The Mad Rat’s Lab Ch 127 – At the same time, in the same place

Annihilation.

No, this isn’t enough to express my current situation. It’s utter annihilation. There’s no hope to overco this.

The corpses of my goblins and orcs litter the ground.

It doesn’t matter where I look, there are corpses, corpses, and more corpses. Those few goblins and orcs that are still alive – two to be exact, one of each – are soon to join their comrades.

Thank god this is a ga, because I’d be puking if I had to see the mutilated dead bodies, bloodied, filled with holes and wounds.

I move my head in ti to avoid a light beam coming at , but I can’t do the sa with the giant bear’s attack. I start bleeding, my HP will soon to reach a dangerous number.

“Why? Just why!?” I grab my head and start shouting. “Today was the day I was supposed to finish my investigation inside the Failed Experints area! What am I going to do now…? My orc pride is at stake here! I can’t disappoint my followers, who’re eagerly awaiting to update my guide!”

The ongoing battle? There’s nothing I can do about that, so I might as well stop struggling and accept my death.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaah! This isn’t fair!” My voice echoes through the whole cavern system. If there’s any enemy that isn’t attacking us already, it’ll soon join the battle. Not that it matters. “This isn’t a fair duel, everyone ganging up on us like this! I demand an apology! I demand a rematch! Fuck you, Evil Mastermind!”

Huh, huh, huh. I’ve just committed one of the biggest taboos. Usually, insulting the dungeon owner while inside ‘The Mad Rat’s Lab’ is the last thing you want to do… but if don’t do this, I’ll explode.

“Co and have a duel with , if you dare! Coward! Weakling! I’m sure you’re useless in a straight fight! I’ll accept a fight with you anyti! Huh, huh, huh!”

Aaah, I feel better. Refreshed. Though it’s only a little, shouting obscenities at the top of your lungs sure helps with stress.

I hope this doesn't impact my next invasions…

I calmly watch as two more light beams co at . “Goodbye, cruel world…” I say as I let them hit .

You have died!

I slowly open my eyes in my recently acquired phantasmal form. “*Sigh!* Next ti, I should stop talking to myself during the dungeon exploration…”

Slowly, I reach for my biceps and kiss them. First the right arm, then the left one. I can feel the energy slowly returning.

“Next ti…! Next ti I’ll surely beat this damn dungeon and recover my lost orc pride. I’ll defeat every single monster by myself! Huh, huh, huh!”

What a bad luck I had today to end like this…

Why am I always so unlucky? Aren’t I way too unlucky? It isn’t normal at all, I checked it with the other players in the forums, and it’s sothing that only happens to .

I’m starting to think the Evil Mastermind has an alarm that warns him every ti I co into this dungeon, to manipulate the traps and monsters and put in the worst situation possible…

No, no, no. Stop thinking weird stuff, ! I’m strong! I’ll surely beat it next ti! Huh, huh, huh!

After all, it can’t always be the Evil Mastermind’s fault… today my downfall ca because of my own error. I shouldn’t have done what I did…

It all started when my handso and muscular self entered the big cave and found everything changed. The manly was preparing for the dungeon invasion, stretching as usual…

“Huh, huh, huh! My muscles are twitching in anticipation. Today, I’ll face all the horrors in the new area and erge victorious. Finally… finally, I’ll be able to proclaim myself as the king of this dungeon! Huh, huh, huh!”

As I walk, my eyes naturally drift to the claw marks left in various places. They’re so deep that if I stand inside one, only my head and shoulders will be visible.

I’m so looking forward to the day I can fight the monster that made them!

The thing is, I’m not sure if I can fight it. Is it that it doesn’t exist, or that nobody found it yet? I hope it’s the latter, but It’s weird nobody encountered it yet with so many players participating in the search, myself included.

The tunnel opens into the usual big cavern, signaling the real start of this Dungeon Invasion.

“Sothing’s wrong…” I look around, but I don’t recognize where I am. “Please, don’t tell … Did I end up sowhere else? But I swear I was following the path…”

It can’t be… Today was the day I was going to clear this damn dungeon once and for all. I even morized all the tunnels and passages, so how co I don’t recognize anything!?

I don’t like this. Changes an I’ll suffer. Changes an new, unknown stuff! Changes an DEATH!

“Huh, huh, huh! Everything is fine,” I say. But deep inside, I can’t stop the fear from growing. “ I ca yesterday. There can’t be that many changes, can they? What am I scared of, huh, huh, huh!”

My valiant goblins and orcs keep staring at the void, unperturbed by the changes. What am I, a chicken? If my mobs aren’t afraid, then I, who is stronger, shouldn’t either!

“Ah, I know! This is it, the chance to show my prowess! It won’t be like all the previous tis when I died a horrible death! This ti, I’ll surpass the unknown and be victorious! Huh, huh, huh!”

My laughter echoes inside the cave. Or should I say ‘caves’, now that there are a few of them?

Ah, shit. The nearby monsters… Nah, I’m close to the entrance, I’m sure there aren’t any monsters nearby.

And talking about loud sounds… Where are those screaming guys? I can’t see or hear any of them. Their cries were annoying, so I’m not complaining, but more changes an more uncertainties, which usually leads to my death…

No! Stop! I can’t fall into this thought spiral. Today, it won’t happen, I’m sure of it. I won’t allow it to happen.

“Everyone, let’s move,” I say, taking the first step forward.

“Co on, weaklings. Stop hiding and co face ! Huh, huh, huh!”

Who am I talking with? Nobody, unless there’s so monster actually hiding sowhere.

…I hope there isn’t.

I’m simply trying to alleviate so of the build-up tension. Walking for about five minutes, not knowing when an enemy will strike, isn’t sothing pleasant. And it’s even worse in this dungeon! Every second you spend here without trouble ans that when trouble finds you – and believe when I say it’ll find you –, it’ll be more dangerous!

“Goblimps. If you’re near, show yourselves!” I say, expecting so reaction. “Nothing, huh…”

Not even Goblimps, the worst pest in the whole ga, have co to attack us. I hope they were removed, like those screaming guys, but if they’re still here… I want them to show up as soon as possible. The sooner you get rid of them, the better!

Oh, how much I hate them…

“How long do I have to wait!?” I keep shouting and provoking them. I want to know what I’m facing, but at the sa ti, I don’t. I’m scared of what might appear. “Do I really have to– Whoa…!”

A light beam passes next to , and hits one of my orcs, taking a huge chunk of HP with it.

“Finally, you showed up!” I check the direction the beam ca from and see a monster that looks like a giant turtle. “Huh, huh, huh! Everyone, charge!”

There’s nothing we can do from this distance; we must get into lee range first, so I start running and all my support mobs follow .

“Waaaaah! This is it! The excitent of battle! Huh, huh, huh!” The turtle creates another light beam, shooting it from its mouth. I gladly receive it with my body, preventing it from hitting my orcs and goblins, who are behind . “Is this all you’ve got? You must try harder!”

It’s all thanks to the Impenetrable Wall skill, a heavily underestimated skill most players think is useless.

But this is one of the best skills for a Champion like mine: orcs want to take damage, to trigger the Bloodlust skill; and Impenetrable Wall allows to do so while, at the sa ti, I can protect my weaker mobs.

It’s simply incredible.

Impenetrable Wall (Passive skill)Reduce the damage you receive from all AoE attacks and skills by 20%. When they hit you, you stop them from expanding in the direction you’re blocking.

Thanks to the Impenetrable Wall’s damage reduction, and the fact I have higher stats than the turtle – I didn’t check it, but I’m sure of it – I take very little damage from the light beams.

“Is this all? Then, now it’s my turn!” I raise my battleaxe up high before slamming it on the turtle’s head. “Resilient, ain’t ya? Then, I’ll just have to strike harder! Huh, huh, huh!”

As expected from a turtle, it takes little damage. This makes it an ideal punching bag to relieve my accumulated stress. I must thank the Evil Mastermind for giving this chance.

“Wahaha! You’re too slow to hit . Eat this, you shithead!”

Engrossed in the fight, it takes so ti to notice sothing’s off.

“Why aren’t you coming? This is an easy prey…” I turn my head to my support mobs, and I see a barrage of light beams coming from several directions. My poor orcs and goblins are struggling to avoid them. “This isn’t good… Let’s retreat! We’ll move to a better place and strike again!”

As much as I enjoy battle, I can’t allow them to die like this.

They’re my sworn brothers! My dear subordinates! They rely on my strength, and I rely on theirs. I can’t allow them to die such a pointless death… I’d rather lose my orc pride than allow it.

“March, forward. I’ll take the rear and protect you.” I shout.

We run and run. We go from the left side of the cave system to the right, but there’s no end to those light beams. The turtles can attack from so far, it’s very hard to shake them off. And once we do, there’s another one waiting in front.

“I knew it, this is why I hate the new monsters. You never know what to expect or how to deal with them.”

If I had known about their behavior, I would have tried my best to avoid getting the aggro of multiple turtles at the sa ti…

Now it’s too late, I can only regret it.

“There must be a way to shake them off, we can’t continue like this…” There have already been two goblin deaths. Two more than they should. “Sothing, sothing… Ah, the underground lake! It should prevent the turtles from following us!”

I imdiately make everyone turn in the lake’s direction.

If we jump inside, we can swim until the turtles stop targeting us, then co back safely and resu the Dungeon Invasion as if nothing happened.

Huh, huh, huh! Aren’t I a genius?

As if to mock , at this precise instant sothing small hits my back. “Fucking Goblimps, why do you decide to strike right now!?”

I turn around to use a Phantasmal Weapon in retaliation, but I do so with such bad luck, that I misstep and fall to the ground, headfirst.

“Fuck this bad luck! Hm? There’s sothing written here… ‘Who made the claw marks?’ I don’t know, but I’d like to. No, no, I can’t waste ti with– Ugh!”

When I try to stand up, sothing enormous hits and makes fall to the ground again.

I roll to take so distance before trying again. When I stabilize, I see a colossal bear-like earth elental, already swinging its claw at .

A claw as big as my whole body.

“What’s up now? Another enemy?”

I take the blow and then search for a way to run away. I would love to fight this monster but now isn’t the ti.

“Huh…? We’re surrounded? Why…? HOW!?” I’m sure my reaction will sound stupid to anyone who watches in the future. “When did they co? What happened?”

There were no enemies here, this is why I chose this path! But now, we’re surrounded by golems, there’s this giant bear in front of , the Goblimps are waiting for a chance to strike, and the turtles are getting closer…

Aren’t we dood?

Right as I think so, four light beams are fired at us, striking several of my orcs and goblins.

“No, nonononono! This makes no sense!” I deny the reality, but my orcs and goblins keep struggling and dying. “Today I was going to win, it can’t end like this!”

I start a murderous rampage, attacking every enemy in sight with my battleaxe.

I don’t spare a single EP or MP in my effort to save us, but the more I attack, the more enemies I have to face.

“They’re multiplying!?” Finally, I realize it’s because of my own attacks that the enemies keep increasing in number. “Aaaaagh! This isn’t fair!”

I drop to the ground in despair. My goblins and orcs. My comrades! They’re falling, one after another…!

“Evil Mastermind! I swear I’ll make you pay for all the tis you’ve humiliated ! Even if it’s the last thing I do before turning crazy, I’ll make sure to crush your dungeon and show everyone how to beat your dungeon without taking any damage!”

In my delirious rage, I start laughing. Then, I stand up again and face the giant bear. At the very least, I’m going to enjoy this as much as possible.

This bear monster has such big claws that it could actually leave those marks in the entrance area. Maybe, it’s actually this monster, the monster I’ve been looking for for so long?

Then, does this an that I fell for the Evil Mastermind’s trap when I read that text?

Was everything planned from the start…?

I’m sure of it! Since I said I would beat the dungeon this ti, he must have prepared everything so that I would have no choice but to run away to the lake, then make fall, accidentally read that slate, and activate the trap!

I’m sure of it!

You didn’t outsmart this ti! I saw through your machinations! Huh, huh, huh!

“Huh, huh, huh! I’ll show you… Just you wait.”

The new monster additions to The Mad Rat’s Lab created a huge wave in the DMA forums. Both from desperate and exhilarated players. If only they knew those were the tip of the iceberg of what was to co in the next days…