This Dungeon Grew Mushrooms

The tenth floor of the Dungeon, at the central clearing of the werewolf settlement.

At this moment, whether it was the werewolves who had chosen to leave or those who stayed behind, all were gathered here—except for Karen.

As for Karen, compared to the future of her kin, she was more concerned with figuring out how to finally defeat Norris.

The atmosphere in the clearing was taut as drawn blades. The werewolves, with the elder white-furred wolf at their head, stood in a semicircle, facing off against Little Blue and the half-mushroom werewolves who had chosen exile but now returned to the tenth floor.

The elder wolf leader stepped forward, his claws gouging deep into the earth as though ready to strike at any moment.

“You traitors who were driven out… how dare you return here? Are you here to die?”

But Little Blue wasn’t frightened in the least. Instead, he said:

“Do you know? When werewolves bask in the sun, they actually turn into humans. In the far north, just fur isn’t enough to keep warm. And mushroom stew with meat is really delicious.”

“What are you getting at?” the elder wolf cut off his endless chatter.

“My point is—look around you! There’s nothing here!” Little Blue stretched his shoulders, loosening his body. Then he stepped forward to face the elder wolf head-on.

“I, Ulf Wind—Shadow Howl Violet Hammond, in accordance with the rules, challenge you as Alpha! I will take everyone out with me!”

The instant he spoke, the werewolves burst into loud murmurs. Even the elder wolf himself hadn’t expected this—a challenge for Alpha!

After all, the situation as it stood was already in his favor.

On the surface, their numbers were even. The elder wolf’s side even had more who had reached the level 50 cap. Their ranks were higher.

But with age came decline.

And among the younger werewolves on his side, many were secretly wavering, bound more by his authority and long-standing tribal law than by loyalty. Though he shouted fiercely, putting on a show of wanting to tear Little Blue’s side apart, in truth he was the one who dared not act rashly.

Win or lose, the tribe would be ruined.

And yet, Little Blue had actually proposed an Alpha Challenge, giving up the greatest advantage of numbers for a one-on-one duel!

Strictly speaking, this was outside the rules, since Little Blue and the others had already been exiled. They were no longer members of the tribe and had no right to challenge.

But rules were dead things. Wolves were alive. Why would he abandon an option that tilted the odds in his favor?

He knew Little Blue’s abilities well. Among the young generation, he was impressive, but nowhere near his equal.

And from the looks of him now—wearing nothing but a pair of white shorts of unknown material, completely unarmored—there was no way a few months’ time could have made him reborn.

Even though this challenge was to his benefit, the elder wolf still found himself enraged.

Karen’s challenge was only for her own freedom. Little Blue, on the other hand, wanted to take everything.

How could the elder wolf not be furious?

“Good! Good! Good!” The elder wolf laughed in fury, killing intent pouring out like something tangible.

“Since you reeking mushroom brat want to die, I’ll use your blood to show the whole tribe the fate of traitors!”

The moment he finished, his body erupted in terrifying speed, claws striking straight for Little Blue’s heart!

Caught off guard by the elder wolf’s shameless attack, Little Blue reacted a beat too slow. He leapt back but half a step too late, taking a claw to the chest.

Yet the talons sank in only half a finger before being forced out.

Hard! Like striking armor!

“Old bastard! You ambushed me!” Little Blue shouted, realizing how close he’d been to disaster.

“Stop your whining. The moment you declared ‘Alpha Challenge,’ the battle began!”

Their figures clashed with explosive speed, claws rending the air with piercing shrieks.

The elder wolf’s every strike was vicious and precise, each one aimed at vital points, killing intent sharpened by years of battle. His level and experience clearly surpassed Little Blue’s.

But Little Blue’s counterattacks were hesitant. He blocked, dodged, avoided deadly spots even when striking back, as though unable to resolve himself to deliver killing blows.

It looked like a duel of uneven strength.

And yet, no matter how savage the elder wolf’s assaults, no matter how many wounds he carved into Little Blue’s body, he failed to land a truly grievous blow. In fact, the chest wound from the first strike was already clotting and healing as the fight went on!

The elder wolf’s breathing grew heavy, his eyes flashing with disbelief and anger.

Among the onlookers, murmurs of unease began. The duel, expected to end in a thunderous instant, was instead dragging into a battle of attrition.

Lin Jun, watching, was not surprised. If anything, he was dissatisfied with Little Blue’s performance.

After all, for this “Alpha Challenge,” Lin Jun had invested quite a bit into him.

[Physical Resistance LV10], [Regeneration LV6], [Mycelium Reorganization LV8], [Sharpness LV10].

Naked in appearance, but armed to the teeth in truth.

And so, Lin Jun whispered relentlessly into Little Blue’s mind, conducting a “battlefield psychological counseling”:

“Hesitation means defeat! If you go soft, you’ll die! Stab his eyes! Kick his legs! Don’t hold back! That claw he just swung was meant to gut you! Are you even a werewolf? Where’s your ferocity?!”

Driven by Lin Jun’s goading, and pressed hard by the elder wolf’s merciless assault, the last trace of hesitation in Little Blue’s eyes gave way to ruthless determination.

His attacks grew wilder, more vicious, claws shrieking through the air with killing intent.

Lin Jun finally smiled in satisfaction. The time was nearly right.

Just as the elder wolf lunged again, claws clashing against Little Blue’s bleeding arm, small, unremarkable mushrooms suddenly sprouted at lightning speed beneath his feet.

Squish!

The elder wolf crushed them underfoot. A slimy, slippery sensation spread instantly through his paws!

The elder wolf’s balance instantly collapsed. His left foot slipped hard, and his massive body lurched uncontrollably to the side, exposing a fatal opening!

Little Blue didn’t think—pure battle instinct drove him. With claws imbued with [Sharpness LV10], he easily pierced straight through the elder wolf’s chest!

The elder wolf’s forward momentum came to a sudden halt. In disbelief, he lowered his head, staring at the bloodied claw that had completely buried itself in his chest and burst out from his back.

Before the pain could even fully register in his brain, his life force was already draining rapidly with his shattered heart.

Little Blue froze too. He hadn’t expected the fight to end so suddenly.

The elder wolf opened his mouth, as if to speak, but only blood poured out in a choking flood.

At last, his massive body crashed heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust—completely lifeless.

The entire werewolf settlement fell into dead silence.

After a brief stillness, the young werewolves who had followed Little Blue erupted into frenzied cheers behind him.

“We won!”

According to tribal tradition, when the challenger slew the old leader in a fair duel, he became the tribe’s unquestioned new king!

It took Little Blue quite a while to recover from his daze, but then he gave his first command as the new Wolf King:

“The entire tribe will migrate out of the tenth floor. Anyone who chooses to stay behind will be considered exiled!”

This time, aside from a few exceptions, the vast majority of werewolves followed after Little Blue.