Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

On Kuzu's order, his first unit consisted of twenty-five men and twenty-five monsters, charged at the defense shield that protected the Kori dungeon's entrance.

Screams and shouts and shrieks echoed in the distance as the monsters tried to break through the defense shield.

But as soon as the first few monsters touched the shield, they perished into dust, into ash. Although the shield was damaged, it was not enough to breakthrough.

When fifteen monsters and five men died the shield's durability was lost totally and Kuzu's first unit managed to enter the Kori dungeon.

If this was the real world then he would be sweating loads by now. Kamiya cupped his hands under his chin and focused tensely on a magic screen.

Hitori had opened a screen for himself too, as he studied Kuzu's men and their strategy– they were nothing but animals and beasts on the loose. The monsters were no different than Kuzu's men.

Reon did not bother to take a look at the ongoing fight. She was trying to calm her nerves by muttering positive suggestions under her breath.

The men could not feel the coldness of the Kori dungeon but the monsters did– not as it mattered to them though. They scraped through the frozen, ice-covered walls of the dungeon.

A monster banged its mace and another smashed its club on the wall and snow jumped all over them. They continued pushing the snow away with their weapons.

On entering the first floor, monsters had the lead, they started smashing anything and everything they saw.

First, the tiny snow gnomes had their heads smashed into pieces of snow and clay. Then the Nisse attacked the monsters with icicle spears but could not do much damage.

The men behind had trouble navigating through the ground that was covered in an inch of thick snow. The snow would always slow them down but the snow did not bother the monsters.

The monsters smashed the last Nisse and entered the third floor, the message reached the trio.

Reon opened her eyes and looked at Kamiya in disappointment. Besides the defense shield, they had not killed a single man. And if this goes on…

Hitori looked at Kamiya too, not in disappointment though, he was sure of one thing– "Kamiya is not dumb… he surely has something planned… he must have something planned."

Kamiya had only told Hitori and Reon their roles in the battle, he never explained the traps he had set, nor did he explain their defense. Not his fault, no one bothered to ask him.

The icicle spears had killed two monsters and a man. So more than eight monsters and twenty-four men still remained, and Kamiya had the perfect plan ready for them.

Kamiya slowly lifted his hand and moved it to the magic screen.

He had deliberately placed the weakest dungeons first to weaken the enemy forces but he did not expect that it would be so hard to watch your dungeon's loss.

A few men took the lead, they ran through the snow-covered ground and dashed into the third floor through a portal. As soon as they entered, they found a canon on their face.

Kamiya pulled his index finger down and pressed the 'fire' button. A smile was trying to spread on his face.

The monsters pushed from behind and the men who tried to move back were pushed forward– on the canon.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

Five balls of snow came from the canon that was covered in snow. A snowball killed two men at once. Another snowball pushed through and smacked a monster's head– it did not die.

Kamiya pulled out another canon from the roof and pulled it straight at the monsters. Once again, five shots were fired.

Three monsters died, one was heavily injured and two men died. The attack was not much but Kamiya was satisfied to take down ten men and three monsters from his canon strategy.

The remaining men and monsters of the first unit still charged through the third floor, they killed five snow Wassets and cleared the third floor. Their casualty? Only one man.

Kuzu on the other side could see the fight too, he was pretty sure that his first unit will conquer the Kori dungeon even if all that was left is a single man.

Yet, Kuzu turned around, shouted at his men and a unit of twenty-five men and five monsters stepped forward. Kuzu kept them ready at the entrance of the Kori dungeon.

Hitori stared at Kamiya as he waited patiently for something. Thirteen men and five monsters broke into the fourth floor of the Kori dungeon, the last floor.

Wendigo was hidden in the dark light, under the thick pile of snow; waiting for his enemies to come closer.

Kamiya crept closer to the screen, he glanced through the control panel that had numerous spotlights glowing on it.

Kamiya brought his finger forward, and Hitori leaned forward. Reon saw Kamiya lift his finger and slowly press it on the control panel.

She heard a rustling sound. Reon leaned closer and opened her magic screen and she watched it too.

The snow at the floor's entrance was just a buff. When the monsters and men ran towards Wendigo, Kamiya touched the button.

The snow slipped beneath their feet and took them down into a deep endless dark pit. It was designed to swallow their enemies but a few were wise enough to not rush.

Wendigo used that distraction and panic to its advantage. He charged at the remaining six men– not all at once, only once at a time– he crept from behind and drew its sharp claws.

With its level ten agility and reflex, no one noticed it until its claws went through the neck of one man and the chest of another.

"Woah!" they shrieked and jumped away from their companions. They saw Wendigo's hideous figure standing straight as blood dripped down its pointed claws.

Kuzu clicked his tongue, "it is over," he muttered. Kuzu turned around to lead his second unit, "since when, Kamiya?" Kuzu scoffed.

The Wendigo killed two men at once and so killed Kuzu's hope of conquering the Kori dungeon with the help of his first unit– that was the reason why he had twenty-five monsters instead of five in this unit.

He turned to his men. "That marks the end of our first wave," he said. Kuzu lifted his blade, "second wave!" he shouted, "ready… and attack!"

He swung his blade down and the second wave– consisting of twenty-five men and five monsters– advanced through the entrance, smashed everything they saw. They climbed the first floor, then the second floor.

But by now, the remaining six players who were hesitating decided to dare and fight the low-level boss.

Exactly when the Wendigo pulled its claws out, his enemies drew their weapons out.

The hallow pit was covered with snow once again– snow and ground, I mean. So Wendigo and others ran easily through the ground.

Wendigo was only level ten but his opponents' level was an average of above twenty. As long as Wendigo could assassinate, it was safe; but when it came to hand-to-hand combat with someone twice its level, it did not stand a chance.

Wendigo tried to flee and assassinate its enemies one by one as Kamiya ordered it from above– their dungeon's level was not high enough to manipulate the boss' actions, Kamiya could only order it to move, not move it accordingly– so it was a pain.

A guy lifted his gun to shoot down Wendigo, Kamiya ordered it to duck but at the same time, another guy swung his sword at Wendigo.

Kamiya commanded, it was not that easy to listen and move in a fraction of a second. Wendigo took the bullet instead of the sword's swing which would have cut its head in a blink.

Nothing worked, a woman released her bow. Blood sprouted out from Wendigo's stomach when the arrow went past his skeleton body.

She pulled another bow but stopped, her mate messaged her to stop. It was their leader who had ordered the archer to be careful, she was near the boss.

Wendigo was struggling with life. A sword's tip erupted from its chest along with its insides that clung down the sword tip that was colored in blackish-red blood.

Ding, ding.

All of the five players received a message from their leader to stay back, she needed to take the boss on her own. They all agreed because the Wendigo did not seem to be in a state to fight back.

Kamiya dropped his head, banged the magic screen, and leaned back into his throne. Kamiya's leg was trembling up and down continuously; like a demolition hammer, you know, like a concrete breaker.

Kamiya covered his eyes with his hand, 'At least should have defeated the first wave!' Kamiya was upset.

Wendigo's health was already red and no there was no hope for it to survive. While the second wave had reached the third floor's exit, Wendigo moved like a person high on alcohol, it could not see clearly, could not move properly.

Bing!

Suddenly, from behind him, a girl clad in a black ninja outfit popped out. She grabbed her kunai and reached for Wendigo's head.

A glint flashed through its eyes. Wendigo stopped moving, it had sensed someone behind it.

Swap, thump!

In a flash, no one knew what happened but Wendigo held the first unit's leader's head no more, spikey claws were popping out from her face.

Hitori shouted at Kamiya to take a look, Kamiya jumped forward, and Reon covered her mouth to suppress her eyes from coming out of her sockets.

The five men, Kuzu, Uragi, Gigi, the trio, and everyone from the audience were shocked. No one saw, no one noticed what happened.

Wendigo lifted its hand and stabbed the leader's kunai through the side of her neck. Her health had already dropped to zero though.

The remaining five mates took enough to recover from the shock that Wendigo dropped the body to the ground before whispering something only it could understand.

"You can not assassinate me in my own turf…" it scoffed before it was shot dead. No one knew what it spoke though.

Kamiya's eyes were tearful. He could not suppress his pain for Wendigo's sacrifice.

The leftovers from the first wave advanced forward. When they reached the end of the Kori dungeon they received a message about conquering the dungeon.

Kuzu did not know whether to feel happy or sad at reading the message.

[Your guild has conquered the Kori dungeon]

At the same time, the trio received a message.

[Your Kori dungeon has been conquered by Emperor Onogi's Guild.]

[You have lost the Kori dungeon, your territory's radius reduces to four hundred and five meters radius from four hundred and forty-five meters radius]

They had no choice, Kamiya had to sacrifice the whole Kori dungeon.