The Corrupted Syndicate

"We won't be moving from level to level. Let's try to move as a group because from what Void and Abyss have reported, these monsters are at least a few levels higher than Solaris' pets. And Lunaris herself is way better combatant than her twin," said Mavislin, sighing.

"Hell, I think all these mini-bosses that we're about to fight aren't just mindless creatures... They were part of the Legion at one point," added the dragoness as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Why do you say so?" asked the Viceroy, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at Mavislin.

"According to the notes here, all have reported that the creatures have some sense of... Individuality. But the main thing that catches my eye is that they have been out from their rooms before. Unlike Solaris' pets, who never saw past their rooms."

The new battlefield was similar to an underground bunker so after the first drop, there was a long hallway leading to the first room. Also, in a weird twist, Abyss had made it very clear not to engage with the other doors that lined each side of the corridor. 

" 'If you want to preserve your sanity, best not to let your curiosity steer you.' Whatever lies beyond those doors would be a hell incarnated if someone like Abyss is the one to warn us... Since when can the Mad Hound write so proficiently?" questioned Mattheos.

"Void has been teaching him... Not out of the kindness of his heart but rather to work with him easier than a bunch of scribbles of nonsense."

"However, with my memory jogged about what the Legion's capabilities are, there are a few things that pop into my mind about what lies behind those doors. They are mainly on the lines of body parts or something gory..."

"Please, I still treasure my dinner so don't continue your words..." pleaded the rabbit, visibly shaken.

The trio then continued to read on to the first room where they would find themselves against the Wendigo, a beast that had been appearing regularly in both the Syndicate's and Northern Cartel's reports. 

"That thing had been flagged more times than my knife collection... Why isn't it dead by now?" complained Mavislin as she shook her head at the rough sketch that Abyss tried his best to do.

Even a preschooler wouldn't be able to tell what that 'drawing' was.

"I've tried sending my personnel towards it since I had been preoccupied with things around here and my father had deemed it 'useless' for my presence there," answered Zenos.

"I don't think we should focus too much on this. I should make quick work of this monster since it usually runs away from high-ranking Mages. Even Matt's blade alone could clobber it in one strike to stop it to escort it out from the gene pool."

After entering the room, the group faced a choice between two doors, each leading to Lunaris' Den but each presenting a different creature to battle.

Abyss suggested splitting the group: one of the strongest should tackle a challenge alone, while the other two combined their efforts against the other monster. Yet, no matter how she strategized, the idea seemed flawed.

If she ventured alone, she was certain the other two would clash throughout the fight, possibly even causing harm to one another. On the other hand, if Zenos went solo, there was a risk he might go rogue or flee in the heat of battle.

Mavislin longed to trust her formidable ally, but she was not ready to let her guard down. After all, Zenos had shown his willingness to turn on Matt over a minor issue. She then thought a bit more about it and decided to have some faith in her bunny.

'What happens if he loses control of his Mad King?' asked Gorgon.

The dragoness let out an exasperated groan as she slammed her head into the floor, causing both males to look at her in worry and curiosity. Even Medusa was slightly worried as her snakes hissed in confusion.

"Mattheos... How are you against spiders?" quizzed Mavislin, with her face still planted on the floor.

"I don't like them and I wish not to ever encounter them."

"Great. While Zenos and I take care of the Mother of Spinners, you shall go ahead and wait for us. However, you are not to engage in any battle and wait for us. With his might and my 'gift', we should be able to take her down in a few blows," explained the dragoness.

" 'Gift'?" quizzed Zenos.

"You'll see when we fight against that oversized bug. I'm sure that we wouldn't even need to use our Alter forms. That giantess is barely a shell of her true form... Anyways, there isn't much to discuss about any of these monsters..."