Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 187

Dungeon Journal-187

# 187

Dungeon Journal

Episode 188

The labyrinth was silent as death. Despite the intrusion into its territory, not a single common summon appeared, and nowhere could the signs of a living labyrinth core be seen.

Thus, Kim Jin-woo circled through the empty labyrinth and reached the owner’s room.

“Someone’s there.”

A languid voice spoke from the darkness, thickly drawn in the dim light of the faded core, from the moldy, dust-laden throne.

“Judging by the lack of unpleasant stench, you’re not one of the tainted underground’s bastards.”

The nameless owner of the labyrinth, resembling a blue-scaled lizard mixed halfway with a human, was already weakened to the extreme.

The scales were falling off in patches, the claws were blunt, and even the few remaining teeth seemed dull.

Moreover, the cloudy eyes hardly focused, as if even his eyesight was failing.

“Hmm.”

The fallen figure of the 10th floor baron, who had once been corrupted and indulged in pleasure, was completely different from what Kim Jin-woo had imagined.

“You’ve arrived sooner than expected. I thought it would take more time, but it’s fortunate. I couldn’t have held on much longer.”
The nameless owner of the labyrinth, misunderstanding his identity as he pleased, rambled on.

“As you can see, my labyrinth is on the verge of extinction. The Down Gem [a gem used to maintain a dungeon’s power] was exhausted long ago, and all that remains is the core.”

Kim Jin-woo, with no intention of wasting time on useless talk, strode towards the weakened labyrinth owner.

The drawn blade hissed, spreading a terrible omen, but the sightless opponent, unaware, continued to chatter.

“But I don’t know what use someone like me could be to you.”

Even at the voice full of self-deprecation, he didn’t change his expression and aimed his sword, seeking the seal.

“Well, it’s always been hard to know what the Black Merchants are thinking.”

At the unexpected words, Kim Jin-woo stopped the hand he was about to strike with.

“Still, it’s fortunate that you’re here. Now that the master has abandoned me, you’re the only ones I can rely on.”

“You were going to trade with the Black Merchants?”

He could no longer bear it and opened his mouth to ask. The labyrinth owner, who had been sitting leisurely and rambling, momentarily looked blank, then trembled in surprise.

“Are you from the 11th floor?”

Again, he seemed to have firmly misunderstood his identity, as the opponent was noticeably flustered.

“Answer the question.”

Kim Jin-woo decided to take advantage of the misunderstanding and lowered his voice as much as possible.

The opponent, as if facing a traitor, was terrified by the voice filled with contempt and anger, and spoke defensively.

“I, I just wanted to escape this terrible war. I never intended to betray the master and side with the Black Merchants. Really, believe me.”

“I won’t say it twice. Answer the question.”

Kim Jin-woo had met the messengers of the deep barons several times. He knew well how arrogant and authoritarian they were, and how much the nobles of the 10th floor disliked them.

He confidently pushed the opponent.

As expected, the terrified opponent didn’t even dare to think of arguing and stammered out excuses.

“The Black Merchants approached me first. They said they would help me escape this endless war if I cooperated with them.”
The Eye of Truth [a skill that allows the user to see through lies] was activated, but perhaps because the opponent was a high-ranking noble, or because the dying, confused mind was veiled, all he could see was the opponent’s terrified state.

“When did they come to you?”

It had already been over a year since the Black Merchants had disappeared from the underground. The fact that they had reappeared complicated Kim Jin-woo’s mind.

“About two months ago, I think. While fighting a terrible war with those awful guys, someone claiming to be a messenger of the Black Merchants came to me.”

Two months ago was when he had awakened the power of the High Lord and the Great Labyrinth was born.

It was impossible to dismiss it as mere coincidence, as the Black Merchants’ actions had always been shrouded in mystery and could not be overlooked.

“Tell me in detail what they asked you to cooperate with, and how they said they would help you. Depending on your answer, I may not report this to that person.”

As if he were a real messenger from the 11th floor, he spoke with a mix of threats and persuasion, waiting for the other party to open his mouth.

“They promised that they would never make me do anything that would harm the master. All they wanted was…”
The labyrinth owner desperately defended himself, as if he had found a way out with his persuasion.

“Only this baron’s seal.”

***

‘Those Black Merchant bastards… what are they thinking?’

Kim Jin-woo’s expression was not good, as he had set out to collect seals to increase his power even a little, only to be caught up in an unexpected situation.

“W-what’s going to happen to me now? I told you everything I knew, as you asked.”
The opponent, Baron Karkaros, somehow sensed his uncomfortable mood with his unseen eyes and asked in a trembling voice.

Instead of answering his desperate plea, Kim Jin-woo quietly opened a portal.

“Your Majesty!”

As soon as the portal opened, hero-grade summons who had been preparing for an emergency rushed out from the other side.

“Imprison him in a suitable place and keep watch. It would be best if he doesn’t encounter the Queen of Delusions.”
The summons, who had been looking around the desolate owner’s room, soon discovered Karkaros and widened their eyes.

“That one is…….”

“Even though he’s so weakened now, he’s a noble with the name ‘Ironclad’.”

At his words, Heimdall stepped forward and led Karkaros away.

“The promise! You clearly said you wouldn’t tell that person if I told you the truth!”

Kim Jin-woo said, watching Karkaros, who was being dragged away by the rough hands of the Dawn Chicken, appealing to his injustice.

“I’ll keep the promise. I have no intention of telling your master about the deal with the Black Merchants.”

Perhaps sensing something strange in his tone, Karkaros, who had been standing with his weakened body, made a dumbfounded face.

“N-no way…….”

“That’s right. I’m not a messenger sent by your master. No, I don’t even know who your master is in the first place.”

The pitiful baron, finally grasping the situation, lost strength in his legs and collapsed.

“Ah, I almost forgot.”

Kim Jin-woo approached the distraught Karkaros and took off the seal he had been wearing on his finger.

“My business was with this.”
The Ironclad Lizard, robbed of his seal, was soon dragged through the portal by the merciless Heimdall.

“Dominique.”

Dominique, who had been watching how the situation was unfolding from beyond the portal, rushed to his call.

“The Black Merchants have returned.”

She, too, had been wondering about the sudden disappearance of the Black Merchants, and looked surprised.

“Why at this point…….”

“I don’t know now. What they want, why they suddenly disappeared and only appeared now. I can’t know anything.”

Kim Jin-woo said, watching Karkaros’s seal on his hand merge with the existing seal.

“But one thing is certain.”

Karkaros said. The Black Merchants were enticing the nobles of the 10th floor as if they had been waiting for it, and many nobles had already sided with the Black Merchants to escape this terrible war.

“Stirring up the 10th floor will reveal their purpose.”

***

It would take 24 hours for the portal to close. Kim Jin-woo, who had plundered Karkaros’s labyrinth without leaving a speck of dust, was slowly heading out of the labyrinth.

“Whew, he’s a real antlion.”

Balzac and several other hero-grade summons remained in the labyrinth, which had been stripped of its core, as there was still time before the portal closed.

“Have you seen it before?”

“Seen it? I even fought it on the 11th floor.”

Kim Jin-woo asked, watching Balzac shudder as if he didn’t have good memories.

“Is there a way to capture that thing?”

“A way to capture something that’s hard to kill? Don’t tell me…….”

Balzac was horrified, as if he had belatedly grasped his intention.

“It’s impossible! That thing is not just any monster that can be tamed! Even Anatolius would have thought of moving the nearby labyrinth as soon as that terrible monster appeared, so how can you tame it!”

Despite Balzac’s dissuasion, he remained unmoved.

“You said you had experience fighting it.”

“That’s because I had to fight it because it was right in front of my base, not because I wanted to fight it. And I didn’t even win in the first place.”

If the simple-minded Balzac was making such a fuss, the antlion must have been terrible. But the more Kim Jin-woo listened to Balzac, the more he wanted the antlion.

“That thing will devour even the labyrinth if left alone. You’re going to tame such a dangerous thing…….”

“I like it even more.”

“What do you mean…….”

Balzac desperately wracked his brain, which didn’t work well, trying to figure out his intentions.

But it was impossible for Balzac, who only knew how to fight, to understand his fickle master’s intentions.

“There are no more labyrinths left on the 9th floor for this guy to eat anyway.”

“Why isn’t there a labyrinth…….”

“Balzac.”

Kim Jin-woo called Balzac’s name softly.

“Your Majesty.”

Balzac, startled that he might have been presumptuous, bowed his head and answered.

“Tell me.”

Kim Jin-woo said, looking at the passage where the antlion was crouching.

“Which is more ferocious, the antlion or the Great Labyrinth?”

Only then did Balzac remember who his master was, and how terrible the Great Labyrinth, which they crossed so casually, was, and closed his mouth.

But just because he wanted it right now didn’t mean there was a way to tame that troublesome monster.

“Let’s watch it for now.”

Kim Jin-woo smacked his lips in disappointment, and the long passage seemed to tremble.

***

Kim Jin-woo continued to search the 10th floor. It was difficult to find a labyrinth that was still intact, but it was not impossible.

Most of the labyrinths he found had already been visited by the Black Merchants’ messengers and were preparing to move. Kim Jin-woo took everything he could get from them.

They were deprived of information, labyrinths, and even seals, and were either exiled to the Great Labyrinth or killed on the spot.

“Tsk, they’re secretive to an absurd degree.”

The Eye of Truth, which he had high expectations for, did not work on the nobles. It seemed that there were restrictions he didn’t know about for the Eye of Truth to do its job. Unable to obtain any significant information, he continued his search.

However, there was a presence chasing after Kim Jin-woo as he wandered around the 10th floor, and he soon had to stop.

“Come out.”

At his words, the stalker hesitated and slowly revealed himself.

“You are…….”