Mage Tank

Chapter 171: Gold Standard Delving

I didn’t think too hard about Grotto’s request for me to join him in watching randos invading my dimensional space. I simply grumbled my acceptance and was teleported to a part of the Closet I’d never seen.

It was a tight space, about the size of a small bedroom, with a miniature Delve obelisk atop a pedestal at its center. There were no doors or other entrances, and the only light in the room came from glowing text crawling across dozens of slates on the wall. Grotto’s eyes studied one of the displays, feelers undulating.

“Where are we right now?” I thought to my familiar.

[We are in a command center contained on all sides by 1000 feet of solid rock, situated a quarter of a mile above the obelisk chamber. Given that my prior experience operating a Delve from within the obelisk itself resulted in being taken captive, I felt that this would be more secure.]

“Makes sense.”

I sensed a hint of defensiveness in his response. To be fair to Grotto’s past self, he’d been required to be inside the obelisk to operate The Toxic Grotto. He only gained the ability to manage a Delve remotely upon his assignment as administrator of The Calvani Caverns outside of The Cage, whereupon he swiftly used his new authority to execute his fellow Delve Core Nasro before the entity could further assist Orexis in defiling the System.

“Someone could still teleport here, though. I could, at least.”

[Try it.]

I raised an eyebrow and focused on using Shortcut with Coordinated Thinker, searching for a nearby space large enough to teleport to safely. My awareness couldn’t leave the room.

[If you wish to leave, simply grasp my small obelisk and feed it your intent.]

I glanced at the pillar in the room’s center, then back at Grotto.

“Phrasing, Grotto.”

[Stop being immature. Do you wish to observe the group that has just entered? I believe you will find the experience… enlightening.]

I did my best to stay annoyed at Grotto for intentionally allowing intruders into the Closet but found myself curious.

“Fine. How do I do that?”

Grotto’s dark eyes turned to me.

[Simply grip my small obelisk,] he thought, making full eye contact. [And feed it your intent.]

I frowned but placed my hand on the pillar and shut my eyes, trying to concentrate on viewing a party of Delvers within my halls. I got some uncomfortable psychic feedback.

[Be gentle. It is very sensitive.]

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

I relaxed, and my perception divorced itself from my body. The world stuttered a few times until I found myself looking down at a cavern made of dark stone, with a jagged, irregular floor. There was a group of Delvers standing in a loose 3-point triangle formation, with a woman at its center.

My Soul-Sight still worked while viewing the Delve-given perspective, and I could tell this group was level 15, all gold. The four of them were clad head to toe in armor, hiding their features, but I could tell from the shape of their helms and the general litheness of their bodies that they were a group of Littans. In fact, when I looked closely at their souls, they were familiar.

“This is Captain Pio’s party,” I thought to Grotto. It was the Littan we’d met after emerging from the Descent.

[Indeed. Once you agreed to her request to meet with Duchess Ruiz and General Connatis, I took it upon myself to do some research into her party.]

“Any particular reason?”

[If you are walking into an ambush, it would be best to be prepared.]

“True. Is inviting them over for dinner and a monster part of your research?”

[I find that the best way to discern a Delver’s character is to observe them in action. The Pocket Delve is currently rated for levels 10-11 platinum or levels 13-15 gold. Her group is at the upper limit of what we are authorized to handle.]

“Do most Delves have dual allowances?”

[It is variable. Level range, environmental hazards, mana monster capabilities, and other factors all contribute.]

I was enjoying Grotto’s new level of transparency.

“So how did you get them in here?”

[I submitted a System request to target them with a private invitation. Because of their proximity to the Closet’s exit portal, it put them well within range of a summons.]

“Is it weird that they agreed? I’m not saying I understand how the Littan military works, but jumping into a Delve while on duty seems like it would be closely controlled.”

[Their Delvers must still level. In case that was not enough, I made the invitation more enticing to encourage their acceptance.]

“How so?”

[Because of our unique configuration, the System approved my request to upgrade our designation to an Expansion Delve. If this group succeeds, they will earn an additional Active Skill slot and a specialized Active Skill.]

“Shit. Can we run the Pocket Delve to get our second extra slot?”

[It would be pointless to waste our resources that way. I can use System Call to discover another Expansion Delve for you to pillage.]

“What about the special skill?”

[You would not benefit from the special skill.]

“Why not?”

[You already have a modified teleport. Your creation of Reckless Shortcut is part of the reason we were allowed to upgrade to an Expansion Delve.]

“Wait. You’re handing out my skill? I worked hard for that.”

[No, you made it while in a half-braindead stupor. Regardless, your version is heavily customized. The reward will also be heavily customized for whatever Delver claims it. It will be distinct, but likely still centering around having a variable cooldown.]

I reserved judgment until I saw what was handed out. I couldn’t have the System cribbing my work. Then again, I assumed that’s what I did every time I accepted a System skill.

“Are they just… taking in the view?”

The group of 4 were standing at the ready but weren’t speaking or making any preparations that I could see.

[You can adjust your perspective by concentrating.]

I gave Grotto’s instruction a shot, and my point of view began floating down from the ceiling high above until I was in front of the group, only a few feet away. They were all keeping a close watch on the dark environment, doing their best to stay silent and still.

“Is it possible for them to notice me?”

[Possible, but highly unlikely. At level 15 it would require an extremely focused build on perception or divination.]

“What happens if they do notice me?”

[Delvers tend to ignore non-hostile entities, and discovering that the Core is monitoring their group is not exceptional. In the rare case that it breeds antagonism, Delvers can usually be redirected by the System.]

“So there’s a small chance one of these Delvers might notice us, and a small chance that if they do they might try to find and kill us.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

[The chances of your violent death at the hands of other Delvers are much higher on the outside. I did not expect your reaction to this opportunity to be one of fear.]

“I’m just making sure I understand the implications of what you’re doing here. If they decide to fight us, maybe that’d be fun.”

[Based on my initial survey, that may not go as well for you as you might believe.]

I floated around the group in a wide arc, studying each in turn and trying to size them up. I knew I could handle a Grade 14 monster alone without trouble, although a level 15 Delver might be more difficult. Not to be immodest, but I still thought it would be easy unless they were stat monsters like myself or the other party members. Of course, I’d gained even more stats and some new abilities since my last real combat, so it was possible I could solo a handful of ordinary level 15s. A full party? Probably not, unless they were bad. Then again, this wasn’t a full party.

At the front was a male Littan in heavy plate, holding a large roundshield that went from knee to shoulder. He had a two-handed warhammer gripped in one hand, shaft balanced on his shoulder. It probably weighed as much as I did.

To his right was a man wearing a heavy black coat over a suit of chainmail. He was unarmed but was studying a book written in the mind-shattering Celestial language. Its pages turned lazily on their own.

To the left was a woman in leathers dyed black, wearing a red, honest-to-goodness cape, which hung down to her ankles. She flipped a small throwing knife from one hand to the other, with no other armaments I could see.

In the middle was Captain Pio dressed in a set of bronze Madrin scale. She had a smaller roundshield with the crest of the Littan military on its face, and held a wand pointed toward the floor, her eyes flitting back and forth between party members. Her face went through a few expressions that didn’t make sense until I realized what was happening.

“Ah, they have a psychic chat room just like us!”

[The ability will become more common as you encounter higher-level groups.]

“Good thing we picked it up early, I guess. Where’s their fifth?”

[I have not seen a fifth member.]

“They came into an Expansion Delve understaffed? Bold choice.”

[No. Their entry logs show 5 Delvers.]

“So the fifth is a sneaky one, eh?”

[It appears so.]

I got the vague impression that Grotto was searching the Delve, and I watched the group stand around for another few minutes. I hadn’t known what to expect from this experience, but I hadn’t expected to be bored.

[I have not located their fifth, but I have determined what they are doing.]

“What’s that?”

[Attacking the Abyssal Hounds in the next room over.]

Last I’d checked, the hounds had been Aberrant, not Abyssal. I assumed it had been an upgrade.

I tried out mentally commanding my view to swap to what Grotto was seeing and was pleased with myself when it worked. I was now looking down at the room I affectionately called the Dog Pound, where a horde of two dozen Grade 12 Abyssal Hounds made their home. They were the size of large wolves, with knotted muscle coiling below slick, oily skin, and were currently tearing one of their members into pieces.

“What the shit?”

[You can mirror the status screens of the hounds to see what is affecting them.]

I focused on the hound currently having its entrails pulled out by the vicious horde and brought up its notifications.

Abyssal Hound has gained 1 stack of Cursed!

Abyssal Hound has become Berserk!

Abyssal Hound deals 63 damage to Abyssal Hound with Spatial Maw.

Abyssal Hound has taken 48 damage from Abyssal Hound!

Abyssal Hound has taken 86 damage from Abyssal Hound!

Abyssal hound has taken…

I ignored the rest of the damage notifications. It appeared the group’s stealth fighter was a curse mage of some sort. Nasty. I brought up statuses for the other hounds, finding that all of them had at least 1 stack of Cursed.

Cursed: For each stack of Cursed an entity possesses, they receive a -6 penalty to all attacks and contested checks. If an entity has any stacks of Blessed when they would gain any number of stacks of Cursed, they instead lose that many stacks of Blessed.

“Poor doggos. Do the hounds have an answer for this?”

[They are ultimately entry fodder, but yes.]

One of the largest hounds–as tall as a full-grown man–raised its head and released a baleful cry.

Abyssal Hound Alpha uses Warp Howl!

Nearby Abyssal Hounds gain Celerity!

Celerity: An entity with Celerity has their movement speed doubled.

The hounds began charging, bodies blurring across the massive chamber they occupied toward the Littan party in the entry cavern. The hounds blinked in and out of existence, making short-range teleports to boost their already near-supersonic speeds.

The heavy-armored Littan was already striding forward, shifting his hammer off his shoulder.

“Oh, neat. I can pull up their names.”

Sergeant Guar of Litta: Delver, Level 15

“Pretty metal name, mah dude.”

The moment the hounds began materializing through the narrow entryway between the two rooms, Sgt Guar burst forward, the air cracking in complaint.

He was even faster than the hounds.

Guar appeared in the middle of the pack, whirling the massive hammer in an arc around him, driving it into four of the beasts. All of them were sent crashing into the ground.

Abyssal Hound has taken 85 Kinetic damage and 39 Holy damage from Sgt Guar of Litta!

Abyssal Hound has taken 79 Kinetic damage and 39 Holy damage from Sgt Guar of Litta!

There was a brief flash of light and Sgt Guar’s body shone like he’d been showered in glitter. All the hounds teleporting into the cavern rounded on him, several doing a full 180 from their charge on the party’s other 3 members.

Abyssal Hounds are Distracted by Sgt. Guar!

“Can we give the hounds better names? Having all the notifications say ‘Abyssal Hound’ this and ‘Abyssal Hound’ that might make it confusing.”

The hounds began leaping forward, their bodies distorting unnaturally as they warped space to try and bite at the Littan around his shield. Most of them were not successful.

[I use numerical designations. You can adjust the naming conventions however you wish.]

Guar spun again, twice as fast this time, and hit a dozen hounds with his hammer. Then his body rotated even faster, and his hammer grew half again in length, pulping the hounds he’d already hit and sending the rest skittering across the rough cavern floor.

I mentally requested that the System append a random name to each Abyssal Hound, and was not disappointed.

Abyssal Hound Barkthulhu has taken 84 Kinetic damage and 39 Holy damage from Sgt Guar of Litta!

Abyssal Hound Drooligan has taken 76 Kinetic damage and 39 Holy damage from Sgt Guar of Litta!

Abyssal Hound Wagzilla has taken 91 Kinetic damage and 39 Holy damage from Sgt Guar of Litta!

Barkthulhu is Stunned!

Drooligan is Stunned!

Wagzilla is Stunned!

Abyssal Hound Chomposaurus has been slain!

Abyssal Hound Toothnado has been slain!

Abyssal Hound Bitey McGrowlface has been slain!

The other Littans had yet to make a move, although I noticed the bookworm raise a hand toward Sgt Guar once it looked like the hounds were backing off.

Staff Sergeant Baltae of Litta: Delver, Level 15

Sgt Baltae made a fist, and space twisted around the heavily armored Guar. Every hound within 15 feet of the hammerman was crushed into the ground, then sucked toward him, forcing their bodies through Dimensional contortions. Bones snapped as the force mangled limbs and spines.

You have observed the Suction Bomb spell!

Suction Bomb

Dimensional

Cost: 20 mana + 2 mana/second

Requirements: INT 20, Dimensional Magic 20

You create a 15-foot radius gravitational rift within a number of feet equal to 40 + twice your Dimensional Magic skill level. The rift is an area of intense gravity, causing all entities in the area to become Slowed.

When the rift appears and every 6 seconds thereafter, make an INT Spatial attack against all entities within the rift. Entities hit by this attack are pulled to its center.

Abyssal Hound Borkinator is slowed! Borkinator has taken 109 Spatial damage from Sgt Baltae of Litta!

Abyssal Hound Fangus Khan has been slain!

Abyssal Hound Clawsome has been slain!

Abyssal Hound Smolbeans has been slain!

“Aw. This is sad.”

[Would you like to know how many mundane humans this pack slaughtered before we corralled them into the Delve?]

“I loved them despite their flaws. Also, aren’t you breeding them? What sins have the newborns committed?”

[The sin of foolishly attacking a superior foe.]

“I feel like somebody is going to call animal welfare after this.”

[They are literal monsters.]

“Are they, Grotto? Are they the monsters, or is it us?”

The slaughter continued until only the Alpha remained.

So far, the Littans hadn’t done anything too special. Unless you consider letting the tank solo an entire pack of two dozen Grade 12s with only 1 spell assist from the Dimensional mage special. It didn’t look like Guar was taking any damage either.

Neither Pio nor the woman tossing her throwing dagger around had made any moves, and I also hadn’t seen anything new from the hidden stealth member. Overall, this fight had shown me they were competent, but the best thing I’d gotten out of it was seeing that Suction Bomb spell.

That is, until knife lady fucking flew into the Alpha like Superman.

Lieutenant Madel of Litta: Delver, Level 15

Abyssal Hound Alpha Alfalfa has taken 158 Kinetic damage from Lt Madel of Litta!

Alfalfa takes 141 Kinetic damage!

Alfalfa takes 142 Kinetic damage!

Alfalfa takes 155 Kinetic damage!

Alfalfa takes 163 Kinetic damage!

Alfalfa takes 154 Kinetic damage!

Alfalfa is Slowed!

Alfalfa is Weakened!

Alfalfa gains 18 stacks of Bleeding/sec!

Alfalfa gains 39 stacks of Toxicity/sec!

Lt Madel opened by punching Alpha Alfalfa right in the eye, caving in the Hound’s ocular cavity and sending the 400-pound beast stumbling. Then her dagger–which she’d thrown before she started flying–skewered Alfalfa in the same eye, disappearing into its face.

A glistening black shortsword appeared in her right hand which she used to slit Alfalfa’s throat, then she hit him in the temple with the spike of a golden hammer that came from some-fucking-where, and her right hand now held a blood-red spear that was also going into the same eye and the dagger was back in her left hand–nope, there it goes–she threw it into the throat wound.

In 3 seconds, Alfalfa lost 913 health and was taking 57 damage a second from sizzling wounds that dumped blood like an upturned gallon jug of milk and went black faster than a stale piece of toast in a bonfire as rot festered at 100,000 times speed.

Alfalfa let out a gurgled cry and cracks formed in reality around its assailant, but Lt Madel flowed around them like a butterfly made of liquid silk, then disappeared. A spray of blood went up from Alfalfa’s back, where Madel now stood, her dark blade buried into the base of the hound’s skull.

Alpha Alfalfa lurched once, then collapsed, and a final wet whimper sputtered out through its opened throat.

“Alright. She’s not too shabby.”