Mushroom Lord in the Underground City

[Spiritual Resistance LV4→LV5]

Upon waking up this time, Bado didn’t notice any change in himself.

The atmosphere in the City of Forgehaven was worse than he had anticipated.

Dwarves were always hot-tempered, which didn’t surprise him.

But just around the inn, there were four or five fights a day, and even deaths occurred, which wasn’t just about temper.

The innkeeper said that recently, disputes in the city had increased several times more than usual, even glancing at someone on the street might result in a punch.

Those parasitized by mycelium were kept out of the city, obviously this unrest wasn’t brought by them, but where the source was, Bado didn’t know.

Leaning against the window, Bado watched two dwarves wrestling on the corner of the street, the crowd not only didn’t try to break it up, they were actually shouting for more.

Suddenly, Bado felt exceedingly angry, wanting to go down and thrash everyone.

...

[Spiritual Resistance LV5→LV6]

After having that strange dream once more, Bado finally awaited good news.

Bretta stood at the entrance of the inn, nodding at him: "The King agrees to see you, come with me."

Following Bretta, Bado walked down the cobbled streets of the City of Forgehaven, past three archways, getting further and further away.

This wasn’t the road to the King’s residence, the King’s residence was on the city’s highest hill, with iron guards along the way, flags waving.

But this path led underground.

As the heavy iron door closed behind him, Bado stopped walking.

Runic lights were embedded in the surrounding walls, casting a pale light that revealed a silent line of soldiers in the depths of the corridor.

Their armor was neat, weapons at the ready, but they weren’t the standard of the Royal City Guard, but the private soldiers of the Zafa clan.

"Where’s the King?" Bado’s voice sounded heavy in the underground chamber.

"The King isn’t here." Bretta retreated behind the soldiers, her silver hair gleaming coldly in the light.

"Bretta, what do you mean by this?" Bado asked.

Bretta showed a helpless expression, "Haven’t I told you already? I hope you don’t cause me trouble... it’s almost done."

She clapped her hands, and the doors on both sides of the basement opened simultaneously, more soldiers emerged from behind the doors, surrounding Bado.

Bado clenched his fists, he planned to meet the King and didn’t bring an axe.

"Bretta, is this all your doing?" His gaze moved from those soldiers to Bretta, his voice like thunder, "Why? What benefit do you gain from this?"

"Benefit?" Bretta’s voice trembled slightly, "The benefit is more knowledge, more secrets. I will have the opportunity to unravel the most fundamental mysteries of magic!"

"Who gives you knowledge? The Empire? Are you crazy? Just for this?"

"What do you know! I originally had the hope to reach the end of being a spellcaster. But for the clan, I sacrificed almost everything—time, energy, ambition, all filled into endless affairs of state, filled into endless arguments with those fools from Firebeard and Deep Furnace!" Her breath quickened, she tightened her grip on the magic staff, a pink light flashing in her eyes, "Now, I am merely reclaiming what is rightfully mine."

"Has magic power fried your brain?" Bado stopped looking at her, instead turning to the surrounding soldiers, "And you? Are you going to betray the Mountains with her?"

However, no one responded, the soldiers silently raised their weapons.

Bretta chuckled softly, raising her magic staff, the moment the tip of the staff’s light ignited, the soldiers surged forward.

Bado spat, sidestepping the first oncoming spear, grabbing the shaft with a backhand grip, yanking fiercely.

The soldier staggered into his arms, Bado’s knee driving into the soldier’s abdomen, using him to block the fireball Bretta launched, while also snatching the spear, sweeping the butt of it sideways, knocking down two people rushing from the right.

The spear in his hand was not a stabbing weapon, but an iron stick, every swing carrying a whistling sound that broke the shield, cracked; hitting the armor, dented.

Sounds of metal clashing, bones fracturing, muffled groans, and screams echoed in the narrow space.

By the time the last soldier fell, Bado was covered in blood, the weapon in his hand now a taken warhammer, its head still dripping blood.

Looking at the wound on his arm that was gradually healing with the help of the mycelium, he couldn’t help but marvel at the convenience of it.

Afterward, Bado’s gaze once again fell on Bretta.

"I’ll kill you, traitor!"

Bretta didn’t retreat, instead, a strange smile emerged.

"Remember I mentioned? I found some inspiration from the Empire on how to rid the body of mycelium." She paused, the curve of her mouth deepening, "In fact, I’ve already found the method... with her help."

From behind the door, a tall figure bent over to step in, the dim light outlined her silhouette.

Long legs, a tightly cinched waist, a single braid of jet-black hair trailing down to her waist.

Most striking was that signature heart-shaped tail, gently swaying behind her.

"Enchanting Demon," Bado spat the words through clenched teeth.

"A pleasure to meet you, Dwarf hero Bado, I am Mofulei." She bowed slightly, with such elegance as if attending a banquet, "You must have heard of me."

"The Empire’s executioner... you charmed Bretta?"

"Charmed? No." Mofulei placed a hand on Bretta’s shoulder, "I merely helped her recognize what her heart truly desires, it’s a collaboration, not control. As for you, I must control you, but you’re proving even more difficult than I expected!"

Bado glanced around, scoffed, "Just this many people? You really underestimated me."

But Mofulei gently shook her head, "You misunderstood, when I said ’deal with’, I wasn’t referring to these soldiers."

She lifted her eyes, looking at Bado, whose eyes began to glow pink.

Bado was already prepared, he didn’t make eye contact, his gaze fixed on Mofulei’s shoulder.

Yet, what usually worked didn’t this time!

He felt his fighting spirit waning.

It wasn’t fear, or cowardice, it was the disappearance of emotion... he felt his anger lighten, as light as a feather, wanting to grasp it, but unable to.

He roared, clutching the seized warhammer, moving towards Mofulei step by step, each step cracking the stone tiles beneath his feet.

The hammerhead dragged along the ground, sparking a trail of sparks.

The distance between the two gradually closed, but Bado’s pace grew ever slower.

When he finally stood before the Enchanting Demon, the hammer slipped from his grasp, thunking heavily onto the floor—Bado’s face devoid of all expression.

Mofulei chuckled softly, intending to step forward but suddenly noticed Bado’s body still trembling slightly, muscles taut, veins bulging from his neck.

He still resisted!

"Such a strong will, made me expend so much effort." She paused, the pink glow in her eyes growing ever brighter, "But, it’s over now."

Thud—

Bado fell to his knees, his entire body going limp.

Seeing this, Mofulei triumphantly stepped forward, cradling Bado’s face, the color in her eyes turning from pink to purple, "Next, you will become mine!"

[Status: Enchanted]

Bado murmured in response, "Yes... Master..."

Confirming that Bado was under control, Mofulei gently wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"An unexpected helper, now we can speed up the progress. But before that..." She turned to the Zafa clan leader Bretta, "Though there are no fungal mats near the City of Forgehaven, to be safe, remove the mycelium from him with the slime I gave you."

"Leave it to me."

Mofulei’s caution was understandable, after all, within the Empire, no one knew the power of that Mushroom Lord better than Mofulei, aside from the Demon King.

The Northern War, the Despair Mushroom incident, and that earlier clash of spiritual power with Sigmund.

Even having obtained [Lust] from the Lord Demon King as compensation for the damage to her soul, she had no desire whatsoever to confront it on the spiritual level.

Driving away all parasitized individuals and physical isolation remained the safest approach!

...

Little did Mofulei know, while Bado was being swallowed by the slime to remove his mycelium, and sent for treatment for the resulting injuries, he had another strange dream.

[Spiritual Resistance LV6→LV7]