This Dungeon Grew Mushrooms

Sigismund stood on the captured ramparts and greedily drew in a deep breath. The air, thick with the stench of blood and burning, made him feel exhilarated. This stubborn stronghold that had been an eyesore for so many years was finally about to be destroyed before him.

These past days, using the enormous regeneration of the trolls under Veralis as the vanguard for the assault, he had launched merciless attacks regardless of cost, and at last one by one the troublesome magic towers on the outskirts of the Highkeep Fortress were torn down.

Most of the trolls were dead or wounded, but the gains were equally gratifying.

When the final tower collapsed into ruins with a deafening roar, the fate of the fortress was sealed. No matter how impregnable its walls, without the protection of the outer magical firepower, its fall was only a matter of time.

Now, only that old rival Arama remained, leading the remnant soldiers and relying on the fortress’s internal labyrinthine structure to stubbornly resist.

It wouldn’t take a day to completely crush him!

In a half-ruined mezzanine to the side, swordlight flashed. With a few dying wails from demonic soldiers, a young human officer, drenched in blood, burst through a door. His eyes were blood-red; he gripped a sharp sword and launched a desperate charge at the conspicuous Sigismund.

“Die! You blood-sucking beast!”

Confronted with this sudden assault, Sigismund’s crimson eyes did not even ripple.

At other times, encountering such a bold youth might have kindled his fondness for talent; he might have tried to capture him for high reward, attempting to turn him into a fierce warrior under his banner.

But now, his mind held only the intense desire to utterly destroy this fortress. Any obstacle in his path would be mercilessly wiped away.

Pffft!

A blood-coated throwing spear whistled out from behind Sigismund and pierced the human officer’s heart.

The desperate charging figure shuddered violently, staggered two steps, and then fell from the high wall with an unwilling look in his eyes.

The adjutant expressionlessly drew the surging crimson mana around him back under his black robe, stepped forward two paces, and reported, “My lord, scouts have discovered traces of human reinforcements appearing behind the Highkeep Fortress. At the current pace of our assault, we fear we cannot clear the fortress interior before the reinforcements arrive.”

“Reinforcements?” Sigismund sneered; he was not surprised. It would be strange if Arama did not hope for reinforcements. “If they’d shown up a day or two earlier it might’ve been troublesome, but now…”

Humanity has lost the advantage of defending the fortress—would his elite demonic army still fear butchering human troops within the castle?

The adjutant paused slightly and lowered his voice further: “One more thing… Lady Veralis has ‘accidentally’ struck one of our support squads again.”

He phrased it as politely as possible, but the truth was that the mad duchess had gone on a killing spree and taken some friendly troops who happened to enter her sight as her playthings.

Sigismund was silent for a moment; a vein stood out at his temple. “…Issue orders for all troops to avoid the area where she is located.”

Victory was in sight; he did not want unnecessary complications.

…

The bloody slaughter in the Highkeep Fortress lasted a whole day and night. When the shouts of battle subsided, Sigismund finally saw his old adversary Arama.

The knight was soaked in dark red blood; his armor was badly damaged, and he carried the head of a Blood Knight by the hair.

Clearly, Arama had always fought on the front lines, unlike Sigismund, who could comfortably command from the rear.

Their eyes met. Arama casually tossed the severed head to the ground; it made a dull sound. He then turned alone and walked toward the fortress’s only remaining intact main hall.

Before stepping through the doorway, he looked back at Sigismund deeply.

Sigismund knew this was his old rival’s invitation.

“Expecting to reverse the tide by cutting down the commander, are you? No more tricks left, then.” Sigismund licked his fangs but did not immediately follow.

He had enough self-knowledge to realize that although Arama had been fighting all day and must be greatly exhausted, in his present state Sigismund could not claim any sure victory.

Besides, with victory nearly assured, why take the stupid risk of single combat?

Such a mistake only a rash fool like Xenophon would make.

He decisively called on Elinor, who was currently furiously slaughtering fodder, and Veralis, who had likewise been fighting all day and was nearly half-mad, to come deal with this troublesome threat together.

But when they entered the hall, a portly man wielding a sword in one hand and a staff in the other leapt out.

His staff jabbed; a magical filament whipped out like a living serpent, snared Veralis, and flung her out of the hall. He then followed with a leap.

Sigismund recognized this rotund human: Duke Lorenzo, lord of Oath City—the very force that had arrived at the last moment as reinforcements.

He didn’t worry about Veralis’s safety; that madwoman’s power was by no means weaker than his.

His gaze refocused on the opposite Arama. “Is this your entire plan? Have your comrades temporarily hold Veralis, and then you alone come here to deal with the two of us?”

“Exactly.” Arama’s voice was calm and resolute. He dropped the long-battered greatsword that had accompanied him through many battles—now riddled with notches—and instead slowly drew a brand-new weapon from his back, solemnly planting it before him.

Sigismund’s pupils contracted. He had no idea what was special about this sword, but appearing at such a moment, caution was prudent.

He was about to signal two squads of Blood Knights outside to probe the situation.

Elinor by his side could not contain herself and let out a shrill taunt: “One against two? Arama, you hold yourself in too high regard! Last time you were just lucky! This time, where will you run?!”

At Elinor’s ear-piercing laughter, a surging tide of blood burst from beneath her cloak.

These were the “results” she had collected in the fortress all day, prepared specifically for now!

Blood scattered like living things, splattering the walls, floor, and ceiling.

“Blood Manipulation — Blood Prison!”

With her fierce cry, the crimson mana waves instantly enveloped the entire space, sealing it into a deathly cage.

“I’m going to put your head up to decorate my bathhouse! Hahaha!” Elinor let out something akin to a victory proclamation.

Sigismund lowered his hand that had been about to summon his subordinates and remained silent.

On one hand, Elinor’s Blood Prison had already been cast—there was nothing to be done now.

On the other, within this space suffused with blood magic, he as a member of the bloodkind truly felt the environment amplify him.

The thick stench of blood made his mana flow more smoothly, while for humans the surrounding blood-poison would continuously erode their bodies. It was indeed a rather useful battlefield control skill.

Before the battle, Sigismund sternly warned the roommate with whom he shared a body in his mind: “We had an agreement this time! Remember your promise! If you dare sabotage things at a critical moment again, we’ll die together!”

This was indeed his bottom line.

“That’s true—last time I acted according to the agreement too.” The voice in his mind sounded somewhat innocent. “Since this time the exchange was completed early, I naturally won’t disturb you. I’m the most trustworthy!”

Sigismund snorted coldly and made no comment on his roommate’s words.

Yet in the end, Lin Jun kindly reminded, “Be careful not to die, okay…”

Sigismund felt a trace of surprise—not because it was strange that his roommate would care about his life, since they shared one body.

What puzzled him was that he vaguely sensed a thread of… excitement in that roommate’s consciousness?

But Arama was already charging with his sword; he had no time to ponder further.

Crimson bloodlight and cold steel clashed with a thunderous impact inside the sealed hall!