Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 49

Dungeon Chronicle – Episode 50

#19. Anatolius, the Underworld Count

Angela paused, as if gathering her thoughts. Then, with a gentle exhale, she spoke.

“He is Anatolius, the Underworld Count, one of the rulers of the 11th floor’s depths.”

Kim Jin-woo, who until recently was just a ‘dungeon baby’ [a newcomer to the dungeon], had no knowledge of the deep-level nobles.

He frowned, silently urging her to explain. She stepped back, giggling.

“I didn’t think you wouldn’t know Anatolius.”

“Is he so famous that I should know him?”

He asked, feigning nonchalance.

The title of Count was somewhat unexpected, but he wasn’t about to be surprised by the existence of someone he didn’t know.

‘Anatolius the Iron-Blooded, the Underworld Count, is so famous in the Underworld that everyone knows him. If Anatolius was her former protector, it makes sense that she wandered in search of a new master,’ Dominic interjected, appearing as if from nowhere.

“Why? Is there a reason I wouldn’t know?”

The answer came from Angela, not Dominic.

“Anatolius the Iron-Blooded is literally an iron giant, with cold molten metal flowing instead of hot blood. He could not be my source.”

***

Through Angela, he learned many things.

She knew a great deal about the 11th floor, where the power structure had completely solidified, leaving no room for new forces to emerge or for existing ones to expand. She also knew about the plight of the Underworld Counts, who were unable to leave the labyrinth because of this stagnation.

“So, Anatolius was hoping someone would be the starting point to change that landscape.”

And that ‘someone’ would probably be Angela’s new master.

“If I’m right, the price Anatolius has to pay to your new master will increase a bit. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s why I didn’t answer. I don’t want my lovely master to encounter the monsters of the depths.”

It was the first time since the conversation began that her words felt sincere.

However, Kim Jin-woo, who had already decided to clear the 9th floor, advance, and eventually head to the Underworld Duke in the depths, was unmoved by her words.

“If things are going this way, Anatolius won’t let go of his connection with you.”

He paused for a moment, lost in thought, then raised his head and said, “Arrange a meeting. I need to meet Anatolius.”

Angela sighed. She didn’t seem to like his decision.

“I don’t want to, but your voice is too sweet to refuse, my lovely master.”

But, contrary to her words, she set one condition.

“First, put the entire 9th floor in your hands. If you meet Anatolius in your current state…”

She paused, then put on a somewhat grave expression. “You’ll be devoured.”

***

It seemed that Anatolius had shown Angela more than just goodwill.

When she spoke about Anatolius, she occasionally appeared overly cautious or even frightened.

From the information he gathered, Anatolius’s power was so immense that even combining the ten most powerful labyrinths on the 9th floor wouldn’t be enough to match him.

“Back to square one.”

What he had to do now was very clear.

“Dominic!”

‘Yes, Master.’

“When will the Black Merchant arrive?”

‘He said he would come as soon as things are settled, so I think he will arrive in about two weeks at the latest.’

“As soon as the Black Merchant arrives, receive the goods and start upgrading the labyrinth. And gather as much Down Gem [a type of currency or resource] as possible. I don’t need it right now, but I think I’ll need it soon.”

At Kim Jin-woo’s command, Dominic nodded firmly and disappeared from the owner’s room.

Raise the labyrinth’s grade, subdue the labyrinths on the 9th floor, and finally advance to the depths to end the long-standing feud with the Underworld Duke.

He didn’t know how long it would take, but the goal was clear.

“Ah, my lovely master, that heat and impatience that cannot be seen in the coldly frozen monsters of the depths drives me crazy.”

With a blissful expression, she subtly approached and leaned in for a kiss. Kim Jin-woo resolutely waved his hand at the strangely cold and soft sensation on his wrist.

“Isn’t it too early to fill the source [referring to Angela’s need for blood]?”

“P-Please, the honor of feeling you, my current master…”

When she craved blood, Angela, whose usual grace and dignity disappeared without a trace, trembled all over as if she were experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

“I can’t have that. You must learn that you must not hide anything from your master.”

Angela clung to him even more desperately at Kim Jin-woo’s cold attitude.

***

The Black Merchant brought all the promised items as compensation for being forced to take on Angela.

“Kuh, you’re really ruthless. She alone is quite a rare being, but you still have to receive these things?”

“Funny. It’s not like this came out of the Black Merchant’s pocket, is it?”

He had already grasped all the circumstances through Angela. It was obvious that Anatolius had not found her a new master out of pure goodwill.

Anatolius needed an opportunity to change the landscape of the depths, someone to open that opportunity, and he simply borrowed Angela’s insight in the process.

In that situation, there was no reason for the Black Merchant to step in at his own expense. Perhaps all the items the Black Merchant was showing off came from Anatolius’s warehouse.

The Black Merchant looked at Angela with a startled expression, as if he had been caught off guard.

“Anyway, Anatolius probably wanted someone to know and told me. And you know that too. So, stop acting like that.”

At Kim Jin-woo’s words, the Black Merchant belatedly smiled obsequiously and rubbed his palms together.

“Well, no matter where it came from, it’s still a waste, isn’t it? Merchants are a species that hate to see money go out of their pockets… Please understand. Of course, paying a fair price is a matter of course. Hehe.”

“Really?”

As Kim Jin-woo showed signs of finding fault again, the Black Merchant fussed about.

“Then, what is the price you agreed to pay Angela in exchange for spying on my ‘outing’?”

Eventually, the Black Merchant realized that Angela had revealed everything and sighed in resignation.

The Black Merchant had to empty his own pockets and give it to Kim Jin-woo this time. He had tried to steal customer information, even though he had been shouting about trust, so he had nothing to say.

However, Kim Jin-woo knew in his heart, even as he scolded the Black Merchant with a desperate face.

The clumsy appearance the Black Merchant was showing now was not his real face. Could the Black Merchant, who had survived against all sorts of monsters in the Underworld, really be so full of loopholes?

Perhaps the Black Merchant and the Black Merchants clearly had something to gain from his and the labyrinth’s growth.

So, Kim Jin-woo put on an act, pretending to be angry and betrayed, and matched his rhythm.

And in exchange for that brief effort, Kim Jin-woo was able to obtain the funds to upgrade the labyrinth to at least grade 7.

“The Black Merchants of the Black Merchant can each choose a labyrinth to sponsor. Perhaps that ugly Black Merchant has decided to sponsor you, Master.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that. Why me?”

“The lowest number on the dice sometimes beats the highest number.”

High risk, high return – that’s probably what she wants to say.

If Dominic knows a lot about the operation of the labyrinth, Angela is quite knowledgeable about external information.

He nodded unconsciously, pleased that he had obtained Angela for the first time, and she stuck to him as if she had been waiting for it.

“A sip? Or even a drop…”

“No.”

However, one flaw is that she is too obsessed with blood.

***

“Got it? For the time being, follow Rickshasha around here and learn the surrounding geography.”

Looking at Yoon-hee’s empty eyes as she nodded silently, Kim Jin-woo repeatedly told Rickshasha to avoid fighting.

In any case, Yoon-hee’s purpose is to understand the geography of the 9th floor.

“Then, I’ll be back.”

“As you wish, Master.”

This time, only Rickshasha answered, and Yoon-hee did not.

It wasn’t unreasonable. It took him more than 5 years to adapt to the surface.

Moreover, it was unknown how long it would take her to find herself in this underground labyrinth, not the sunny surface.

If that time comes, he will be able to hear why she has not left the Underworld even after more than 10 years since the end of the war.

About ten long-distance patrols followed Yoon-hee and Rickshasha as they left the labyrinth. As the exploration team left the labyrinth, Kim Jin-woo quickly began to organize the labyrinth’s affairs again.

First, he checked the progress of the core upgrade, and then calculated the remaining capacity and filled in the missing troops.

He summoned more workers and assigned them to Dominic, who was eagerly collecting resources, and assigned warriors and fighters to Quantus and Ortega.

The labyrinth was developing even faster than before. At this rate, the labyrinth’s grade will soon exceed grade 6 and reach grade 7.

And until then, there was time. He was also curious about the situation on the surface, so he decided to leave the labyrinth.

However, a new message appeared in front of him as he was about to open the portal as usual.

[Would you like to open a portal to the surface?]

[Would you like to open a portal to Uther’s territory in the Land of Gluttony?]

[Separate cooldowns apply to the two portals.]

Come to think of it, quite some time had passed since he had coerced Uther into pledging allegiance, but he had never been to the Land of Gluttony.

Belatedly remembering, he headed to Uther’s labyrinth in the Land of Gluttony.

“O, King!”

Uther, who was sitting on a large rock with his eyes lowered, jumped up in a frenzy as soon as he saw Kim Jin-woo. Uther jumped off the throne and lay flat on the floor, wriggling his body.

“Ah, I just stopped by on the way.”

It seemed that Uther was usually in a shapeless mass, and he belatedly took on a human form.

Kim Jin-woo, who was watching the wriggling changes with interest, turned his head towards the core that controlled the Land of Gluttony.

“Is this the core of your labyrinth?”

Uther had already sworn allegiance and belonged to Kim Jin-woo, but he seemed reluctant to reveal the core of the labyrinth. Kim Jin-woo chuckled as he watched Uther hastily puff up his body to cover the core.

“It’s only grade 4, even if you hide it.”

It was also a very low-quality core, and the appearance of the core was not comparable to when Naga’s labyrinth was grade 4.

“Hmm. Is that all?”

“Yes.”

Kim Jin-woo gathered troops and compared their approximate strength with Uther, and once again realized how insignificant the Labyrinth of Gluttony was.

The Army of Gluttony, which was entirely made up of gelatinous masses without a single hero-level summon, was pathetic despite its grandiose name.

He wondered how it had survived in the harsh atmosphere of the 9th floor, and even questioned whether it could properly protect the labyrinth.

“Where is the closest labyrinth?”

“There is the labyrinth ruled by the King of Hammer and Anvil, and the labyrinth ruled by the King of the Dead.”

At Uther’s words, a thought suddenly flashed through Kim Jin-woo’s mind.