SSS-Rank Overlord: Defend the Dungeon or Die-Chapter 213: Episode

A year had passed since the village that once sustained itself here had disappeared. It was no exaggeration to say that Highlon Forest was now in a completely natural state. A place where birds chirped daily and animals frolicked under the warm sunlight. And now, strangers had invaded this forest.

"I don’t care how much you’re underestimating them, not even using a Vision Expansion Scroll... Are you thinking straight, Yuda? It wouldn’t hurt to use one," Banshee said.

"What are you talking about? I went into Velvet without a single exclusive item. Balak’s Dungeon Master just hides like a rat and gives orders. It’s not fun, and I’m not interested. As soon as this business with the Aneis Kingdom is over, I’m going straight back to the north. Just so you know."

It was the Yuda Raid Party. The top-tier Raiders who had been active in the north. They had now entered Balak’s territory to raid it. Banshee shrugged and stepped back. Yuda had always been one to face challenges with his skills alone, without relying on exclusive items. This raid on Balak would be no different. Besides, unlike Seunghoon, Taehyun was the type to command his soldiers from the rear. It was only natural that Yuda, who thrived on competitive spirit, would dislike an opponent who didn’t fight directly.

"Asiant. Mana Detection."

"As you command!"

Soon, mana spread out from the hands of the mage, Asiant.

[A-rank top-tier Raider Asiant has cast Mana Detection.]

[Presences within range have been detected.]

As expected, soldiers were deployed ahead. A forest was ideal terrain for an ambush. There was no way Taehyun, with two forests at his disposal, wouldn’t use them. Yuda first assessed the three silhouettes he could see ahead.

’One’s a mage. One’s an archer. And is the last one a mage, too? To place his main forces in such an obvious spot... He must have something else up his sleeve.’

The moment he finished his assessment, the dungeon soldiers revealed themselves. Since they were already in sight, an ambush was the obvious move. The shieldbearers naturally spread out, forming a defensive perimeter.

"How utterly pathetic," Yuda sneered. "To think you’d try to ambush me, Yuda, with soldiers like these. Seriously, it’s not even funny!"

From Evil Goblins to Werewolves, Centaurs, Hellhounds, Lizardmen, and Fenrirs. Regardless of their grade, the force was composed entirely of soldiers specializing in ambushes.

The shield soldiers skillfully deflected the arrows flying at them from both sides, but a moment later, a series of explosions erupted in their midst.

"Ugh! These arrows are enchanted to explode!"

"It’s not just the arrows—the ambush troops have them, too! Everyone, get your barriers up now!"

"Tch, annoying bastards. We were supposed to conserve our single-use skills."

Every member of the ambush team had been equipped with explosion enchantments. The priests quickly cast protective barriers to mitigate the damage while the ranged raiders preemptively restricted the soldiers’ movements, preventing further detonations. As an elite force seasoned by years of conquest, the Yuda Raid Party’s response to the surprise attack was flawless.

"Dares, what’s your range?" Yuda called out.

"It’s enough."

"Good. Put one right in the middle of their mages."

"Consider it done."

Dares, a top-tier A-rank archer renowned as the party’s master marksman, drew his bowstring.

[Top-tier A-rank Raider Dares has activated Faded Arrow.]

[Top-tier A-rank Raider Dares has cast Paradox’s Last Arrow.]

[An arrow imbued with the energy of ruin is fired toward the designated target.]

[Paradox’s Last Arrow uses remaining: 1/1]

The Arrow of Ruin, the very projectile that had once destroyed the Paradox Empire, was loosed. Seeing the gaping hole it tore through the forest, Dares was certain he had eliminated his target. The system message that appeared, however, told a different story.

[Paradox’s Last Arrow has been neutralized.]

"...It seems he has a skill that blocks ranged attacks," Dares said.

"So we just wasted a single-use skill," Yuda grumbled. "For now, you handle the other soldiers. If he can neutralize ranged skills, we just have to get up close. Parsen, Wilhelm, with me!"

"Finally, a proper fight," Parsen grinned.

"On our way!" Wilhelm shouted.

Taking the lead, Yuda began to personally break through the front line. Parsen and Wilhelm followed, cutting down soldiers as they advanced toward their objective.

’Black mist?’ Yuda thought.

A thick fog was gradually materializing ahead of them, likely the source of whatever had neutralized Dares’s skill. Yuda spotted a silhouette within the mist and thrust his sword, Fragarach, forward.

[Top-tier A-rank Raider Yuda has cast Swift Slash.]

[The magic sword Fragarach amplifies his magic.]

[A magic-infused slash flies toward the designated area.]

A blade of pure energy shot forth. Swift Slash was an extension of his swordsmanship, born from pure technique. It was impossible to neutralize, even for an ability that blocked ranged skills. Parsen and Wilhelm charged into the black mist in the wake of the slash, but before they could reach their target, a summon circle activated.

The black mist vanished. The Swift Slash had done nothing but lay waste to the innocent forest.

---

[A-rank Hero Guardian Raviz, Pioneer of Space, has cast Grand Summon.]

[Hendy, Hera, and Big Dream from the Hylon Forest have been summoned to the Revived Plains.]

A mage standing on the plains completed the summoning. Her appearance was more mature than before; it was Raviz, who had shed her girlish features through Evolution. After confirming the three summoned individuals, she took out a communication device.

"Master, the summoning was a success."

—"I just confirmed it myself. Now go to the Silent Forest and wait on standby."

"Understood."

She now had to wait in the Silent Forest. Raviz bowed to the three who had been summoned and headed to her designated location.

Hera spoke first. "It seems we should get into position on the plains again."

"Ugh, why does he make us do such annoying things?" Hendy complained. "That demon is such a headache."

"You would do well to stop insulting the Master with such a flippant tone, Hendy," Hyena said sharply.

"Master, Master! How many times have you said that? I’m sick of hearing it!" Hendy retorted, puffing out her cheeks. "You’re just a raider who was forced to join Balak, too, Hyena. There’s no need to listen to that demon. If it weren’t for my contract, I would’ve taken my sister and brother and run away long ago."

Hyena’s eyes narrowed into a piercing glare. "What did you just say?"

"N-nothing! Come on, let’s hurry up and get into position!"

Hyena was already taking the lead, moving toward their post. Big Dream, who had been listening silently, shook his bony head and clicked his tongue.

"The Master certainly has it rough."

---

Three months had passed since Vadon’s defeat. Taehyun hadn’t been idle. Although Balak had yet to become an S-rank dungeon, many changes had occurred, one of which was Raviz’s Evolution. She was now a proper A-rank Hero Guardian.

’Grand Summon is one of her new skills,’ Taehyun thought. ’As long as I can summon multiple units at once, I don’t have to go through the trouble of calling them one by one anymore.’

He checked the status of the soldiers who had been wiped out by the raid party.

’They may have been annihilated, but all my soldiers, regardless of grade, are at the elite sub-grade. If I keep using their special abilities, I can continue to rack up damage.’ 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The fact that he had already forced them to use four of their single-use skills was proof of that. It hadn’t dealt significant damage, but he was more than satisfied with the result.

"It’s a shame about the dwarven equipment, but I can just retrieve it later," Taehyun murmured.

"Is it the Revived Plains’ turn now?" Inhye asked.

"That’s right. Ambushing is impossible here, so I’ll have to use siege units through the black mist. Sieghardt, Angelina, get ready."

Sieghardt, Shield of the White Giant Star, and Angelina of Pleasure. Both had undergone a stage of Evolution, just like Raviz.

—"Ready, my lord."

—"I’m always ready, Dungeon Master."

The two figures on the screen appeared alongside other shield soldiers. They were the defense unit he had sent to the Ice Palace in advance. With the addition of Inhye, who possessed God’s Teaching, they constituted a considerable force.

[Explosion Trap has been activated.]

[Snare Trap has been activated.]

[Explosion Trap has been activated.]

[Snare Trap has been activated.]

Meanwhile, the traps that hadn’t been triggered initially due to the raid party’s swift response began to go off one after another. There must have been traps that even the bounty hunters couldn’t disarm.

’It’s a bit disappointing they didn’t go off during the ambush, but I should be grateful they went off at all.’

This would slow the raid party’s advance. Taehyun readied his soldiers and contacted Geonsun.

—"Yawn... So, who do you want to borrow?"

"Pluton will be enough."

—"I’ll send him over as soon as you call again. That’s all, right?"

"Yeah. Just pick up when I call."

Pluton, an A-rank Named Guardian. He was the first major asset he would request. With Pluton on his side, he could inflict considerable damage on the Revived Plains. Taehyun put down the communication device, his thoughts turning to Leon.

’Whatever your intentions, I will annihilate the Yuda Raid Party. The Balak of today, changed over these past three months, will surely exceed your every expectation.’

---

Day three of the schedule. After camping in the Hylon Forest, the raid party finally entered the Revived Plains.

"I can’t believe an explosion trap went off there. I wasted a single-use skill for nothing."

"Don’t worry. We still have plenty of them left."

"True. And we have all our personal items, so it should be enough."

The traps scattered throughout the forest had caused a slight delay, but it wasn’t a serious issue. Yuda surveyed the vast plains and used a Vision Expansion Scroll.

[Vision Expansion Scroll has been used.]

[The raid party’s vision has been expanded.]

"Yuda," Hiklu said, "didn’t you say you weren’t going to use your personal items?"

"Hiklu, do you really have to butt into everything? If you have eyes, you can see for yourself. This is a wide-open plain. You have to give me this one."

"Where did the ever-confident Yuda go? Sigh."

"Shut up and move out, you bastards."

The expanded vision brought the entire plain into view. The raiders immediately eliminated the familiars flying in the air, cutting off their enemy’s sight first.

[Top-tier A-rank Raider Hiklu has cast Truthful Eyes.]

[Secures vision of the Revived Plains for a set period.]

[Truthful Eyes uses remaining: 1/1]

The scout Hiklu cast her skill. Through her eye in the sky, she secured a complete view of the plains.

"Hmm. It doesn’t look like there are any main forces with movement skills. It seems the ones from before are on standby with siege units."

"What kind of siege units?" Yuda asked.

"Siege Catapult Drakes and Siege Crossbow Drakes. What’s the plan?"

"What else? A frontal assault. I missed them last time because of that summon skill, but I won’t give them the chance this time."

Their enemy’s vision was already cut off. Before the siege units could begin their bombardment, other soldiers would surely appear. Yuda confidently drew Fragarach and gave the order to advance. At that moment, new soldiers began to appear from near the labyrinth.

[A-rank Keeper Sieghardt, Gatekeeper of the White Giant Star, has appeared.]

[B-rank Hero Keeper Fallen Angelina has appeared.]

As expected, a unit to protect the siege soldiers appeared. Yuda scoffed and gave an order to Asiant.

"Asiant, start with a preemptive strike!"

"Against siege soldiers? More than worth it!"

An immense amount of electricity crackled through Asiant’s hands.

[Top-tier A-rank Raider Asiant has cast Thunderbolt.]

[A thunderbolt strikes the designated area.]

[Thunderbolt uses remaining: 1/1]

Asiant, the lightning mage, unleashed his Thunderbolt. The same single-use skill that had once threatened Velvet was now being cast again. He brought the thunderbolt down upon the siege soldiers. At that moment, Sieghardt, standing with the shield soldiers, activated a skill.

[A-rank Keeper Sieghardt, Gatekeeper of the White Giant Star, has cast Come to Me.]

[Intercepts a designated skill.]

[Come to Me uses remaining: 1/2]

It was the Keeper’s limited-use skill. He began to take the full force of the thunderbolt in place of the siege soldiers.

"This is nothing! As long as I stand firm, the siege soldiers—"

"Gak!"

Of course, the skill’s effect didn’t actually block the damage.

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