This Dungeon Grew Mushrooms

“Circle formation! Circle formation! Surround the cargo wagons!”

“Use the wagons as cover! Block the attacks!”

“No! If this shipment’s destroyed, you think the employer will spare us?”

“Damn it… they’ve got over twenty explosive crossbows! The mage shields won’t hold much longer!”

Shouts, roars, and screams blended together from not far away. Kruma — who had chosen to return after all — now hid behind a thick ancient tree, face pale and body stiff as he stared at the inferno unfolding on the road.

The orderly caravan had collapsed into chaos.

Attackers clad in gray-brown camouflage, swift as wolves, poured out from both sides of the forest, encircling the convoy. At a rough glance, there were two to three hundred of them — nearly triple the number of caravan guards.

The first wave of arrows and magic had already dropped several outer guards into pools of blood.

The horned demon veteran who had excitedly promised to show Kruma around earlier was now nothing more than a charred corpse by the roadside.

Under the command of the guard captain — Kruma’s older brother — the guards suppressed their initial panic, rapidly regrouped around the central heavy wagons, formed a defensive array, and began to counterattack.

To be fair, the average strength of the caravan guards exceeded that of the attackers, and their combat experience was more seasoned.

But the overwhelming numerical disadvantage, combined with the equipment gap created by enchanted explosive crossbows, left the guards at a clear disadvantage.

“What do I do… what do I do?” Kruma clenched his fists. A surge of hot blood rushed to his head — he wanted to charge out recklessly and die fighting beside his brother — yet his legs felt like lead, nailed to the ground by deeper fear.

He was just a rookie.

Even if reaching Silver-tier strength at his age was impressive, in this battle he would amount to little more than cannon fodder.

Let alone helping the convoy — he might not even break through the enemy encirclement alive.

Suddenly he remembered the book. He flipped it open in a hurry.

Sure enough, new lines had appeared:

[ I told you not to come back. Why wouldn’t you listen? ]

[ With things like this, are you seriously thinking of joining in? ]

“You… do you have a way? A way to save my brother?”

[ Even if it’s dangerous? ]

Kruma looked at the defensive line wavering under another synchronized volley of explosive bolts. His brother’s figure was swallowed by rising smoke.

His heart pounded wildly.

In the end, he nodded fiercely.

[ Hahahahahahaha ]

A bold splash of handwriting erupted across the page, as though amused by an intriguing toy.

[ Look what I’ve found — self-sacrifice? ]

[ Boy, are you really a pure-blood Imperial demon? Or did something strange sneak in here? ]

“Shut up!” Kruma snarled, eyes bloodshot. “If you’ve got a way, say it! They can’t hold much longer!”

[ Why the rush? At this rate they can last a bit more. ]

[ So rude, like I owe you something. ]

[ But since I’m kind-hearted… ]

[ Turn around. Head west. There’s a cliff. At the bottom is a cave hidden by vines. ]

[ Inside are some… useful things. ]

“West? A cave?” Kruma looked westward but saw no cliff.

[ Believe it or not. ]

The writing stopped.

After a brief hesitation, Kruma gritted his teeth, abandoned the battle cries behind him, and sprinted west.

With his decent agility, he soon found the cliff.

“This must be it…”

Panting, he tore at the tough vines with both hands.

A dark cave entrance was revealed. Cold damp air mixed with heavy blood and rot poured out.

Without thinking further, Kruma ducked inside.

The cave was more spacious than expected — but the sight froze his blood.

Several enormous trolls with dark brown skin sat in the center.

Before them stood a small hill made of monster carcasses. Kruma even recognized what appeared to be one or two demon corpses mixed in.

The trolls feasted greedily, tearing flesh with their tusks.

Kruma’s intrusion halted them instantly.

All heads turned toward this fresh meal that had walked in on its own.

“ROAAAR—!”

A greedy, excited roar rumbled from one troll’s throat. The half-eaten bone in its hand dropped with a clatter.

Compared to their decaying stockpile, this young horned demon’s living flesh was far more appealing.

“No!” Kruma’s soul nearly left his body. He turned and fled.

The vines slowed the trolls only briefly.

Soon, they tore through the vegetation and loose stones, and five trolls thundered out in pursuit.

“Th-this is what you call ‘useful things’?” Kruma shouted hoarsely while running, lungs burning. “This close to the Giant Beast Bone Grounds — how are there wild troll packs here?!”

[ Who said they’re wild? ]

[ Didn’t you know? Many Imperial nobles like to keep little pets near their territories. ]

Kruma had no breath left to argue.

All his willpower drove his legs. The trolls’ roars drew closer, filled with excited grunts.

By sheer agility, Kruma barely escaped being grabbed by a massive troll hand and tumbled back toward the battlefield.

When he burst into the fight with five charging mountains of flesh behind him, the resulting chaos exceeded imagination.

The first to suffer were the outer attackers.

Focused entirely on the caravan, they never expected predators to erupt from behind.

One troll plowed forward like a boulder, smashing two crossbowmen into broken heaps.

Another extended a long arm, casually grabbed a stunned attacker, and stuffed him into its maw. A sickening crunch followed; only half a body dangled limply.

“Behind us! Trolls!”

“How are these beasts here?!”

The attackers’ formation shattered. Some turned to fight the new threat.

Explosive bolts detonated against thick troll hides in bursts of flame and blood.

The trolls roared in pain, momentum slowing, even staggering from blasts.

Blades carved wounds — yet troll flesh regenerated visibly.

Pain only enraged them further. After brief setbacks came more savage slaughter.

“Now! Everyone — take the wagons and break out! Forget formation — charge!” Kruma’s brother roared hoarsely, seizing the fleeting chance.

His warhammer spun like wind, smashing down an attacker frozen in confusion.

The desperate guards exploded with final strength, abandoning defense, escorting the core wagons through the gap ripped open by trolls.

In the chaos, however, one blood-crazed troll smashed a loaded wagon with a massive tree trunk, shattering wood and splashing crimson wine.

Heavy losses.

But the surviving guards dared not stop. They fled.

Watching his brother disappear with the remnants of the convoy into distant dust, Kruma slid down against a tree.

Only then did relief crash over him.

Hands trembling, he took out the Yellow Book and opened it slowly.

“You really… saved them…” he rasped. “What… are you?”

Even as a novice, Kruma clearly understood how extraordinary this book was.

Not long ago, he had planned to show it to his experienced brother.

Now that thought evaporated.

All that remained was instinct: This book must not be given to anyone.

Words formed:

[ What am I? ]

[ I am your chance to change fate. A friend who can fulfill your wishes. ]

“Fate… wishes… friend…” Kruma muttered blankly.

Behind him, trolls roared and attackers cursed. Steel clashed; flesh tore.

Yet it felt distant, muffled.

His attention was wholly seized by the soul-drawing script.

[ Yes, my friend. ]

[ What you desire goes far beyond surviving today, doesn’t it? ]

[ Wealth to fill vaults. A name across the Empire. Power to protect all you cherish — including your brother’s safety and happiness. ]

[ As long as you follow my guidance… it shall all be yours. ]

The Yellow Book’s words dripped like sweetest poison.

Before such desires, Kruma’s remaining caution melted like spring snow.

He stared at the lines.

“I… will listen to my friend.”

At that instant, an invisible force latched onto his mind.

【Charm · Moderate (Complete trust in caster)】

[ Hahahahaha! ]

[ Good, my dear friend. Let us seize the future together! ]

Kruma closed the Yellow Book and leapt toward the direction of the fleeing convoy.

Far away, an invisible Knight Puji stood atop a tree, silently observing everything.