There is No Epic Loot Here, Only Puns

99: Beta to the Punch

Thankfully, Quiss had tackled Seth before he had gotten too close to Wyin. Without the keys that unlocked the way, Seth had pretty much been left outside the three large doors. Quiss nodded to Renny who was lightly napping nearby as the tour seemed to be at an end for now.

Delta watched Wyin huff as she closed the door behind the two men. Ignoring the deep thud as the door closed, Quiss dragged Seth back towards the jungle.

"Drinks for all! Come on, stop harassing everything with a pulse and let's get some shots!" Quiss cheered. His mood was still disturbingly happy. Burning that tree must be some secret pleasure for Quiss, thought Delta. She would have to keep a close eye on him around Wyin.

"The rude one was of help? I hate to have let down a louse to be a bother," Wyin asked lightly. Delta gave her a small smile.

"He was... and thank you for letting him pass," she said and Wyin merely met her gaze.

"Being unable to leave of my own accord made me take drastic measures," Wyin shrugged one large branch-like shoulder.

Delta hummed.

"I guess you're a bit rooted to the spot," she agreed. Wyin's cool facade broke as her lips peeled back in a pained expression.

"Must you?" the tree woman pleaded. Delta's own face was beaming.

"Gotta make like a tree and leave. I'll be back soon once I'm done absorbing an evil lab that had crimes against both morality and humanity in them, I'll be bark before you dew it." Delta waved. The cry of anguish was funny and Delta had no idea Wyin had such a drama bone in her,

Drama root? Drama stick?

Delta would have to think on that.

She floated back down to the third floor, wondering how the process was going.

---

WHAT VILENESS! The army paled before a mighty foe as it took to the room under the command of the GREAT DELTA! But this? It promised to be their greatest foe yet! Mana Squad 354 'The Wiggy Woggy Bombers' attempted to dive bomb the smear and their formation broke as the flavour of it turned the orange Mana green with displeasure. This... what DISHONOR! It took a step forward towards this dreadful—though not as tricky and cowardly as the... Gazebo - but this foe had its own foulness.

Troll Soup. The great knowledge of Delta offered a name but the Mana commander called it another name.

Evil.

But distaste and illness were unimportant. It knew that. It knew that countless of the squads could turn back and flee but not it. It was the leading Mote of Mana. It was no coward! This soup had traces of Delta, the great and holy one, but it was mixed with reality. Turned into a much fouler substance by the slime cauldron remains. It tasted like old shoe dipped in oil then cooked with troll soup.

Much deadlier than the already fearsome troll soup.

It charged, crying praises for Delta as it hit the substance, head on.

Its army followed, empowered by the commander's bravery. The slime was taken down and many legends would be passed on by this feat of heroic action.

---

Delta paused then she gagged.

She coughed and sputtered as a foul taste coated her throat. Oh God, it was killing her! She hacked and tears leaked from her eyes.

Finally after... much time. Delta licked her lips and tasted nothing once more.

"Memo to myself... don't let Jeb cook with Gutrots. I can't take troll soup with bits of Gutrot. I might actually break," she rasped.

You look like something just punched you.

Nu's box appeared, now that the third floor was devoid of people from the outside. Delta wobbled to her feet.

"Tell me, Nu. Have the Gutrots made it down here?" she tried not to demand. Her mind a chaotic mess of 'Ow' and 'Never again' and 'Blargh'. Nu seemed to vanish before reappearing.

I'll refrain from teasing since I have no desire to taste what you have. Yes, but they have already mutated and begun to change. I do suspect that they are far more deadly now.

Oh dammit to heck. Delta squared her shoulders.

"Nu, start feeding me the list of notifications. I got tons of them no doubt," she asked. Delta had asked Nu to keep them back until everything was settled and cleared from the lab. Getting distracted from a battle due to pop ups was not going to happen.

Instead of an answer, she was given a neat stack of windows that she could pick up and read. Delta floated to the mess hall for the better light ambience. It made no difference to Delta physically, she could see in pitch black in her Dungeon but it felt nice to have a table.

The first of the windows began to flash past.