I took a deep breath, trying to determine the best path for my hasty battlefield experiment. I lowered the tiny sapling against the obsidian, only my protection preventing it from burning immediately, wondering whether what I was about to do was possible in the first place.
My experiment was hasty, but not baseless. My first reliance was what I had observed from the thousands of farmers who had lived in the dungeon. I had watched them play with the nature of many different plants with ease, their changes ranging from cosmetic to fundamental.
Then, there were my own experiments from Wisdom forging, allowing me to imbue and transform the metal with various concepts, which I could do even without the assistance of the dungeon materials, though their presence helped.
However, even with both of these advantages, I wouldn't have tried it if it wasn't for the assistance of my Wisdom. It had already surpassed two hundred at this point, providing me with the necessary burst.
With three advantages combined, I was hopeful about the success of my rapid battlefield experiment. I pressed my finger against the sapling, but didn't provide any mana before I killed a lizard and dragged its body toward it, hoping that it would make good fertilizer.
Only then, I provide the seed with a blast of Health, doing my best to focus on repelling the fire-tainted energy. As I did that, I brought my Wisdom to the surface, doing my best to empower the effect, just like I did when I used decay as a casting method.
The small sapling burst into life in my hands, its roots spreading through the lizard rapidly, and started using its mana as a basis for growth, while repelling its tainted energy at the same time.
However, as it grew, I maintained my focus on its conceptual refinement rather than its actual growth, hoping that it would work, similar to how I used Shaper to create my newest weapons, always containing and sharpening the concept.
As the tree grew, it started to warm up, but it was different from the scouring heat of the dungeon, more similar to the warmth of a campfire than a reckless volcano.
The tree continued to grow, especially when I threw a few more carcasses to supply it with energy. Merely half a minute later, I was looking at a completely new tree, one that reminded me of a redwood, which had already passed my height.
"Passable," I muttered as I spent a moment analyzing. It didn't truly repel the scorching wind from the other dungeon or the tainted energy, but it did weaken the aura. Considering the speed of the experiment, it was all I could hope for.
Most importantly, it didn't repel the insects.
I snapped a large branch, and used it as a source for saplings to rapidly create a half-circle around the breach at the cost of depleting all of my mana and half of my Health.
The change was visible. Immediately, the sensation of decay started to recover. Not a lot, as it was still significantly below the level of the fourth floor, but the change was good news. I thought about adding a second line, but a peek at the dungeon entrance was enough to dissuade me.
The fighters of the third wall on the Northern side were running away. I could imagine one method of triggering such an escape.
Thomas had decided to join the battle.
I retreated away from the obsidian before I prepared to open a gate, but just as I prepared myself, I realized that I had a choice. Should I open a gate to where I had last disappeared, using it as an attempt to ambush Thomas, or join defenses directly?
But, as I watched Harold somehow maintain a semblance of order even in the chaos, I decided to pick the first path.
My discussion with Rosie was correct. We had to deal with Thomas, once and for all. He might be a cowardly general, but in the right hands, he could be a very dangerous weapon. He needed to be dealt with.
I opened the gate to where I had just disappeared, ready to fight. But, to my surprise, there was no enemy around, allowing me to move underground toward the target, using the same view to watch Thomas. It was harder to see through the dungeon gate when I was outside, but it was still possible, which was how I understood exactly how things were going.
At this moment, Harold was bravely handling the retreat into the second walls, while Rosie had been darting between boss monsters, ensuring that the defenses were not overwhelmed.
Before I could burst out from under them, a surprise appeared. Thomas's mount had suddenly lost its life, which happened without any outward sign. It was almost certain Rosie was responsible, but how, I had no idea.
I was very glad that she was on my side.
Unfortunately, it looked like a flying mount wasn't Thomas' only reliance. Even as it continued to plummet, Thomas levitated using his power, retreating rapidly, still surrounded by a shield of mana as he tried to get away.
Too bad for him that he chose the most direct path, causing us to cross paths. Instead of digging desperately forward, I moved upward, right under the metal floor, and took a second to absorb enough tainted energy to replenish my mana.
Then, I ripped a piece of metal, and started pumping it with all the concept of decay I could afford. Thomas was reliant on his artifacts, and what better way to deal with him than finishing him off.
When he was above me, I burst out, throwing the new javelin directly at him. It was an easy hit, and his magical shield gained a greenish hue. More importantly, he started dipping down.
"No, help me!" he shouted in panic. Which was easy to ignore … but the reaction of the rest of the lizard army was not so much. The horde of beasts that was trying to close in on our defenses changed direction, all chasing me.
Whatever allowed his flight had been hampered, but not ruined. He continued to move away even as he lost altitude. I did my best to chase, but with every single beast and man targeting me, it wasn't as easy. Especially since a literal wave of beasts seemed determined to cut my path.
I still tried to cut a direct path, but a thick blue shield appeared in between us, stalling my progress. Once again, it only took several blows from my hammer to take it down, but it was enough to let him retreat a greater distance.
I needed to slow him down, I decided as I slammed the ground, fashioning several glowing javelins, and throwing them ahead of him, the explosion enough to stop him from flying. But, another flying boss monster caught up, giving him another mount.
One that died even before it could pick up speed.
I wasn't too surprised. Thomas committed his latest mistake when he pulled the whole army to cut my path, which freed Rosie from the task of keeping the boss monsters away.
With his new mount down, it gave me a chance to strike with another javelin of decay, forcing him to come down even faster. "No!" he shouted again, the beasts gathering around him like a wall.
A wall that was far weaker than he could imagine. I moved forward, brandishing my hammer, each full power blow killing at least one boss and injuring several as it spread. Soon, the wounds started to accumulate, each blow killing multiple boss monsters.
A siege, but this time, he was the one that was desperately defending. His attempts to fly away were prevented by Rosie, while I shattered his defenses before he could complete them. With that, Thomas was locked in his place, surrounded by nothing but monsters.
He tried to send a message. What and how, I had no idea, but blocking it had been easy, as its destination was the path of the broken gate that his men used to invade the dungeon. Just to be on the safe side, I blocked it with a subtle flare of my own, which went unnoticed.
Once he sent his message, he changed his strategy, and doubled down on his defenses. He hid behind several layers of overlapping mana shields, and threw even more dungeon bosses at us. His strategy was clear, force the destruction of the dungeon, which would in turn force me to abandon him.
Unfortunately for him, he had no idea I had already dealt with his team of mutants.
However, while his defenses were ultimately futile, they were good enough to delay us several minutes. Not that it didn't come with certain rewards of its own.
[+5 Vitality, +4 Strength, +3 Dexterity, +5 Essence, +3 Wisdom]
[+5 Vitality, +4 Strength, +3 Dexterity, +5 Essence, +3 Wisdom]
[Meditation of Decay (Mythic) - 121]
Levels and one skill improvement weren't the only benefits. The long battle had been enough to supply the dungeon with enough mana until it actually started replenishing my mana. Slower than usual, which indicated the danger continued, but at least, the worst had passed.
"I surrender —" he started once the last shield shattered. Unfortunately for him, I had no intention of accepting it. I could have justified it as his Charisma making him a dangerous prisoner, or his connection giving him too many options.
The issue was simpler.
After everything he had done, he deserved no mercy.
One last hammer blow, and the war ended.
At least, the current one.