Austronesia Empire, Imperial Maharlika, Metro Manila, Malacanang Palace, Conference Room

1st Year of God, Tuesday, 2nd Week, Month Of Abraham.

The entire assembly of government officials and military high command filled the palace's grand conference room with the whole atmosphere thick with tension and urgency.

Emperor Maximo sat in his customary seat with a stern expression as he listened to the flood of reports and discussions surrounding the previous night's events.

“Ladies and gentlemen, let’s bring this meeting to order,” he commanded as his voice cut through the din air.

A murmur of agreement swept through the room as the officials turned their anxious gazes toward the Emperor.

“I am not here to assign any blame for what happened,” Maximo continued in a measured but firm tone. “This is something none of us predicted nor expected. But we must learn from our failures.”

“Your Majesty,” an official interjected, “Do we have any idea as to why none of our surveillance had detected any signs of incoming enemy fleets?”

"For now, we suspect the reason is magic as usual," another official replied grimly. “But this time, the threat is even more pronounced. We all know where they came from, which is the lands of the Orc Horde.”

One of the officials rose to give his report. “The technicians inspected the enemy ships, and the findings were baffling. According to the report, these vessels were… nothing more than simple wooden ships, yet they withstood a barrage of 16-inch shells. When we examined their mechanics, it was just as perplexing. There’s no logical explanation for how they achieved such speeds, impossible for a mere sailing ship, and their helms weren't even connected to anything!” He paused before continuing, “We also tried detecting any signs of mana or magical runes on those ships, but so far, we've found nothing.”

“It could be one of those Orc magic,” another official suggested. “The elves have mentioned that Orc magic was rather strange in nature, as they were able to manipulate reality on a subconscious level through belief. They claim that painting ships red makes them faster, blue makes them more durable, and yellow enhances their cannons’ power. They even walk on water, simply because they believe it's solid ground.”

“That might explain why the nations in this Civilization Zone have struggled so much against them,” Emperor Maximo sighed. He turned to activate the display behind him, revealing an image of several creatures. “But during last night’s battle, we discovered that the Orcs aren’t our only concern.” He pointed to one of the figures. “This appears to be a creature the natives call a Troll. And here is a Goblin, which they, for some strange reason, used as ammunition for their cannons.”

“As for the Orcs,” the official continued, “The elves describe them as larger cousins of goblins but tougher and stronger. First-hand reports from those who fought them last night confirm that they’re incredibly difficult to kill.”

“They stand over two meters tall, with muscles that would make any bodybuilder kill for. They appeared to have a mix of both goblin and troll traits. The cunningness of the goblins and similar regeneration abilities of the trolls. Their skin is as tough as stone, capable of withstanding small arms fire.” He quoted the elves, adding, “To kill an Orc, one must sever its head. There have been numerous records of supposedly dead Orcs, with wounds that would have taken lives, rising again after a battle has ended.”

“Intelligence estimates that a force of roughly 34,000 Orcs is advancing toward us, accompanied by trolls, goblins, and siege weaponry. This number doesn’t even account for their baggage, supply ships, and any other auxiliary or irregular troops they’ve gathered along the way.”

At that moment, the sound of a doorknob turning echoed through the conference room, and a man entered, flanked by two guards, carrying a strange-looking rifle.

“Are you the Director of the Weapons Engineering Department?” one of the politicians inquired.

“Indeed I am,” the man replied, placing the rifle on the table. “And I’m here to introduce you to something new.”

“The prototype is out?” Maximo asked, his interest piqued.

“Oh yes,” the director said with a cheerful nod. “This is the new weapon we’ve developed.” He gestured to the rifle, crafted from local wood and metal stamping. He worked the bolt, pulling it back before handing the rifle to Maximo, who inspected the chamber with keen interest.



“We've named it the Arcane Facilier Model 1, or the AF-1 rifle,” the director announced proudly. “This cutting-edge firearm integrates traditional gunpowder with arcane energy derived from powdered mana stones. This unique blend significantly enhances the weapon’s performance, making it more powerful, accurate, and versatile than conventional guns.”

He held up a bullet cartridge with a pointed tip. “These bullets are similar in size to the 8.25mm rounds used by the MK Mark III rifles of the Black Armored Division, but they are crafted from a newly discovered metal known as Mithril. Mithril is renowned for its lightweight nature, magical conductivity, and durability. Thanks to these properties, each bullet can channel and retain the energy from the mana-infused gunpowder, making every shot not only physically lethal but also imbued with magical effects.”

“Could you explain more about how the gunpowder mixes with powdered mana stones?” one of the officials asked.

The director chuckled. “The gunpowder used in the AF-1 is a hybrid of traditional black powder and finely-ground substance derived from mana stones. As we know, mana stones can store vast amounts of magical energy. When ground into powder and mixed with gunpowder, they create an explosive compound that's 60% far more powerful than standard rifles. This mixture produces a brilliant, arcane-infused muzzle flash and propels the mithril bullet with greater velocity and precision,” he explained. “Upon firing, the mana-infused gunpowder ignites, releasing both a physical explosion and a burst of arcane energy. This dual force propels the mithril bullet at extraordinary speeds and allows it to penetrate armor that would normally deflect standard rounds. The arcane energy also enables the bullet to bypass certain magical barriers or defenses.”

“Additionally, the AF-1 features a specialized chamber designed to handle the volatile nature of the mana-powder mix,” the director continued. “Reloading requires careful handling, as the combination is highly reactive. The bolt mechanism extracts the spent cartridge from the chamber and, when pushed forward, loads a new round from the 10-round box magazine. Once the bolt is locked in place, squeezing the trigger will activate the electronic circuit inside the bolt and fire the round.” He then used a pair of pliers to remove the butt pad from the rifle butt, revealing the internal components to Maximo.

“A pair of 12-volt batteries powers the electronic firing system, good enough energy for over a thousand shots before needing replacement.” He set the rifle down with a satisfied nod.

“Very impressive, but why not develop automatic rifles?” Maximo asked.

“The mana-infused gunpowder tends to foul up gas-operated or recoil-operated systems, leading to frequent jams,” the director of the Weapons Engineering Department explained with a shrug. “Well, not to mention the constant recoil could easily break the shoulders of an average human. Until we develop a better method, it's not a viable option.”

“I see,” Maximo said thoughtfully, though several politicians in the room appeared confused.

“Also, this design was actually came up by Sir Vines,” the director added, gesturing to the elf standing behind him. “Would you care to explain?”

“Oh, absolutely!” the elf replied, rubbing his hands together in excitement. “This is truly fascinating! Mr. Thompson approached me with some questions about magical runes, and we ended up discussing firearms. I learned the basics of how a bullet is fired through this ‘rifle.’” He lifted the rifle and worked the bolt expertly before pointing it safely away from the group and squeezed the trigger. A sharp hiss and a flash of light burst from the muzzle. Satisfied, he placed the weapon down and removed several mana stones from his pockets, each glowing with a different color.

“What are those? Are they special types of mana stones?” one official asked, intrigued.

“Correct,” the elf nodded, “These are elemental mana stones. Other than those that contained pure mana, each stone holds a different type of elemental magic from Fire, Ice, Lightning, and so on. The mithril bullets can be enchanted to carry specific magical effects depending on the type of mana stone powder used. For example, a bullet infused with Fire Mana Stone will cause a fiery explosion upon impact. With Ice Mana Stone, the bullet will encase the target in a block of ice. And with Lightning Mana Stone, it will deliver a powerful electric shock, capable of stunning or even electrocuting the target.”

“So you're saying we’ll essentially have our own human mages?” one politician asked in astonishment, and the rest of the humans in the room mirrored his expression.

The elf grinned. “Precisely. And according to Mr. Thompson, we’ve already produced a dozen of these rifles, with another dozen coming in the next few days.”

“Fantastic,” Maximo said with satisfaction. “At this rate, we’ll have magical soldiers in no time.”

—————————————————————————

Austronesia Empire, Imperial Majahapit, Western New Guinea, Somewhere in the Eastern Coast of Western New Guinea

1st Year of God, Wednesday, 2nd Week, Month Of Abraham.

Two days had passed since the Austronesians first clashed with the Orcs, and the entire eastern region of the Western New Guinea island had been reinforced with 48,000 additional soldiers stationed across four newly established outposts.

Each outpost had housed between 10,000 and 15,000 troops, and was designated as Alpha Company, Beta Company, Charlie Company, and Delta Company.

Beta, Charlie, and Delta Companies were tasked with defending different parts of the eastern coast of the Western New Guinea island, while Alpha Company was assigned to secure the mining facility, where the dungeon lay as they remained vigilant and felt wary of any potential monsters that might escape.

Meanwhile, thousands of fresh recruits had joined the Imperial Liberation Army stationed in Western New Guinea, as they prepared for their first taste of battle.

Out at sea, almost a hundred battleships patrolled the eastern waters to search for any signs of foreign vessels, especially Orc ships, as their surveillance technology, including their satellites, had somehow inexplicably failed to detect the enemy.

On land, teams of soldiers in fatigues labored to construct barricades by dragging sharpened logs and binding them together, with their pointed ends facing the beaches. The entire area was cleared of any form of cover that could be used, leaving a maze-like passage fortified with barricades.

Earlier, the engineering team had delivered a series of heavily modified laser point defense turrets. These fully armored turrets had been upgraded and enlarged, allowing a crew of up to four to comfortably operate the weapon system manually with ease.

One of the key features was the ability to load a cylinder cardboard filled with hundreds of lead pellets that can be loaded onto the carriage, like a giant shotgun shell. When fired, the dense pellets would burst out of the lighter cardboard container at high speed, scattering like grapeshot.

Another specialized ammunition was the discarding sabot round, equipped with a steel penetrator instead of denser materials. It was designed specifically for use against heavily armored creatures and magic beasts, even those at Level 10. The turret's ammunition lockers were capable of storing 42 grapeshot shells and 12 anti-tank sabot rounds.

For targeting assistance, a crude rangefinder and camera were installed, both shielded by two-inch-thick armored glass and connected to a display and fire control system inside the turret. Air pumps were also fitted, linked to pipes that ventilated the air inside.

To further enhance the turrets' defenses against offensive magic, the outer armor was coated with a layer of Orichalcum with a bit of mix of Adamantite, and a lightning rod was added to protect against lightning attacks.

Simple hydraulics replaced the electric servo motors that controlled the turret's rotation, azimuth, and elevation. The power cables were planted in the floors and protected by layers of concrete to prevent disruption of power to the guns.

With these turrets strategically positioned to cover the beach approaches, they could unleash a deadly spread of grapeshot at any enemy within 400 meters and effectively fire anti-tank sabot rounds at targets up to four kilometers away.

A recruit, who had just completed his military training, leaned against his shovel, taking a break from filling sandbags as he watched the engineers hoist the modified turrets into place.

“Damn, I want to fire that!” he exclaimed to another soldier, who was diligently shoveling sand into the bags.

"Maybe," the second soldier gave a simple reply as he focused on his task.

“Can’t wait to see those Greenskins when you blast a massive shotgun in their faces,” the first soldier grinned. “Revenge is best served with a shotgun blast to the face.”

“I heard the Orcs have over 34,000 troops headed this way,” another new recruit chimed in as he worked alongside them.

“34,000, huh? How many do we have?” the first soldier asked.

“We’ve got 48,000 in total. Charlie Company, which is us, has over 12,000 troops.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Before we were called Charlie Company, what was the name of our division?”

“The Austronesian 352nd Infantry Division. Why?”

“Oh no, you don’t! This is starting to sound a lot like that part of the Second World War.”

“Which part?” The soldier paused his work, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Where 12,000 Germans from the German 352nd Infantry Division had to defend against 34,000 Allies on that one certain beach?”

“Errrm… I never read that much history.”

“Seriously!? This is just like the battle of Omaha Beach!”

————————————————————————

Austronesia Empire, Imperial Majahapit, Western New Guinea, Jayapura Papua, Jayapura Mining Station, Dungeon Level 1, Boss Room

1st Year of God, Thursday, 2nd Week, Month Of Abraham

Sergeant Pice sat on a stone outcrop and carefully stripped his rifle down into their individual parts. He started cleaning the barrel and the bolt of his weapon, while the rest of his platoon did the same, a routine they had all become accustomed to.

Today, Platoon 2 of the 1st Battalion, Alpha Company, had been tasked with clearing the dungeon, along with two of Odysseus’ Earth Golems. They had learned through experience that allowing the dungeon monsters to recuperate for a day or more yielded a more optimal amount of resources to be harvested.

If they entered the dungeon immediately after the monsters respawned, the quality and quantity of their harvest would be lacking. However, waiting a few days resulted in a doubling of both the monsters' quality and quantity.

Many scientists and researchers in Magic Research theorized that the newly respawned creatures were at Level 1, like in a video game, having not yet gained any experience points (XP). By allowing the dungeon ecosystem to run its course over a day or more, the monsters would level up, thereby increasing their value.

This explained why their first exploration of the dungeon, which they had expected to be easy, turned out to be far more challenging due to the monsters inside having had decades to increase their levels. If the Spider Ants and Desert Centipedes hadn’t reached their maximum growth cap, the exploration could have been even deadlier for them.

Despite this, Alpha Company's 2nd Platoon had easily cleared out the Spider Ants and Desert Centipedes, even taking down the Queen without needing to use any explosive armaments, and without even suffering a single casualty.

However, they hadn’t encountered any champion-rated monsters this time. There were no new treasures, as they hadn’t respawned, and the Spider Ant’s nest seemed emptier than the first time Eurylochus explored here.

As several soldiers along with two Earth Golems cut away bundles of raw silk cocoons and stacked them onto a pile for transport out of the dungeon, Pice glanced over at the door to the next level. It was positioned against the ‘throne’ of the Queen, whose carcass was noticeably smaller than the one he and his team had previously defeated.

An hour later, the men of Platoon 2 had rested, resupplied, and now stood before the large double doors. Pice nodded to one of the section leaders, who signaled his team to form up beside the door. The other section leaders quickly arranged their men behind cover and aimed their weapons on the entrance as it slowly swung open.

Beyond the doors was a flight of stone stairs descended into a hallway, where another set of double doors stood ahead. A couple of support technicians moved in, carefully unspooling a coil of cables down the stairs.

They dug a small trench to allow the cables to slip under the doors and buried them in concrete to protect against any monsters that might try to chew through or destroy the power and communication lines. The techs then attached lamps and comms arrays to the ceiling, ensuring that the platoon would have both light and connectivity.

As the techs worked, the entire platoon remained on high alert, weapons ready. Once the techs finished, Pice tested the comms and Wi-Fi signal, making sure everything was functioning properly. Satisfied, he ordered the platoon to prepare for the next step, which is entering Level 2.

The double doors creaked open, and beams of light penetrated through the darkness, revealing a vast hall filled with towering pillars and numerous doors leading deeper into the dungeon.

"Set up security. Ensure the room is clear of hostiles," Pice ordered, and Platoon 2 fanned out across the pillared hall.

The room was dominated by nine massive stone pillars on each side, each intricately carved with dragons, griffins, giant birds, and other mythical creatures. The craftsmanship was exquisite, with every detail expertly cut into the stone.

Pice paused before one of the pillars, craning his neck to look up. The pillar was at least six stories tall, and its girth was so immense that it would take six men holding hands to encircle it.

"Clear right!"

"Clear left!"

"All Clear! Room Secured!"

"Sarge! We've got two doors on each side of the hall, no hostiles reported," the Section 1 Leader called out.

"Get Platoon 3 to set up shop here and have the techs wire up the place," Pice commanded. "Once they're in position, we'll check out door number one." He pointed to the leftmost door on the left wall.

Shortly after, Platoon 3 arrived, hauling cases of ammunition, rations, water, medicine, and comms and sensor gear. The techs moved in as well, setting up lighting and communication systems.

Sergeant Eurylochus joined Pice, grinning as he took in the scene. "Wow, this is like that one treasure hunting movie, yeah?"

The soldiers began deploying spotlights, which lit up the hall and cast sharp shadows from the massive pillars onto the stone walls.

"I feel more like a grave robber, or some villain like the movies who is uncovering some super ancient weapon," Pice replied to him, gesturing around the room.

“Hahaha,” Eurylochus laughed, giving Pice a hearty pat on his armored shoulder. "You know, let me tell you something, I've always dreamed of digging up or exploring some dark dungeon in hopes of finding a treasure or some sort."

"Yeah, treasure would be nice," Pice muttered. "But I’d rather not dig up some crazy mad god, another Demon Lord, or an ancient temple filled with robotic Egyptian skeletons."

"That would be bad, huh?" Eurylochus's expression grew serious. "Damn, you’re a wet blanket."

"Heh," Pice grinned at Eurylochus's serious face. "Well, let's pray we don’t."

"Just be careful out there," Eurylochus warned. "I’ve got your back here. If anything goes to shit, just call, and we will be there to pull your ass out of the fire."

"Sure," Pice nodded, "But don't be late!" He walked towards his men, calling for them to gather up.

"Alright, Platoon 3 is here, they will be in charge of holding the fort," Pice briefed his troops. "We’re going to do this just like we trained, make sure to check every corner, including the ceiling. Ready?"

"ALWAYS READY, SIR!" the men shouted in unison, their morale high.

"Good. Section 1, you’re up first, then 2, and so on," Pice ordered as the men arranged themselves lined up in front of the first door. "Ready? Go!"

The leading point man tested the door, finding no resistance, he pushed the door open gently, while his weapon was up and ready. He stepped cautiously into the doorway, his shotgun aimed left and right, the lights showing a corridor that ended in a right turn.

The whole place was covered in stone tiles, with roots dangling from the stone ceiling through the cracks. A cold and damp feel washed over the soldier as he stepped on the moss-covered stone tiles. Unlike the dungeon level above, there wasn't any glow moss in this place. His Section 1 teammates followed several steps behind him as they advanced deeper into the unknown.

As the private quickly rounded the corner, he suddenly found himself face-to-face with a giant, brown-scaled lizard, which reared up in surprise as its eyes blinded by the sudden burst of light. It had been investigating the sudden light sources when it was suddenly confronted.

“SHRIEEEEEK!!”

“HOLY FUCK!!” the private shouted, startled as the panicked lizard split out its long tongue wildly. The extendable tongue impacted against the wall behind the soldier, cracking the stone with a loud impact, and the soldier squeezed the trigger of his shotgun in reflex.

Seven lead balls tore into the lizard’s exposed chest, ripping through its soft underbelly skin, and blood and bits of flesh exploded outward, showering the walls in a gruesome display. But then the private screamed in pain as some of the creature’s fluid splashed onto him, the liquid started smoking and eating into his steel armor and skin.

He yelped as he frantically tried to wipe away the smoking acid on his armor, dropping his smoking shotgun as the barrel began to deform under the corrosive droplets, melting the metal. His section mates rushed over, quickly helping him out of his smoking armor and used water to wash the acidic substance away while others provided security cover.

"What the fuck is that?" Pice muttered as he came up next to the dead lizard, which is about the size of a horse.

It had two thin crests of bone on the top of its head and what looked like a frill or grills on the sides. The creature’s short arms ended in claws and its powerful hind legs and tail hinted at its strength. The acidic substance continued leaking from its torn chest, smoking and slowly eating into the rock surface and gave off a pungent sour smell.

"That looks like some freaking dinosaur..."