My Dungeon Life: Rise of the Slave Harem

Chapter 1418

I lifted the core in my hand, sacrificing and pouring in the last of the dungeon into it. I abandoned everything, pulling away and losing lore at every step so that I could maximize the amount of energy for this final attack. This was our only chance at keeping the dungeon from merging with Twilight. It was the only way to stop what was to come.

As for my death, I had thought about it long and hard. I knew my death would be devastating to the girls, but Twilight was even more devastating. They needed time to prepare. They needed the time that only I could provide them. I had tried the other options, but from the moment this dungeon battle began I was outmatched on every level. Destroying King Diorite’s god soul was the only way to strand it down there. It would still inevitably escape, but it would buy some time. It was anyone’s guess how much, but it was exactly for that reason I had to go all out.

“Master, is that the weapon?”

“It is… we just have to ignite it.” I nodded to myself. “Is everyone on board?”

“They are…”

“I’m using the last of the mobs to hold him off in the room beyond, but he’ll be here in a minute. Wait in the drill and close the door. The last second, I’ll jump through with a portal.”

“Yes… I understand, Master.” Terra nodded.

Her voice sounded slightly off, but I was focused on the bombs. As soon as she closed the door, I’d ignite it. However, she didn’t move from her spot.

“What is-“

Just as I went to turn, something as hard as a rock hit me in the back of the head. I quickly regained consciousness, but I realized I was in another spot. I sat up, quickly noticing a bunch of dwarves looking down at me with worried looks on their faces. Sapphire stepped forward.

“Master… Terra, she’s been acting weird, and…”

“Terra?” I moved to my feet, shaking off the headache.

Terra had knocked me unconscious? Why would she do that? I needed to set the bomb off. There wasn’t time for any of this. Wait. The bomb! I ran to the door leading into the boss’s room. I tried to open the door, but the latch wouldn’t budge. I could see into the Boss room though. I could see Terra standing at the door, and in her hand was the orb.

“Terra, what are you doing?” I demanded, trying to force the door open again.

That’s when I realized that the door wasn’t just jammed. It had been sealed shut. She had used her ability to mold the door into the drill.

“I’m sorry, Master. I know you too well.” Terra smiled.

“Know me… I need to detonate the bomb! What are you doing?”

“You were going to give your life, weren’t you?” Terra asked.

“N-” Looking into her eyes, I realized I couldn’t lie. “We can still talk about this.”

“There is no time. You said so yourself.” Terra shrugged. “The bomb needs a trigger. However, I am your guardian. I am your protector. So, I will be the one who detonates it!”

Chapter 1419

As she was speaking, the door blew open, and the face of King Diorite appeared. I barely even noticed him though.

“No! You can’t!” I cried out, slamming my hands on the door. “My soul…”

“My soul is supported by Gaia…” Terra responded, that gentle smile still on her face. “No one can compete when it comes to triggering this bomb.”

I didn’t know if what she was saying was the truth or not, but I didn’t care. I started banging on the door harder and harder, my mind seemingly going to mush. However, I could already see the bomb getting brighter and brighter. It had already stopped.

“I always knew I would one day die for Master,” Terra explained. “I love you, and I am happy that I was yours.”

“No! Just Stop! Listen to me, just stop!”

I started trying to make a portal, but as it formed, Alysia appeared, her blade moving through and chopping the magic in two.

“What are you doing!”

“It’s too late for that!” Alysia declared.

“You… you knew! You knew she was doing this… you would have been awake even when she knocked me unconscious.”

Alysia looked away. “I knew she was trying to save you. I didn’t know her place was to give herself.”

I didn’t have time for that. I spun around, looking at the door again. The light was growing brighter. Mana was distorting around it. It was making it impossible to cast any more magic. The portal I was forming earlier probably would have failed too. It would have probably backlashed and hurt me if Alysia hadn’t cut it just then, but I didn’t care at that moment.

Terra had turned away and was no longer looking at me. She was facing off against King Diorite.

“So, ultimately it came to this,” Twilight spoke. “My avatar versus Gaia’s avatar.”

“You had to have known it was going to end this way.” Terra declared, green light starting to wrap around her body at the same time black miasma wrapped around Twilight.

Her voice no longer sounded like her own. It had taken on the multitoned voice of Gaia. As I banged against the glass desperately, I began to realize this was a fight between two soul worlds, and it wasn’t one I was strong enough to be in. Terra must have known from the beginning that she’d be the one who’d have to face off against Twilight. She didn’t say anything to me because she was afraid I’d order her to stop. Now, I could even send her a Slave Communication if I wanted to.

“I’d consider it a fair trade. The death of one avatar for another. You’re using Gaia herself to ignite this bomb. Once that bomb goes off, Gaia will be severely weakened. In a year, maybe two… I’ll reach the surface.”

“You’ll be hindered without your avatar.”

“So will you…” Twilight smirked. “But for me, I still have her. I now know she’s alive, and her other half is on the surface. Once we reunite, I will bring peace to this world for good.”

“I wonder if things will go the way you think…” Gaia turned back and looked at me, it was Terra’s face.

Our eyes met, and she gave one final smile. Her hand closed, and the bomb ignited.

Chapter 1420

For a fraction of a second, I watched as Terra’s face began to crack apart. Each part of her split and shattered, breaking into a million tiny fragments. The explosion radiated outward, and even King Diorite seemed to welcome the end with outstretched arms. That was all I saw, as a moment later a powerful force slammed me into the floor and I lost consciousness.

Again, I was only out briefly. The drill was moving now, sending us up, and force on our bottoms was extreme. Everyone else was strapped in, except for me who had been standing at the door up until launch. I had ended up hitting my head again, but thanks to my constitution, I didn’t seem to be able to be knocked out for more than a few blissful moments before I was back to full lucidity. The image of Terra being destroyed played through my mind over and over again.

I had nothing else I could do but watch it as our drill shuttered and bounced while drilling its way up a volcanic shaft at likely blistering speeds.

“Master, I’m really sorry…” Alysia’s voice whispered in my head.

I felt a surge of anger at first, but it quickly dissipated into helplessness. It wasn’t Alysia’s fault. She had only done what she thought was right. Terra had only done what she thought was right too. That cost Terra her life. It was her life exchanged for mine. It wasn’t just her life. I remembered what they said. The explosion would have hurt Gaia too. If it was just me, igniting my soul world, then the explosion might not have been as strong. However, it was Gaia using a fraction of her energy. It became a double-edged blade. The explosion might have been better, but Gaia would also have been hurt. As for Terra, she was nothing but the middle-man used to accomplish this feat.

Boom! There was a big thud, and I was airborne for a moment before slamming into the side. I really should have strapped myself in. I ended up being bounced around for a bit more until the drill finally settled. We had reached the surface. I didn’t even both to see where we had come landside. Instead, I brought all of the dwarves into my soul world and then used Return to bring myself back to a familiar castle.

It was still under construction, but I considered this my home more than the mansion. When it was finished, it’d be the place I ruled from. Except, that rule was down a person.

“Master!” Alysia gave me a warning.”

“What?”

“There is something wrong with Sapphire.”

I was going to spend a few minutes grieving before revealing to the girls I was back. After such a long journey there, it all felt far too abrupt. However, it appeared I wasn’t allowed any breaks at all. I entered my soul world, and my eyes immediately went to Sapphire. She had suddenly collapsed to the ground, her face red, and her body weak.

“What’s going on?” I demanded.

“When the drill started, she started looking sick. I thought she just wasn’t handling the forces, but as soon as she was in your soul world, she just collapsed.

Sapphire was on the ground, her face pale and her body completely weak. Was this some kind of cruel curse sent by Twilight? Was this some backlash from trying to merge with the other Sapphire? I couldn’t guess, and at that moment my emotions were a roller coaster that had trouble thinking clearly.

Everyone was looking down at Sapphire anxiously, even Gabbro. He appeared to have become somewhat concerned about his new apprentice over the last few days, and now genuinely looked frightened.

I immediately began using every spell I knew. Whether it was a curse, a poison, physical damage, or a spirit, I tried to heal all of it. In the end, she calmed down a bit, but I knew I had only postponed things. It was hard to say exactly how I knew, but some aspect of my White Mage made it certain in my mind. Sapphire was dying.