"Alright, let's do this. Here we go once more!" I say, as soon as the message announcing the start of the Dungeon Battle appears in front of me.

This time, we won't make any mistakes. This time, we'll achieve a perfect win, which in our case means destroying the other team's dungeon core and, at the same time, killing them inside our dungeon.

Not like we have any control over what happens on the other side once the match starts, but you know what I mean.

"Will we all go on the offensive like this during the event matches?"

Waiting right next to me for the teleport to happen, Clara asks me a question that has no correct answer.

"It'll depend. During the event, we'll be able to defend our dungeon, unlike in Dungeon Battles like this one, but we must lead the assault anyway, so… at most one or two of us will stay to defend, maybe…?"

"Okay. I want to go with you then."

"...sure."

According to Ricard, and I don't say it like this because I didn't have time to look at the event in detail yet and certainly not because I'm lazy or because I hated it so much when he tormented us with his unending explanation that I don't even want to think about learning more about it…

Anyway! As I was saying, according to Ricard, although it's possible to defend your dungeon, most teams don't do it or leave at most one player back.

For 1vs1 matches, absolutely all of them always go on the offensive, and the reason is very simple. It's because of something called 'AI'.

'Hah! Artificial Intelligence? More like Artificial Idiot, if I were to give my honest opinion.'

Yeah, I feel you and completely agree with your feelings…

When you give them a detailed set of instructions, like patrol this route, wait for enemies to come near you, chase after the fleeing enemies, use the skills in a certain pattern… All of those are okay. They aren't great, but the AI can more or less do what you ask it to.

But what happens when it comes to adapting to unknown situations?

Situations like going into a dungeon they've never been in and correctly assessing which are the biggest dangers, and coming up with a plan to reach the dungeon core without dying in the process?

Yeah… that's not something they can do. Not yet, at least. Maybe in the future, the very, very, very, VERY distant future…

That's the main reason players are forced to go on the offensive: the AI is more or less capable of defending your dungeon, but not capable of invading other dungeons. And since the players are forced to go on the offense, they might as well spend all their focus there and leave at most one player on defense.

Of course, this doesn't mean support mobs are useless when you invade the opposing team's dungeon. As long as a player controls them, they can do a decent job.

But you can't rely exclusively on them.

This might be the biggest difference between this event and the first tournament we participated in. In that one, we could freely jump between offense and defense using portals, but not this time. Going all-in in defense and switching to offense after weakening the enemy team, or setting up an alarm system to know when to go back while attacking, aren't valid tactics anymore.

Between this and the useless AI when attacking, it's no wonder almost all players choose to join the assault.

My thoughts come to a halt when the bright light from the teleport blinds me. When the light fades out, Ricard and Laura's dungeon appears in front of me for the second time.

The same red sea and purple sky. The same ruined village. The same collapsed castle at the top of the hill, the furthest element from our current position.

But there's something even more crucial than all those elements that's missing.

"Are you sure it's the same dungeon?" It's the first thing Clara says as soon as she sees the scene in front of us.

Hey! I wanted to say that first! Give me back my moment of glory!

"It must be, right?"

To prevent anyone from cheating, we set up a document listing all the monsters, including their levels and skills, and the traps, as well as any other dungeon element we added to the dungeon. We'll open it after the last match and check nobody cheated.

I was tempted to take a look at everything Ricard and Laura planned on using, but I couldn't. The file is encrypted in two phases, and we need the two passwords – each team chose one – to unlock it.

Indeed, what a shame…

"Then, where are all the skeletons? And the demons?"

Yep, she's right. The thing that's missing is the endless swarms of undead tirelessly working, and the demons supervising them.

"I wish I knew, Lemon. I wish I knew." I shake my head. "But I have a slight idea where they might be."

I don't think they brought all of them into our dungeon. That'd make no sense whatsoever. So they must be hidden somewhere. If I take into account Ricard's obsession with the classics, I have a slight suspicion of where they might be.

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Turning around, I scan our support mobs. First, my single Good Follower, the single monster that wasn't a liability and that I could afford the extra cp to use for this match. Second, a few of Clara's indescribable horror minions.

No, seriously, I actually don't know how to describe them. Is that a mouth or is it an eye? If it's an eye, why does it look like it has teeth? But then, if it's a mouth, why does it need to blink?

"Hey, Lemon. Do you have any particular affection for these… these guys?" I say, pointing at one of the most disgusting abominations of all.

"Of course I do! Aren't they the cutest?"

Clara happily hops towards the indescribable horrors and hugs the one I was pointing at.

"This one is Jenny. Look at her happy smile and long eyelashes! She's a beauty! And this one is Beardman. Don't you agree that his tentacles over here look like a very cute beard, too? Hehehe!"

…Anyone. Do you have bleach for my eyes? No? What about drills for my ears?

After a while of watching me alternate between looking at her and her monsters with my mouth wide open and shivers running over my whole body, Clara asks me a question.

"Why do you ask? Did you finally awaken to the dark side of cuteness? Hehehe!"

Let's try asking it in a less roundabout way. For my own sanity.

"Do you have any minions that's here to act as bait? Or one you don't mind if it dies?"

"Hmm… I didn't think we'd need a sacrificial minion…" Clara tilts her head. "And they're all so cute! I can't put any of them in danger!"

"Well, there's no way I'm going to put my single Good Follower at risk, so…"

I have a single monster, and she has… I can't keep looking at them! Let's say she has more than five and less than ten. It's obvious who should put their minions at risk here!

"I want to use the minion to scout and check where the monsters are. I only have one minion, so it must be one of yours, Lemon."

"B-but…!"

"No buts."

Clara groans, looks up at me, and crosses her tentacles (arms) in defiance. But since I don't fall for her cute acting, because she's terrifying right now, she finally relents and turns to her minions.

After a while of hesitating, she finally makes one of them step forward.

"This is Mr. B," she kindly introduces that thing to me. "He's resilient, so he might survive even if we put him in danger."

I don't think so, but there's no need to tell her.

"Fine," I nod my head. "Now let's get into position. Order him to do what I say."

"Okay! I'll do as you say, brother!"

At least she's obedient. Sometimes. Only when she wants to.

"We're back here." Says a blue-eyed and extremely pale human, standing in front of an abandoned building. Lighting crashes from the sky, briefly illuminating his sunken face. "But this time, we came prepared."

The man smiles, anticipating what'll come next. Right then, a horned woman, wearing very suggestive clothes, puts a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Don't get too excited. Who knows what will have changed?"

The man shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. This time, it's our win."

Although the man seems confident, the woman doesn't seem to be fully convinced of their victory.

"Are you sure? Because I don't think they'll keep everything as it was in the first match, even if they're confident because of their victory, I can't imagine him not doing something bizarre…"

"It doesn't matter. We'll win this time."

The man then approaches another human with glowing blue eyes, the only other adult-sized figure present other than the two players. He pats the back of the monster, chuckling to himself.

"With Benjamin the Third with us, there's nothing to fear. Not even the constant MP drain of all those monsters will be able to stop us n–"

"Umm… I have a question."

The woman interrupts the man, but since he's in a good mood, he lets it slide.

"What question?"

"This might be weird to ask, but… Why Benjamin the Third? What happened to the first and second?"

"...That's… that's just for roleplay. Why is there a need for it to make any sense?" The man starts explaining, slightly annoyed at the question, but slowly cheers up as he goes on. "Benjamin the Third is the third monarch of a long-lost dynasty. He was betrayed by his younger brother on the day his firstborn son was born, and died holding his son's already dead body. Now, he seeks revenge in undeath and won't stay still regardless of what the world throws at him…"

"I shouldn't have asked…" The woman sighs. "Hey, Baldy. I'll leave you behind if you don't shut up."

The demon woman starts walking forward, but before she can reach the entrance door, the blue-eyed man quickly reaches her and steps in front.

"Leave me take charge and enjoy the show," he says.

"...Sure."

Opening the door, the man peeks inside.

Like the first time they came to this dungeon, he finds a large hall. Right in front, about ten meters in, there's a wide reception counter. The room then splits into two paths that rejoin a few meters further in, behind the counter.

There are the same cracks on the walls, ceiling, and floors, too.

"It looks the same as I expected," he says. "But somehow… somehow, it feels different."

"Of course it does," adds the woman from behind him. "The sofas, tables, rugs, lamps, and the rest of the furniture are in different positions."

"Aah, you're right."

"Furthermore, the other day, they were positioned in such a way that they created a single path forward. But now, they're kind of in the middle. It'll be hard to move around if there are hidden enemies."

Creating small gaps and narrow passages between them, the furniture acts as obstacles, unlike the first time they were here.

"Don't worry. I've got this covered," the man strikes his chest. "Benjamin the Third, go forward. It's your time to shine! Let's find and suck all the souls of those pesky outer-world abominations, ahahahaha!"

The man starts laughing as he pushes his minion forward. Meanwhile, the woman observes his antics with a furrow on her brow.

"He didn't forget it's Mad Rat's idea, didn't he?"

"There are players who like to create a background story for every single one of the monsters and characters they put in their dungeons. Usually, after this, they feel the need to tell the story to every invader.

Don't be like them. Don't bore your invaders with useless chatter and info dumps. Don't shove it down their throats until they want to puke.

If you want to create background stories for your monsters, feel free to do so, but don't explain them. Give the monsters names, which will show over their heads, but leave the mystery behind them. Show a few tidbits here and there, and the invaders might get interested.

This way, those players who care about the background stories will naturally ask for more, searching for clues in your dungeon, and enjoy it even more. What's best, you won't bore any invader to death."

- A tip from a random DMA player to newer players.

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