One of the most disconcerting things to wake up to is a couple of floating blue boxes.

Yup, it’s still really weird that I can see them even though my eyes are closed. They make no light, but they weirdly glow as though to attract my attention. But, the moment I open my eyes, they will then become transparent. Very confusing system, and it’s just as much as confusing with the skill upgrade. Would the system still upgrade my skill if I didn’t have [Corrosive Annihilation]?

Now that I think about it, aren't I supposed to have a bunch of combat spells? Hmm, maybe they are prevalent in the [Mage] or [Dark Mage] class. I did skip them altogether anyhow.

Still, it would have been nice to actually have a skill that doesn't currently need goddamn bone.

Opening my eyes and leaning up, I quickly orient myself to my location, which has not changed since I passed out. With a thought, I open up my status.

“I used too much mana.” I mumble aloud.

I figured that the cost would be extreme, but I didn’t believe that it would be so ridiculous. Granted, in hindsight, it does make sense considering the monsters level is over a hundred more than mine, which increased the cost significantly. Even my mana regen is currently greatly reduced due to the level difference.

Groaning as I stand up, my body feels an unnatural soreness.

“Commander! You’re awake.” Darrow yells, waking up many others that had been napping while waiting for me.

“Ughh. What I would do for a bit of coffee right now… ”

Darrow begins coming towards my direction, but I wave him away as I quickly move to Mule. I find him next to Jessica's still sleeping form. Without making much noise, I move to Mule’s pack and then I take the Staff of Dark Blood. Upon touching it, I feel my max mana increase by a hundred.

Damn. I really should hold onto this staff more often. 18% mana cost reduction of dark magic spells is useful on its own, even though the special ability doesn't work with acidic green blood.

“Quasi?”

I look down, finding Jessica staring up at me with blurry eyes.

“Sorry to wake you. Go ahead and sleep a bit longer. I have to prepare a few things.”

She nods, yawns, and then goes back to sleep.

As she falls asleep once more, I focus on my undead and activate [Necromantic Mana Corrosion] on all minions except for Joker, Mule, and the two queens now under my control. All others will decay.

With that done, my mana regeneration spikes to an acceptable three. In half an hour, my mana should be topped off. Which is good, considering I will need it.

As I get near, I frown.

“Where's Tessa?” I ask.

“She’s scouting.” Lilly answers,\. ”She went to take a peek at the other [Grand Queens].”

I grunt in acknowledgment. I would have sent her to do exactly that anyway.

“Well, my plan hinged a decent bit on getting this [Queen] as an undead. Thankfully, everything worked out without even a fight. So that's good.”

I tilt my neck, trying to ease out the soreness.

“Alright. When she returns, we’re going to head directly towards another [Grand Queen]. I think we should have an adva- what do you want Darrow?”

Darrow raises his hand like a child wanting to speak. He then points far into the distance and the large trailing sand cloud.

“Tessa’s back,” he says.

“Well then, let's go meet her.”

With a mental command, all of my undead shift away and create a direct line towards our location.

It doesn't take long before Tessa passes all my undead, runs up the regular [Size Queen] and then looks at me with a rather potent expression of panic.

“We have a problem!” she exclaims.

__________________________________________________________________

The corridor that leads to the seventh floor is built into a mountain. A gargantuan, single point mountain that, for some odd reason, looks like a Pyramid. A very malformed pyramid, but a pyramid nonetheless.

As for the front of the pyramid, there are several large rocky pillars that extend approximately three or four miles into the air. And sand. Lots and lots of sand. Most of which is now covered in guts as hundreds of thousands of monsters battle it out. The whole place is swarmed with destroyed body parts that look like an insect graveyard. Except most are still alive... and murdery… with lots of explosions.

On the ground are numerous monsters releasing lightning, fire, and various other magic spells into the air towards a just as numerous swarm of monsters with insect wings that spit acid and attack by diving down with enormous speed.

“You know, when you said we had a problem. This was not what I was expecting.”

On the ground, two large wormlike monsters do battle. One monster with glowing crystal antennae blast explosive fiery death at another wormlike monster with sharp spiraling crystal spikes that seem to negate the damage, but not the force of each blow. Due to that, it is constantly being knocked back before attempting to re-engage.

And right above the chaotic battlefield, near the top of the pillars, is a massive crisscrossing web. At its center is the [Grand Flight Myrmer Queen], unmoving as Peter is in the midst of wrapping his prey for a later dinner.

“I really was not expecting this.”

I shake my head at the absurdity of the situation happening before me as I activate [Advanced Analyze].

“Fucking Peter. He’s almost level three hundred… Shit, he’s stealing my experience.”

Thorous chuckles before elbowing her father. “So, Dad. Do you still plan on getting your revenge?”

Aldonis mouth goes slack as he gazes at the massive monstrosity preparing a queen for dinner.

Darrow places his hand on Aldonis shoulder. The Gejans make eye contact. “If you still plan to take your revenge, can I keep your sword afterwards?

A round of laughter spreads through the gathered group. The only exceptions are Quasi, who looks rather angry, and Darrow, who was completely serious.

“That fucking kill stealing spider.” Quasi voices.

“So, what are we going to do?” Jessica asks, seemingly already knowing the answer.

“WE ARE GOING TO FUCKING CHARGE.”

At once, the sand begins to tremble as every single undead begins to move towards the battlefield. The Gejan chuckle as the already crazy battle is about to get even more chaotic.

“Orlan, Aldonis, and Jessica. I want the three of you up in the air killing the fliers. Thorous, Darrow, Lilly. I want you three to support my ground units. Tessa, you’re on recon. Keep watch for any new hostiles. I don't want any army sneaking up on me.”

The group disperses, except for Jessica and Mule. She summons three [Angels] and orders them to support Orlan and Aldonis in the air, both of whom have skills that allow them to engage flying units.

It doesn't take long before the undead slam into the two battling groups. Monsters scream, yell, and shoot explosive fireballs as the chaos increases. Quasi’s undead [Grand Size Myrmer Queen] slithers directly towards the floor boss and the [Grand Magic Myrmer Queen]. The undead’s movement crushes and destroys everything in its wake. Acid and spells splash in retaliation, but that does little to the excessively thick exoskeleton.

Like a charging bull, the massive undead rams into the unwary boss and heads directly towards the magic queen.

“Oh come on,” Quasi groans as the magic queen begins to glow. The wind shifts around the monster as she takes flight.

“This is so bullshit.”

The boss, having regenerated from what damage it had taken, finds that its former target is no longer accessible. It switches to the undead and rams into its side. The blades cleave off a chunk of chitin before the boss slithers quickly away and attempts another attack.

“Stupid fucking… fine. You’ve forced my hand.”

Jessica raises an eyebrow at Quasi who looks annoyed. Which, she finds, means that the fight is not at all lost. Only when Quasi acts serious is when she would need to be worried.

With a mental flick, Quasi positions the undead underneath the floating magic queen. Then, as the boss accelerates to take another chunk out of his minion, Quasi shifts his undead to face the boss. The undead opens up its mouth and swallows the boss whole.

“Heh. You’re dead, bitch. [Corpse Explosion].”

A thousand mana instantly disappears as the undead's internals ignite in an epitome of molten energy. Flames blast outward from its mouth like a flamethrower that burns everything in its path. Cracks form across its extremely thick carapace.

And then the spell finishes. All that's left is a scorched and cracked carapace.

More messages pop up on Quasi’s vision, but he ignores them due to his failed plan. [Corpse Explosion] was supposed to create a massive ball of fire that would damage, if not outright kill, the magic queen. But, the damage from the explosion was subdued due to the extremely thick carapace of the [Grand Size Myrmer Queen].

He just lost his strongest minion and now has to fight something that can cast destructive magic spells, which may very well have an ungodly amount of mana.

“Huh. Well, today is going to be a long battle.” he says as he cracks his neck and knuckles. Several plans come to mind, but the most effective one involves using [Corrosive Annihilation] with most of his mana.

Then, as he begins to finalize a complicated plan that involves distractions, movements, explosions, and other extensive maneuvers, he watches as a net of web glitters in the air before falling and trapping the floating Queen.

A moment after trapping the queen, Peter, on top of a pillar, pulls hard.

*Boom*

The queen is slammed into the mountain.

*Boom, Boom, Boom*

It happens several times until its movements stop.

Then Peter jumps down, rips apart the crystal antennae, and then injects his poison.

Quasi sits down, grabs his head, and begins to cry.