Creation system
Chapter 33: Forest’s army dungeon

Chapter 33: Forest’s army dungeon

The dungeon they selected was available, which immediately caught their attention. The Forest’s Army Dungeon had earned its reputation as an unpopular destination for two primary reasons: its notoriously challenging final boss and its remote location deep within the eastern wilderness.

Located nearly a half day’s journey from the city, the dungeon’s isolation deterred most adventuring parties who preferred more accessible locations with better routes.

Despite these drawbacks, Mitch and Leya committed to the expedition without hesitation.

The promised essence rewards were simply too valuable for Mitch to ignore, rare magical components that could significantly boost his gold reserves.

The additional hours of trekking through dense forest terrain seemed a small price to pay for such opportunities.

Their preparations had been meticulous.

Only minor provisions remained to be purchased, primarily dried rations and preserved foods that would sustain them during their estimated seven-day expedition, though both understood that dungeon runs rarely proceeded according to schedule.

The evening before their departure, they shared what might be their final meal in civilization with Kael, Leya’s brother.

The atmosphere carried an undercurrent of tension despite their attempts at normalcy.

Seven days was their planned duration, but everyone present understood the unpredictable nature of dungeon exploration. Conversations danced around unspoken concerns while they tried to maintain optimistic facades.

Dawn broke over a city already alive with commercial activity. Merchants hawked their wares, craftsmen opened their shops, and the familiar sounds of urban life created a comforting backdrop as Mitch and Leya made their final preparations.

They shouldered their travel packs, carefully arranging visible supplies, basic clothing, medical bandages, and perishable food items, to maintain the appearance of ordinary travelers.

The rest of their equipment remained concealed within Mitch’s dimensional pocket space.

Mitch had acquired a well-crafted leather sword sheath with an accompanying belt, understanding that traveling completely unarmed would raise unwanted suspicions.

The weight of the weapon at his hip felt reassuring, even though his true power lay in magical abilities rather than swordsmanship.

Leya presented a more traditional warrior appearance, her enchanted ice sword hanging prominently at her side while her reinforced shield rested securely against her back, both items marking her as a serious combatant.

With final preparations complete, they departed through the eastern city gates as morning light filtered through the forest canopy ahead.

The [Forest’s Army Dungeon] lay approximately half a day’s trek into the eastern woodlands, accessible via a surprisingly well-maintained dirt road that cut almost directly through the wilderness.

Local authorities had clearly invested in keeping this route passable, likely due to the dungeon’s economic importance despite its unpopularity.

The packed earth showed regular maintenance.

Their journey proved relatively uneventful, marked only by occasional encounters with tier-one forest creatures, wolves with matted fur, oversized ravens with keen intelligence, and the occasional territorial boar defending its territory.

These confrontations posed minimal threat, with Mitch’s summoned familiar providing constant protection. The ethereal creature hovered at their flanks, its presence both comforting and strategically sound.

Maintaining the familiar required a steady drain of magical energy, but Mitch had carefully calculated the expenditure. His natural mana regeneration rate perfectly balanced the creature’s upkeep costs, allowing indefinite deployment without depleting his reserves.

The familiar possessed combat capabilities equivalent to a low-tier two creature, making it significantly more powerful than the tier-one wildlife they encountered.

Most forest predators wisely avoided confrontation once they sensed the familiar’s presence.

After eight hours of steady hiking, they finally reached their destination.

The dungeon entrance defied conventional expectations. Rather than a cave mouth or stone archway, the portal existed within the trunk of an absolutely massive ancient tree.

The bark showed signs of magical influence, unusual coloration, geometric patterns, and a subtle luminescence that marked it as far more than ordinary flora.

The entrance tunnel descended sharply into the earth, cutting through root systems and soil layers.

Bioluminescent moss carpeted the tunnel ceiling, casting an eerie green glow that provided adequate visibility while creating dancing shadows along the rough-hewn walls. The air carried scents of earth, vegetation, and something indefinably magical that made their skin tingle with anticipation.

The initial chamber opened into a breathtaking underground ecosystem, a miniature forest contained within the dungeon’s magical boundaries.

Trees stretched toward an impossibly high ceiling, their branches interweaving to create a complex canopy system. Scattered throughout this subterranean woodland stood crude huts constructed from branches, mud, and animal hides, each representing a potential threat.

Goblin inhabitants moved with practiced stealth throughout their domain.

Some crouched behind tree trunks, others concealed themselves within dense undergrowth, while the most agile positioned themselves high among the branches where they could observe approaching threats and coordinate ambush attacks.

The brochures had prepared them for this scenario, but experiencing the reality felt far more intimidating than studying maps and tactical descriptions.

The dungeon’s reputation for difficulty became immediately apparent. Every goblin possessed tier-two combat capabilities, making them significantly more dangerous than their surface-world counterparts.

Mitch deployed his scouting familiar. The creature padded silently through the underbrush, its senses detecting hidden enemies around the entrance. The intelligence gathering proceeded smoothly until disaster struck.

A goblin warrior, more cunning than its companions, had positioned itself outside the familiar’s detection range. It launched itself from concealment with a crude but effective knife, the blade’s edge gleaming with toxic green substance.

The familiar, designed for reconnaissance rather than combat, proved completely outmatched. Three precise strikes reduced it to dissipating magical energy, leaving the goblin victorious and alert to their presence.

However, the sacrifice served its purpose. Armed with crucial intelligence about enemy positions and tactics, Mitch and Leya reversed the ambush scenario.

Leya struck with lethality. Her ice sword pierced goblin flesh. The temperature dropped noticeably around her during combat, creating visible breath clouds and ice crystals that marked her passage through the battlefield.

Mitch initially attempted a conservative approach, hoping to preserve magical energy for later challenges. He activated his fire aura, which superheated his sword blade and the surrounding air.

Single piercing strikes became devastatingly effective, while broader slashing attacks could decapitate opponents when penetration proved insufficient.

The magical flames cauterized wounds instantly, preventing the goblins’ regenerative abilities from taking effect.

Unfortunately, the fire aura’s brilliant illumination betrayed their position to elevated goblin scouts.

Warriors hidden in the tree canopy launched coordinated attacks, dropping from branches with surprise strikes. The tactical situation deteriorated rapidly as more enemies engaged from multiple directions.

Mitch’s mana sense provided crucial defensive capabilities, detecting hostile creatures within a twenty-meter radius and allowing him to anticipate attacks.

However, the goblins’ superior numbers occasionally overwhelmed even enhanced reflexes.

When five or more goblins coordinated their assault, some attacks inevitably penetrated his defenses, delivering poisoned wounds that threatened to incapacitate him.

His holy magic proved invaluable. Each time toxic substances entered his bloodstream, purification spells cleansed the poison before it could cause permanent damage. The magical healing required significant energy expenditure but remained essential for survival.

The chamber’s greatest challenge lay within the goblin settlement itself.

Each hut contained between ten and fifteen warriors equipped with diverse weapons, not merely the crude knives carried by scouts, but proper swords, reinforced spears, composite bows, and even towering shields.

These represented organized military units rather than scattered individual threats.

The largest hut clearly served as a command center, with smoke rising from its chimney.