The Evolution of a Dungeon Master

Five flaming claws tore through the atmosphere, creating lines of fire in a beautiful arc. 

—Slash! 

Leonhardt swiped at Axel with both arms, his left hand able to tear through his chest, searing and burning the bloody flesh before his right hand aimed for Axel's face. 

Only for the mercenary to show his resilience, with an upward swing, does his sword block the claws.

"Don't underestimate me!"

—Clang!

The force of a man who focused on pure strength caused Leonhardt's body to float for a moment before flying back several yards with a sore arm. 

Yet, with each step taken, a trail of flames followed Leon.

"Phew... You're quite strong, old man."

Leonhardt laughed before rushing forward.

『You damned monster!』

Axel grasped his sword, holding it primed and ready.

He tried to keep Leonhardt in his vision, but the speed at which the Chimera moved allowed him to almost glide and wrap around the mercenary with ease, assaulting him with a brutal swipe. Leon used his fiery claws to tear Axel's back wide open, the heat cauterising his sizzling flesh with agonising fire. 

"Argh... You...!"

—WOOSH!

A late swing cut through the air while Leonhardt flipped backwards, his right hand touching the floor for a moment before pushing himself into the air. 

"I've got you! Fucker!"

The mercenary grits his teeth, agonising pain spreading through his body, while he focuses himself and rushes forward. 

"Try me now—Attack Boost!"

"Greater Attack Boost"

"Elemental Defence!"

Axel glowed with an alternating blue and red light that illuminated his silhouette.

The power-ups gave him a sense of confidence; he narrowed his eyes, which became bloodshot after using a series of martial skills, which caused his nose to ooze blood. He desperately wanted to live—there was no chance this monster would allow him to ease.

"EH?!"

While in midair, Leonhardt shot webbing at the nearby trees, slowing his fall. He then pointed his left palm towards Axel. At that moment, Axel could feel his chest pulsing.

Danger! Run... he needed to escape! But his body remained frozen.

"Wha?!"

Leon's red lips curled into a twisted and malevolent smile, changing the ancient words for his magical spell in his mind while feeling the fiery mana flowing through his veins.

As Leonhardt fell slowly, the webbing controlled his descent. His mana became turbulent and burst from his palm, creating a swirl of flames that formed a vortex sucked towards the centre of his palm, creating a ball of intense flames. 

His eyes narrowed while his grin deepened, watching Axel run towards him.

"Die, you fucking monsters! Sword Art: Double Slash!"

However, the swirl of fire turned light blue before the huge flaming ball burst from Leonhardt's finger towards Axel, who swung his greatsword towards the falling monster.

—Cinderblast!

The moment it struck Axel's sword... it exploded in a storm of pure violence.

Meanwhile, Gobbolas stood on the edge of the stone wall, his gaze focused on the crossbowmen, trying to shoot at them. 

His long fingers slipped along the black and red feathers of his special arrows, their length almost double the size of a normal goblin's. 

"Master gave us orders! Fire, kill the humans!"

"Kill!"

"For Master!"

Gobbolas could not only control but also cause the weak goblins to become confident. He aimed the leading archer from the enemy while using his special hawk eyes to see the entire battlefield 180 degrees around him in a frontal cone.

"Goblin Guardians! March and take them down!" 

Leonhardt helped create green-coloured shields with leaves and durable plants grown in the dungeon. Leon used their bark as the main defensive portion and the emerald-coloured flora because it was fire-resistant and resembled their name.

The Emerald Guard and the Emerald Archers.

Gobbolas remembered his master's promise of better weapons and armour for the goblins who fought hard and wondered how his master would create them.

A goblin guardian was normally weak, but with the help of Leonhardt, who gifted them improved shields, they could endure a little more damage and punishment.

『Gobbolas only knows—his master and king are but one!』

"KILL!"

The human mercenaries were not weak or stupid—after the initial attack, they began to use normal tactics. 

Yes, that was normal tactics... but these goblins were NEVER normal.

From the moment Leonhardt created Gobbolas by accident, he taught him tactics and ways that smarter opponents could easily kill goblins.

These actions brought a complete change in the dungeon goblin populace.

Daily training

A focused diet will increase muscle and physical improvements. 

Gobbolas even taught them how to read the common language, although it was still a work in progress. Thanks to Leonhardt, they were growing, becoming smarter and cunning.

"Pull back! These goblins are strange! They don't fall for the trick... Achk.,.." A black arrow penetrated a mercenary scout's throat. With help from his dungeon wife, Leonhardt coated the arrow tips in a paralysing agent.

"Hurry!"

"Die!" 

—Twang!

—Swoosh! 

A human shot his heavy crossbow—the bolt penetrated the wooden shield of a guardian and sent the small goblin rolling across the ground. 

"I got him!"

However, the goblin didn't die! 

Upgraded shields made from the dungeon itself meant that it only wounded his arm before the goblin tossed his spear in retaliation.

—Shlick!

The male fell to the ground—the wooden spear penetrated his throat. 

"Joey!! FUCK!"

Panic spread and several goblins were killed.

However, the battle became chaotic because, unlike humans, the goblins fought like feral beasts and were unwilling to die. 

When someone stabbed them, they bit, clawed, and thrashed.

ANYTHING to bring the humans down.

—BOOM! 

Suddenly, an enormous explosion filled the centre of the battle, burning and destroying many trees and causing the skin of Axel's arms and face to melt...

The shockwave knocked many goblins to the ground and caused the humans to cover their eyes and faces from the sweltering heat.

"Argh!" His scream of agony, the pain felt as the fire constantly burned and seared his wounds, sealing and re-opening them like a tormenting torture.

Tap-Tap-Tap... 

Leonhardt walked towards the fallen man, and he saw the bloody remains of his deformed hands... his sword dropped on the ground with a thud, sizzling from the heat.

But it seemed, thanks to the Cinderblast, the sword lost its dull edge and became slightly smaller but sharp... and searing hot.

"Wow! You lived. I am so impressed!" Leonhardt spoke casually, his hand grasping the burning blade's handle. 

"I cannot lose. My pride won't allow it!" Axel's eyes were dull, and his face looked disgusting, like a monster. 

'This monster... how could he understand the effort and struggles I went through!'

『I will never let it end this way...』

A stubborn pride and determination, but Axel didn't seem to understand because his ears were ringing from the blast...

He didn't notice the silence that remained in the forest. 

No, there was a sound... like someone mincing meat, a disgusting and fleshy sound as the goblins sliced and cut up the humans to make sure they were dead. 

"I did tell them to have no mercy..." Leon looked a little bitter as he swung the heavy sword with a loud swish and burst of air each time. 

Axel's unfocused eyes still gazed at the monstrous figure—no matter how handsome and beautiful, he could only see a horrific monster now. 

"I won't submit... we will win! You fucking monster!"

『Humans... cannot lose to you!』

"Well..." Leonhardt gazed at the bloody forest, pieces of human flesh and organs... their discarded bones slowly being absorbed into the dungeon.

"It seems that your pride was worthless in the end... I will be taking this, haha."

When he lifted the greatsword over his head, the weight caused him to stumble, and he felt imbalanced and strange.

His eye suddenly glistened with Fae runic symbols, sending information to his muscles and mind. The other with a Djinn's special magic circle, allowing him to adjust his posture and grip but only mastering the most basic handling. 

He also learned that his pupils were not omnipotent and couldn't remove his physical limitations.

Slowly, his posture became correct, not perfect, but acceptable. It was worse than Axel's, but it was good for a beginner.

Poised to strike, he looked at the mess of a man before him.

"No... please... I was wrong... forgive me!" Axel suddenly began to beg, snot and tears running down his face...

"Why?" Leon felt angry and disappointed... this human insulted and treated others' lives as worthless, so why was he suddenly crying and begging?!

In his anger, he didn't listen, or maybe he ignored him on purpose... and with a twisted smile and frustrated eyes, he swung the sword down.

—WOOSH!

—THUD!

A head then rolled through the dungeon zone... but Leonhardt's face looked melancholic.

With that, the Crimson Hawks would cease to exist... until a new leader would appear wielding the same sword and claim to be their successor.

But that is a tale for the near future.

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Chapter Title: The Mercenaries Pride Meant Nothing!