Of course

So while I headed out for lunch I sent messages asking if anyone wanted to join me for training, I explained that I was doing defense runs, that it was an objective mode that involved fighting off enemies and protecting a certain point, I got a few messages from some that were available. I returned to the mansion from lunch, my studying clones heading back into class while I went for the Danger room. I got there to see Illyana, Bambi and Kitty to my surprise. "My sister wanted to come as well, but she's got a few things to take care of for now." Illyana spoke, a sword in her hand as she and the others walked closer. "So you said Defense is protecting a certain point from a lot of enemies? Have you already tried it out before?" Kitty asked me, I explained in more detail how the trial run I'd done earlier had gone.

Bambi was the next to ask about what kind of defense's could be set up, I explained how it wouldn't start right away so I'd be able to show them. I sent out party invites just before we got messages about how some of the others might be available over the course of the day. I went to use the silver power and found that I couldn't choose the effect this time? Wait what happened? I took a look and found that my Silver power had leveled up to 3, it now used BOTH effects at the same time! I showed the screen to the others, showing them that now the room would have the time dilation and the EXP multiplier effects. "Your powers are bullshit..." I heard from Illyana, Kitty giggling as Bambi shook her head a moment. I wasn't gonna disagree with her honestly and with that I went about applying the effect to the room.

The room changed, we appeared this time in looked like a building, a couple doors with a red barrier that I explained was where the enemies would likely come from, the crystal by the fireplace being what we would need to protect from getting attacked and broken. With that I brought up the screen and showed them the defenses, it didn't show much yet and I pointed out that eventually the area will likely increase in size as well as the number of openings for enemies to come charging at us from. For now we decided to try the first couple rounds without bringing additional defenses, I summoned and put my clones around the crystal just in case something might have snuck past us.

The first few waves sent goblins and orcs at us, Illyana's sword cleaving through their weapons to disarm them before doing the same to their armor, Kitty taking one of the enemies weapons to try and use it against the invading enemies, it wasn't doing much though unfortunately. Meanwhile Bambi was freezing enemies solid with ice beams or sending out huge shards of ice at them, Kitty or Illyana taking the chance to smash the frozen ones when they had a chance too. When we started getting the goblin sappers showing up with lit explosives on them, Bambi focused on putting them down FAST. She ended up keeping several sappers from getting too the crystal as they ran right past Kitty and I, Illyana kept busy by a Troll that spawned in.

We got to wave 5 and the building we were in? Proceeded to open it's doors wide, the red barrier seeming to move further and further out past them, then the Crystal moved outside, the rest of us following after it. We found ourselves standing inside a town, walls around it, we made our way to a high point tower and found 5 entry points for the invaders to spawn in through. The numbers of enemies ramping up into the hundreds, as Kitty looked out with surprise. "That's a lot..." Kitty let out, looking out at the numerous enemies. "Isn't this a bit much for only reaching wave 5?" Bambi asked out of concern. "I'm not sure, if I had to guess I'd say that this is probably ramping up so fast cause it's got the potential to give the best rewards the further you get." I explained as I looked at the prize shop, my jaw dropping suddenly.

"Uh so ladies? You might wanna see this..." When they got close enough to see the screen, I heard them either gasp or saw their jaws drop. What we saw were some VERY expensive prizes specifically for each of them, prizes that ranged from little permanent boosts to their powers or their stats, things like a small pocket dimension inventory system for each of them, all the way to like say a sealed up piece of Belasco's soul that Illyana could press a button to randomly torment and **** him whenever she wanted too hear him suffer. The smile I saw spread across her face was wicked, almost eager to get hold of that one. "That's gonna take a LONG time to get the points for, but based on the look in your eyes Illyana? Definitely a long term goal." I spoke out. She asked if there was anyway for him to escape, a few moments later and we saw that the seal was unbreakable. He'd never get out and the seal would never weaken.

Bambi meanwhile saw that there were multiple books that would help her learn more about her powers or help her to figure out new tricks regarding them, Illyana saw something about allowing her better control of her own powers or to be able to use her powers in new ways, among other things. Kitty saw some similar kinds of permanent upgrades for her own abilities along with some sort of sword among all the different prizes for herself. "So... yeah, clearly things that'll help everyone. This must mean that depending on who joins me they or I can use the points to help them get stronger or learn more about the powers, possibly to better control their powers or with less difficulty." I tried to sum up, tapping on a tab that just said GIFTS on it, the girls asked if I'd clicked onto an empty tab. I realized they couldn't see the list because it was a collection of gifts I could redeem for them or the others, there was even a few things for people like Thor or T'challa for example.

We ended up going ahead and continuing on for now, after I'd gone ahead and grabbed an Archer Battery first, getting them place on a high point and upgrading their fire rate a bit. The next waves leading up to 10 were... Brutal. Ogre's and Trolls were in every wave, quite a few Goblin sappers, an ABUNDANCE of Orcs and by wave 7 we had flying enemies that Bambi was focusing on bringing down. The archers helped to bring down groups of Orcs, bombarding them with arrows, focusing on Ogre's or Trolls whenever they got too close. The flying enemies were like little wyverns, flying down and trying to bite or stomp on us, then there were these other smaller flying creatures, might as well have been gremlins with wings or something. Some of them even seemed to be on fire naturally, those spat out little fireballs at use as often as they could while the normal looking ones were... Spitting out rocks at us?

I mean they did enough damage to take out a couple clones sure but for the most part they were easy to avoid getting hit by, then at wave 10 we got our first boss fight. The name DRAGON appeared at the top of our views, the team looking up to see a massive red Dragon flying through the clouds, dropping down to spit out fireballs at the crystal. Bambi was able to freeze it in mid air but the chunk of ice dropped down, hitting the ground and shattering as shards exploded out of it, multiple clones got broken but even more Orcs and Goblins got sliced to pieces. I summoned more, keeping the numbers up as Icewoman froze the fireballs again and again, Illyana creating a portal to get onto the dragons back, stabbing and slicing at it's back for a few moments before using her blade to stab at it's wings. We heard the dragon roar in pain, Illyana having to leap off as it landed onto the ground, a notification explaining that she had removed it's ability to fly.

"Everyone be careful of that thing, I'll get an angle on it, see if I can blast it down from afar." Kitty nodded at that, Explaining to Bambi what was happening as Illyana returned and I flew off towards the dragon. I started by firing explosive beams at it at first, watching little chunks being taken off it's health bar, until it raised it's head and breathed fire at me. I had to pull back quickly to avoid getting roasted, the boss turning it's head trying to follow me, trying to burn me. I ended up having to pull back further and further, landing about halfway between the crystal and the fire breathing monster, Orcs ran at me suddenly as Goblins joined in trying to swarm me. I ended up launching lightning at the group as they charged at me, the goblins fried almost right away, the Orcs wearing leather armor took a bit longer but the ones in heavy armor fried instantly, the metal increasing the damage they took from the electricity.

We heard the stomping legs of the dragon as it moved closer, trying to get in range to burn the crystal. I took flight again, high enough to fire as many explosive beams at the dragon as I could, I managed to slow it down a bit and get it down to about half health. The dragon suddenly roared out, the Orcs and Goblins nearby suddenly dropping dead, then we watches as DOZENS of Ogre's began to walk through the entry points for the invaders, several more Wyverns heading for the crystal as well now. The archer battery focused on bringing down the closest to the crystal they could, which at the moment was a few of the remaining goblins that soon became pincushions, following that the Archers shot at the next closest enemy, in the case the few remaining Orcs, a few Ogre's slowly getting closer as I tried to hold the dragon's attention and keep it from getting closer.

While I kept trying to bombard the dragon and keep it's focus, Bambi and Kitty were working on the nearest Ogre's, Illyana joining them as my clones dealt with the remaining Orcs and Goblins. Multiple wyverns moving in to try and break the crystal, only to get shot out of the sky by Bambi. The Ogre's starting to try and go around the trio, they had to spread out to slow them down more, to **** them to engage. The dragon tried to breath fire at me, I managed to fire an explosive beam into it's open mouth, the explosion made it's belly puff out for a moment, the dragon breathing out smoke before roaring in anger, now dropped to a fourth of it's max health.

The dragon suddenly kicked off with it's back legs, leaping towards me and swiping it's claws at me, I was able to avoid it but then it tried to bite at me. Unable to move out of the way fast enough I used my shield to block instead, watching it's teach stop inches away from crushing my body was an interesting experience, but suddenly blasting an Omega beam into the back of it's throat **** it to pull back. I felt my power straining a bit as I pulled away, dropping my shield and sending my clones out to search and destroy while I went back to try and rest, hopefully recover enough to keep going.

I got back as my clones charged forward, heading for the dragon and swarming around it's sides as I collapsed a moment. When did I start breathing heavy? "Whoa! Zane you okay?" I heard Kitty ask as she stepped back to check on me. "I'll be fine, need to rest... Powers straining. That dragon is getting close to **** at least." I explained quick as I could, taking deep breaths while Illyana looked out at the dragon, a portal later and she leaped through it driving her sword into the Dragon's leg. Kitty yelling at her to come back as she teleported to the other side and did the same to it's remaining back leg. She came back a moment later. "Will that slow it down enough?" I looked out at it, she had managed to cripple it's legs, it would take it a lot longer to reach the crystal now. "Yeah, I'll keep throwing clones at it, I'm not getting any strain from that. The Ogre's need to be held back though..." I got nods in response, continuing to send out my clones as the others went to focus on bringing down the Ogre's.

The dragon was taking very little damage from the clones, swiping at the clones, thankfully not breathing fire anymore, it was still getting stabbed by the practice spears though that wasn't doing much. It took us another 4-5 minutes but finally the dragon went down, the others exhausted from fighting off those Ogre's from the last wave, the Dragon collapsing as it's health bar shattered and it vanished. The Ogre's and other enemies vanishing along with the boss, all of us collapsing as we were asked if we wanted to continue. "So I'm thinking no right?" I asked as I got a trio of nods from the others. We pulled out of the defense and returned back, finding ourselves at the doors to leave. Stepping outside we saw a couple people there waiting for us. Jenny and Sarah.

"So you kids have fun in there? You look kinda exhausted though..." Jenny started, before Illyana Kitty and Bambi all said they were heading to relax. Sarah looked over at me in concern. "Zane are you okay? You look like your not doing too great." I sat back onto a nearby chair, my breathing finally getting under control completely. "I'll be okay, gonna check my screens real quick though." I said before bringing up a screen, my jaw dropping moments later as I watched my EXP bar fill rapidly and repeatedly.
Congrats on leveling up again! Head back into defense solo or with a party after leveling up for extra rewards!