AI: Artificial Isekai

"Someone's sorely in need of another fishing session," Khi says. "You look like a catch left in the sun for too long."

"What a lovely image to picture myself as on this lovely morning. Thank you for that," I say.

She grins at me. "You're welcome." Then the grin falters. "Are you up for this? We don't have to go to a dungeon if you are not feeling okay." And then it turns upside down. "Actually, forget it. We're taking you home."

I wave her off. "It's fine. I can conquer some weak D-grade half-dead."

"Yeah, that does not sound as reassuring as you think it does. But... I'll trust your judgement." She turns to her head of security. "Kor'To, keep an eye on him, please." He simply nods in response, having already done that from the very first dungeon we explored, anyway.

"So, am I still the babysitter in this scenario?" I ask.

Khi gasps. "I am not a baby!" Her outraged tail takes out its frustrations on me. "What's the punishment for offending royalty?" she asks her fellow compatriots.

One of the security speaks up with a shrug, "They feel bad for making someone else feel bad?"

Khi turns to me and pointedly asks, "Do you feel bad?"

"Hmm, I feel a bit better, actually." Khi huffs, but a small smile appears and, as we continue walking to a city gate, remains on her lips.

A quick run takes us to the dungeon we are to destroy. But the current configuration of beastfolk security, coupled with the remote nature of the location, combine into quite the unfortunate situation. Oh, well. Today's as good a time as any, I suppose.

Khi, Kor'To, and I enter the gate, leaving the rest of the security outside, and appear inside a primitive structure. A stone floor, some loosely stacked stone walls, and no ceiling to speak of. There is a crude, stone pedestal in the center of the space, though. Floating on top of said pedestal is a glowing white orb. There is an exit gate a few dozen meters away. A Defense Dungeon.

A deep, guttural cry echoes out from deep inside the dungeon, followed by numerous more. I yawn and fake a cough. Khi momentarily looks at me with some amusement but then focuses on what will soon be approaching.

The structure is standing on a sizeable hill, circled by a large field, and then circled again by a thick forest. Thicker mist obscures the more distant trees, limiting our view and temporarily hiding the attackers we are to defend against.

Some indeterminate shape takes form deep within the mist. The cries sound out again. They are much closer than before. The shape moves through the milky sky, heading directly for us. A distracted wave of my hand sends a supersonic dart for it. The booming sound startles both beastfolk, but they quickly recover. The shape crashes into the forest. As a few more shapes appear, Khi shoots a few lightning bolts. Her attacks strike true, knocking her intended targets out of the air. When a few thousand more shapes blot the sky, Kor'To tenses up.

"We should retreat, Your Highness," the beastfolk knight suggests. Khi takes in a deep breath. "Or I should join." A brilliant spear of lightning, crackling with power, forms in her hand. "Your High—" His words are cut off by a thunderous launch.

The spear streaks like a lightning strike and impacts the center of the incoming swarm. The obscured sky is lit up by a deafening storm of electricity. When it settles down, all that was in the air is snuffed out.

Kor'To's demeanor changes. The slight concern is wiped away instantly. He wordlessly turns away and takes a couple steps to sit on top of the short wall, merely observing again.

A few stragglers pierce through the mist. Sharp teeth and leathery wings. Even sharper teeth, spiteful eyes, and covered with fine scale. Kobold Riders. The wyverns do resemble dragons in their appearance, but are much smaller and spindlier, their aimless ferocity betraying a limited intelligence. The kobolds themselves are even more slender, almost serpentine in their design, their tamed hostility hinting at not so limited minds.

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Khi leaves the remaining monsters to me, still winded from her enormous spell. When I remove the remaining kobolds, silence returns to the dungeon, a brief reprieve between the waves. Our keepsake is undamaged.

"Not going to say anything?" Khi asks.

"What is there to say?"

She chuckles, the tow extracted evident in her voice. "You are an interesting person, Lucius."

"If we are swapping secrets again, I've grown fond of sweet foods as of late."

Khi turns to me in surprise, quickly morphing into utter contempt. "What treachery and abhorrence..." But contrary to her offended cries, she fails to rein in a smile.

The next wave flows from between the trees, armored figures preparing to execute an assault. Spells starting to fly from within the forest signals the start of the attack. The Kobold Warriors rush under the cover fire of numerous magical projectiles. Fireballs illuminating the dungeon. Chunks of ice and earth whistling through the air. Thin darts made out of metal and darkness, looking to burrow into something important.

Rays of light are stopped by metal plates, momentarily heating the surfaces to a radiant white.

Lightning strikes ground themselves to Khi, filling the princess with crackling electricity. In the next moment, she discharges the potential, adding a substantial amount of her own mana. The magic arcs from her form, to the still flying spells, and then to the casters.

For a second, the melee troops falter in their rush, their mages struck down by a single expression of might, but unknown compulsion pushes them forward again.

I hop the short wall and loosen a shoulder. A glance back earns me a nod of support. My calm and steady walk does not clue in the speeding warriors to their eventual fate. Merely meters before they come upon me, my sword is drawn, and lightning rains around me.

A massacre later, I hop back inside our short-term base. Khi's breathing is noticeably heavier, and she is eyeing the welcoming gate out, but my nonchalant demeanor, like I didn't just casually dispatch hundreds of reptilian fighters, spurs her on to endure for even a bit longer.

"This dungeon is stronger than I anticipated," I say. Khi shoots me an unamused glance. "We probably won't be destroying it, okay."

"Why... not?" she asks through a pant.

"I'll be submitting it for further assessment. Could be an adequate training opportunity for adventurers looking to progress to C. There are no similar configurations close by, making it a good option for the Harthes Hall. We'll have to see what the boss is like, though."

Khi makes a strained smile, now much more in control of her exertion. "I can certainly attest to it being a good workout. And don't forget that wyvern meat is delicious."

I shrug. "But not really commercially viable. Maybe as a nice bonus. If the monsters are intact enough, that is." I turn to the forest. "Your kills are out of the question."

She mocks some hurt. "I'll have you know that they are perfectly cooked. My technique is immaculate."

"For people that enjoy chewy steak, maybe." The reply I receive is a tired huff.

Three more waves come and go. More kobold variants throwing themselves at us with a singular purpose—to pop the orb. If they have to shank an intruder or two that stand in their way, well, that's just a bonus of the occupation they have. Between those waves, a mana potion is consumed, topping up my supply.

The next wave is announced by a shrill roar, the volume and intensity of the monster signaling its finality. A singular figure shoots out from the forest, barreling for us in blind rage. Much bigger than its predecessors, the Kobold Berserker is armed with nothing but its fists. A needle goes through a knee. The monster doesn't even feel the sting. A barrage of metal goes through the remaining joints. The boss does not show any reduction in function, but blood spills from the holes still. Another needle impacts its head, snapping it back. The rager does not stop its ceaseless approach. A waterfall of red falls down its face, painting its form crimson.

Khi narrows her eyes at the monster, studying something. "Nasty."

The charging kobold slows its sprint, strength draining out of it in tandem with its blood. Wounds that should have snapped shut with ease refuse to close. A soft, red glow is overpowered by the malevolent deep crimson radiating out of the injuries. The anti-healing properties I've been trying to imbue into my metal spells are working quite well against a lesser opponent.

Desperately dragging itself across the grass, the champion refuses to surrender. Only when every scrap of vitality it possesses is exhausted does it settle, unmoving. Our prize comes to existence next to the fallen kobold. A metal wire wraps around the faceted mana crystal and retrieves it.

"So?" Khi asks. "What do you think?" We start slowly walking for the gate.

"Could work. Ren has more experience with this stuff. I'll recommend it, and he'll pass final judgement. Might even be used for promotions."

Khi smirks at me. "Does this make me a D-ranked adventurer, then?"

"Only if you beat me in a duel right after."

The smirk is wiped away. "Yeah, I'd rather stay as just a princess, thank you very much."

As we are chuckling happily, Kor'To claws at her back.