250 THE DUNGEON RAID AGAIN
Lady Dassa's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with bitterness. "It's the damned unicorns. Before the shadow minion was created, remnants of the bitch Dassa's soul may have remained and resided in my body. It seems some of her soul seeped into the shadow minion when I created her, influencing her judgment."
"My lady, are you saying the real Dassa's soul is influencing your shadow minion? How is that possible?" Unna asked, her voice trembling.
"It's unheard of… but that's the only explanation," Lady Dassa replied, her fists clenched in frustration.
Lord Aseran leaned forward, his expression grave. "What do we do now milady?"
Lady Dassa's eyes gleamed with determination. "We enter the dungeon and kill her. Once she's dead, her memories will return to me, and we can reclaim control of the dungeon."
"But the Hunter Association of Luxor has already sealed the dungeon," Lord Aseran pointed out.
Dassa waved a dismissive hand. "That's a minor obstacle. Sending a team of powerful peak-tier assassins to slip past the guards won't be difficult. By the time the Hunter Association of Luxor realizes what's happening, we'll have already taken the dungeon back and left."
She turned to Unna, her tone commanding. "Unna, once the traitor is dead, you will reclaim the dungeon using the spell I give you."
Unna bowed her head obediently. "Yes, Godmother."
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[At the entrance of the Rose Dungeon]
"This is too easy. The guards are either lazing around or asleep. There's no one guarding the dungeon," a woman whispered to Unna, her voice tinged with suspicion.
"Strange, but it's not our concern. We focus on the mission," Unna replied, her tone cold and unwavering.
Her sharp eyes scanned the dimly lit ruins of a courtyard, her instincts on high alert. Something felt off, but she couldn't afford hesitation.
The mission came first.
Unna led a small but formidable force—thirty elite assassins, each a master Battlemage. Most were near the peak of Svad, and several had already reached it.
This was the most powerful contingent the Temple of Hera had ever assembled for a single mission. Their presence alone could topple cities, yet here they were, tasked with reclaiming a single dungeon.
"This is overkill," one assassin muttered, his voice laced with arrogance. "With this force, we could conquer the entire kingdom."
Unna shot him a glare that silenced him instantly. "Enough. This mission is critical to Godmother. Failure is not an option."
The assassins moved like shadows, slipping past the negligent guards with ease. They reached the dungeon entrance, a massive stone archway etched with ancient, ominous runes.
"How do we get inside?" one of the assassins asked, her hand resting on the hilt of her dagger.
Before Unna could respond, the entrance creaked open on its own.
The assassins exchanged wary glances, but Unna's expression remained stoic. She had brought in an army capable of leveling kingdoms.
Whatever awaited them inside, they would crush it.
They surged into the dungeon, the entrance sealing shut behind them with a thunderous boom.
"Bang"
The air grew colder. The walls were lined with thorny vines that seemed to pulse with a faint, malevolent glow. The dungeon was a sprawling rose garden, its beauty twisted and unnatural.
"This is exactly how Ethene described it", Unna muttered to herself.
Waiting for them was Lillsa, the Rose Demon, her crimson eyes gleaming with defiance waited for them in the center.
"Shadow minion," Unna declared, her voice echoing through the chamber. "Return this dungeon to the Godmother, or we will destroy you and everything here."
Lillsa smirked, her voice dripping with mockery. "You can try."
The assassins lunged forward, their movements a blur of precision and lethality. But before they could reach Lillsa, the sky above the garden darkened.
Bolts of lightning rained down, each strike crackling with power that rivaled the peak of Svad. The assassins scattered, their shields barely holding against the onslaught.
"This isn't normal," one assassin gasped, his voice strained. "The Rose Dungeon wasn't supposed to be this powerful!"
Unna's eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation. "This isn't the same dungeon. It's evolved into something far more dangerous."
Before they could regroup, the ground trembled.
From the shadows of the rose garden emerged Hellhounds, their eyes burning with an unnatural fire. These were no ordinary beasts. Their strength surpassed even the most seasoned assassins.
"How are they this strong?" Unna demanded, her voice sharp.
Lillsa's laughter echoed through the chamber. "The dungeon's magic has amplified them. They are no longer mere cock less beasts—they are its deadly guardians."
The assassins, once the hunters, now found themselves on the defensive.
They formed a tight circle, their protective spells flickering under the relentless assault of the Hellhounds and the lightning storm above.
Unna's mind raced. This wasn't just a mission anymore—it was a fight for survival.
"It's useless to resist," Lillsa taunted. "You are no match for this place."
Suddenly one of the assassins broke ranks and fell into the open. Her body was struck by multiple lightning and was burnt into ash.
"Stay together", Unna screamed to her mages who were frantically defending for their lives.
"Damn," Unna clenched her fists, her resolve hardening. She couldn't fail. Not here. Not now.
"There's one last option," she muttered, her voice barely audible.
She raised her hands, and the air around her crackled with dark energy.
The assassins closest to her froze, their eyes widening in horror. One by one, their bodies convulsed, their life force being ripped away.
In the Palace of Willows below the dungeon, Petunia watched the scene unfold through a magical projection.
"What is she doing?" Petunia demanded, her voice rising in panic.
Yun-Yun's face paled. "Forbidden magic. She's invoking a sacrificial ritual."
"What does that mean?" Leo asked, his voice concerned.
"She's sacrificing her own assassins," Yun-Yun replied, her tone grim. "Their lives for her power."
The assassins' bodies disintegrated, their energy quickly funneling into Unna.
Her form began to change, her skin glowing with a golden hue as her strength multiplied. Above her, the apparition of Hera, the Goddess of Union, materialized, her divine presence radiating through the dungeon.
Unna's voice boomed, now imbued with the power of the sacrifices. "The tide has turned. This dungeon will fall."
The Rose Demon's smirk faltered, but only for a moment. "We'll see."
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