After coming back from leveling Lala for a week, we spent another month or so working on our other projects.

During this time, Navi is working on weapons that will help get through the hides of tough, large enemies.

Ailine is working on clearing the courtyard, which is coming along well.

Lala is patrolling the general surrounding area and getting to know what's around us, while thinning out orks and goblins. 

Talon sometimes goes out during the day with her. The hippogryph has really grown over this year and a half. She can fly freely, is as large as a small horse, and now hunts for herself. Sometimes when she goes out with Lala, she'll fly back carrying a live deer that Lala heals and they release inside the walls. We still haven't hunted inside of the walls, and are just waiting for the numbers to all get to a sustainable mass with how much she eats.

Finally, I finished fixing the outer wall. Originally I wondered why the hell they made such a large wall, but after seeing some of the monsters we fought recently like the giants? I can totally get it.

Reading through the few diaries we found in the legacy items, there were rarely attacks by larger monsters moving territories like giants or even a lindworm. I guess over the centuries, a lot of things can happen. Even when they were under siege by the races, a wall that thick still held out for a while. It did have Tavelstein's enchantments at that time, though. Even if it does absolutely nothing against flying monsters, having it done does help my peace of mind a bit.

For the past few days I've been working on the smaller, inner wall. I really am just becoming a bricklayer when we aren't diving. 

Navi said that she would have a prototype of the weapon later tonight. I'm excited to see how it works. In the meantime, back to making bricks.

Later that night, Navi flies over at high speed. "Lia! Lia! I got 'em done!"

"Oh? Nice job. Let's go test them out." I said and began walking.

"No!" She shouts and points an accusatory finger at me, hovering in front of my face. "Do you have any idea how hard these were to make? And I only get a 'nice job?' You realize I just made weapons that could seriously harm a dragon, right?! I want more than a 'nice job!'"

...She's right, so I give in to my fairy friend. "Yeah, you're right, Navi. I really appreciate everything you've done to make these. If these work, then completing this dungeon will be potentially a lot easier and safer for all of us. You're the best Navi. Thank you."

She seems a bit surprised at the honest praise. "G-good! Now remember that when you may or may not lose an arm or two," she says softly as she flies away.

"Wait, what?!" The fairy was already too far away to answer.

She flew away towards a section of wall we made inside the town for testing. By the time I got there, Ailine and Lala were also standing around. 

"Here to watch the test?" I ask them as I approach.

"We wouldn't miss it." Ailine said.

"Let's just hope it works like we imagined it." I say, walking up to the wall section we made.

It was only fifteen feet tall, but was also fifteen feet thick and wide. I guess it's more of a giant stone block than a wall. On one face of it is a two-foot square piece of plain dragon leather with a dragon scale attached to the outside. This whole crazy idea started with a memory of a megadeus from Paradigm City. The first weapon we're simply calling 'the hammer.' 

Describing the different enchantments that Navi put in wouldn't do them justice, but in a nutshell, it's a massively reinforced warhammer. Closer in size to the standard 'fantasy' size than a real 'medieval' size. All metal, with a much larger head and spike. The hammer head has a deep concave space with an enchantment inside. If I wasn't at least level 50, there would be no way I could wield this. As it is, it's just barely on the side of being able to swing effectively.

"Ready to try?" I ask Navi.

She is vibrating with anticipation. I feel like she might explode if I drag this out. "Hurry up! I want to see the next one!"

Picking up the hammer, I take a few steps and push off the ground. Using hips and torso, I swing the hammer as hard as I can. I use wind magic to accelerate this even more as the spike approaches the scale. Right after the spike impacts the scale, I activate the enchantment inside the concave head.

A large burst of air fires out of the back of the hammer, making the spike push through the scale, leather, and into the wall. Overall it works similar to a giant, single hit, air gun. With a massive 'boom' the entire block shakes from the impact.

I smile at the power of this. "Fuck yeah, Navi!"

She giggles and says, "Now hurry up and set it up again for the next one! It's not a perfect test since it'll be less effective with muscle and fat behind it instead of a wall, but we know we can punch through scales!"

Both these weapons are completely impractical for dealing with people. They leave large openings, are one dimensional, and completely overkill. What they are good for is fucking up large and tough enemies.

The next weapon we just call 'the javelin.' As soon as we bring it out, everyone backs at least thirty meters away. It's essentially a massively reinforced lance with an enchantment at the front, and out of the back is another large concave booster point. 

Setting up the pierced scale with a new piece of leather, I get a good start, push off, and do the same as before. Just as it impacts the leather through the hole in the scale, a large burst of air pushes it forward. At the same time, I activate the enchantment on the front and immediately push off and get as far away as I can.

With a large explosion behind me, a sizable section of the cube is shattered and pieces of stone and metal are fired all around. Navi was able to use space-time magic in an enchantment to act as a delay. Like Ailine's exploding arrows, this was an exploding lance. The delay is for four seconds to give everyone time to get out of range as much as possible.

"Hahahaha! It worked! And you didn't get blown up! Hahahaha!" Navi cackled.

I stare at the aftermath. "Holy shit. That was a lot bigger of an explosion than I thought."

"Well duh! Do you know how small of a surface I have to work with on an arrow? But give me a lance and some time, and I can make it a dang bomb!"

"You scare me sometimes, Navi."

"Good!" She looks back at the green fairy whose jaw is on the floor. "Lala, always remember that nobody messes with fairies!"

"Uh...um...uh...Yes, Mother…" Lala was still in shock at what just happened. 

The idea is exactly as we tested. Hammer it so hard, the scale gets a weak point or pierced. Then shove in the javelin and let it explode on the inside. Even if it has a near impenetrable defense, if we can just get through that, we can do a massive amount of damage. We all head back home with a fairy floating behind us and laughing maniacally.

Four months later, we left for floor forty-five. We spent the last month and a half grinding giants, and now I'm at level 59 while they are level 58. We also stockpiled a large arsenal of javelins.

In recent and future floors, levels don't seem to matter as much as how one uses their skills, weapons, and abilities they have. Like with the giants, there are some matchups that just aren't advantageous for the monsters, but we'll never deny that having a few extra stat points can be extremely beneficial. 

Entering the tunnels of floor forty-five, I had the hammer and the others their bows and magic. With them firing at the babies, it gives me an opening to charge with my air jump if needed and slam the spike into the top of their heads. It impacts hard with the enchantment, breaks through their skulls, and slams their heads into the ground.

With a weapon like this, it really makes fighting these a lot more reasonable. I still have to dodge at times, but the air jumps make me much more maneuverable.  

After three days of walking through a maze of giant tunnels, fighting nothing but baby wyrms, we found the boss door. 

Looking back at my companions, I ask, "You both ready?"

"Yes."

"Yup! Let's blow up a boss!"

Pushing open the door, we saw exactly what we expected.

Wyrm - Level - 61

Coiled like a snake, but with a large head that screamed dragon, the Wyrm rises up as we enter. Dark grey and rough scales line its back and side, with lighter and smaller scales along its stomach. Length was hard to guess because of the coil, but the head alone was the size of a truck. 

As it opened its mouth slightly, staring at us with yellow, vertically slit eyes, an arrow flew inside the mouth and exploded, signaling the start of the fight. The arrow didn't do any noticeable damage, but that didn't stop Ailine and Navi from launching both magic and arrows at it. 

Ailine kept her distance next to the door, peppering it rhythmically with exploding arrows. Navi flew up to the cavern ceiling and began launching rocks at its face. Both of them were successfully pissing it off, and I didn't have much time. Within a dozen seconds from that first arrow, I was already at the wyrm's side. We wanted to hit it hard and fast before it had a chance to compose itself from the sudden confusion.

Still focusing more on the annoyances hitting its face, like children poking at an adult, it didn't pay much attention as I got close. With a powerful enhanced swing, I brought the hammer around to impale the tip through its side and jumped back.

It roared out, more angry than ever now that it actually got hurt, even if it was minor. Turning its head down to look at me, I was already making my move. Right after I jumped back, in one motion I stored the hammer and took out the javelin. Pushing off an air cushion so I could dive right at it, I slam the tip of the javelin into the hole that the hammer made.

Activating the enchantments, the entire javelin jolts forward like a jackhammer to embed another two feet inside the wyrm. Jumping back again, I dive with an air cushion to the side as its massive head drops down to snap at me. Turning tail and running, it rears up to bite at me a second time.

Right as four seconds passed.

*Boom!*

With a roar of pain the wyrm's body begins coiling and tensed up into a writhing corkscrew, just like the injured snake it resembles. A large chunk of its side was blown away with shrapnel littered inside the wound. I take out another javelin as Navi and Ailine begin trying to aim for its large wound. The aim is difficult, as it twists in pain, but it's enough to keep it occupied. 

I begin another charge at the wyrm that then looks me dead in the eyes with nothing but hate. As I approach, I adjust the grip on the javelin, holding the forward weight with my left hand and my right hand back with the shaft resting in my palm. Its appearance isn't the only reason we called it the javelin. 

As it snaps forward to bite me, I throw the javelin forward, activating both enchantments and use the momentum of the throw to go into a tuck and roll to the side.

Does it throw as far as a real javelin? Fuck no. I doubt it would go straight for more than ten meters before looking like a failed rocket launch. However, when your target is an open mouth the size of a truck snapping at you, that ten meters is enough. 

The person assisted, air magic enchanted javelin flew into its mouth and lodged in the side of its throat. Not deeply, but enough that it couldn't close its mouth. Hunching its neck to try to dislodge the foreign object, it's too slow as another explosion echoes in the cavern.

With a crash, the wyrm falls to the ground, mouth agape where we see metal shards embedded around an unrecognizable bloody throat. 

"Fuck yes! Navi! Those worked great!" I pump my fist in the air.

Navi starts air dancing. "Wahoo! Nice job!"

"Good job, Lia!" Ailine said as she rushes up to me.

"Thanks! You both, too! Ailine, let's taste some wyrm before it dissolves."

We both walk over to the opened wound on its side. Finding spots free of metal, we take a long drink of the rich flavored blood. When done, we back away and the body melts leaving behind a core and a stack of wyrm scales.

Storing everything, we meet up by the door.

"So…" I look at the others with a cheeky smile on my face. "Do either of you want to glance at floor forty-six before we go home?"

"Sure." Ailine nods 

"Ya! Let's see what the wonderful Navi will get to make this time! Hey Lia, did those javelins remind you of surface-to-surface missiles too?"

"They did, but we're probably the only people that even know what that is."

"Hmm. I'll have to play in the lab," she says with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Opening the door to floor forty-six, we're on a hill, overlooking a valley with a large fortress in the distance roughly three to four miles away. Even from here we can tell it's well fortified from the multiple giant ballistae on the battlements.

"Should we see what the enemy is? Also, what format do you think? Extermination?" I ask the two.

"That would be my guess." Navi said as she landed on my shoulder.

As we slowly walked to the fortress, an idea came to mind. Not about making missile launchers, although that would be amazing, but a way we could potentially clear this level fast, regardless of what's guarding it.

When we run out of cover, we see at least a couple dozen armed and armored monsters walking around the fortress and on the ramparts. 

Dragonid - level 58

They reminded me of the kobolds we killed long ago, only these were much more draconic in their appearance. Large chests covered in plate, dragon-like heads with two backwards facing horns. All between six and seven feet tall with their scale color varying from reds, blues, and greens. 

I reached out to the fairy to try my idea. (Navi, I want to check something. Can you fly a couple hundred meters up and over the top of the fortress? For now, just check out what's inside.)

(Sure!)—Flying up and out of sight, I can't even make out her little dot—(Woah! There's like, at least a hundred of them in here! They're in ranks and files and look to be training.)

(Do you see a boss door?)

(Yup! Looks like it's to the keep.)

(See any weapons that could reach you? And do you feel much wind?)

(Besides the ballistae? Nope. And it's really calm here. No wind at all.)

(Great, come on back. I have an idea. If I'm right, we may be able to clear this floor faster than we have any floor in a couple years.)

After she came back down, we retreated back to the door and made our way home. This might actually be a simple floor for us. A week later, we arrived back at the same spot as last time, looking out to the gatehouse of the fortress.

Ailine has her bow, and I have Seren and my kite shield. Navi meanwhile has a big bag hanging from a little harness we made for her to be able to carry it.

Navi can't stop giggling. "Oh my gosh! This is going to be so much fun!"

"Be safe, Navi. You have your bubble level scope?" I said.

"Yup! I'll be going then!"

"Good luck, Navi."

Ailine and I watch as she flies up into the air.

Ailine turns to me once she's gone with a worried expression. "Lia, is this alright? Somehow it just feels like we're doing something wrong."

I reach out and squeeze her hand to reassure her. "Right? But it should all be within the dungeon's weird rules. Fairies can fly. It's part of what makes them powerful as the only flying race. If they didn't have their insane weakness with their life tied to a flower, I'm not sure if fairies wouldn't be the most OP race. Plus, she's just using an item."

"I know, but still."

"I feel it too. It's like we're fucking cheating or something."

As I said this, the Flight of the Fairy began, and we saw massive boulders appear out of thin air, almost a quarter mile up. There were five of these massive chunks of stone falling before the first one hit. 

Sounding like a bomb went off, one after another the boulders Navi collected this past week were dropped out of her bag. She made a little XY axis bubble level and attached it to a small periscope that she used to line up her drops. 

Within thirty seconds, the fortress was a mess. All of the ballistae were crushed to pieces, massive chunks of wall were destroyed, and a large portion of the soldiers, especially those clumped in the courtyard training, were crushed or injured when some of the rocks shattered apart on impact. 

Ailine and I could only watch it awe and a little fear as a single fairy with a bag completely decimates a fortress. Anytime she saw monsters clump together, they would have boulders falling on their position. Helping injured? Boulder. Taking cover by the wall? Boulder. 

For almost ten minutes we watched and listened to Navi laugh over the telepathy. Always remember. Never piss off a fairy. 

I know I'm the one that came up with this plan, but it's frightening. How do you even counter this? Arrows won't reach. Magic, even large scale AOE, wouldn't reach or you couldn't get the depth correct. Ballistae would reach, but they are stationary and easily avoided when fired. She's so high you can't even really see her. I have no clue what you could do to counter an attack as stupidly simple as this. Live underground. That's about it.

Eventually, the enemies are battered and broken, and there are less than a dozen scattered around the fortress. 

(Navi, we're going in.) I said.

(Muahahaha! Ok! I'll be right down!) 

Navi flies back as we begin a ground assault on the remaining forces. There were some that put up resistance, but after having so many boulders dropped on their heads, almost all were injured and there was no cohesion to the survivors.

Ailine and Navi would launch ranged attacks, while I cover with a shield and use Seren to slice through enemies that reach us. Within ten minutes, bodies all start to dissolve as we killed the last soldier. We began putting the somewhat intact boulders back in the big bag, grabbing and eating cores, and storing the dropped items, almost exclusively weapons and armor.

Without Navi, this floor would've been so much harder. Assaulting a fortress is never easy, hence why they're built in the first place. If we ever need to attack a human fortress or entrenched soldiers, I feel a bit sorry for them. Not enough to not kill them, though. After we're done picking up everything, we meet up at the boss door.

Staring at the door, I ask both of them, "What do you two think? Going by the floor, either a single powerful boss, or a boss with subordinates."

"I would say subordinates," Navi said. "This was a fortress, so the commander would have his officers with him."

"I was thinking that too. So, our normal for these types? Fuck their shit up going in guns blazin'?"

"Yup! Same as normal. Walrus as a meat shield, we focus range or ads, and watch the boss." 

"Ok, let's see if we're right."

Opening the door, I go in with a shield up. There are five dragonids around a table that all stand up and turn towards us. Weird dungeon logic. Like, did we just interrupt your fucking meeting? Did you not hear the fucking fortress being crushed? Oh well. Dungeons will be dungeons.

The largest was a tall level 62 in the center with full ornate plate armor. The others were all 60 or 61. Before they could even get fully to their feet, we had arrows and magic flying. 

Never give an enemy a chance to prepare. We know they're all enemies, so hit hard and fast. 

The two on the sides went down instantly with their bows still on the table. The other two adds got pushed back repeatedly with explosions from magic and arrows, barely getting their shields up. As the girls focused on the two, the boss began moving towards us, jumping over the table. 

Slashing down at me with its oversized claymore, I let it deflect its course off of my shield and thrust Seren under its left armpit. It had chainmail in there, but the links couldn't stop the mithril blade. As Seren entered, I channeled water magic to produce a high pressure water jet from the tip of the blade. 

With that one exchange, the boss had his left arm all but ripped off, and was reduced to trying to wield a claymore effectively with one arm. Not going to happen. 

Refusing to give the boss room to breathe, I pressed the attack, forcing the more strength oriented warrior type to deal with my agile assault. Blocking with his one good forearm earned a gash in the plate and a small fireball to the face from a finger on my left hand behind my shield.

Part of the style I worked on was using my off hand for quick, dirty, and distracting magic. Since the kite shield was on my forearm with my hand grabbing the handle, it's easy to make a finger gun and after slashing, opening up the shield a bit and firing it. 

Taken by surprise at the sudden flash of magic on its helmet and raising its arm, I thrust upward, through the chainmail on its neck and into its head. Firing off a water jet just to make sure, I withdraw Seren and turn towards where the others were fighting as the boss falls limply.

The two girls were just letting the dust settle on their own battles, if it could be called that. They overwhelmed the two subordinates with magic and arrows before finally finishing them off. One had an arrow through the visor of its helmet, the other had its helmet, shield, and chest so dented it looked like a can used as an airsoft gun target. Fuck, Navi's control makes her rock bullets like fucking tiny cannonballs. 

"Well then." I say, a little stunned at how fast of a clear this was. "Grab a bite and head home?"

"Yay! This was such a fun level! Let's get more rocks and do it again!" 

I had to agree with Navi. Gathering equipment took longer than the actual fighting, and as Navi air bombed the fuck out of them, we all got experience. 

I don't think the dungeon meant this to be such an awesome floor to grind levels on, but damn. We'll be here leveling everyone as much as we can before moving on.

No more giants for us or Lala.