Soon enough it was before battle prep time. Peter sat in his headquarters and watched everyone scramble. He had only been able to save 9.1 million essence for final battle preparation. An amount that as always did not seem like enough. To think, just a few hours ago he had felt quite confident with all his S and SS tiers. Helen just had to tell him about the wonders of might, opening a pandora’s box of worries.
Perhaps it was good to know, but it likely would not have any effect on how he prepared. Peter’s heart was certainly troubled with the knowledge, but not so much that he would reconsider his plan to hold some assets back for the next year’s attack. Already he would be showcasing a ridiculous gain over what he had last year. However, he had come to the decision to hold back 3 of his new elites along with any of their one offs. From the get go he had decided to hold back the sequin rose fairy and abyssal crystal construct, but he had decided to add the chilled glacier turtle as well. In addition to the 3 elites, that meant he would be keeping 360 B tiers in reserve this year.
It might be arrogant of him to take on a powerhouse, while holding a sizable chunk in reserve, but with 2 SS tiers and 8 S tiers taking part in the battle, he felt he could accommodate it. The elites he was holding back would be less effective this year, whereas next year they might truly shine.
Peter’s assault army was already decided. He had 3,600 C tier beasts, all from the 30 maelstroms based on the now dead beast elites he had summoned over the last few years. In addition, there would be the 600 B tier apes along with their progenitor. Then there was the SS(-) rank collapsing star fiend and all 360 B tier one offs of it. Half the blue diamond gravitron’s 360 B tiers and a few hundred other support units would also partake in the ground assault force. The SS rank Ether tearing dragon and the A rank reptilian Crevice beast would lead the alternate realm attack.
Stone golem would need quite a defense to weather all of that. Preventing the core from trying to retake his dungeon from behind, would be the nightmarish creation. This time the black tar slime would have a sizable support force with it.
Peter’s plan was a quick and brutal assault. His defense would only include a few elites, but would mainly focus on stalling as his assault force rampaged through the enemies dungeon. He had the S mirror soldier and Delilah to guard the alternate realm in his own dungeon. Glenda would lead the defensive with support from Merlin, Einstein, and Michael. The blue diamond gravitron and guardian spirit would be his only physical realm S tier fighters since Einstein would mainly play defense at the back so the mages could all focus on letting loose.
Peter immediately summoned 60 A tiers to aid his forces from his 9.1 essence reserves. He sent every suitable assault unit A tier forward, leaving only 47 for his defense. He would keep the remainder of his essence in reserve.
As always, Peter watched with trepidation as the final seconds ticked away. He could not help but to voice his first thought, “Huh… They’re starting the battle the same way.” Both of them were using slime types to lead the way.
Peter’s assault force had B tier nightmarish creations lead the charge. Units that could take real punishment and help establish a foothold, allowing his assault leaders to see what they were working with. Peter had pictured a bunch of gray stone rock men gathered around the entrance ready to pummel the invaders with their rock fists. Then perhaps some rock javelins or large boulders would be launched in.
The reality was different. His B tier tar slimes found themselves on the standard entrance platform, but just beyond it was sand, pill box bunkers, with various walls and even barbed wire. It looked suspiciously like how World War II’s Normandy invasion was portrayed in movies and video games. So close that, Peter had to wonder about the core, but Stone golem was clearly more alien-like with what had once been blue skin, which now was a crusty gray. It was eerie.
On the initial beach ready to engage in melee was something else that looked familiar. Thousands upon thousands of C tier claymen with fine detail. Each carried shields and spears. They had another name, but Peter could not help but to categorize them as the Terracotta army. In each of the pill boxes, adjoining trenches, or above on the walls were thousands of D tier Clockworks each with a rifle. There were even a couple of machine gun-like batteries. All of which started firing laser based weapons. It was ancient China meets D-day invasion meets Star Wars. Apparently, a deadly combo since several B tier nightmarish creations got cut down by concentrated fire, before they even made it to the sand.
The airforces started streaming through from above as more traditional units followed the B tier tar slimes. Hundreds of stone gargoyles took flight ready to intercept them, even as much of the rifle fire started concentrating above. Space cessation B tiers led the way in shielding the entrance as units continued to pour in.
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
In his own dungeon, B tier gravel slimes, called simply Landslide slime, led the way into his own dungeon. The things were massive, larger than his own B tier nightmarish creations by a good 50%. While it was possible that they were the result of replicator cards, Peter was more inclined to believe they were based on an S tier. Damn, he had been hoping the guy would not have any, despite apparently having a host of elite type cards including his own. Once more for it to be what looked like a sandslime with a gravely crust, the original would be incredibly dangerous.
Following the wave of landslide slimes came a large force of C tier golems. Flanking them on each side was a single line of A tiers that immediately started fanning out. Each was either a mage or held a ranged weapon. Stone golem was apparently moving to prevent the A tier ambushes that he liked to perform on the first four floors.
Peter had arranged his own trick, which unfortunately would not work. The idea was to start the battle with standard lines right at the dungeon entrance. This was contrary to what he would normally have done. All for Stone Golem to have unknowingly sent just the right vanguard against them. His line of brutes that had been lined up to hold the initial room had almost immediately started a full blown retreat. Peter gave it to the B tier cessation mage for calling for retreat almost immediately. It would keep unnecessary losses down. Already units were carrying back word for Glenda to better prepare.
The only thing that was clearly going his way was the alternate dimension fight. Specifically the B tier spirit catcher dragons were going ballistic as hundreds of incorporeal units poured into their realm. The hundreds of C tier incorporeal units got ripped to shreds under their talons. Peter knew it was due to the spirit catcher dragons special ability, because the blink dragons were having a difficult time on a one on one. A greater challenge than Peter would expect, they were only a tier weaker. Eventually Peter’s other units just fell back letting the B tier dragons shred several times their number. This was happening on both sides of the battle. The word was apparently not making it back or the enemy commanders were just slow to act because they just kept coming.
After a few minutes, the enemies alternate realm commander had gotten wise to the issue and sent a large number of other variations, while recalling the ‘space ghost-like’ units. N’tanner, the B tier dark elf, that Delilah had chosen to raise up to B tier for out of dungeon ops, was in command of the alternate realm assault forces. He immediately made the call to pull the spirit catcher dragons back and sent the ether tearing dragon B tiers forward. The enemy had traded one, 1-way fight for another. The ether tearing dragons just as one sided onslaught of their opponents. Rocks and earth fell into piles in the alternate dimension as all the energy was pulled from the units.
The enemies alternate realm defenses on the first floor collapsed quite quickly. Having won the floor the B tier ether tearing dragons started popping into the physical realm to take out powerful A or B tier defenders. Most did not fare well against the incorporeal beings. The mages could protect themselves, but not much else. The rest did not get much time to react since they popped out of the alternate dimension right on top of them. Unfortunately, this would cost Peter time for them to recharge.
With this one floor, the B tiers had almost effectively taken themselves out of the battle for at least an hour or two since it would take a long time to recharge. Still they had devastated the enemy forces, likely bringing the fear of god to Stone Golem. Of course his opponent did not know that the original would be far worse as a SS(+) rank unit. N’tanner would hold it to take on enemy elites whether physical or alternate realm.
The first floor fell to his assault force only a few minutes after his own first floor had fallen. The difference however was night and day. Peter’s assault force had killed thousands, whereas his own defenses had pulled back near immediately. Peter watched as his own forces continued to move into his opponents floor. In minutes a gathering of mages were hard at work to inscribe a rune on top of one of the larger pillbox’s roofs. Others move across the floor collecting fallen rifles and other goodies. Gearhead and Greg would love to get their hands on those rifles.
The opponent assault force changed it up when attacking his second floor. Hundreds of flying stone gargoyles from A to C tier streaked in. Once again his defenses were not very suitable, he had brought forward more fire power, but they quickly found themselves not adequately protected or able to deal with the sudden air assault and the heavy infantry assault that came in under them. It was quickly evident that he would take heavy losses. He had experienced fighting someone with major assets capable of flight during the demon and undead battles, but they had not really utilized them until floor five and beyond. His defenses just had not been able to respond.
“Boss, Glenda is requesting the Glacier turtle on floor 4 along with all of its B tiers,” Boris announced from his side.
Peter gave Boris the thumbs up. Their defenses on the first 2 floors had been outmaneuvered. If the S tier turtle could throw a wrench in the enemies plans it was not worth holding it back for next year.. Perhaps trying to hold the S tier back had been a bit over eager. Stone golem’s assault was proceeding far more rapidly than his own. His own assault force was once again facing more than ten thousand units on the second floor. Half of them were D tier, but through pure numbers his assault was stalling. Krista and the other leaders were still keeping the 2 SS tiers in reserve as well as all the B tier collapsing star fiends. Soon the S tier and its B tier one offs were sent over and the B tier cessation mages started pouring in manna to send them from the tenth floor to the fourth.
