Prince Corbin moved forward to scout the area around the final oversized Naga in the dungeon. This was likely to be the hardest fight of all, and it was almost certainly designed for ten fighters of equal power, but none of them really knew what quality of fighters the black and white robed man at the dungeon entrance meant.
The fact that they didn’t recognize those robes or the God that they belonged to concerned Tessa, as they looked like a cleric’s robes, but in the middle of a city full of potential enemies, they weren’t going to start asking questions.
Corbin returned to the group and made a quick diagram in the dirt. “There is a Naga of some sort, oversized like the last one, and at a similar power level. The tents around the Naga boss are empty, but I suspect that won’t be the case once we attack. Either there will be Naga summoned into them, or portals will open to bring in assistants.
The outfits make the oversized Naga look like a Royal, and this one seems to have male anatomy, a more muscular upper body, wide pecs instead of rounded breast analogues. So, I would call it a Naga King.
I don’t know what it will do once we’re in combat, but there are weapons all over the platform.”
Karl nodded along as he took in the information. “So, it sounds like it’s a melee combat type of opponent. Avoidance will be key in taking it down. With four arms, it will be able to fight like multiple opponents, and the tail is likely to be dangerous as well.
That shouldn’t be anything that we can’t deal with if it’s near the same level as the last one. But the issue will be when more Naga show up. We should try turning it around so that the mages and less armoured combatants can stand near the stairs, away from the tents.”
Alice drew a mark on the diagram. “If we’re here, it should be good, provided that the Naga King can be turned around. We just need to worry about the reinforcements coming down the road instead of from the tents.
But will the two of you be alright at the far side?”
“Three of us. I will take Thor with me and Corbin. That should be enough to keep it facing us, I hope. If the reinforcements come from behind you, withdraw your Golems to hold them off.” Karl suggested.
Corbin smiled. “Good planning skills. I hope that your skills match up to your confidence.”
Karl chuckled as he looked at his skill points. He had enough for another upgrade, so if things got really bad, he would grant himself another skill to make up for what he was lacking.
Alice looked toward the sky. “We should send Hawk up to scout the area and make certain that we didn’t miss anything. Now that we’re almost out of enemies, it should be safe enough.”
Karl motioned for him to comply, and Hawk took off, circling the swamps searching for opponents.
[Nothing, just that big one.] He confirmed.
[Stay up high, and you can join the fight after we get him turned.] Karl replied.
“Hawk says we’re good.”
Karl and Corbin rushed past the King, like they were going to attack its back, and Karl summoned Thor from his space once they were in place, getting the fight started with the King facing away from the ramp.
The others joined from the steps, with Rae’s Golems moving forward to engage from the sides, far enough forward that the King wouldn’t have to turn around to look at them.
That made it look like a five on one from its point of view until the mages and lower ranked Spellswords began their ranged bombardment.
The wounds stacked up at an insane rate as Corbin focused all his energy on parrying all four swords and keeping the King from landing a single strike.
It was becoming a lopsided battle, and Hawk’s fireballs were searing away scales all over the creature’s body.
As they had expected, the King eventually cast a barrier over itself and let out a battle cry that made dozens of Naga appear on the path toward the platform and from the tents.
The Spider Golems turned to face the ones from the nearest tents, while Karl dealt with the few that were behind them.
The mages would be engaged for a while, but between Rae and the Spider Golems, the Naga Warriors who were summoned weren’t a major threat. It was the steady stream of enemies coming up the ramps that was the real issue.
At the moment, Corbin was stuck on defence, so the only ones landing any hits on the boss was Rae, while Thor and Karl dealt with the additional fighters.
Lacerate was doing its job, and the floor was covered in Naga blood, but the boss wasn’t showing many signs of weakening as it threw down its small swords and grabbed two larger ones from the ground, holding each in two hands from the same side of its body.
Even Corbin couldn’t properly parry those with the brute strength of the much larger Naga King, and Karl was forced to roll out of the way of a downward slash.
The moment that the last of the warriors from the tents fell, the tents were blown back by a wave of water magic as a spectral version of the shaman boss joined the fight.
[Take this, evil water snakes!] Hawk called happily as he dive-bombed the platform.
It took Karl a second to realize what he meant. There were what appeared to be Naga eggs in one of the tent sites, and Hawk was going for them.
[No!] Karl called out an instant too late, as Hawk tossed his prized snack into the mental space.
It landed in the fourth beast space, which immediately filled with the strange swamps and long grasses of the Dungeon, while the egg sunk into the mud and waters.
[MY SNACK!] Hawk wailed as he realized what had happened.
[Get your brain back in the fight. We’re not done yet.] Karl reminded him. He would remove the egg later, and the space should reset.
Or at least he hoped that would work. He managed to take Thor and Rae’s eggs back out after putting them in the space.
But now the ghostly Shaman was building up to their wave attack as the spectral form entwined itself in a defensive formation with the King.
Karl launched himself forward, narrowly avoiding an incoming strike from the King, and hit the Shaman with a [Stun] attack.
The building attack stopped, and the mages unleashed a wave of attacks on it, accompanied by Hawk’s frustrated fireballs.
With its major attack interrupted, the spectre needed time to recover, and this form was far weaker than its original body had been. It was already beginning to become incorporeal under the weight of attacks that the Spider Golems were sending its way.
The King slammed the ground with its blades, sending an Earthquake in all directions as the spectre was eliminated by the concerted efforts of the group.
Karl jumped, and Thor counterattacked with his own Earthquake to keep himself stable, but the others were thrown to the ground as the King was surrounded by a red barrier.
It was going berserk, and its attacks were increasing in speed, shattering the barriers over Corbin, who was on one knee. Karl attacked from the other side to draw its attention while the Spellblade recovered, but even his magically enhanced strength and large blade were no match for the enraged boss, and he was tossed to the ground on the third strike.
He threw himself to the side to dodge and continued his defence, keeping the King facing away from the mages, who were slower to recover, and who had taken a fair bit of damage from the Earthquake.
The bleeding was taking its toll on the boss, and the red barrier was fading, along with the King’s attack power, by the time that it turned back to Corbin.
Karl had bought enough time for the Spellblade to find an opening, and he drove his blade deep into the creature’s chest, where a human’s heart would be.
Blood flew everywhere, coating Corbin and the platform around him as the boss collapsed, and then the corpse vanished, leaving behind a large golden chest.
[Dungeon Complete] a haunting voice spoke through the area, leaving everyone relieved and panting for breath as they stared at the chest.
“Who do we choose to open it?” Tessa asked as she cast a [Refresh] spell on the group.
“I say we let Prince Corbin. If it’s going to go by who opens it, he’s the best choice. He’s the highest ranked, plus he’s both a melee fighter and a mage.” Karl suggested.
Corbin shook his head. “They’re based on luck. Who here has the most luck, or favour of the World Dragon?”
The others pointed at Karl. There was no doubt that it was him, the spell that the High Priests had cast had proven it.
“The High Priests had him tested.” Lotus explained to the confused Spellswords.
