Our side of the fortress has been almost fully swallowed by dark clouds, which repeatedly light up as lightning strikes scores upon scores of monsters. It actually looks so ominous it's like there's an evil curse being unleashed upon an exaggeratedly ornate piece of religious architecture.
Chesa has exorcised Storm's spirit and returned to normal, but she must maintain concentration to keep the storm going, so she's unable to talk or explain what the hell happened with that lightning bolt that struck her, and Lily really looks like she needs that explanation. We're all understandably curious about it, too, but since it most likely relates to her Gift, we're already expecting an "it just works" answer from the mergirl.
And since we have a bit of downtime, we inspect the damage to the airship.
"We apologize, Master," Jarn begins through [Bind].
"We should've raised the [Wind Shield]," Ted follows up
"The moment the monster aimed the javelin in our direction," Suzy finishes.
"I also could've [Taunt]ed," Hana adds, a bit embarrassed that she let the airship get damaged.
"It's fine. It caught everyone by surprise, too," I hum absentmindedly. We knew the Hippogryph riders were mages, but we didn't know anything about the javelin, so it's fair they got us this time.
And the weapon in question is still stuck to the side of the airship; it's just that it's as charred as the wood it's stuck to, and the gems of its enchantment are all cracked or shattered. It's broken beyond uselessness, though Lina believes she can extract some information about the cracked gems if she's careful enough.
I can do something like that, too, so I put on [Wood Appraisal] and use [Appraisal Eyes] on it.
--
['Item Info']
[.Material: 'Unknown type of wood'.]
[.Quality: '10 (Extensive charring, external and internal cracks)'.]
[.Anomalies: 'Remnants of an unknown type of electric mana'.]
[.Enchantments: 'Unknown type of enchantment'.]
[.Origin Insights: Requires either very high 'wisdom' or cultural knowledge about the creator's culture.]
--
Okay, interesting. Let's start with the mana.
I put 30 points into [Sense Mana] and inspect the roasted javelin up close. Indeed, there are remnants of a very peculiar type of electric mana inside it, and it's very different from the "taste" of normal [Electric Magic] mana. It feels… "wild" and "angry," almost as if its only desire was to rip everything apart, which reminds me of my [Chaos Breath].
That still doesn't help us understand what happened with Chesa, but at least I find this mana kind of cool.
Anyway, I change my points and put them in [General Enchanting], but the results of [Appraisal Eyes] still don't change, and I can't actually test the enchantment without touching the gem and giving it mana, so I'll just leave it to Lina to investigate later.
"If the appraisal didn't change, then it really is a novel enchantment not used by humanoids," Ciel points out through our connection.
Huh…
I guess it's better to delicately remove this javelin from the ship's side before it breaks since it's so heavily damaged.
And talking about the ship… my baby/daughter/lover/wife is scarred. The javelin hit it right in the wing joint, badly burning the wood, but it doesn't seem to be broken yet, so I think we just need to reinforce it and keep it locked in place before it snaps off completely.
I can do both with just my Ramodia set of armor, an "ent costume" that allows me to control anything related to nature and wood at the cost of mana, though repairing the joint is beyond its capabilities since there are silver veins inside the beams.
Oritiki notices that I'm working on the ship, and she takes off her helmet and approaches me with a complicated expression. Her armor isn't glowing, but the lightning reflects off its metallic sheen, making her seem gloomier than she is.
"Your Highness…" she stoically begins and waits for me to turn around. "I believe our armor and shields are strong enough to resist that javelin. The next time a group of those flying creatures appears, we'll protect the airship."
But I frown in distaste. "Eh… your armor may be fine, but what about the person inside it? I'd rather not risk it when the airship can take this much just fine."
She thinks for a moment, then glances at the airship and points, "But the wing joint seems ruined, and it's a very sensitive part."
"Y-yes… it's an acceptable part of bringing my baby into combat," I gloomily admit with a bitter smile.
"Then I… wish a speedy recovery for your 'baby,'" she playfully replies and flashes a smile.
"Thank you," I wryly hum back with a nod.
--
I notice that Chesa's MP is steadily ticking down as she keeps the storm going, even though she drank a high-quality MP potion. This is still extremely mana-efficient considering the number of kills she's getting (and our steady Experience increase tells us she is getting kills), so this is the best-case scenario for us.
There's not much for us to do now that the intensity of the battle around the airships has fallen to manageable levels again, but we're already in a position to assault the fortress, so we let the airship stay nearby, just far away enough that the light doesn't make our position too obvious. It's a bit of a pain in the ass to stay in absolute darkness, though.
Alissa casts a weak [Spirit Light] to call attention to her, then kindly addresses everyone on the deck, "It'd be best if most of you stay below deck and rest. You can keep the lights on, too, so it shouldn't be too uncomfortable."
"I'm staying," Lily immediately states, but the two Earthling boys shrug and leave with the others.
The deck clears up, and since things are pretty dark, I take this opportunity to fondle Ciel with my tentacles. Her juicy and lewd body will never not be a joy to fuck around with.
"Wolfy…" she quietly whines but makes no effort to resist me because she enjoys this. This angel is a depraved slut, and her body is proof that she was made for fucking.
Lina debates internally whether or not she wants to stay as she's starting to feel a bit peckish about my Cock and Cum, but then she asks to have her pleasure linked with Ciel's while she investigates the javelin because why not both?
The inside of Ciel's armor is pretty tight, so slithering my Cock-tentacles all over her mildly sweaty body and soft skin feels like getting a constant titjob no matter where I rub. Though the view of the titjob is the best part, I don't need much to imagine her massive cow tits wrapping around my thick meat rod.
Knowing that Lily and Chesa are just nearby as I molest my wife really makes this extra delightful. It's also rather ironic because I'm squeezing cow tits and a juicy ass while they both have neither.
Ooh~… I'm getting so excited that I go for both her holes and stuff them up to the brim. To make sure she doesn't make any noticeable sounds, I also gag her with a tentacle-dick, and she promptly begins to move her tongue to give it a blowjob.
But we're not the only ones on deck. Princess Urmeie would rather watch the thunderstorm than go downstairs, and Hana feels like keeping her company.
"Well, it was fun for a moment…" the bear grumbles quietly.
"The real fun is still to come, though," the red dragonkin replies with a knowing smile, though it's hard to see it in this darkness.
And Urmeie snorts. "I think you should've already realized that patience isn't a quality that I have."
This self-deprecating behavior doesn't sit well with Hana, who also used to think like that but has now learned to be kinder to herself.
"Aren't you always trying to grow as a person?" my dear wife good-naturedly asks her more brutish companion.
But the woman in question gives Hana such an astonished glance that it's visible even in the darkness. "No? I like leveling up, but not that. Don't even try to use this kind of logic on me. Sa'Haa has already given up on it."
Hana is known to be stubborn, so she doesn't give up on trying to be good so easily. "Wolfy is attracted to women who try to grow as a person."
She seems to score a hit on the bear's stubbornness, who raises her voice in amusement for a second, "A-ha! Now that's a more effective attempt, but unfortunately for you, I don't want his cock that much. Or is it 'fortunately'? I don't really understand the intricacies of your harem." And Hana sees Urmeie's outline shrug.
"I'd say it's 'unfortunately' because every woman that Wolfy brings to our bed inevitably gets shared with us," she replies sultrily, her horniness immediately flourishing as she was primed by the electric shocks she got from the monsters.
"Huh…" Urmeie quietly hums, and the two stare at each other, their eyes slowly adapting to the darkness, allowing them to notice the rising arousal in their gazes.
"Can I fuck her?" Hana suddenly asks through [Bind].
"I'm actually enjoying denying her, so maybe not?" I answer noncommittally.
"'Maybe'?" she insists, a bit annoyed at my indecision.
"I still don't know what I want from her," I confess my true feelings.
Then she also confesses her true feelings as we simply don't keep any secrets from each other anymore, "If you don't commit to either putting your dick in her or not, I'll start feeling like 'NTR'ing' you, Wolfy, and I know I can handle the punishment."
"Is that so…? I was thinking that you're starting to come due for some 'reinforcement training,' anyway," I casually reply. I won't punish her for being frank, but I also can't look the other way when she starts to act rebellious again.
"Please, do punish my pussy, Wolfy," the thirsty red dragon lady begs in a filthy tone, and I cum in my pants as Ciel's blowjob was already bringing me to the edge. It's fortunate that [Clean] works so well with my clothes and armor because I made a mess.
Then I clear my throat as I recollect myself and happily continue now that I got a bit of "release," "Anyway, I still think that Urmeie wants to be the 'top,' or rather, the 'sword' of our relationship, and I can't accept that. Especially when it pertains to the integrity of my asshole."
"Can I be her 'bottom,' then?" Hana questions like the filthy slut she is.
But now, that's clearly stepping on my domination of her, so the answer is clear. "No."
And she shrugs internally. "Better than a 'maybe.'"
Hmph!
--
Chesa continues her deadly storm for a long ten minutes, but we see her start to sweat from the effort. Since the swarm still has no end in sight, I begin planning our next move to deal with it, but then we all hold our breaths as the monsters suddenly stop streaming out of the fortress.
The soldiers inside the ship immediately notice the girls acting odd, so Alissa relays the news to them, "There are no monsters coming out of the fortress anymore, so we're going to confirm if it's really the end."
And they cheer happily at the news. Then the Comms officer approaches her, already expecting a message from the Carrier. Thirty seconds later, the Field Guns stop firing as the black cloud of monsters dissipates, and Hihiriwa orders the assault squads to prepare for battle.
The Fortress' cannons also finally come out, so the gunners on the Carrier switch ammo, and all [Wind Shield]s are raised to maximum power. Yunia flags down the Companions' officer to organize the girls that will come with us into the fortress, and I stop molesting Ciel so that I can relay the news to Chesa and Lily.
I approach the two tit-challenged beauties, and only Lily turns to face me. Then I calmly deliver the news, "Lily, Chesa, the swarm has stopped, so we're getting ready for the assault, but it's best to keep the storm going for a while longer in case it's a feint by the monsters."
"I can do it…" Chesa immediately answers, though she sounds a bit strained.
Lily glances at her daughteru and sighs softly. "Yeah, I agree. But now it's our turn, right?" she questions with a burning intensity, noticeable even in the darkness.
I nod and answer casually, "Yep. I'm going to enter the fortress now, so go downstairs to Alissa and wait for the signal. I'll leave Jarn piloting, and she can keep an eye on Chesa, too."
"Jarn… the metal suit golem?" Lily asks with furrowed eyebrows, clearly uncomfortable even mentioning the bimbo golem.
"Yep. Aaa~nd… see you later," I hum as I walk to the railing.
But Lily can't help but banter now that we're "in private." "Later, nerd."
"That was uncalled for," I reply with a fake offended tone, activate [Fly], and hear a snort as I leave.
My short trip is enhanced by the background music of our Field Guns as they trounce and "throngle" the fortress' cannons. The overly-ornate cylinder is still made of thick stone, so it's a waste to split it in half, though I really wish we had a reason to try.
--
I silently kill the three hobgoblins operating the javelin-thrower cannon, then land inside the firing port and open a [Gate]. Almost immediately, Urmeie and Hana cross through; then Lily, Lina, and Yunia; then Aoi, Ciel, and U Thant; then the Companions; then Alissa, Roxanne, Samkelo, and (surprisingly) Gify; then the doll golems; and finally, Caterina, her two Punishers, and Urmeie's bodyguards. Kaatohe will stay on the ship as she isn't that much of a bloodthirsty warrior, and Oritiki and Paraaone will guard the ship as their specialty is air combat, which is impossible in this claustrophobic fortress. Then I notice Hukarere's wolf helmet, so I slap her metallic ass as I pass by, and I can just feel her grin at me.
The corridors are tight, so the Companions will serve as flank guards for the ranged wives and the stinky gnome while the Punishers and the bodyguards will cover the rear. Most of the combat will be done by the two first lines while the rest of us are on support duty.
Just for good measure, Ciel casts [Inspire], then I use my glorious and manly voice to also give us a small boost with [Godly Language], "Become stronger!"
"Fuck, that always feels weird!" Samkelo exclaims and shudders.
"You know of [Godly Language]?" I question confusedly.
"Trained to resist interrogation," he answers with a shrug.
Well, damn.
But it makes sense. You don't want people as powerful as the Gifted to be influenced and manipulated by the infamous imperial "honeyed voice."
"Weapons out! Face forward!" Yunia shouts orders, and everyone obeys in sync.
"They know we're here! Expect invisible enemies!" Alissa gives a reminder.
"Move out!" I promptly command, and we start our assault.
--
The inside of the fortress is actually clear of the swarm, so our path is mostly free. There are a few roaming monsters and quite a significant number of invisible suckers around, forcing us to use a bit of Dust of Appearance, but they pose no threat.
The real barrier will be… the barriers that the monsters have raised all through the fortress' meandering corridors. Walls of thick steel nailed into the stone, creating cover from which they launch harmless ranged attacks towards us.
"Make way for Aoi!" I order, and the front line squeezes to the right so that the draconic siege weapon can barrel forward.
Of course, she isn't that massive, so we help out by blowing out the nails, weakening the barriers, and then she just barrels through without much effort. The monsters who survive getting crushed are swiftly dispatched by the two bloodthirsty warriors that make up our vanguard, and they don't leave a single one for the front line, which is fine since they're the only ones that enjoy killing.
After we're done, we rebuild our formation, and we pass through two more of those barriers without issue, but then we turn a corner and see three javelin-thrower cannons aimed right at us.
I use [Telekinesis] to force one to aim down, right at the barrier, Roxanne [Explosion]s the second, and Ciel uses [Wind Hammer] to make the last one aim at the wall. The cannons fire, and the barriers are covered in flames as the javelins activate their enchantments, but then our [Battlefield Perception] activates as three more javelins launch toward us from the darkness.
Lily's [Wind Shield] catches the first javelin, keeping it stuck in the air, and the second one is caught by my [Wind Shield], while the third is stopped by U Thant with his conjured solid light, which now has the shape of an umbrella, though he could've also just used a [Wind Shield].
"Push them away!" Ciel shouts as she casts [Wind Storm] in front of us, pushing the javelins away as they start to spew flame. We do have three enchantments that would've protected us, but after the surprise lightning javelin, it's better not to risk it with these monsters.
We follow up with shooting spells into the darkness to deal with the hidden cannons, and then Alissa turns around to warn the Punishers of monsters coming towards our rear.
"They're so clever," I blurt out in my soul space, very impressed.
"Too clever," Yunia adds, sounding concerned.
Then Alissa senses monsters gathering in the rooms surrounding us and also above and below.
Murder holes!
Actually finding the murder holes is a bitch, though. [Sense Presence] doesn't show the holes, and we can't cast spells through solid rock, so there's no way to reach the monsters until they reveal which murder hole they're firing from, and that's no good.
We won't leave anything to chance.
"Samkelo!" I roar as I turn around, and the gnome man-boy gives me a stern but still a bit frightened stare. "Make poison all around us but not ahead! Fill up all those murder holes with it!"
"Y-yes!" he shouts back and starts conjuring tear gas. We can't use something too toxic as we risk poisoning ourselves or the other assault squads, and tear gas almost instantly lowers the combat effectiveness of the monsters as hobgoblins don't have a high resistance to poisons like orcs and other "big" races do, and it also impairs their vision, so its better than something like cyanide. But I also conjure a wind elemental to keep our air clear, just in case.
At the same time, Aoi and our two bloodseekers leave to deal with the hidden cannons, but right after, Alissa detects a large group of hobgoblins entering a side room. They promptly open up the door and flood the corridor, cutting us off from the three girls ahead. Our frontline actually has something to do now, and we do just fine.
Lily just Hulk Smashes anything that gets close, so she's a meat grinder by herself. The rest of the girls and even Thant are more "delicate" than the She-Hulk, though nobody can deny that Lily is a beast of a warrior.
"Retreat! They're behind us!" Hana warns Urmeie after they silence the cannons.
And she sees the bear Princess' eyes light up. "Ooh…! They have their backs to us!"
"Exactly!" she replies with a snort.
Aoi covers their retreat to let them have their fun sinking their claws into the unprotected backs of the monsters. And now that the hobs are squeezed between She-Hulk and the barbarian duo, they don't last very long.
--
--
Hall of Fame of Patrons
The patrons who support Rupegia shall have their names sung by the bards for they deserve the glory and honor. Their names are:
Prince PreownedFIN.
Prince Owldente.
Lord Andrew Meyers.
Lord Michale Erwin.
Lord Bakerdea.
Lord Maurice.
Lord Mattirro Draca.
Lord Tenebris Lupus.
Lord Paul Daval.
Lord Paul Daval.
Lord Tmac.
Lord CopeyDunt.
Lord BlindTactic.
Lord litalmexy.
Lord Philip.
Lord d3235.
Lord William Clark.
Lord SubJef.
Lord GalacticTNT.
Lord LiuAnshan.
Lord Black Unicorn.
Lord FrostyCube.
Lord Glaistig Uaine.
Lord School work.
Lord Beater.
Lord patrick__starz.
Lord Peter Kraushuber
Lord David England.
Lord Frank de Jong.
Lord Tenebris Lupus.
Noble Aclys.
Noble Carl Baxter.
Noble Tony Starrk.
Noble DND.
Noble Anon A Moose.
Noble warmoger55.
Leave a rating or a review to help me rise to the top or fix my shameful understanding of prose.
Take a look over my blog where all information about the world of Rupegia will be posted: manasongwriting.wordpress.com
Join the Discord and discuss, or rant, or meme, or try and fight me so your waifu gets more screentime: discord.com/invite/3GqMxQc
Become a Patron patr**n.com/manasong and read chapters in advance, or read the side-stories, or leave your mark on the story, or help choose the next artwork or the next side-story.