"This is rather tough, I feel like we're trying to punch above our weight class" amidst a group of mask-wearing death hunters, all of them dressed in white, impersonal practical clothing, the one speaking was crouching down, bringing up the fact that their current attempt to clear out the rot wasn't very successful.
As had been demonstrated by Marlene and her group, the regular flames weren't going to cut it, the first idea was to bring in an experience pyromancer, they would keep control of their flames and continue injecting mana into the spell to prevent it from being put out, however, even that proved unfruitful, the amount of black blood the rot could ooze was simply obscene.
The strain of keeping the flames going was beyond expectations, and not efficient enough to burn through the blood and flesh anyways, bringing in more pyromancers and having them work together was then hatched, much similar results occurred, even if they advanced on the rot, there was simply too much.
The instant not enough pressure was put on it, it would regrow into its previous spots and ruin everything they had achieved, fire wasn't going to do the deal, the death hunters brought out something better.
Death miasma was a typical and well known weapon of the undeads, as such, the hunters of the dead had devised an equivalent to it long ago, it was even believed that it had been first brought into existence by the first of them.
The devices they had brought out with them this time were top of the art machineries, crystal or any substitute rarely came attached with life, as such, those contraptions had to get creative, putting together magic circles of the written sort, sigils, runes, enchanting and arrays, this device was capable of creation a fine, white mist of life force.
While the life force was genuine, the whole process being artificial naturally resulted in an inherent weakness, if this life fog encountered genuine death miasma, it would lose the battle for certain and only serve as kindling to its growth, this was why they had brought out many of such creations and were using incantations and arts to reinforce them.
The rot once again didn't back down in the least, counter attacking by emitting miasma of its own, though it appeared like they were steadily gaining some ground as the hours went by.
This group of hunters hadn't come unprepared, bringing down materials and such, they set up a small camp in the gigantic corridors of the dungeon, a safe zone to rest in and keep up the pressure.
They demonstrated that their reputation as being committed to their craft wasn't earned for nothing, they brought down cattle, soil and crops as well, armed with life mist, it was easier than ever to maintain such operations.
No one was going to budge until results were obtained.
Still, as the one that had spoken stated, the difficulties they were facing to clear the way seemed to indicate that they weren't up against any random undead, this entire dungeon also seemed to be built for a specific purpose as well.
Only undeads and animated suits of armour roamed the halls, everyone was under the impression that only a powerful undead or necromancer could be found in the depths of its guts, the death hunters currently present on site couldn't confidently claim that they could deal with this.
Which was why they were focusing on clearing the place off of the rot, the metal skeletons would only keep coming, it was all they could do.
"We probably are, but then again, when are we not?
Us lesser hunters stand above the lesser undeads for sure, but they are much more numerous than we are, we have hunters of great power, but once again, less than they have undeads of great power, I doubt we have any single person capable of standing in the same room as any of the gravelords" another one responded flatly, not letting go of his sight upon the rot at the bottom of the stairs.
"Don't bring down the mood, we aren't even planning on going down these stairs anytime soon, we're just smoking everything out" a third one interjected, his attention soon taken away as he moved up to one of the settlement's walls.
"It's true, undead dislike fire, abhor the holy, but nothing will get quite rid of one for certain than life- What did you see over there?" the first one noticed him looking over in the distance, standing still after climbing up there.
In response, the death hunter fell like a bag of bricks as he stumbled back.
"Everyone! We have a problem" despite his first reaction, he called out with relative composure as he got back up to his feet.
The hunters reflexively gathered near the two walls, the camp was placed right in front of the staircase leading down, in the center of a long hallway, the space to the right was a complete dead end, yet, this was the place the hunter was pointing at as the source of his distress.
There, standing amidst the strung up lights, his gigantic blade resting on his shoulder, Slotriig's mere presence was intimidating, but the death hunters weren't worried, generators of life mist had also been put in place near the edges.
No undeads should willingly approach them, at least in theory.
"How the hell did he sneak up on us?"
"Would anyone pay attention to the other way?"
That last one brought attention to the only path leading out of there, and indeed, it turned out to be a pincer attack, while not nearly as physically impressive, Loimos was certainly much more disturbing of a sight to behold.
With his line of unpleasant-looking teeth, hollow sockets overflowing with rotten blood and generally pustulent looks due to the growth of rot on his bones, he looked like some sort of personification of disease.
"Should we shoot them down?" asked one.
"No point in provoking the big guy, I doubt we can even leave a dent on him, the other one seems more easily destroyed, but let's not rile it up either, it's awfully off considering the rest of the monsters, and it's cooperating with the other, it is best if we assume they are both equally problematic for us to deal with, we are h-" the one that seemed to be in charge stopped as he noticed something down into the staircase.
"Plug it!" he quickly switched his thought process as he clearly saw the rising of black blood, they were going to get flooded!