The Dungeon Cave was getting more and more popular by the day. Since its inception, the number of adventurers had risen sharply, and it was just a matter of time until the 1000th card was printed. The overall progress was within the System’s expectations. (But well above Jin’s!)
Most of the adventurers were able to reach the Praying Mantis on the fifth floor, but beating it still proved a challenge without the necessary teamwork which many were still improvising on.
Starting with the sixth floor, the difficulty had ramped up by a notch, most notably in the form of more complex traps like falling nets and poison darts. The floor featured Boar Knights, who usually went around in groups of 3-5 decimating unprepared or weakened groups who had fallen victim to the various contraptions. (Jin was starting to think that he should formally recruit these Boar Knights for the extra manpower.)
Even on the seventh floor, it took the leading adventurers more than a week until they eventually managed to defeat the newly introduced Boar Knights riding 6-Legged Boars on the seventh floor. Considering that the dungeon’s layout was different every time they entered, some swore that those monsters had some sort of a 6th sense. The Boar Knights seemed to know exactly where the adventurers were given the times they had been stampeded to death despite a wide corridor.
Soon, most of them believed that their fighting was noisy, especially their armour and that was precisely why the merchants had begun selling a type of magic scroll that reduced the sound of their armour. Some even bought a unique item from the merchants called ‘fireworks’ where it was used as a distraction against the boar knights.
Yet, seeing how those fireworks were actually kind of pretty, many also bought it to play with it although the merchant did warn them to be careful with it since it is highly volatile. Should any fire incidents were because of them, the adventurer guild might revoke their license.
In part of that, Zhi Nu began to inform the System to prepare fire extinguishers and placed them in various buildings in case of fire. In the meantime, the System also ensured that the buildings in the Dungeon City Fortress compiled with fire safety standards. (Because despite Qiu Yue’s insistence on fire safety compliance, the System was strapped on cash and had quietly skipped that step until now.)
Eventually, the leading adventurers were barely able to complete their achievement, and the Adventurer Guild made a notification via their boards.
Apparently, someone had discovered a sort of herbal plant that emitted a scent which the Boar Knights couldn’t stand as part of the distraction tactic. It not only distract them but weakened them significantly. The most crucial detail was that the herbal plant was dropped as part of the loot by the elemental Undeads, or they could be sparsely found within the third and fourth floor.
Thus, it didn’t take long for gathering quests to be issued out and the merchants to start selling special bottles containing the concocted solution.
As long as one would smear their weapons with it, they were guaranteed to have an easier time contending against the monsters. All of this was, in fact, a clever plot arranged by Zhi Nu who headed the Adventurer Guild.
With the Weaver Girl taking care of the Dungeon Cave, Kraft was free to fully concentrate on his newly promoted role as Underground Crime Boss (or Bandit Lord as Jin referred to him).
He had initially been busy turning the Orcs with underworld experiences into full-fledged gang members ready to his bidding, most importantly teaching them about proper information gathering. To ensure this, he had made them open the favourite pastime establishment of any adventuring group.
‘The Fox Den’ tavern became the surface Headquarters of their gang and the proving grounds for his impromptu ‘followers’. After a few days, Kraft received the first reports of what they had uncovered. Amongst many unnecessary wife tales, there were some promising pieces of information.
Rumours had it that there was an elfish settlement deep in the Forest of Marve. Though it was further below the border town of Gob Gob Bu, it was still within the Goblin Northern Region, yet no one really dared to trespass into that region.
Hearsays mentioned that King Sol had charted up a restrictive zone within the Forest of Marve and proclaimed that anyone who dared enter within that particular forest would be responsible for their own safety.
However, there were no goblins stupid enough to live anywhere near that particular area much less within the proximity radius of the forest.
The Forest of Marve exuded an aura outside the comfort zone of the quite resilient goblins who had survived even the harshest of tortures.
Some gossips mentioned that the pillaging Orcs not too long ago had lost a team of highly skilled raiders attempting to shorten their distance by going through it. Regretting their actions all other teams had taken a much longer route to attack the other goblin villages
Naturally, this had piped Kraft’s interest, and his new gang could use such a fearsome reputation. Hence he had summoned his foxes for a little excursion.
“Hooooo. No wonder nobody wants to come near the forest at all.” Kraft sniggled as he was greeted by dead decomposed bodies, with bones sticking out of whatever dead flesh was left, hanging along the perimeter of the forest. It was a clear sign that nothing good was beyond this point, and only demise awaited the visitors.
Though Kraft had no doubt he could handle everything by himself this was supposed to be a pleasant little excursion, so it was time to give the foxes an opportunity to exercise themselves once in a while.
“Tsu, Kai,” Kraft called out to his two most used companions. The black foxes emerged from the sides of the trees, but instead of their usual fox forms, they were out in the open in humanoid forms.
Tsu and Kai had been the most promising Clan Head candidates of the Wolf Clan, and as they appeared in their humanoid form, the foxes also retained a fair part of their identity. Similar to Kraft, the two Wolves were wearing their traditional Wolf Full Battle Armour in the past.
Cladded with full metal plate cladded with Wolf designs on their spaulders, chest and even their helm with the shape of their past insignia, Kraft laughed at them and told them to change to something simpler.
“No need for full battle mode. They aren’t that dangerous. We are here to subjugate not necessarily exterminate… unless they want us to.” Kraft waved his hand and chuckled as the duo changed into something more similar to Kraft.
Battle Leather Jackets, with a wolf insignia design at the back of it. Needless to say, a Fox insignia was seen at the Arm Patch of the jacket. Both had their ornate wolf masks (with a little fox spirit at the top) equipped, combat Boots and military grade cargo pants as well as a holster that allowed them to hold their swords, Tsu and Kai knelt right in front of Kraft, awaiting his command.
“Follow me,” Kraft ordered as he sauntered into the forest without a single care for the warnings placed at the front. Not even five minutes into the woods, several killing intents flared up as arrows were zooming straight towards the trio. Tsu and Kai defended the unflustered Kraft with ease by slapping the shafts of the arrows away with their palms.
However, there was one arrow that slipped past their defences as it came from behind them from a point which should have been a blind spot of the two guards… yet Kraft stopped it with just two fingers. After which he picked the arrow up and inspected it for a moment before throwing it aside.
“Not your usual arrows and boy it sure stinks! You guys like to put poo on your arrows?” Kraft asked, but the only answer came in the form of a wide magical circle appearing right beneath them. Kraft sighed unwilling to do anything himself. “Kiyu, your debut.”
“Aye Sir~!” The royal purple furred fox emerged from within Kraft’s long jacket as she turned into her humanoid form. Her own combat leather jacket had the insignia of a butterfly on the back, with the Fox Insignia being on her Arm Patch as well. Dressed in the very same attire as Tsu and Kai with the difference being her tight shorts and lace-up long combat boots reaching up to her knees.
Kiyu unbuckled her weapon from the holster slamming the sword, still in the scabbard, on the ground, breaking the magic spell that was about to be cast. At that moment, the sudden attacks halted, and though still hidden, they could feel numerous pairs of eyes staring them.
They appeared to be waiting for something or someone. Shortly after, a silhouette stepped forward and was still partially hidden within the trees. While it was not intending to fully revealing itself, the humanoid silhouette started to address them.
“No human mage has ever managed to break our spell before. You may have our attention for a minute. Speak.” Kraft deduced it had to be an attendant, diplomat or maybe just a person speaking their human tongue.
The fox looked around and waited for the System to analyse the language the elderly silhouette used to order his people to prepare another salvo in case these strangers had malicious intents. As soon as the System confirmed that it had found a language matching the other’s party to 96.9% accuracy, the fox asked it to translate.
“Two Words. Be Mine.” Kraft demanded with a confident tone as he sent out his crushing chi aura enveloping the entirety of the forest. It was strong enough to visibly affect the leaves on the trees. They trembled under the vibration of the aura Kraft had emitted. His companions meanwhile were unaffected by his chi and actually enjoyed those eyes in the forest diminishing. Some who had hid behind the trees fell to the ground most likely crippled.
“Ahhh… my bad. It’s been a long time since I could stretch my chi. I’ve always been bad at holding bad~. Oh well, we can call over Pei to fix them up later… Nah that takes to long, let’s accelerate the process and simply hand them over to the System right now.” Kraft rationalised and with a small ‘hmmph’ sound and a nod, Tsu and Kai began throwing kunais at the unconscious looking elves, causing them to disappear.
The Elderly figure had been luckier than its companions. Still breathing shallow, he went forth to boldly intercept Tsu and Kai simultaneously.
Kraft smiled since the charging elf had revealed he was no ordinary elf.
It was a Drow.
