Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 109

#43. Preparing for War

“By any chance,”

The dark merchant hesitated for a long time, opening and closing his mouth before finally speaking with difficulty.

“After this war is over, would you grant me one favor?”

“A favor? Is there anything I have that would allow me to grant you a favor?”

“It won’t be a difficult task.”

Kim Jin-woo looked at the dark merchant’s face, wondering if he was proposing a new deal, but that didn’t seem to be the case. The dark merchant was unusually hesitant.

“Is this a personal request, or a request from the Black Merchants?”

“If I had to classify it, I’d say it’s a personal request.”

If it was a simple request from the dark merchant, who had been so accommodating, it wouldn’t be too difficult to grant.

“What is it?”

“I can’t tell you now. I’ll tell you when this is all over.”

“I see. If it’s not a difficult request, I’ll grant it. But there must be a price.”

“Of course. The more accurate the accounting, the better for both of us, wouldn’t you agree?”

For someone who had difficulty bringing it up, his answer was quite straightforward. Kim Jin-woo nodded and waved his hand.

“Then let’s talk about it again then.”

He didn’t think he would fail to crush Parthenon’s scheme, but he also knew it wouldn’t be easy. So, he dismissed the dark merchant, saying that he needed to focus on preparing for the war. However, the dark merchant gave him useful information as he left the labyrinth.

After listening to the dark merchant’s quiet explanation, his face hardened.

“Is that information reliable?”

“Goodness, what glory would I gain from telling the lord unreliable information?”

The dark merchant jumped at the question, as the matter was serious. He stroked his prickly chin and narrowed his eyes, glaring at the dark merchant.

“What’s the reason for telling me this?”

“You need to be safe for you to grant my request, my lord. Just think of it as a down payment.”

Seeing the servile expression on the dark merchant’s face, he sighed and replied.

“I’m stuck granting your request since I received the down payment.”

“Just one more thing, the information I just gave you is something I risked my life for. It’s something that should never leak out. Just keep it in mind.”

Kim Jin-woo scoffed at the dark merchant’s subtle pressure.

“Your words don’t make sense. You said you wouldn’t make an unreasonable request, and the information you gave as a down payment is something you risked your life for. Fine, I’ll listen to your story after the war and decide then.”

“I would be grateful if you would do that.”

The dark merchant smiled brightly at those words and left the labyrinth.

***

“Master, did you call for me?”

It was Dominique, who had been out of sight for a while, saying she was preparing to face Parthenon. She had been summoned by Kim Jin-woo and visited the owner’s room for the first time in a while.

“Is the preparation going well?”

“It’s still lacking, but it’s progressing smoothly.”

At Dominique’s confident words, he asked slyly.

“What exactly is that method?”

“Um…”

She had been tight-lipped about it, but she couldn’t help but answer when he asked like this. She carefully opened her mouth and explained her plan.

“I’m planning to intercept Parthenon’s army.”

“Intercept?”

“Yes. If we fight in the territory, we can exert power beyond our capabilities due to the amplification effect, but if we make a mistake, the labyrinth will be devastated like during the war with the Dragon King Anaxus.”

The open space in the labyrinth, which had been destroyed and blown open by the giant dragon’s intrusion, still remained as it was.

At the time, the labyrinth’s facilities were so poor that it wasn’t difficult to restore, but if such damage were to occur now, it would be irreversible.

It was certainly true, but it wasn’t a great plan that warranted such confident words. So, Kim Jin-woo was slightly disappointed.

Moreover, Dominique’s plan had one problem.

“According to Anatolius’s message, Parthenon is planning to dispatch the Disciples of Despair, the elite of the elite. I’ve never faced them directly, but they must be at least as strong as the Iron Blood Knights. But how are you going to intercept them?”

If there was a way to overcome the floor penalty as feared, there was no one on the 9th floor who could stop the Disciples of Despair. How could they possibly win against such a powerful army, all of whom were likely to be hero-grade?

Even with the frown on his face, Dominique still had a confident look.

“If it were a normal method, that would be the case.”

“Do you have another idea?”

Her expression was so confident that he asked, and she pointed to the underground map placed in the owner’s room.

“We’re going to do a monster hunt.”

“A monster hunt? It’s not the 10th floor, but the army of the 11th floor. Do you think it’ll be as easy as you say?”

It took an enormous amount of effort to drive the Allied Forces of Nobles on the 10th floor. Even then, they couldn’t twist their advance route and had to prepare a second and third plan. But how could they possibly drive the army of the 11th floor, whose power was incomparable?

Dominique shook her head at his words.

“No. What we’re going to drive isn’t Parthenon’s army.”

“What?”

She smiled brightly and said.

“The ones we’re going to drive are the creatures of the 10th floor, not the Disciples of Despair.”

***

Finally, the long-awaited Summoning Stones were completed. And the completed Summoning Stones were first distributed to those who could be called commanders.

First, Dominique received a high-quality Summoning Stone, followed by Quantus and Ortheaga, and then Rickshasha and Balzac received Summoning Stones after her.

Morrigan and Heimdall refused to consume the Summoning Stones themselves.

Whether it was because they were beings summoned through the Summoning Stones, or because they didn’t feel the need, Kim Jin-woo didn’t ask twice.

“I can only be grateful for the King’s grace.”

“I will take it as a gracious whip and work even harder.”

Quantus and Rickshasha prostrated themselves on the floor to express their gratitude, while Ortheaga and Balzac received the Summoning Stones and hummed with cheerful faces. And they consumed the Summoning Stones right in front of him.

[Naga Warrior (Heroic) Quantus consumes the Summoning Stone.]

[Under Elf Ranger (?) Rickshasha consumes the Summoning Stone.]

Flashes of light erupted from all directions along with the messages that appeared in succession. The waves of light and power that seemed as if the entire labyrinth would explode were unusual, but that was all.

No one experienced the same dramatic change as Dominique when she was reborn as the King’s advisor.

However, a message appeared that Rickshasha had reached the Heroic rank.

“One isn’t enough…”

Ortheaga, who had devoured the Summoning Stone as if he were hiding it, smacked his lips and said as if to be heard.

“You’re a greedy one.”

Kim Jin-woo, who laughed in disbelief, scolded him like that but distributed a few more Summoning Stones.

“Oh my, what a gracious thing! I will give my all in loyalty!”

Ortheaga consumed the Summoning Stone again, and the others, who were looking at the additionally distributed Summoning Stones with somewhat burdensome eyes, also swallowed the Summoning Stones one after another.

“Again.”

“Again.”

But even after distributing so many Summoning Stones, the change he desired did not occur.

Just as he was thinking that Dominique might be a special case and was about to end the distribution of Summoning Stones, a light that was incomparable to the flashes that had been there until now suddenly erupted from Rickshasha’s body.

[Under Elf Ranger (Heroic) Rickshasha has begun to be reborn as a new being through the power of the Summoning Stone.]

“Yes!”

Seeing the message, he jumped up from the throne and clenched his fist. Ortheaga smacked his lips, looking back and forth between him and Rickshasha.

“Tsk. If I eat a few more…”

Ortheaga was subtly demanding Summoning Stones while saying that, but Kim Jin-woo’s gaze was already fixed on Rickshasha.

Just as Dominique had hidden her body in a cocoon, Rickshasha was surrounded by a shell in the shape of a tree fruit with the end curled up.

[It will take some time to be reborn as a new being.]

Just like Dominique, it seemed that it would take some time for her to fully consume it. Kim Jin-woo, who had confirmed the message, looked at Ortheaga and Balzac and flashed his eyes.

“Let’s eat until we burst today.”

Saying that, he took out a bunch of Summoning Stones from his arms.

***

The Summoning Stones were not only given to the leaders, including Dominique.

In the meantime, those who had the potential to grow into Heroic-grade summons through war and hunting were selected, and Summoning Stones were distributed separately.

The Summoning Stones they received were somewhat smaller in size and less colorful than the Summoning Stones received by Dominique and the others, but they were enough to test their potential.

In fact, there were many among those who received the Summoning Stones who rose to the Heroic rank.

Three of the Naga Dragon Knights rose to the Heroic rank, and two each of the Naga Mages and Priests were born as Heroic beings.

One Heroic-grade summon was additionally added to each of the Warriors and Fighters, so the fortress’s power increased dramatically.

The power of the Heroic-grade summons, which had been somewhat poor compared to the powerful general forces, was strengthened at once. And that change was even more noticeable in the owner’s room.

Following Rickshasha, Quantus was buried in a cocoon, and Balzac was also transforming like an iron statue, undergoing evolution.

“Why only me!”

Ortheaga shouted with a frustrated face, unlike the others who had entered the process of metamorphosis.

“It seems that only the Drakans have not changed because the basic vessel is different.”

Dominique shook her head, watching Ortheaga, who was going crazy.

“But why doesn’t Dominique consume the Summoning Stone?”

Kim Jin-woo asked, as she was holding the distributed Summoning Stone in her arms. She blushed.

“Give me some time later. Not here…”

Seeing her rarely trailing off, Kim Jin-woo smiled.

Dominique had consumed the Summoning Stone somewhere hidden before. It seemed that she was embarrassed to go through the process of metamorphosis in front of others.

Seeing his smile, she lowered her head with an even redder face.

“Is there nothing for me?”

Angela butted in with a dissatisfied face, as if she didn’t like the friendly atmosphere.

“Didn’t you refuse the Summoning Stone?”

“It’s much more efficient for our clan to consume raw blood than Summoning Stones.”

Answering that, she smacked her lips and glanced at his wrist. He was uncomfortable with her gaze and pretended not to notice, but then he found Hoya and frowned.

Although she was a beastman, Hoya had shown outstanding combat power against the explorers, so she was distributed Summoning Stones just like the others.

However, Hoya, who received the Summoning Stone, was juggling it like a toy instead of consuming it.

“Hoya.”

Hoya, who was playing with the Summoning Stone, ran to him at his call. She didn’t seem to care about the Summoning Stone anymore.

Because of that, the Summoning Stones floating in the air almost fell to the floor and broke.

Fortunately, Angela quickly caught them, or else they would have lost the precious Summoning Stones.

“Eung. Good girl. Let’s eat this first.”

Instead of scolding her, he gently persuaded her several times as if he were dealing with a child, but Hoya shook her head and expressed her refusal. Seeing her, who used to follow her master’s words so well, refusing like this, it seemed that the beastmen could not consume the Summoning Stones or there was another reason.

“I need to teach her how to speak.”

The beastman woman he saw at the auction house was good at speaking, but somehow the beastmen in the fortress were all mutes.

He said that with a frustrated heart, and Hoya laughed and clung to him, rubbing her cheek against his.

“Then what’s left is for the Mirror Specters.”

Kim Jin-woo, who barely managed to get Hoya off him, took a bunch of Summoning Stones and went to the Mirror Specters’ labyrinth.