Chapter 120
Chapter 120
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Civil War in the Dungeon
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Right after Balrak's group departed for the training grounds.
The city on the 50th floor, Astera, was shrouded in a tension so thick even breaths were held cautiously.
Under the command of Chief Supervisor Alterion, countless beings bustled about.
"Alterion! Should we evacuate our witches too?"
"The giants and ancient ones will form the core of the magic circle, so the witches can fall back to the rear. Or do you have support personnel available?"
"We do. Where should we assign them?"
"The northwest anti-air network is a bit thin, so send them there."
"Got it~"
"What about our vampires?"
"It'd be good to have them ambush underground near the invasion points."
While Alterion, Ella, and Serena were adjusting personnel,
a frivolous voice approached.
"Hey~ Kids~ I brought Mabel!"
"Ughhh... Laihel, stop shaking me...."
Laihel was grabbing the boss of the 93rd floor, Fairy Queen Mabel—who had skipped yesterday's banquet to sleep—with one hand and shaking her.
"Good work bringing her. Put Mabel over there then."
"Mabel, if you're gonna sleep, do it there."
"Mmm... Good night... And fighting..."
Thud!
As a single fairy fell asleep in the center of a magic circle, the very air in the city shifted.
"It's amazing how that tiny body holds such immense mana."
"That's why she's survived for so long."
The Fairy Queen's vast mana, enough to astonish even supreme beings, would now serve as prime fuel for the magic circle.
Preparations were fully complete.
As everyone conducted final checks,
Zwaaaaaang!
The sky tore open.
From that black wound poured heterogeneous beings with pure white bodies, masks, and wings.
"They're here."
"Looks like they didn't spend the year just lounging either."
"But all I see are small fry?"
There were no powerful entities in the sky at the moment.
These enemies pouring from the heavens were clearly the vanguard.
"So they're planning to overwhelm us with numbers first."
"Probably."
Beep!
"Activate defensive magic on priority."
At Alterion's command, the city's defensive magic activated, forming a massive dome-like barrier.
At the same time, the numerous beings stationed in the city activated the siege weapons prepared for urban defense.
So many projectiles launched from ground to sky that it looked like the earth and heaven had flipped, raining down.
The grotesque enemies—barely even alive—plummeted like falling leaves, unable to even scream.
"Garbage raining from the sky. When are we gonna clean that up?"
"Laihel, don't get complacent. It's their turn to make the next move."
"So what's coming? Mana jamming? Disguised charge? Internal infiltration via dimensional rifts? Self-destructing variants? Resurrection? Or—"
Laihel began rattling off the enemy's possible plays.
The answer came soon enough.
The moment the mutilated corpses touched the barrier, they exploded.
Strange powders scattered with the smoke.
"Ooh! Corpse bombs! Biochemical attack too!"
"A classic scorched-earth tactic. Activate purification devices immediately... Gthula, can you analyze it right away?"
"Hmm... Familiar components. With a little time, I can whip up antidote magitech."
"I'll lend you my undead then. And Laihel, fetch Shaiyel."
"Why the fallen angel?"
"We'll need air support later."
The corpse-based biochemical bombs proved ineffective.
Soon after, enemies infiltrated the city via dimensional rifts or teleportation.
Slash!
"Repair the dimensions quickly!!"
"""Yes, sir!!!"""
City forces centered on Siren were already deployed to handle any intruders.
Research into the various authorities Alterion had seized had also resulted in disruptors suppressing those alien powers, placed throughout the city.
Moreover, any powerful foes that pierced the concentrated barrages to reach the barrier...
"Hahaha! Fine prey!"
"That's mine!"
Elite squads of mighty dungeon bosses sliced them apart in seconds.
The enemy tried mana jamming, encirclement annihilation formations from all sides, and more.
But as these were perfectly countered, were they getting desperate?
Whiiiiiing!
KABOOM!
A massive pillar of light descended from the sky's wound, slamming into the barrier enveloping the entire city.
So immense was the force that cracks began forming in the barrier.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
But despite the relentless hammering, the barrier held firm, and focusing repairs made recovery faster than the damage.
Laihel, assigned to special ops, had nothing to do and was analyzing the battle.
"It's true attackers have a massive disadvantage in sieges, but I didn't expect this big a gap."
"They're in a real hurry right now."
With nothing to do like Laihel, Zarkan—on standby as special forces—slipped out in a smaller form to watch.
"In a hurry... Come to think of it, those guys are split into factions, right?"
"One side unilaterally led the invasion, but what happens if it's a total failure?"
"They lose all their influence!"
The radicals, having drawn their swords, were desperate for results.
And with the invasion underway, the moderates surely knew by now.
Would the moderates then join for the radicals' sake...
'Ah, no choice! We'll support you right away!'
...and merge their forces?
Arms might bend inward eventually, sure.
But with the factions this divided and emotional, they'd oppose just to oppose—guaranteed interference first.
"So they have to inflict damage somehow. Just like that."
"Pfft, finally making their entrance?"
Where Laihel and Zarkan's gazes converged, certain beings appeared.
Cloaked in veils of light, they scowled, clearly displeased with the situation.
As the managers began shouting something,
Zarkan preemptively struck with a breath attack.
KABOOOOOM!!
As fierce flames swirled across the entire sky, Zarkan roared.
"Ambushing without a word, then resorting to talk now that your power fell short?! Utterly pathetic!!!"
"Damn you! Filthy lizard!"
"How dare you!!"
With Zarkan's provocation enraging the managers, greater caution was needed now.
Zarkan and Laihel hurried back to command.
"Lich, chance those are clones or illusions?"
"High possibility. So Shaiyel, if you would."
"Leave it to me."
"Hold on! Can I come too?"
"Laihel, you?"
Whoosh!
Laihel unfurled black wings.
"For safer travels!"
"Heh, a demon and angel fighting side by side—what a sight. Join if you want."
"Um... I'm a fallen angel, though..."
"Never mind that. Shaiyel, how's the air force?"
"They've got magitech for fatal wound evasion and various combat aids, so they'll do."
"Biochemical attack?"
"Antidote magitech already made."
"Good! I'm heading out first!"
Laihel grabbed a bracelet from Gthula, drew his weapon, and soared into the sky.
KABOOM!!
This red meteor closed on a manager in an instant.
As the demon swung his scythe-like weapon, the manager tried to block—
Slash!!!
"Urk?!"
He clearly blocked, but the reality-warping strike severed one of his arms.
Thanks to Laihel's solid vanguard role, Shaiyel's air forces took flight.
A fierce battlefield unfolded in the skies.
Now the real game was on.
They could trap them in sub-space right away, but...
The longer they dragged it out, the more managers would appear. Cards to hide must stay hidden till the end.
Alterion infused mana into a signaling device...
"What?! The city's under attack?!"
"They're repelling it now."
"Oh."
Word reached Balrak.
**************
My god! A battle that huge broke out!
Yeah, the dungeon merchant faction was massive.
So the managers' faction had to be even bigger!
But I was worried about those guys I met yesterday.
"Bellesa, is the city taking heavy damage right now?"
"All evacuees are already safe, so no real casualties. If anything... some buildings are wrecked."
"Hm?"
What? Why avoid that?
No, wait!
Yesterday with the branch chief, we predicted the managers' invasion.
And they said they'd prepared.
Ahh... Grandpa Sun-tzu was right after all!
Wars are won before they even start!
"Balrak bro, you thinking of joining the fight?"
"Shouldn't we? They're our allies."
"Then we'll fight too."
"Can't stay back when big bro steps up."
Good kids, loyal ones.
I told them to stick together this battle.
"Front line: Pudong-sibling, rear: Odong-sibling. Retreat immediately if heavy damage incoming."
""Got it!""
Alright, bodies warmed up, weapons all drawn.
Signaled Bellesa, and the instructors saluted us as the alchemist approached and shouted.
"Balrak sir! Till next time in better circumstances!"
"Yeah, looking forward to it!"
"Everyone! Battle could erupt anytime—stay alert!"
"Got it. And you heard? You all be careful too!"
""Yes sir!""
Pew—!
**************
Balrak's group returned to the city amid explosions of light and thunder from the sky.
"Whoa~ So the allied and enemy factions were that huge?"
"H-Ha... Filling the sky like that..."
"But why no city damage?"
"Because we prepared thoroughly."
Most fighting seemed airborne now.
Even with that massive invasion force, no city damage felt off.
But no losses on our side? Perfect!
As we geared up to charge in,
"Hold up!!!"
"Hm? Who's that...?"
"It's Gthula from yesterday!"
The octopus-head we'd drunk with approached.
He handed us bracelets and briefed the situation.
"What?! Biochemical terrorism happening?!"
"City's fully purified inside, but outside's different. These bracelets make it harmless though."
"""Ooooh..."""
Dungeon merchants were just too competent.
Biochemical terror though? The nerve!
"One question. Our spells and projectiles from inside don't get blocked by the city barrier, right?"
"Yes? That's correct, but..."
"Good enough. So which empty sky has no 'our side'?"
"Uh... That side over there has none."
"Perfect!"
KABOOM!!
The moment I stomped, crushing the earth.
Shockwaves rippled through my frame.
Muscles swelled across my body.
Strange energies within me rampaged, white aura surging forth.
Coiling and condensing in my fist, it turned a blood-red star.
The pent-up pure force itself erupted from my thrust fist.
KABOOOOOOM!!!
From the shockwave?
Nearby buildings crumbled entirely, dust billowing.
The unleashed pure power surged endlessly skyward.
Heterogeneous foes in that patch of sky were obliterated on impact.
Soon after.
Amid all eyes, I stood on the battlefield.