SSS-Rank Overlord: Defend the Dungeon or Die-Chapter 182: Episode

[Archfairy Mederia]

[Rank: A]

[Level: 59]

[Class: Archer]

[Title: The Fairy with Two Pairs of Wings]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 90]

[Favorability: 87]

[Obedience: 85]

[Skills: Concentrated Fire, Rapid Fire, Homing Arrow, Quick Reload, Magic Bullet]

[Special Ability: Pesilin’s Advent] 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

[Strength: 5] [Endurance: 4] [Agility: 47] [Stamina: 6]

[Mana: 35] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 32] [Luck: 27]

[Status: Happy, Touched]

Mederia, who had been facing raid parties every day, had fulfilled the conditions for evolution through her Concentrated Fire skill. Having skipped two stages to become a guardian on par with Grai, she was now much stronger than before.

"Hmm. Magic Bullet has moved to your skills, and Pesilin’s Advent has replaced your special ability."

"I think I’ve finally received the blessing of the Fairy King, Pesilin! What do you think? Aren’t my wings more beautiful than before?"

"Yeah. Sure. They’re very pretty."

"Oh, stop. You’re making me blush."

In truth, he had no interest in her wings, but the two pairs were the only things that stood out.

"By the way, Mandra. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?"

"Um. G-Greetings."

The Named Fairy, Mandra of the Flames. She had been very defiant when first summoned, but her personality had mellowed considerably after spending time with Mederia.

’Her relationship stats have gone up quite a bit, so it should be much easier to give her orders now. Still, she’s a girl, so why does she talk like that?’

Far from being feminine, Mandra carried herself like a man. Thanks to her increased level, she had become a great help within the second Balak. Taehyun checked both of their information windows as he returned to the Master Room.

[Dungeon Name: Balak (2)]

[Master: Taehyun Yoo]

[Rank: B (Stage 3)]

[Location: Southern Astral Continent, Cave Inside the Riwel Valley Waterfall]

[Supporter: Kinjo of Schemes]

[Boss: Elite Named Fairy Mandra]

[Mercenary: None]

[Guardian and Keeper: Mederia the Arcane Marksman, Zighart the Shield Soldier of the White Giant]

[Soldiers: Highest-grade Fairies (750), Highest-grade Direct Subordinate Fairies (450), High-grade Fairies (150), Direct Subordinate Fairies (200), Frost Fairies (3), Lava Fairies (2)]

[Monsters: Highest-grade Fairies (750), Highest-grade Direct Subordinate Fairies (450), High-grade Fairies (150), Direct Subordinate Fairies (200), Frost Fairies (3), Lava Fairies (2)]

[Servants: Dungeon Residents]

[Traps: Corrupted Pond, Nephlanci’s Vines, Mana Blocking Trap, Hidden Tentacles, Binding Net, Fairy’s Sleep Powder, Death Plate, Illusion Formation, Flame Trap, Skill Blocking Trap, Radar Sealing Trap, Skill Restriction Prison, Hell’s Thorn Field, Nephlancia’s Bindings, Diplon Field]

[Installed Measures: Jar of Greed, Fairy’s Wings, Low-grade Mana Turret, Ghastly Corpse, Dried-up Lake, Drab Box, Sticky Tentacles, Alluring Scent, Mid-grade Mana Turret, Sweet Spices, Fairies’ Playground]

[Current Upgrades and Modifications: Hallway Alteration (Stage 7), Hallway Width Alteration (Stage 6), Room Interior Expansion (Stage 5), Fae Realm Environment (Stage 5), Hallway Remodeling (Stage 4), Hallway Modification (Stage 5), Full Dungeon Expansion (Stage 3)]

[Rooms: 25]

[Dungeon Status: The second Balak, with its Fae Realm environment, is now practically a sanctuary for fairies. Due to Mederia’s evolution into an Archfairy, it is under the protection of Pesilin’s Blessing. It drives raiders to despair with traps and installations perfectly suited for fairies. The addition of Keeper Zighart has filled the gap in its shield-bearing forces.]

The second Balak had undergone tremendous development by continuously facing raid parties. With Pesilin’s Blessing bestowed upon it, it was no exaggeration to call it a dungeon made for fairies.

"Hee-hee. Master Taehyun, you’ve graced us with your presence!" Kinjo simpered. "Actually, I was just about to counsel Lady Mederia. She’s been so terribly stressed because of the raid parties."

"Well, you won’t have to worry about that anymore. Now that she’s evolved into an A-rank Guardian, she should be able to handle those troublesome raid parties with ease. Anyway, I’m planning to stay for a bit and check on the others. That’s all right, isn’t it?"

"O-Of course, sir! Here, please have a seat."

"Hmm. Why are you trembling so much? It’s not like I’m going to eat you. Alright. Let’s take a look."

Since raid parties were constantly pouring in, he could continuously monitor the fairies’ battles. Taehyun sat down leisurely and began observing Mederia and Zighart.

---

"Guardian, Keeper, and a large number of direct subordinates ahead!" the raid leader yelled. "Everyone, cast magic resistance buffs, now!"

At his command, the priests’ buffs flared to life. Fairies were a race inherently attuned to magic and divine power.

With the environment of the Fairy Realm active, a magic resistance buff was essential.

[The Falcon Raid Party’s magic resistance has increased.]

[The Falcon Raid Party’s ranged attack resistance has increased.]

Once their ranged resistance was also buffed, the shieldbearers used their Push skill to clash with the fairies.

"These damned fairies!" a shieldbearer roared.

"Aack! My hands are shaking," a fairy shieldbearer cried out.

The disparity in their stats was too great; the fairy shieldbearers were instantly shoved back. But in that moment, Ziegfried strode to the front and activated his special ability.

[Myth of the White Giant Star has been activated.]

[The morale of all dungeon soldiers is maximized.]

"Hold the line!" Ziegfried commanded. "It is our duty to defend this ground!"

Galvanized by the Myth of the White Giant Star, the retreating fairies gripped their shields anew. Ziegfried activated Guardian of the Giant Star, holding the front line alongside his shieldbearers while Mederia and the archers unleashed a relentless volley of arrows.

[The Priest’s special ability has been activated.]

[The divine power of each fairy is being shared.]

The fairy priests at the rear shared their divine power, maintaining the shieldbearers’ health.

"Damn it! Their firepower is even stronger than before!"

"L-look! They’re punching holes in the barrier!"

"What’s happening? The durability should be fine!"

The raiders supporting their melee comrades panicked as their defensive barrier was torn apart. Its durability should have been more than enough, yet the focused fire of a single Guardian was threatening to shatter it completely.

[Point Blank Shot has been activated.]

[Rapid Fire has been activated.]

[Attack speed has increased through Quick Reload.]

Mederia used Point Blank Shot, an ability gained through her Evolution, and began blasting holes in the barrier one after another. As the ranged raiders started falling, the tide of battle decisively turned. Seeing the enemy using buff items to boost their firepower, she finally activated her own special ability.

[Special ability ’Pesillyn’s Advent’ has been activated.]

[The Fairy King Pesillyn will descend for a limited time.]

[Pesillyn’s Advent Uses Remaining: 1/1]

A woman materialized in the center of the fairy ranks. She had rainbow-hued hair, a gracefully fluttering robe, and a potent aura that radiated from her. Pesillyn, the king of all fairies, had arrived. She gave Mederia a subtle, smiling glance before immediately casting her skills.

[Pesillyn has cast Festival of the Fairies.]

[The skill efficiency of all fairy-type species is doubled.]

[Pesillyn has cast Blessing of the Fairy King.]

[All stats of fairy-type species are doubled for a limited time.]

The fairy army was reborn. Pesillyn fulfilled her role as the Fairy King, drawing out her subjects’ power to its absolute peak.

"You’ve got to be kidding me! Who the hell is she? The fairies just got insanely strong!"

"Damn it all! The shieldbearers we were pushing back a second ago won’t even budge now! What happened?"

"Gah! The magic bullets! Watch out for the magic bullets!"

The raid party descended into chaos. The arrival of a single entity was causing their comrades to fall one by one. Falcon belatedly tried to use a return scroll, but it was too late. Magic bullets were already detonating all around them.

"There is no escape," the Keeper’s voice echoed. "You will all meet your end here!"

Soon, the Keeper itself had broken through to the heart of their formation. Falcon glanced at his fizzling return portal, then looked up.

"You must be the raid leader," a Guardian in a maid’s uniform said calmly, drawing her bow. "Farewell."

Falcon collapsed to the ground as the arrow flew true, striking him squarely between the eyes.

---

[The Falcon Raid Party has been annihilated.]

A raid party of seventy-six B-rank raiders had been completely wiped out. Their formation had been impeccable, but the arrival of a single being had brought it all crashing down.

’Fairy King Pesillyn,’ Taehyun mused. ’She used skills exclusive to fairies and annihilated them in one fell swoop. That’s practically cheating.’

True to her title, she had drawn out the fairies’ power to its absolute limit. The fact that it was a one-time-use ability was a drawback, but the effects were jaw-dropping.

"Hee-hek-hek! So this was why you held back the five A-rank fairies! Lady Mederia is as brilliant as ever-imnidayo!" Kinjo tittered.

"She’s certainly powerful," Taehyun agreed. "In a dungeon composed solely of fairies, Pesillyn’s Advent is a game-breaking ability. Mederia should have no problem leading the fairies from now on."

He had now confirmed the capabilities of the newly evolved A-rank Mederia. If she led an army of fairies and used Pesillyn’s Advent, she could likely hold her own against even a top-tier A-rank raider.

"Master, did you see? You saw, didn’t you?" Mederia, having returned to the Master Room, was beaming as she clung to his arm.

"Yeah, I saw. You’ve gotten much stronger. You’ve made Balak all the more powerful."

"Hehe, you praised me! Master, could you grant me a small favor, too?"

"What is it?"

"This," she whispered.

Smiling sweetly, she leaned in. Before Taehyun could even process what was happening, their lips met.

[You have received the kiss of a High Fairy.]

[The High Fairy’s Blessing is bestowed upon you.]

[For one day, your Luck stat will increase by 10.]

The faint, sweet scent filling his senses, the soft touch of her lips, her face so close to his... it might as well have been his first kiss. Taehyun pushed her away a moment too late; she had already stolen it.

"Y-you?!" he stammered.

"...I did it," she breathed, a strange look of accomplishment on her face. "I took my Master’s first kiss. Oh, I-I don’t know what to do now!"

And with that, she fled. Taehyun let out a long sigh and looked at the message hovering before him.

[You have been kissed by the A-rank Guardian, High Fairy Mederia.]

[Favorability has increased by 3.]

[Mederia’s Favorability has surpassed 90.]

[The fairy has awakened to true love.]

[Mederia’s Conquest Condition has been met.]

’What the hell is a ’Conquest Condition’?’

The message made him vaguely uneasy. A "Conquest Condition" was likely a threshold that could only be met through pure, uncoerced favorability. Just thinking about Riel gave him a pretty good idea of what "conquest" implied. He sighed again and shot a glare at Kinjo.

"Hee-hek-hek! Ah, to be young and in love, Master!"

"Oh, really? It seems you haven’t been punished enough."

"H-Heek?!"

Punishing his Supporter was also a Dungeon Master’s duty. Taehyun returned to the original Balak, leaving Kinjo behind with a thoroughly rearranged nose.

---

[The fourth Faction War has ended.]

[Fourth Faction War Final Rankings]

[1. Blood Lion (11 points)]

[2. Foxy (9 points)]

[3. Secret (8 points)]

[4. Nider (6 points)]

[5. Resistance (4 points)]

[6. Tarantula (4 points)]

[7. Rodria (4 points)]

The fourth Faction War had concluded later than usual. As expected, the Resistance had secured a spot in the top five, with the Tarantula faction placing just below them.

[Fourth Faction War Resistance Performance Score Rankings]

[1. Taehyun Yoo]

[2. Seonghwi Hyun]

Naturally, he was number one in his faction’s performance rankings. Seonghwi was also on the list, likely because Taehyun had used the member swap function midway through the war.

[You have achieved 1st place in performance score in the fourth Faction War.]

[You are awarded a Ruin Exploration Radar as a reward.]

[You are awarded a Random S-Rank Soldier Summon Card as a reward.]

’Again? I’ve been given exactly what I need right now.’

He was starting to get suspicious about these rewards. He had just learned about a potential ruin from Momonte, and now a radar conveniently appeared. Furthermore, with Balak’s upgrade to A-rank, he could now summon up to five S-rank soldiers. It felt as if some omniscient force knew his exact situation and was tailoring the rewards accordingly.

"Well, a reward is a reward. I’ll use them. But first, I need to deal with them."

His gaze shifted to the raiders serving as the party’s porters.

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