Epilogue – One last dive 4
We couldn’t find the key inside the Sealed Area. I don’t know why. Must be because the Evil Mastermind messed with us once again. I’m sure of it.
It doesn’t matter anymore.
“Diq, Krut. Are you ready? Ready to smash some monsters? To feast on battle like never before? Huh, huh, huh!” I excitedly kiss my biceps.
Meanwhile, my sight is glued to the bottom of the massive meat pile. Somewhere there, the access key awaits us. We shouldn’t have wasted our time in the Sealed Area. This one is easy to find; we should have come here instead.
“Yes, Sir Orc! I’m always ready!”
Krut remains silent, nodding instead of replying.
Behind the two, there are a few surviving support orcs and the troll. A pathetic sight when compared to the start. But it doesn’t matter. I alone am enough.
“Alright, then. Let’s goooooo! Green Gang won’t ever be stopped, huh, huh, huh!” After the loud proclamation, I jump down from the railing, plummeting towards the chunks of fresh meat stacked on top of each other, forming the massive meat mountain.
“W-wait for us, Sir Orc…!”
I raise my battleaxe high into the air and swing it down. “Wuuuuhuh, huh, huh! Dieeeee!”
*Boooom!*
With a resounding impact, the meat mountain splits into two. Painful cries reach me from everywhere, followed by a tremendous roar.
*ROAAAAAAAR!*
What little remains of the meat mountain collapses as the giant emerges from it.
“Waaaaaaaah!” I reply in kind. A mere brainless monster won’t surpass me. “Come! Fight me if you dare!”
A single swipe of my axe makes a tremendous sound of air splitting and sends the surrounding adds flying. I need more. I need a monster that’s at least something on the level of a mid-boss to sate my thirst for battle!
*ROAAAAR!*
“WAAAAAAAAH!”
The meat golem rushes at me with a roar, and I do the same. Sending meat chunks flying everywhere, we plough through the uneven terrain until we clash in the middle.
My axe clashes with the monster’s fist, which is almost as big as Diq.
The sheer force behind our impact sends shockwaves out. After so much damage to our surroundings, a disgusting rain of meat chunks and other, even less pleasant, substances starts falling.
The monster and I glare at each other from up close. I have to raise my head to look at it.
“Huh, huh, huh! This is it! This is why I play this game! Come at me! Once more, huh, huh, huh!”
The monster swings its fist once more. I jump to the side and swing my axe. Its HP bar takes a significant hit from our exchange.
I know everything about this guy. With my knowledge and my powered-up Champion, there’s no way I can lose today! Huh, huh, huh!
“Sir Orc, I found the key we were—”
Nothing else matters. Just our fight.
The adds’ stinky yellowish cloud affects my speed, slowing me down. But I don’t care. If anything, the handicap will make this fight more interesting.
Enraged by the failed attack, the meat golem swings its fists wildly at me, but once more, I move my body just enough to avoid its strike and retaliate before it can react.
*ROAAAAAR!*
“WAAAAAAAAH!”
After its roar, the monster tries to get away, running towards Diq’s current position. I can’t allow it, so I chase after it.
“Where do you think you’re doing? Running away is against the spirit of the game! Huh, huh, huh!”
“S-sir Orc! Thank you…!”
Our intense fight continues. Meanwhile, Diq and Krut deal with the adds so they don’t interrupt our fight.
The monster and I exchange blows in a flurry of attacks, sending everything around us flying. What was once a mountain is scattered and flattened, until nothing of its original appearance remains.
In the end, only I remain standing.
“Wuh, huh, huh! This is why I love this game. Such a thrilling fight!”
Aaaah…! This is great. Why can’t all fights inside this damn dungeon be like this one? Why does the Evil Mastermind try so hard to make me suffer? When he wants to, he can create decent monsters like this one, too…
“Sir Orc, Sir Orc!” Diq runs towards me. “It’s an emergency! An emergency…!”
“What emergency?” I ask, angrily scratching my cheek.
I was enjoying the fight’s afterglow… Can’t he say what’s going on instead of shouting ‘emergency, emergency’? Doing that is a waste of time and saliva.
As Diq approaches, he waves the access card around, as if to show it off. But unlike his actions, his expression is one of utter despair.
Haa… I can’t be angry with him. Thanks to his diligence, we have safely obtained the key. If we had to search for it now, after creating such a mess during our fight, it would be very troublesome.
“I-it’s bad! An emergency, Sir Orc!”
“Stop shouting ‘emergency’ and say it already,” I say, glaring at him, barely containing myself from slapping his face.
Instead of giving me an answer, Diq turns around and points somewhere far.
“Look! Another one of those ash monsters just popped out of the incinerator!”
“Black… WHAT!?”
Almost by pure survival instinct, my whole body freezes as my sight lands on an unassuming little black monster. One that looks strikingly similar to the one who killed Dag.
“Don’t tell me… that thing is…”
Diq nods, “Yes. It’s the same as the one who caused the fire virus that killed Dag!”
Fire virus… What an appropriate name.
“Diq, Krut.” I start walking as I talk. “We’ve done what we came for, so let’s leave. We’ve got the access key, so let’s crush this dungeon once and for all!”
“Yes, Sir Orc! Let’s leave before that monster can cause any damage!”
“...Alright.”
“Nothing will stop us today, huh, huh, huh! Green Gang!”
““GREEN GANG!””
I start running. Nobody will beat me to the elevator. If there must be a victim, it won’t be me.
With the two access cards in hand, the keys required to open the last door, I gleefully approach the last obstacle to our indisputable victory.
Only The Hunters remain. But I’ve been itching to fight them without any disturbances. It’ll be good if they’re waiting for us.
I place the access keys in their respective slots, and the door opens with a beep.
“Huh, huh, huh. This is it. Diq, Krut. I knew today was the day we would achieve a total victory! Our Green Gang is unstoppable! Green Gang!”
““GREEN GANG!””
The heavy door slides with a simple touch. The empty passage that leads to the dungeon core should show up right about now…
“...It’s different.” The muscles in my whole body cramp up. “It’s different from last time.”
Oooh, no. OOOOH, NO! No, no, no! This can’t be! I must be dreaming!
*Bang!*
I slam my head on the door’s frame with all my strength. It doesn’t hurt, because it’s a game. But I feel the tingling sensation that demonstrates I’m not dreaming.
This can’t be… This shouldn’t be possible. Why today of all times? Why is it today that the Evil Mastemind had to change the last part of his dungeon!?
“What’s different, Sir Orc? Let me see.”
Diq squishes himself between me and the doorframe, taking a look inside.
“Ooh, you’re right. There are now two rooms to the left, a new one to the right, and instead of a clear view to the dungeon core, now there’s a door…”
Thanks for stating the obvious, Diq.
“But why’s this door open?” He asks, pointing at the closest door to the left.
I don’t know! That’s the problem, that I don’t know! Damn you, Evil Mastermind! Are you trying to make me look like a fool in front of my subordinates? In front of my orc comrades!? You’re the most despicable person in the world!
“Khm!” I step to the side, allowing Diq to get a better view. “If you’re curious, why don’t you take a look inside?”
“Ooh, can I take the honour? Thank you, Sir Orc!”
“Sure, huh, huh, huh!”
With Diq at the lead, the three of us step into the relatively dark passage. Diq pokes his head inside and finds an empty room.
“It’s empty? But why…?”
“Step aside. Let me take a look.” If there are no monsters, there shouldn’t be much danger. Taking a look shouldn’t hurt.
The shape and distribution remind me of a security guard room. The style has changed, but the purpose is clear. This room is designed to monitor the invaders. It’s The Hunter’s room.
“Tsk. I wished I could fight them…”
“Fight who, Sir Orc?”
“The Hunters! This is where The Hunters spawn, Diq.”
“Ooooh, is that so? We never got so far, so it’s the first time I see it…!”
Krut approaches us and looks inside too, curious. He doesn’t say a single word during the whole process.
I allow Diq to have the privilege to search the rest of the doors for traps and hidden devices. The door to the right is blocked. As for the other two, the second door to the left contains the worst nightmare imaginable.
Diq tilts his head in confusion as soon as the door reveals what’s on the other side.
“What’s all this? Machines? It looks like a tornado just passed through…”
“Stop,” I block Diq with my arm before he can touch anything.
There’s no mistake. This IS the Evil Mastermind’s lair. His sanctum sanctorum.
I’d rather die than step inside! Who knows what tricks and traps he has prepared? Worse, what if he receives a warning about our invasion and decides to show up in person!? That’d be our end!
What if we lose our minds and end up like those guys in the forums? Those whose minds have gone through a 360-degree change and have gone back to the point where they don’t fear the Evil Mastermind anymore, instead revering him like a god.
The muscles in my whole body scream at the thought of that happening to us…
- MUST. NOT. enter that room.
I point at the door at the end of the corridor. “There’s that one, too. Let’s try that one first.”
“O-oh, right! I’m sorry…” Diq meekly lowers his head.
Under Diq’s lead, we step inside the last door. My intuition tells me this is the correct way, and my intuition never fails me.
The scene on the other side of the door is one I’ve never seen before.
There are rows upon rows of carefully placed and maintained stasis capsules. Some have units floating in them, some are empty, but all are filled with colourful liquids. The space is divided into several levels and platforms, like a labyrinth.
Krut, who usually stays silent, is the first to break the silence. “It’s beautiful.”
“Woaaah, Sir Orc! This is amazing!”
Beside him, Diq seems about to rush at the danger ahead of us, whatever it might be. This is the Evil Mastermind’s dungeon; nothing that looks beautiful is ‘just’ beautiful. It’s also extremely dangerous, hiding unexpected and unpredictable traps and monsters.
“Ooh, look at that, Sir Orc. Right at the centre, isn’t that one the monster from the tournament? You know, the one—”
My muscles twitch in warning. Right after, a white monster appears right in front of Diq.
“W-whaaaa—!”
‘Hyeeeeeeeeeeyaaaah!’