Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 137

Dungeon Journal-Episode 138

#138

Dungeon Journal

Episode 54. High Lord

Krasto, once a figure whose mere appearance would send the entire fortress into high alert, was now a wreck, consumed by self-loathing rather than dignity.

It was no wonder.

Krasto’s identity was built upon his undefeated title, a title he could no longer claim.

His undefeated myth had been shattered during the year-long war with other Underworld factions.

And with the loss of his title as the undefeated mercenary, he lost the numerous amplification effects he had enjoyed.

Naturally, he began to lose battles more frequently, and lately, he had become reluctant to even participate in them.

It was a truly miserable end for a mythical mercenary who had once rivaled even the armies of the Deep Layer Counts.

“Yes, what is it?”

Kim Jin-woo, acutely aware of how unforgiving the Underworld was to the fallen, felt no pity for Krasto.

“Down Gem, I need Down Gem.”

Seeing Krasto wince, Kim Jin-woo clicked his tongue almost involuntarily.

Beneath the dazzling facade of invincibility, Krasto’s core was more pathetic than he had imagined.

Terrified by repeated defeats, he was huddled and unable to even contemplate getting back on his feet, seemingly incapable of recovery due to his defeatist mindset.

“Down Gem, huh…”

Kim Jin-woo slowly opened his mouth.

“I don’t have much, but I can provide enough to support your remaining mercenaries.”

At his words, Krasto’s eyes widened, and he beamed.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Kim Jin-woo shook his head, cautioning against premature gratitude.

“But of course, you’ll have to pay the price.”

“The price?”

His position had completely reversed in just one year, and Krasto, failing to grasp this, looked at him with a desperate expression.

Seeing Krasto anxiously fearing that he might have to return to the battlefield, Kim Jin-woo was once again convinced that the undefeated mercenary was beyond redemption.

Therefore, he had to figure out how to utilize Krasto.

Originally, he had planned to have him work hard on the battlefield in exchange for Down Gems, but with a commander and mercenaries mired in defeatism, no victory could be expected.

“Ah, I happen to have something suitable in mind.”

Kim Jin-woo, breaking the silence after a long pause, said with a bright smile. His smile was so innocent that Krasto, conversely, awaited his next words with a subdued expression.

“You were also a noble, weren’t you?”

At the inexplicable question, Krasto responded with a wary look instead of an answer.

“I can pay a high price for a noble’s insignia.”

Perhaps he had never imagined that even a noble’s insignia would be considered a tradeable item; a look of bewilderment appeared on Krasto’s face.

But even Krasto, who had escaped the labyrinth and wandered the Underworld as a mercenary, couldn’t answer immediately. In the end, Krasto had to leave without giving an answer.

Although he didn’t receive immediate confirmation, Kim Jin-woo wasn’t concerned. Given Krasto’s current uselessness, he would accept his offer sooner or later.

Because immediate survival would be more important to him than the Underworld noble’s insignia that he had long forgotten.

Kim Jin-woo was planning to create a situation where Krasto would have no choice but to accept his offer, even against his will. He now possessed that much power.

“That’s morbid.”

Angela, who had been hiding in the shadows, suddenly appeared and commented.

“What is?”

“Isn’t it all Master’s fault that the giant is in that state?”

At Angela’s words, Kim Jin-woo glanced at the spot where Krasto had disappeared and retorted.

“The choice was his. Krasto overestimated his strength and didn’t back down, even though he clearly had the opportunity to do so.”

“But even that choice wasn’t entirely his own.”

Regardless of what had happened, Angela was placing the blame for Krasto’s downfall squarely on Kim Jin-woo. And he didn’t refute it.

“Well, what’s important now isn’t why Krasto became like that. It’s just how much value he still holds.”

Angela shrugged her shoulders and said.

“And from what I see, Master has already identified that value.”

Kim Jin-woo didn’t answer her.

***

After Krasto left, Kim Jin-woo headed straight to the surface. Krasto might come looking for him while he was away, but it wasn’t a significant concern.

After all, now that the entire Underworld had become a living hell, Krasto had no alternative but to turn to the King of Nagas.

Because the situation in the Underworld was far too perilous for a discouraged mercenary, stripped of his amplification effects and mired in defeatism, to survive.

“Why are you suddenly coveting the insignia of an Underworld noble?”

Angela, who had followed him to the surface, asked with a curious expression.

“Master is a surface dweller anyway; you don’t care about the insignia of an Underworld noble.”

He had struggled to survive and become a Baron and a Viscount [titles of nobility]. He had never bothered to obtain a noble title himself.

Angela, who had been observing him from the side, knew this well and tilted her head, unable to understand why he was suddenly coveting the insignia of a noble, even one of lower rank than himself.

Kim Jin-woo didn’t answer Angela’s question this time either. Annoyed by his cold demeanor, Angela pouted but soon closed her mouth.

“I’m going to gather information.”

“What’s my job?”

Angela asked as he spoke after a long silence.

“Surveillance and reconnaissance.”

“Well, it’s no different from usual.”

Angela, who had performed similar tasks countless times thanks to the vampire’s special ability of stealth, wasn’t surprised by his words.

Surveillance and reconnaissance were not difficult tasks for her, as she had even assassinated individuals several times on command.

The only difference from usual was that this was the surface, not the Underworld, and that the target she had to monitor was a surface dweller.

“Who should I be watching?”

“An old and cunning fox.”

He replied briefly, recalling the wrinkled, shrewd face of Teacher Baek.

***

“What is all this!”

Teacher Baek exclaimed, staring blankly at the Down Gems Kim Jin-woo had poured out.

“I was lucky.”

“This is more than just lucky! Did you find a Down Gem mine or something!”

Teacher Baek’s eyes gleamed with greed as he spouted nonsense.

“Two mid-grade, one high-grade, and six low-grade Down Gems. How much will you give me?”

“Hold on. I’ll give you a good price without you having to ask.”

Having faced several Down Gems, not just one, after a long period of supply shortage, he seemed to have completely lost his composure. Teacher Baek was busy examining the Down Gems, taking out a one-eyed magnifying glass from somewhere.

“They’re all of good quality! Even the ones of the same grade are the kind that would only be found deep in the lower levels!”

Teacher Baek laughed with a satisfied expression after examining the last low-grade Down Gem.

“So, how much will you give me?”

As if he had been thinking about it in advance, Teacher Baek recited the soaring market price of Down Gems as if he had been waiting for it, and then added another 30% to set the price.

“Not bad.”

“Not bad! This is a good price no matter where you go. It would be an absurd amount if the supply of Down Gems hadn’t been cut off! Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right! Would I lie to you, of all people!”

Teacher Baek, matching his tone appropriately, was subtly gathering the Down Gems placed on the table.

“Could you possibly get the highest grade? If you get it for me, I promise to make you rich.”

“I’ll try.”

While saying this, Teacher Baek’s eyes kept darting to the phone, as if he wanted to contact his customers right away if Kim Jin-woo wasn’t there.

So, Kim Jin-woo subtly made way for Teacher Baek as he wished.

“I have something urgent to do, so I’ll be going now.”

“Okay, I won’t see you off. I’ll transfer the money right away, so don’t worry and go.”

Kim Jin-woo left the appraisal office, leaving Teacher Baek fidgeting.

[Didn’t you give too much?]

As soon as he left the appraisal office, Angela’s telepathic message pierced his mind. Kim Jin-woo looked around once and slightly moved his lips.

“What’s the worry, since I’m going to recover it all anyway.”

Now that Down Gems were more precious than ever, there was no way he would have done something good for Teacher Baek for no reason.

Based on his past experience, he believed that Teacher Baek would never reveal the whereabouts of the Down Gems, so he threw out bait in his own way.

[Hehe, I understand. So, I just have to watch and tail the buyer when they show up, right?]

“There may be more than one, so you have to come back right away when you find out where they’re going.”

Since the supply of Down Gems had been cut off for a while, Teacher Baek would contact those who could be called his best customers first. If there were any Down Gems leaked to the surface, there was a high possibility that they would have them.

[Then until we meet again, Master, goodbye!]

A playful voice echoed in his head and then completely disappeared.

Kim Jin-woo, who looked back at the appraisal office for a moment, headed back to the Underworld.

Kim Jin-woo, upon returning to the Underworld, was met by Krasto, who was waiting for him.

“Have you made a decision?”

Instead of answering, Krasto held out his thick palm with a mournful face. The ring on his palm, hesitantly offered as if he still had lingering feelings, shone particularly brilliantly.

“Oh, is this your insignia? It’s unique.”

Kim Jin-woo exclaimed, not without admiration, at the ring, which was clearly different in appearance from the insignia he possessed.

“You’ve thought it through well. What good is being a noble in a situation like this anyway? Even the Deep Layers are no different from other layers, just battlefields.”

Contrary to his words, Kim Jin-woo couldn’t take his eyes off the noble’s insignia that Krasto had handed over.

“Give me a good price.”

Having completely abandoned his pride, Krasto openly sought his favor. And he readily granted Krasto’s request.

“I’ll come back to find it later.”

Kim Jin-woo nodded indifferently at Krasto’s words.

“Anytime, as long as you can pay the price.”

He answered with a smile, but Krasto would never return to reclaim his insignia.

The once successful mercenary was now obsolete, and the grudges he had accumulated while fulfilling large and small requests were still deeply rooted.

The rumors about the decline of the undefeated mercenary hadn’t yet spread widely, but soon the whispers that the undefeated mercenary had become scrap would circulate.

And around that time, Krasto would have to choose one of two options: either take the Down Gems and go into hiding to survive, or dream of a comeback and start over from the beginning.

From Kim Jin-woo’s perspective, either way was acceptable.

Even if the undefeated mercenary miraculously succeeded in making a comeback and came to reclaim his insignia, he had no intention of returning it.

Because he needed the noble’s insignia.

[The conditions for a true monarch, a High Lord, have been met.]

Kim Jin-woo, having sent Krasto away, smiled as he looked at the message that appeared before his eyes.