Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 251

Dungeon Journal – Episode 252

# 252

Dungeon Journal

As promised, the White Bears dispatched additional forces. This time, it was a large army that included Ursus High, who could be considered true elites.

They attacked Tarus without any warning as soon as they appeared.

The Tarus were high on morale due to their repeated victories, but that alone was not enough to overcome the difference in power with the Ursus High. The battle ended in less than half a day, and the Tarus were annihilated.

It was truly a thrilling counterattack and a refreshing revenge.

“Those bastards, they even targeted me.”

Kim Jin-woo, who had sensed an unusual atmosphere in advance and managed to leave the battlefield just in time, growled fiercely.

He was a powerful High Lord, but he couldn’t face the Duke’s elite force of 10,000 alone outside the labyrinth [a complex network of underground passages].

If he had noticed the suspicious signs just a little later, he would have been caught up in the battle and suffered an absurd defeat.

Defeat was something that should never happen to him, as he relied heavily on the fraudulent amplification effect of the Title of Consecutive Victories. He almost lost the Title of Consecutive Victories in vain.

“What’s so gentle about this, what’s so righteous about this?”

As the plan was slowly getting on track, he couldn’t help but suspect that his existence, which had eliminated the Evil Demon Army, had become a burden to them.

Perhaps breaking the wings of a burdensome ally felt more attractive to them than revenge on Tarus.

“Ugh, it seems we’re late. I ran with all my might, but my feet were too slow to catch up with the angry Ursus High.”

Kim Jin-woo scoffed at the words of the Ursus envoy, who arrived a beat late. It was like trying to hide the truth with your hand, but at this point, it was more like mockery.

“Why don’t you just wipe us out too and then express your regret in front of my corpse?”

Kim Jin-woo did not hide his uncomfortable feelings.

“That was not our intention. It’s just that the anger of the warriors who lost so many of their kind was greater than expected. The real fight is just about to begin, and we have no intention of losing an alliance already.”

The Ursus envoy repeatedly apologized, saying that the commander of this battle was not under his command.

The envoy’s words were true. The commander of the Ursus, whom he had confirmed from a distance, was twice as large as the average White Bear, and even twice as large as the Ursus High, and he felt at least as strong as a Count at first glance.

“I’m sorry to ask, but please don’t blame him. He is a proud warrior who volunteered even knowing what this mission was.”

In the end, the Ursus envoy was saying, in a very old-fashioned way, not to hold it against him since he was going to die anyway.

In the end, he had to end the conversation after protesting once again. Rather than creating conflict by dwelling on what had already happened, it was more profitable to focus on something more productive.

And he knew better than anyone what he had to do now.

Kim Jin-woo sent a messenger to the northern labyrinth. He informed the Tarus of the participation of 10,000 Ursus High and told them every detail of their strength.

As expected, the Tarus sent a strong army that could stand up to the Ursus High.

The bulls, as huge as the elite White Bear warriors, were warriors called Tarus Ogres.

“Still, the Ursus’s recklessness wasn’t all bad.”

Although the Dukes themselves had not yet appeared on the battlefield, the soaring morale and fighting spirit made him think that he could move up the plan sooner.

The direction of this battle will be decided. The defeated side will lose its elites and its morale will hit rock bottom, and the victorious side will seize an opportunity that will never come again.

And the outcome of the battle was already predetermined.

The fierce and sticky morale of the Tarus Ogres was so intense that they seemed ready to tear the White Bears to pieces at any moment.

The Ursus High’s momentum against them was no less, but their fighting spirit had a somewhat gloomy side.

“There’s no shaking at all. Who would call them losers at this rate?”

He was slightly impressed by the Ursus’s steadfastness in preparing for death on the battlefield. White Bears are not just strong.

The Satyrs were fierce and strong, but they sometimes hesitated in the face of death. Thanks to this, he was able to kill Luyang at the last moment without any interference.

“Is this the difference between a real Duke and a hastily made half-wit?”

It seemed that even loyalty forced by the system could not transcend the rank of existence.

“Be careful. This battle probably won’t be easy.”

Kim Jin-woo repeatedly urged his summons, including Morrigan, as he watched the White Bears’ magnificent momentum.

***

Until now, whenever the Ursus and Tarus clashed, the atmosphere had never been relaxed. However, even the ferocity of that time was nothing compared to the air flowing through the battlefield now.

The sharp air cut everyone’s chest like a blade, and the heavy military spirit was so heavy and sticky that it was difficult to hold one’s head up straight.

The atmosphere was so intense that even ordinary summons would have their hearts shrivel and die on the spot. Kim Jin-woo struggled to calm his rarely pounding heart.

“Hoo.”

The Authority of Greed was restless, like a glutton with his hands and feet tied in front of a delicious meal, and he had to do everything he could to suppress the aura of the High Lord from flowing out.

If he revealed his presence here, all his efforts to act while enduring humiliation would be in vain. He took several deep breaths and calmed his mind.

“It looks like it’s about to start.”

As he felt the slowly fluctuating military spirit, he whispered softly, and his summons, including Morrigan, quietly gathered around him.

“This time, it will be difficult to fight moderately. But that doesn’t mean we can run wild as much as we want. This is not our battlefield.”

He was the one who led the plan, but the large armies on both sides were still leading the battlefield.

He and his summons were just drifting around the battlefield like leaves swaying in the storm, adding a little strength.

But even that was not much left.

The Tarus are trying to wedge the direction of the war with this battle. The Ursus are waiting for the Tarus to put in all their efforts at the risk of their lives. And he wants them both to suffer as much damage as possible and fight each other.

They are on the same battlefield, but everyone thinks differently. But what they want is the same.

Victory.

The final winner in this war, in which as many as three giant labyrinths are intertwined in a jumble, will gain tremendous power and wealth.

“We’ll see who the main character is and who the supporting character is when the curtain comes down.”

He readjusted his magic spear as he looked around at those who were on the battlefield with different intentions.

***

The outcome of the battle was already foreseen. Of course, that didn’t mean the battle wasn’t fierce at all.

Since they didn’t have to worry about winning or losing, the Ursus High burned their lives without thinking about the future.

Thanks to this, the Tarus Ogres had to endure much more damage than originally expected.

The Ursus High’s relentless offensive, which disregarded life, was that brutal.

But that was it. From the beginning, the balance of power was tilted towards the Tarus. The Ursus High, who had dominated the atmosphere of the battlefield so frighteningly at first, were exhausted and soon revealed their collapse in the face of the Tarus’ counterattack, which did not back down despite the terrible damage.

In the end, the battle ended with the last Ursus High being torn to pieces by the Tarus Ogres’ joint attack.

The great battle between 15,000 Tarus Ogres and 10,000 Ursus High ended like that.

When no more screams or roars could be heard, Kim Jin-woo began to move for his next plan.

It was not difficult to encourage the Tarus, who had suffered great damage and were worried about the future, to decide to advance.

“In the end, it turned out as you said, Master.”

Angela said with a slightly tired face at the rapidly moving war situation.

“Even if I hadn’t stepped in, the Tarus would have eventually decided to advance. This kind of opportunity doesn’t come easily.”

Even if he hadn’t stepped in, the Tarus, who had a long-cherished desire to exterminate their arch-enemy in front of them, would have eventually moved. All he did was bring the timing forward a little with a few words.

“If, unlike my expectations, the Ursus have nothing prepared, maybe the war will really end like this.”

But that couldn’t be. If there was no way to overcome the difference in power, the Ursus would not have made the unreasonable move of sacrificing 10,000 of their elites.

“It’s about time for the main actors to take the stage.”

Kim Jin-woo showed an expectant face as he looked at the Tarus army, which was high on morale but tattered by the Ursus High’s fierce attack.

He had never seen the sly Dukes even once because they were so careful.

But now that they have decided on an all-out war, even the cautious Duke will have to show his face.

And as he expected, among the Tarus who were replenished during the advance, there was the one at the pinnacle of the violent bull warriors, the King of Tarus.

The body surrounded by bursting muscles was so huge that it seemed to reach the ceiling, and sparks flew from between the four horns from time to time. The ruler of the Tarus was truly a monster, in and of himself.

“Luyang wouldn’t even be a match.”

To be honest, it felt meaningless to compare Luyang to that monster.

Even roughly comparing, it was clear that even if there were two Luyangs, they would not be able to handle that monster’s power.

The momentum far exceeded expectations. The Duke’s momentum was huge, and as such, it was violent.

Thump, thump.

Just looking at the Duke from afar, he felt his heart beating fast.

The Authority of Greed, which had already had the experience of enjoying a feast called Luyang, seemed to have another relapse. The Authority, which had felt the powerful energy, was already drooling gluttonously and urging him to release it, even though it was not yet mealtime.

The Authority is screaming. To release it quickly.

But instead of releasing the power of the High Lord, he hurriedly suppressed his energy. Fortunately, the Authority of Greed rarely showed patience and disappeared faster than it appeared.

“Damn it.”

But it was already too late. He had perfectly controlled his own energy, but he couldn’t avoid attracting the Duke’s attention.

“Looks like you managed to feel the energy.”

The Duke, who had made eye contact, was seen approaching this way with thumping footsteps.