Motivated by Seraphina's progress, Bastion was determined to close the gap in levels as much as possible. Or, at the very least, unlock all his Class skills at level 25 before the competition.
Ordinarily, it took commoners more than a decade to reach that point, since their lower stats forced them to be more cautious. But as a noble with a strong bloodline, Bastion could achieve it in just half a year if he devoted all his time into it. They should be able to reach level 25 from level 18 in three months' time.
To do so, he needed a new dungeon that offered a greater challenge than spending his days fighting hundreds of goblins. They barely gave any worthwhile experience, aside from the Rank 1 goblin shaman at the end.
After some research, Bastion settled on the orc dungeon.
Orcs were a tribal species similar to goblins, but fewer in number and much stronger. They stood around 6 feet (1.83 m) tall at minimum, with broad shoulders, green skin, and tusks protruding from their jaws. Muscular and physically powerful.
They were a clear upgrade over goblins, with bodies similar to humans. That meant better experience gain and, more importantly, ideal combat training for the upcoming competition against other students of similar size.
Like the goblin dungeon, reports indicated the orc dungeon's difficulty had sharply increased and was continuing to rise as dungeons in the academy grew stronger.
It was reported that there was at least one Rank 1 orc in every tribe scattered across the floor. Many students also noted an increase in the orcs' intelligence, but Bastion remained confident in their party's strength.
"Our game plan is simple. I will attract as many as possible. Elyra will ambush and kill as quickly as possible while you, Lilia, survive for as long as possible," Bastion laid out the plan.
"I think we should get more people," Lilia suggested.
"Do you know anyone?"
"No."
"Then we'll at least give it a try and see how it goes before we actively look for more members. Besides, if we do add someone, it would either be another magic user like you or a noble like us. Anyone else would just be a burden if they can't defend themselves like you."
Lilia had Water Barrier as a skill, which would allow her to survive long enough for either Bastion or Elyra to come help.
If they added a non-magic user or a regular commoner, they would require just as much help being defended without being able to contribute much to the battle.
When the group entered the dungeon, they found themselves in a vast plain under a scorching sun. The landscape stretched endlessly in shades of brown, a monotony of dry earth and sparse, brittle grass. The golden hue of late summer had long faded, leaving behind a dusty and lifeless expanse.
"It's hot here," Lilia complained.
"Better than a smelly and dark cave," Bastion replied. "And we have temperature control underwear to stave off the heat."
"A wise purchase," Elyra agreed.
GRAAA!
A battle cry echoed in the distance as a dozen orcs charged toward them with wild abandon.
"Looks like the welcoming party is here. Just stick to the plan," Bastion said, stepping forward with his shield at the ready.
The orcs split into three groups of four, ready to overwhelm them one by one with sheer numbers. But Bastion would not let them target anyone else.
Taunt.
"Fight me, you cowards!" he shouted.
Orcs were prideful beings who took great offense to being called cowards. As a war-driven tribal society, they often caused problems in the great forest. They reveled in combat and viewed duels as sacred rituals.
While orcs and goblins in the wild were not always considered monsters, those found in dungeons were different. The dungeon twisted them and made them violent to any intruder. These were monsters through and through.
The orcs, enraged by the insult, charged straight at Bastion. The provocation worked, giving Lilia the opening she needed to rain down Ice Arrows from a distance while Elyra waited behind him for the right moment.
Shield Bash.
Bastion surged forward, slamming into the front line and sending most of them flying. Only two orcs remained upright on either side, easy targets for Elyra who cut them down with swift precision.
Before the others could recover, Bastion's whip sword lashed out, striking down two more. As the rest closed in, he raised his shield, blocking their blows, and countered with sharp, practiced parries.
The fight ended quickly.
"That was easier than I thought," Lilia commented.
"Taunt works perfectly on orcs because they lack intelligence. I can draw their attention easily, even without a fortress to protect you."
"Then why did we need one for the goblins?"
"Because goblins have archers, and their arrows cannot pierce my earthen constructs. Orcs on the other hand always fight in close combat when they have a target. But if that target is out of reach, like a mage on top of a tower, they will throw their weapons instead. And with their strength, they can easily bring it down."
The spoils consisted of random organs, body parts, and crude stone weapons, so they left them on the ground and moved forward.
After a while, they realized they couldn't spot any tribes in sight, prompting Bastion to call out to Zephy to scout. She flew high, circled above, and then perched on Bastion's shoulder.
"That~ way~," she whispered in a ghostly, eerie voice, her gaze fixed to the right.
"Thanks, Zephy. Can you continue scouting and tell us where the next tribe is?" Bastion asked.
"M~hmm~," she replied.
"Good girl," Bastion said, patting her head.
Following Zephy's direction, they soon found the tribe they were looking for. Nearly a hundred orcs were lounging about carelessly until they spotted Bastion and his group. With a loud battle cry, they roused the others before charging toward them.
At the back of the group, Bastion made out a Rank 1 Orc Warrior wielding an iron axe. The rest of the orcs wore nothing but loincloths and carried crude stone weapons.
Bastion knew he couldn't take on the entire group alone, so he coated his sword with Diamond Edge, activating Slash. Two diamond slashes shot toward the horde, cutting down a dozen orcs that were tightly grouped together. But the rest kept charging.
Four more slashes later, half the orcs had fallen, but the survivors reached Bastion.
Shield Bash.
He sent the majority of the orcs flying back, clearing space before cutting down the closest ones without moving from his position.
Elyra charged into the left flank, cutting down orcs and buying Bastion some space.
Bastion focused on the right side, using Shield Bash to keep the middle at bay while Lilia pelted them with Ice Arrows.
Suddenly, the Rank 1 Orc grabbed a stone spear and hurled it at Lilia, their most vulnerable member.
Elyra, having kept an eye on the leader throughout the battle, threw daggers at the spear and deflected it away from Lilia. The orc didn't relent, continuing to throw stone weapons at her.
In response, Bastion used Taunt.
"I challenge you to a duel!" he shouted, cutting down another orc.
"GRAAA!" the orc bellowed, charging forward.
Bastion kept bringing down orcs until the Rank 1 Orc reached him. He readied his stance, meeting the Rank 1 Orc's charge head-on.
Diamond Armor. Block.
Diamond encased his armor and shield as he blocked the orc's strike. The diamond shell shattered under the force of the blow, sending Bastion flying back. He was clearly outmatched in strength.
Reacting quickly, Bastion coated his sword with Diamond Edge and charged forward, using Reinforced Slash. He met the orc's axe with skill reinforced strikes, each blow matching the other in force.
'I can't keep this up,' Bastion thought.
He was struggling to match the orc's strength, relying heavily on his skills. The battle had reached a stalemate, but it wasn't sustainable. Bastion decided to take a risk.
The orc cleaved sideways, and Bastion seized the opportunity. He manipulated the ground beneath him, sinking his position to lower his height just enough for the attack to miss. With perfect timing, he countered with a cleave of his own.
Green blood sprayed as Bastion slashed across the orc's stomach.
Roaring in fury, the orc brought its axe down, but Bastion deflected the blow to the side with his shield while using Parry and struck back, targeting the knees. With a sickening crunch, his blade shattered one of them, bringing the orc crashing down.
Bastion manipulated the ground beneath him to rise just in time to block another blow, one powerful enough to send him flying.
He was lucky. If he had still been crouched in that ditch, he would have been crushed outright.
With the orc wounded and unable to move, Lilia unleashed a barrage of Ice Arrows until it finally collapsed, dead.
Meanwhile, Elyra had finished off the remaining stragglers.
"That wasn't so bad," Bastion said.
"You were lucky," Lilia shot back.
"What do you think, Eli?"
"I could have taken the leader. It was harder finishing off the others while keeping Lilia safe."
"Then we'll switch roles. Eli takes the leader next time, and I'll handle the crowd."
Elyra fought with twin swords and had high dexterity, allowing her to weave around opponents with ease, unlike Bastion who lacked both speed and flexibility. She was perfectly suited for one-on-one duels.
Bastion on the other hand excelled at crowd control. He could hold the line and stop enemies from reaching Lilia while Elyra had to run around and dodge multiple opponents.
They tested their new strategy on the next horde and quickly overwhelmed them. Elyra slipped away to ambush the leader, while Bastion held the front, stopping the horde from reaching Lilia as she bombarded them with Ice Arrows.
Even on the higher floors, they kept up their momentum. The number of orcs stayed the same, but their strength and equipment had improved. This allowed the group to keep their strategy unchanged while acquiring more experience than the goblin dungeon.
In the end, their dungeon dive was a success. Bastion came away with a handful of iron weapons and mismatched armor. Lilia collected a few enchanted trinkets, and Elyra gained valuable solo combat experience.
All in all, they cleared the dungeon with ease and were heavily rewarded for it.
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