fascination and awe at the scene before me.


    There were buildings scattered about in the area, with no regard to verticality or horizontality. Some buildings were built atop one another, and sometimes they were built right next to each other. But with either a slight or massive vertical difference.


    Imagine this: two buildings were placed next to each other. One was built on a high slope, while the other was built on a lower slope. But instead of a smooth, curving slope, it was a 90-degree slope.


    That''s how out of whack the architecture was here. If that wasn''t enough, it was heavily themed on one of the genres the media liked to portray during post-apocalyptic scenarios.


    Steampunk.


    "Damn¡­ I didn''t think your Dungeon would be like this¡­"


    "Zis iss chust ze first floor. Undt in mein Dungeon, anybody iss free to pursue zeir experiments, vizzin limits, uff kourse." Odette beamed at the praise I had given her. Patting her head, which she liked for some reason, she brought me to an elevator which brought us to the top-most floor of the tallest building in the steampunk city.


    As the elevator, or rather the lift, carried us in the air, I noticed the people within Odette''s Dungeon looking at her with both fear and worship.


    The fear I can understand, since with a leader this unhinged, there may have been some accidents in the past, although not lethal, from what I can gather with Odette''s behavior. But the worship part¡­ That left me stumped.


    But that was not what I was here for. I was here to uphold a promise with Odette, which I assumed was going to be worse than just donating sperm.


    Mulling over my thoughts, I failed to realize that we were now at our destination, with Odette pulling me once again as the guards eyed me with a critical gaze.


    Looking up, I marveled at the building in front of me. Looking at it from afar, it was hard to judge how it looked. But the closer you got, the more magnificent the building seemed.


    Intricate statues of knights lined the pathways perfectly, not a single one of them out of place. A red carpet was laid flatly on the floor, leading towards the stairs that connected the front door with the marble ground.


    Statues of gargoyles perched atop the corners of the building, all of them seemingly alive as they watched over the area carefully, their wings seldomly flapping in the breeze.


    ''From steampunk to gothic¡­'' I mused as I was brought inside the building by an overly-eager German loli.


    "Velcome to mein lab, experiment number 3071." Odette grinned as the interior of the building hit me like a sack of bricks.


    ''Screw this being a building that looked it had a lot of rooms, this fucking building is an entire room!'' I yelled out in my mind as the vast expanse of the building without floors or rooms greeted my vision.


    Various tables, chairs, books, and whatnot floated harmlessly in the air. Besides some of them, there were a few more people, some humans, other demi-humans, and the occasional monster, working alone or with each other on their projects.


    "This¡­ Is fucking magnificent, and at the same time¡­ Fucking terrifying." How many hazards were there in this building? There were also a bunch of objects packed closely together, and I was sure they were flammable.


    "Now, zis vay, experiment number 3071. Zere''s a prifate boozz here vhere you kan freely echaculate your sperm vizzout pryingkt eyes, or do it in front uff me or ze ozzers. Nobody vill kare." Odette shrugged as she reached for a jar and handed it to me. "If you don''t get some sperm in ze char in a few minutes, I vill personally ringkt it out uff you."


    Threatened by the German loli, I quickly made my way to the booth so I could.... I can''t believe I''m doing this¡­ Masturbate for experimentation and research purposes¡­

 Chapter 216 - Monke Is Sperm Donor... And Is Hard

    Done with the deed, I exited the booth after a few minutes, even if it felt like hours to me. I''ve already tasted real pussy, and sadly, ejaculating is now harder with only masturbation.


    I really had to ramp up my imagination about Catalina¡­


    Anyway, after all that''s done, I headed back to Odette, who was busy rummaging through some jars.


    "Vhere iss it¡­ Vhere iss it¡­ Aha! Zere you are!" Odette exclaimed as she pulled out a single jar from the stack of jars dangerously teetering to the side, but otherwise, didn''t fall like a heap of junk. "Undt you''re finally done mitt your masturbation, experiment number 3071!"


    "Please¡­ Don''t bring that up¡­" Sighing, I handed the jar filled with my cum to Odette, who took it out of my hands with an excited grin.


    Then she opened the lid and took a taste of my semen.


    "¡­ What the fuck¡­?" I looked at the girl in shock. She was opening and closing her mouth while making a contemplative face.


    "Hmm¡­ Taste uff semen suggests healzzy lifestyle. Zis vill increase experiment success probability by fifty-sefen percent!" Odette closed the jar and immediately placed it on the desk, my mouth still hanging open at the action she had just committed.


    "Odette." Getting the insane girl''s attention, she looked back at me with her head cocked to the side. "If possible, never do that again."


    "Hmmm¡­ Nein." Odette instantly denied my request with a smile as she continued fiddling with the jars filled with my semen and a jar that held¡­ an unfertilized egg cell, if what I presume is correct.


    I don''t even know how it survived inside the jar in the first place, but I''ll just chalk it up to magic and Odette''s genius.


    "Now, vhile I kheck to see if you''re sperm kan fertilize an egg kell uff a human undt demi-human, feel free to look around mein lab. Chust don''t touch anyzzingkt, ozzerwise, I von''t be held accountable if you lose your hent in ze process."


    Nodding at her warning, I took off from the small area where Odette was currently located. I did not want to be in the same area where a part of me was being experimented on, and whether or not I was going to be a dad, because technically, if the egg cell does indeed get fertilized, that would be my offspring.


    Looking around the lab, which was an entire building without rooms or interior walls or floors, I bumped into a person who was busy hauling about a bunch of books.


    Said books fell to the floor as the person I bumped into also fell down, a groan of slight pain coming from her mouth.


    "Ow, ow, ow¡­" I looked at the young girl, probably no older than 15, rubbing her head with closed eyes. "What did I bump into¡­ A wall¡­ But there''s no wall¡­ here¡­"


    She opened her eyes, and her words trailed off as she beheld my figure. While she did so, my mind had a hamster running in a hamster wheel because of what it was processing.


    Clich¨¦ anime moment.


    "¡­ Hi¡­?" My potato brain was only able to come up with the said response as the girl stood up and poked my stomach. "What are you doing?"


    "Just checking to see if your stomach is made of concrete or flesh." The girl kept on prodding my stomach, noticing the hardness on par with an iron boulder.


    I blame my [Unflinching] perk for that, but Catalina seems to like my hardness. And I, in turn, her softness.


    "You are incredibly hard¡­ Harder than steel¡­ Mind if I run some tests?" The girl looked up at my eyes with a pleading gaze. If there was no context, her words sounded like the sirens from police cars rushing at you with jailing intent.


    "¡­ Sure. What kind of tests do you have in mind?" Curious about what the girl''s test was, I accepted, and she beamed.


    "Great! My name is Hannah. And you are?"


    "Jionni." I held out my hand, and she grabbed it with her own. "By the way, not to sound rude, but how old are you?"


    "Me? I''m fifteen."


    "Ah¡­" Hannah''s head cocked to the side with a bit of confusion to my question, but otherwise, she dragged me to her spot in the giant lab. Of course, after taking all of the books on the ground.


    Her area had a bunch of tables all placed like goddamn shelves. How I knew they were tables and not an oversized shelf was because of their legs. They weren''t one bit connected, but for some reason, they were, courtesy of magic.


    Damn, magic is very versatile.


    On top of each table, stacks of books, beakers, vials, and other paraphernalia commonly seen in labs, both in fantasy and modern ones, lay present.


    "So, what kind of test are you going to conduct on me, Hannah?" I looked at the girl with a raised eyebrow, her lips forming a light grin as she shoved something into my arms. "And what is this?"


    It was a pure black rod with the length and thickness of a staff.


    "That, Jionni, is a hardness counter meter. All you have to do is smack it against yourself, and it will record your hardness and print out the results in this." She showed me a replica of a phone, with only numbers on its screen.


    "¡­ You want me to¡­ Hit myself with this thing? That''s it?" I asked the girl, and she nodded. As much as I may look like a masochist doing this, I did agree to do her experiment, so¡­


    "¡­" I smacked my stomach with the pole and let out a slight grunt. It wasn''t so much a grunt of pain, more like a grunt of motivation. Since who in their right mind would hit themselves with a metal pole, unless they were a masochist?


    That being said, the smack didn''t so much as hurt me in the slightest. I guess my perks and my stats are doing wonders for my body.


    "Hmm¡­ Even if you look like flesh and blood¡­" Hannah showed me the number on the counter.


    [82.69]


    "Judging by the counter, you are harder than a diamond, but far from the hardness of adamantite." Hannah explained while fiddling with the device. "Adamantite has a hardness rating of a hundred-fifty-five point twenty-two. With a hardness like that, it is possible to deflect some magic, even without magic resistance."


    "Good to know." I gave her back the pole, which she accepted happily. She then recorded my rating and added me in as a separate entry.


    [Diamond ¨C 75.81]


    [Jionni ¨C 82.69]


    "Anyway, thank you for your time, Jionni." Hannah gave me a sealed box as she pocketed the device. "Here, as thanks."


    "¡­ Do you really have to give me this?" She nodded, and I accepted. I didn''t want to be rude.


    Plus, free stuff.


    "If you want to conduct some more experiments about your hardiness, feel free to come back." Hannah gave me a pat on the shoulder. "As the resident expert on metals and anything hard, except for sexual intercourse, I can give you some details about how strong your skin is compared to metals. If you do get harder, however, come back immediately. I might have something to test on you if you ever get harder."


    Bidding her farewell, I left the area and headed back to Odette, which was a few minutes'' walk from here.


    A testament to how huge this building really was.


    Not bumping into anything or anyone this time, I made it back to Odette''s area without much fanfare.


    Which led to me quickly being seated by the insane German loli with a manic look in her eyes.


    "Experiment number 3071! You von''t beliefe vhat I haf found!" Odette grinned manically as she shoved something into my hands. Said something was a jar, the jar I used to store my semen earlier, specifically. I also noticed something new inside.


    "¡­ Is that the egg cell¡­?" Okay, I didn''t think I would be able to see one with my naked eye, but then again, the egg cell is the largest cell in the human body.


    It looked like a white speck, which was incredibly hard to see inside the jar filled with white semen, but my enhanced eyesight proved useful in this situation.


    "Yes it is! You need a microscope to see it klearly, but zat''s nicht necessary. I kan chust schow you mein findingkts!" Odette grabbed the jar forcefully and laid it gently on the table, before looking straight at me with a grin. "To be frank, your sperm has a hundred percent chance uff fertilization! If ze egg cell iss present, zat iss."


    "¡­ Wait¡­ repeat that to me again?" I looked at Odette with growing horror. She repeated her words and I immediately grabbed her shoulders with such force, the air around us boomed slightly. This didn''t faze Odette, however. "How sure are you?"


    "Ein hundred percent. Ze graphs don''t lie. I''fe already mixed your sperm mitt sefenteen different egg cells, all uff zem now fertilized undt iss on its vay to ze blastocyst schtage in a few days." Odette grinned madly and patted my shoulder. "Congratulations! You are goingkt to be a fazzer!"


    As my growing horror continued to reach an all-time high, a huge realization struck me on the head.


    ''What the fuck am I going to tell Catalina¡­?''

 Chapter 217 - Monke And Good(Maybe Bad) News

    Panicking slightly at the thought of being a father, Odette increased said panic by telling me some more things about my¡­ sperm in union with the egg cell in the jar.


    "Also, fur some unknown reason, mein defice kapable uff tellingkt vhat kind uff race ze newborn vill be told me zat all uff fertilized egg cells only had female genders, as vell as takingkt ze species uff ze mozzer."


    My panic slightly subsided at the thought, a sigh of relief escaping my lips as the future of a dozen monkey me''s running around the Dungeon with grins on their faces.


    Actually, that sounds not that bad when taking into account my gorilla body.


    "Wait, hold on¡­ How many egg cells were fertilized again?" I asked Odette, a sweat dropping from my face as she gave me a huge grin.


    "Ein hundred undt fifty-two!" I grew pale at the number. "It''ll take nine monzzs before zey kan be born, undt after zat, I''ll send zem to your Dungeon."


    As Odette told me this, I could only lament my current circumstance.


    ''Why the hell did I accept doing this again¡­?''


    []


    []


    []


    After everything was all said and done, Odette had no trouble letting me go back to my Dungeon, since the experiment was all over.


    That, however, did not lift the metaphorical cloud hanging above my head as every step I took brought my hunch even lower.


    ''How am I supposed to break this to Catalina¡­?'' My thoughts always keep on circling around this one topic.


    Am I supposed to go, "Hey, Lina, I''ve got a hundred babies coming in the future," or should I say, "Lina, help me with child support."


    My humor was once again acting up to help me stay sane in my current predicament. My feet landed on solid ground after being teleported through the portal.


    "Jion! You''re finally back!" A demi-human missile crashed into my body. My figure refused to budge as Catalina rubbed her head against my chest. "Did Odette do anything to you!?"


    "¡­ No, nothing physical¡­" I winced slightly at the delay of my response, garnering narrowed eyes from the catwoman. "Mentally, however, a lot¡­"


    "¡­ What did she do to you?" Catalina growled, and I sighed. Might as well come clean.


    "Okay, so Odette, and you might want to brace yourself for this, wanted me to masturbate so she could conduct experiments with my semen."


    "¡­ Okay, first, what the fuck? Two, that''s just plain disturbing. Finally, what the fuck?" Catalina looked at me with a grimace.


    "Yeah, I was just as shocked as you when she told me about that, but it gets¡­ worse¡­" A frown made its way into my lips as I stared directly into Catalina. "By the way, have you been experiencing anything¡­ strange lately?"


    "Strange? What do you mean, strange?" Catalina cocked her head to the side slightly, her cat ears twitching ever so slightly.


    "Like pregnancy symptoms." At my question, Catalina froze as she looked at me with wide eyes, which then turned into a full-blown blush as she turned her head away from me. "Well then, fuck me¡­"


    "Jion! Don''t say that! Even if I knew it was bordering on sarcasm or humor!" Catalina quickly brought her finger to my lips, her blush still not disappearing from her face. "And yes, I''ve been¡­ experiencing said symptoms lately¡­ I guess¡­ Congratulations to both of us¡­?"


    "¡­ Ughh¡­ This would''ve been a happier occasion if I hadn''t agreed to Odette''s experiment."


    "Why? What''s wrong¡­ Oh¡­" Catalina pursed her lips as she realized what the uses of semen were in experimentation. "How many¡­?"


    "One hundred and fifty-two, all currently developing and will be born in nine months." Catalina froze at the number before she glanced at the portal behind her.


    "¡­ H-how¡­?" She looked back at me, and I just shook my head.


    "I have no idea, except that my semen can impregnate a woman with a hundred percent chance of success." Catalina pursed her lips.


    "¡­ When we have sex next time after the baby is born, you''re going to pull out before you cum. Or cum inside my ass. I don''t want another baby this early."


    "You read my mind. I already have my hands full with Domino. Just imagining at least a hundred children¡­ Yeah, I''m going to need some help." I shivered at the prospective future.


    Oh, the pain of changing diapers. I worked as a babysitter once, since I needed the cash, and diaper changing was forever going to be an S-level threat in my mind.


    Much more, if the poop was so stinky, it could''ve been used as chemical warfare during the world wars on Earth.


    "¡­ So¡­ Should we celebrate?" At my question, Catalina just chuckled before linking her arms with mine.


    "Sure. While we''re at it, why not plan the wedding?" Catalina wiggled her eyebrows with a smile, prompting me to laugh slightly.


    "Are you proposing to me? Isn''t that supposed to be the other way around?" Catalina just scoffed at my response.


    "Hell no. If I waited for you to propose, it would''ve taken a lot longer." Catalina leaned her head against my broad arms. "Sure, we''ve only been together for a few weeks, and it might be rushing it. But can you call it rushing it if we both want it?"


    Looking into her eyes, I could see something hidden deep within. Something more than just love and adoration.


    Desperation.


    Recalling the talk we had back during the Dungeon Games about her past, something clicked. She isn''t just clingy because she was born like that. She wanted someone to be with her during her loneliness.


    At least, that''s what I got, but I''m pretty sure I''m not that far off the mark.


    "I''ll think about it, but not right now. Right now? I just want to sleep and cuddle with you and Domino. I''ve had enough thinking for today, and my potato brain can only handle so much. As I palmed my forehead with my free hand, I felt a headache coming on.


    Catalina relaxed a bit and nodded. "Sure, if that''s what you want. But if possible, can we hold the wedding here on Earth? This place feels¡­ Safer than Praeccathae."


    "Well, you''re right about Earth being safer than Praeccathae." I snorted as I nudged my head against hers.


    Between choosing to fight against a nuke that can not reach you or people that were as strong as Drake, I would choose the former. At least Earth had no magic bullshit and ran on logic and physics.


    At least, I hope it does. If there was indeed magic hidden beneath the surface of the Earth, then maybe recruiting them wouldn''t be such a bad idea.


    That is, if they accept submitting to me.


    []


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    ~ Third Person POV ~


    This is not what he had in mind when he started the day.


    Today was supposed to be simple. Eat some breakfast, go to school, hang out with friends by either playing MOBAs or FPS games, go back home and do some homework or some other shit.


    Not run into doomsayers lugging around signs about the end of the world and were hellbent on forcing people to repent for their sins.


    ''Stupid people.'' The young man sighed as he entered an alleyway that he frequented whenever there was heavy traffic on the main road.


    Or sidewalk.


    Passing a stray cat rummaging around a dumpster for food, he felt his hair stand on end when he reached a certain distance away from the open road. Clicking his tongue, the young man dropped his bag and turned around.


    "What do you want this time?"


    A figure emerged from the shadows, its form ambiguous and without features, except for two streaks of white where its eyes would be.


    "Daniel. We have a new job for you." The figure approached, its shadowy form blending with the darkness.


    "What is it this time?" The young man, now known as Daniel, stood stock still as the black shadow approached him. "I thought this month was supposed to be my vacation?"


    "Plans have changed. The appearances of these new magical entities have altered the course of the prophecy." This got Daniel to raise his eyebrows.


    "Oh? That bad, huh?" Daniel hummed as he cupped his chin. "What did they say?"


    "It shall be on the day that the day is longest, those gorging on the weak shall act.


    When the day comes that a dry rain descends upon us, the outsider shall mark a generation of strife and an age of conflict.


    When the day comes that Earth itself intwines with new, two enemies shall usher forth the downfall of civilization.


    It shall be then, when heaven and earth have been forced to equal ground, shall a new God ascend and hold the reins to the distant future."


    "¡­ Okay, a lot of vague points, as usual. But the rise of a new God? That is something we need to plan for." Daniel breathed in heavily through his nose as he kept on pondering the prophecy. "I assume this is about the Dungeons appearing and what they have in connection with these new God?"


    The shadow nodded, and Daniel sighed.


    "And, if I''m following you correctly, you want me to infiltrate said Dungeons. Is that correct?" Another nod. "Great, just my luck."


    "You will be handsomely rewarded if you accept this request."


    "And I will. Just give me a day to prepare."


    "As you wish. I shall tell my masters about your decision. Until then, may the shadow dance in your favor."


    As the figure blended itself into the shadows, all Daniel could do was pick up his bag, sigh, and head back home.


    "I hate my life¡­"

 Chapter 218 - Monke And A Gift Horse

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    "Morning." Waking up to the face of my soon-to-be wife smiling at me was something I did not expect yesterday.


    "¡­ Morning." Yawning, I got up from the bed and stared into the eyes of the catwoman, who was looking at me with a Cheshire grin. "I know that face¡­ And something tells me¡­ What the hell are you wearing?"


    I puckered my lips as my eyes adjusted to the light, now fully viewing the figure that was Catalina. As of now, she wore what seemed to be an apron¡­


    And nothing more¡­


    "Okay, I have to admit, waking up to see you like this excites me, but aren''t you pregnant?" Catalina only stuck her tongue out as a response before she pouted.


    "Aww¡­ You''re no fun. At least give me the scene where you blush at my figure."


    "When have I ever blushed? Also, I don''t think I can blush." My words put a damper on her mood. "That doesn''t mean I can''t feel embarrassed."


    "¡­ Are you embarrassed?"


    "No." After I gave my response, I rose from the bed with my body in full view, a T-shirt comfortably hugging my upper body and shorts on my legs. "Anyway, where''s Domino?"


    "She''s in the gaming room playing some¡­ Online games, she said."


    Humming in realization, I remembered that after being transferred back to Earth, one of the first things I did was connect to the internet with the applications I had downloaded here. It only cost a few DP, and who was I to deny the glorious thing that was the internet?


    Not only was it a treasure trove of information, ranging from the mundane to the necessary, but it also housed one of the best things mankind had ever created.


    Online entertainment, whether it be movies, anime, or in Domino''s case, gaming.


    I checked her gameplay before we slept, since Catalina wasn''t all that big on games, and I can say this with pride. She''s a goddamn beast.


    She can make a seasoned pro competing on an international stage look like a goddamn scrub in her presence. Whether it''s incredible mechanical skills like dodging skillshots in MOBAs with precise inputs or inhuman luck like no-scopes in FPS games.


    One thing was for sure: I wouldn''t want to get on Domino''s bad side if we ever fought against one another in a game. Not that I would get on her bad side, though.


    That said, she''d already handed my ass to me over and over again when we played some games together.


    "Better not disturb her then." I chuckled when I remembered the meme of a mother telling her son to pause the game when there was no built-in pause button. "Anyway, judging from your lewd outfit, I assume she''s already had breakfast."


    "Yup. Only the two of us are left." Catalina chirped as she hugged my arm with her two breasts, her tail once again snaking around my waist as her cat ears wiggled.


    Sighing, I petted the catwoman, and fondled her ears.


    "Do you know how cute you look right now?" Giggling slightly, Catalina all but purred at my hand rubbing. "By the way, is it alright for you to be leaving your Dungeon this much?"


    "I''ve already handled everything there, and unless something urgent happens, which it won''t since my Dungeon is located in the middle of a forest, I can stay here for a month." Catalina beamed as the words came out of her mouth like a river. "Isn''t that great! A month with you!"


    Smiling, I patted her head once again as we continued our trek to the dining room, where we had our wholesome breakfast together.


    Nothing lewd happened during that time frame.


    []


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    []


    Dungeon Resident Income:


    DP Earned: 25,901


    EXP Earned: 12,447


    DP: 1,516 => 25,901


    Seeing the numbers really hit home how much I''d lost during that raid. Closing the tab, all I could do was look to the future and learn from my mistakes so that they could not happen again.


    I''m glad that those living in my Dungeon took it well, what with all of them already having accepted the fact that some of them might die during invasions. But that was par for the course in a world where monsters roamed the lands, seas, and skies.


    But at least the people here are taking the threat of Dungeons seriously now that one of the cities has been attacked and has been put on lockdown for the foreseeable future.


    "Hey, Jion." Looking over my shoulder, I saw Catalina, now dressed in her normal clothes, twirling a pair of knives in her hands. "I did some scouting of the area outside your Dungeon with my one my skills. Don''t give me that look, I was safe inside your Dungeon the whole time. My skill involves my mind being thrown into¡­ what you could say as an astral projection where I can go wherever the hell I want, as long as it is within a few kilometers."


    "Hmm¡­ Useful for scouting." My previously narrowed eyes softened into understanding as her words entered my ears. "Though, I would''ve liked a heads up about that."


    "Yes, yes. Anyway, I''ve learned a lot during my espionage. I know for a fact that you''re in the dark about the area around your Dungeon because you''re scared of ordering your primates to go and scout it, what with all the technological advancements these humans have. So, I might as well make myself useful while I freeload in your Dungeon."


    "¡­ Go on." My curiosity piqued, I continued to listen to Catalina''s report.


    "First of all, the school you''re Dungeon''s in has been placed on lockdown, with a rotating squad of sentries placed just outside of the portal. None of them are keen on entering, though."


    "I already knew that, but thanks for reminding me. I know the general gist of things, but not the specific kinds, because the news on TV tends to focus more on the overview than on the specifics."


    Catalina nodded and continued.


    "Next, the city has been continuing as normal, but there are a few¡­ Scratch that, a lot of notable things are happening all around." Catalina frowned slightly, causing my lips to quiver. Was it something bad? Something threatening?


    "There have been these humans wearing signs and proclaiming about the end of the world as they parade about on the streets." My tense figure vanished into thin air at her words.


    "Okay¡­ Aside from those, what else can you tell me?"


    "Yes, this one is more pressing. I have seen an exchange between two humans about your Dungeon. There is also something you should know. Magic exists here." The moment the word "magic" left her mouth, that was the moment I knew a storm was brewing.


    "¡­ Well, this is bad." I frowned as my brain racked up countless possibilities about the magic on Earth. "When I lived here, magic was known as a fairytale. As far as the majority of people living on Earth know, magic does not exist. But what you''re telling me indicates to me that magic is indeed real on Earth, and we have no idea what kind of magic."


    "Yes." Catalina nodded, and I sighed.


    "This is going to be a pain in the ass." Leaning back on the seat, I glanced up at the ceiling for an untold amount of time. While I was wandering through my thoughts, a weight placed itself on top of my lap, catching my attention.


    Looking at the perpetrator, I saw Catalina with her eyes filled with worry. She then leaned her head on my chest as her tail wrapped around my waist¡­ again¡­


    "You really like wrapping your tail around me."


    "It''s like wrapping you around my finger, but better." Catalina purred as she rubbed her head on me. Glancing above, I breathed out heavily, before patting the catwoman sitting on my lap.


    We stayed like that for a couple of moments, the two of us basking in each other''s presence. Deciding to turn on the TV to shift through the news, I caught something that might work in my favor.


    "A hurricane has been predicted to pass through Massaware City¡­ It is categorized as a super typhoon, with wind speeds reaching up to 190 miles an hour¡­"


    As I continued to listen, a plan began to form in my head. Massaware was close to the shore. Storm surges could be a thing, and from what the newscasters are saying, there is still a high probability for the typhoon to grow in strength.


    Yikes, that''s one nasty typhoon.


    As it stands, there will be countless amounts of property damage and various casualties, even with the evacuation. The typhoon will land tomorrow, since it''s already been broadcast a week ago, and the people had already panic bought even before my Dungeon had arrived.


    That begs the question, though, the people parading with signs that the end is coming¡­ Are they idiots?


    A storm is brewing, and they''re out there saying some doomsday bullshit instead of preparing? What the hell has humanity come to?


    I can understand if they''re homeless or a street urchin, access to a TV or a radio would be hard for them, but for working adults? Yeah, that''s some next level idiocy if I have to think of one.


    Anyway, disregarding those thoughts, a grin appeared on my face as a plan continued to grow in my mind.


    "Lina, can you hold the fort for a while? I have something to do." Getting off of my lap, the catwoman gave me a smile and I left the house with the TV still on.. ''Time to get Drake.''


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 Chapter 219 - Monke And Partnerships

    "Wait, magic is real on Earth?" Drake got up from bed the moment he heard the terms "Magic exists" and "Earth" in one sentence. "Holy shit¡­ What kind?"


    "That, I have no idea about yet." I cupped my chin as my ass sat comfortably on the couch near Drake''s bed. As for why there''s a couch in Drake''s bedroom, why the hell not? "But from what Catalina said about her¡­ espionage sessions¡­ There was something about slinking into the shadows, and possible teleportation, as well as divination."


    "¡­Damn, the common folks have been missing out. But that''s probably for the best." Drake sighed. "Think about it. With the world as it is, you think the appearance of magic would benefit human society as a whole, but noooo¡­ Bunch of assholes and idiots up top might as well push for a new world war, because reasons."


    My fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest, I leaned on the backrest as I savored the comfort of the couch.


    "Yeah, anyway, that''s not what I''m here to tell you about." I leaned forward, elbows on my knees and hands interlocked with each other in front of my face. "I''m here because I want a bodyguard."


    "¡­ You want to go out? Where?" Drake quickly caught on to what I meant as he narrowed his eyes."


    "To meet with the president or someone who can give my suggestion the go-ahead. I have a proposal for them, and if their firepower is much higher than I anticipated, then you''ll be my shield."


    "¡­ Of fucking course." Drake sighed as he palmed his face. "So, when do we go?"


    "Now." Standing up from the admittedly comfortable couch, I eyed Drake as he groaned and got out of the bed.


    "Alright, you slave driver." Drake put on his fuzzy slippers as he yawned. "Let me go take a bath first and get ready. If you want to go meet them, why not dress up for the occasion?"


    I blinked at his suggestion. Actually, why hadn''t I considered doing that?


    "Damn, Jionni. Even if your body has changed, you are still the same as that antisocial guy from back then." Drake snorted as he covered his mouth with his hand, laughter threatening to burst out. "You had no sense of formality, unless you were forced in school."


    "¡­ Right¡­" I facepalmed, before leaving the man to himself. While he did so, I quickly headed back to the Dungeon Core Room so that I could take a bath, and get dressed.


    Would a gorilla wearing a tuxedo look weird? I dunno, I might as well do so. At least I''ll look classy.


    []


    []


    []


    "¡­ Drake¡­ I¡­ What¡­ How¡­ Okay, I admit, you caught me off guard with that suit." Drake''s mouth quivered as he stared up at me.


    Why? Do I look off? When I looked at the mirror, I didn''t see anything wrong.


    "What''s wrong?" I asked the flummoxed man, his eyebrows twitching slightly.


    "What''s wrong? What''s wrong!? Your entire suit is what''s wrong! It feels like I''m staring at an abomination!" Drake cried out as he grabbed the tuxedo with his hands. "Your coat isn''t buttoned up properly! Your collar is messy! What''s worse, the entire thing looks like it''s a size too small for you!"


    I winced at the volume of his voice. Thankfully, we were inside his house, so nobody could peer inside since all of the people here knew not to mess with the man living inside this house.


    "Ugh¡­ Just¡­ Just let me fix this, alright?" Drake sighed before he continued to do what he had just said. As he did so, I stood still and silent as he fixed up everything that was wrong with my current attire.


    After a few minutes of standing still, Drake went silent, his grumblings finally quieting down as he clicked his tongue.


    "Alright, no matter what I do, you won''t look any better. At least you''re presentable now." Taking a look at the mirror, I hummed as I took in my figure¡­ I didn''t look any different, however, aside from the neatness f my clothes.


    Looking back at Drake with a questioning gaze, all he did was sigh and facepalm.


    "I know that look. Just¡­ Just trust me on this, okay? Your fashion sense is out of whack." Drake took in a deep breath as he looked straight at me. "Alright, let''s go?"


    "Sure. We need to hurry though. Time is not on our side for this plan." Drake nodded before we both ran out of the house and sprinted towards the entrance of my Dungeon.


    Various monsters, humans, and demi-humans waved to us, but otherwise stepped aside from our path. Thanking them in my mind, it took a few minutes to reach the Dungeon exit with our sprint.


    Thanks to my stats, I didn''t sweat or feel winded. The same could be said for Drake, who was looking at the exit with a neutral face.


    "So, how are we going to get past the guards out there?"


    "Just announce ourselves. They won''t take the shot when we come up front that we want to talk with their leader again." I shrugged and hoped that my first option would work. "Plus, I doubt they will, seeing that we are impervious to their bullets."


    "No, you are impervious to their bullets. I can still stop and dodge them though." I cocked my head at his statement.


    ''For all his strength, even a bullet can damage him. Well, I guess that''s the downside of not owning a System that literally makes your body as hard as goddamn steel.''


    "Anyway, we should get a move on." Both of us stared at each other for a few moments before we moved towards the exit simultaneously.


    []


    []


    []


    "Good day to you, gentlemen." Even as gun barrels pointed themselves at me and my companion, Drake, I stayed neutral. "I assure you, we aren''t here to cause any trouble. We''re here to make a deal with your leader, and the current predicament you are going to face¡­ Was it tomorrow? Yes, tomorrow."


    The two people guarding the entrance to my Dungeon tensed as their aims shook slightly.


    "It''s about the super typhoon coming to this city. I wish to help the people here." The two of them tense up even more. Letting out a mental sigh, I continued with my words. "Please just call your superiors. If you shoot, well, you wouldn''t want to know what happens next."


    As much as threats don''t work against soldiers with guns here, the only reason it worked was because I am an iron wall, capable of deflecting bullets with my bare skin. They knew how futile it was to shoot me, and so, without any options left, one of them took a radio and messaged one of their own about movement.


    Even with how quiet they were, I was able to hear them clearly with my enhanced hearing. No doubt, Drake heard them as well.


    "Uh¡­ Jionni, sir?" I nodded, a bit glad that they remembered my name. "Our captain would like to speak with you."


    They lowered their guns, but were prepared for any hostile intent from both me and Drake, which would not happen unless they gave us a reason to.


    One of them opened the door and, standing outside, was our escort. She was a young one, probably fresh out of boot camp.


    And totally expendable in case something goes wrong.


    "Sir Jionni, please follow me." The girl stood ramrod like a statue, her limbs trembling slightly, but her voice was clear and fierce. Even if her body showed what she was currently feeling, she was ready to lay down her life for her country.


    Impressed by the girl, I nodded and followed her through the hallways. Drake was trailing behind me a meter away.


    The trek was silent, with the occasional soldier patrolling the hallway giving us a mean glare. All in all, things were going well.


    A few minutes of walking later, and we were approaching the exit of the school. As we got out, the sun shone brightly against my face, causing me to raise my hand to shield my eyes.


    ''This one hot day¡­ Well, the typhoon will be strong then, no doubt about it.'' I mused as a man in green fatigues and various badges decorating his chest greeted me with a stern gaze.


    "Greetings, Sir Jionni. Lieutenant Colonel Jared Barker, commanding officer of this here garrison." The man put his hand forward, and I moved to accept it. Shaking each other''s hands, we both retracted them and he stared at me with suspicion in his eyes. "May I ask the reason for your visit this fine day?"


    "Yes, fine day. Tomorrow, not so." I shook my head slightly. Jared was already catching on to my purpose here. If he was stationed here, he must''ve been informed about my Dungeon, as well as the specifics.


    Most importantly, the part where I get currency for the number of people staying in my Dungeon.


    "To be frank, I''m here to help you with evacuations for the people staying in this city. I will gladly take them all, free of charge, until they can move back to their homes after the typhoon." The lieutenant colonel narrowed his eyes even more at my offer. "Of course, I will treat them all with respect. You have my word on that as a leader, and as a former human who lived here in the past."


    For a while, Jared stayed silent, the rest of the soldiers around us tense for an order. Until the silence was broken...


    "Let me call my superiors to see if they will accept your offer."

 Chapter 220 - Monke And An Agreement

    "Sir Jionni, our supervisor would like to meet you at the Town Hall. Our soldiers will gladly escort you." Jared gestured to the five or so men and women standing at attention behind him.


    Nodding at their decision, I nudged Drake, who was eyeing the soldiers with a critical eye.


    "Verdict?" I whispered, and Drake narrowed his eyes at them for a few seconds longer before shrugging.


    "No threat. Most they could do is shoot the equivalent of BB''s at us, minus the pain." I hummed before following Jared towards the prepared vehicle that would drive us towards the Town Hall.


    Once inside, we were given a brief lecture on what and what not to do. Nodding my head every so often, to prove that we were indeed listening, the vehicle, a Humvee, revved up its engine and began its drive.


    It was a miracle that we all fit inside due to my large stature. While the soldiers spent the time in silence, monitoring mine and Drake''s every move, I looked out the window and saw a bunch of people hustling about.


    Some of them gave a few glances at the Humvee barreling down the street, but otherwise, they focused on their tasks, which I assumed were to get ready for the typhoon landing tomorrow.


    There was a typhoon a few years back that laid waste to a country''s region. From what I gathered, it took half a year to restore power and half that to restore water. Very damaging when speaking of the contemporary era.


    Even just losing power for a day is enough to make sure life for an ordinary person is hell, much more so if he had a job overseas while working at home.


    "Hey, Drake." As the silence was pierced by my voice, Drake raised his eyebrows as he glanced at me.


    "What?"


    "Have you ever wondered what happened to your friends after you died?" Drake pursed his lips as the soldiers around us listened intently to every word that came out of my mouth. This wasn''t information I was too privy to, just normal, everyday conversations.


    Drake shook his head, and I continued.


    "Well, for the most part, they were heartbroken. I think one of them even had a crush on you." Drake looked at me with two raised eyebrows. "Hey, don''t look at me like that. I may have been antisocial before, but I am good at observing."


    "¡­ Right¡­" Drake dragged out his words, cringing a bit due to my¡­ somewhat stalkerish nature before my reincarnation.


    "Anyway, point is, I think they miss you. If we get the humans on board with my plan to help, try talking with them when you have the time." Drake averted his gaze as he drowned himself in his thoughts.


    Our brief conversation now over, the soldiers stopped straining their ears and focused on watching us with their peripheral vision.


    ''Drake is still guarded. Not much of a talker in the presence of strangers.'' I mused silently as the vehicle continued its drive through the busy road.


    []


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    []


    "We''re here." The driver said as he got out of the Humvee with the other soldiers. Opening the door for me and Drake, the two of us squeezed out of the tiny entrance, mostly me.


    As I got out, I noticed various people looking at me with their phones held out. Some of them were recording, while others were taking pictures every moment they did so.


    ''What? First time seeing a gorilla wearing a tux?''


    As much as I wanted to say my thoughts aloud, I remained silent and stared directly at the man who would either make or break my plan here.


    The soldiers who rode with us here quickly set up a perimeter so no bystander could come close to the two of us.


    "Greetings." The man walked down the stairs, three stars lining each shoulder. "General Winchester, I''m pleased to make your acquaintance."


    The man put his hand out and I shook it.


    "Jionni, no surname." Retracting both of our hands, the two of us stared at each other for a while, the silence suffocating the area. "As you have already learned from your men, I am here today to offer you a helping hand with the incoming super typhoon."


    "Yes, I''ve heard from Lieutenant Colonel Barker about your proposition." The Lt. General said with a slight smile. "After bringing up this topic with our president, we have agreed to send those willing into your Dungeon for evacuation."


    "Wonderful. Although, shall we discuss this topic more in private?" I eyed the bystanders, all directing the cameras of their phones towards us. There was even one who held a high-quality digital camera, taking pictures of us.


    "Indeed, we shall." Winchester looked around and headed inside the town hall, where Drake and I happily followed. Exposing ourselves may be necessary, but damn it if it ain''t giving me a bit of anxiety.


    I guess this is par for the course for an introvert like me.


    As we headed in, I noticed some soldiers already setting up perimeters outside the town hall so the curious bystanders couldn''t enter the building. It was probably to either box us in, which I doubt would work given that I had the Teleport Stone on me at all times, or to keep some unsavoury people out.


    I''m leaning towards the latter, since I''m pretty sure they want to keep themselves in my good graces. After all, anything in their imagination will be available to them as long as I agree.


    Walking into a room, I was prompted to sit down on the couch provided so that we could start our discussions.


    []


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    []


    ~ Third Person POV ~


    "Evacuations have started in Massaware city due to the incoming super typhoon, now aptly named Haiyan." Daniel sighed as he stuffed his clothes into a travel bag. Once done with that, he stuffed into another bag his consoles, and his pc.


    "Yo, Dan. You also gonna evacuate to that Dungeon?" Daniel''s roommate said from across the room as he also stuffed some of his baggage into travel bags.


    "Yep. I''m curious about the elves. Don''t tell me you ain''t curious about them." Daniel narrowed his eyes before his roommate scoffed.


    "Curious? Hell, I''m goddamn excited. To hell with the typhoon! I just want to see real-life catgirls!" Daniel chuckled as his roommate cheered with stars in his eyes.


    "Hey, Pol, don''t get too excited now." Daniel smirked as he recalled the scene from the news yesterday. "Wasn''t that one catgirl incredibly close to that gorilla Dungeon Master? Could it be?"


    Humming in thought, it wasn''t long before Daniel''s roommate''s face turned green.


    "Ugh, motherfucker¡­ Please don''t insert bad ideas into my head." His roommate flipped Daniel the bird.


    The two of them then chuckled as they continued to pack the stuff they were bringing with them.


    ''Too bad I ain''t there just to see the sights¡­'' Daniel''s face turned grim as he remembered his task. ''A new God¡­ huh¡­''