Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 269

Dungeon Chronicle – Episode 270

# 270

95. Valhalla

KWAHHHH!

With a deafening roar, the fortress walls abruptly ascended. Impossibly constructed, the colossal golden barriers were seamless, punctuated by soaring spires, behind which stood magnificent architecture.

The walls and spires towered, defying the rampaging behemoths of the Underworld, while the fortress glimpsed beyond mirrored the golden hue of the walls.

[Across countless ages, the Cyclopean Monarch’s fortress has finally revealed itself.]

[The strongholds of the mighty ancient monarchs each possessed inexplicable mystique, but the wondrous resilience of Valhalla’s walls, built from soft gold, was an enigma in itself.]

[Even the most terrible Twilight Wars could not break Valhalla’s walls, though time has taken its toll. Fortunately, the long-abandoned fortress has the ability to restore its own splendor. But unless the vacant throne is filled, Valhalla will remain shrouded in dust, unable to reclaim its brilliance.]

As if ruins eroded by time and swept away by the wind were reversing to their most glorious days, Kim Jin-woo was utterly awestruck by the wondrous sight.

The once desolate gate was now part of the massive fortress, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from its overwhelming majesty.

Creak, creak.

While he was captivated by the exterior of this overwhelming structure, the gates opened with a sound like gears grinding together.

[The gates of Valhalla are now fully open. Whether ancient legacies or unforeseen threats await you, no one knows what lies beyond.]

[Perhaps the Cyclopean Monarch’s trial awaits you.]

[Once entered, you cannot return unless you become the master of Valhalla.]

[In the worst case, you may become a wraith, guarding the empty fortress alone.]

[Will you still enter Valhalla?]

As if entranced, Kim Jin-woo was about to step through the gates when he saw the message and immediately withdrew his foot.

[Will you enter Valhalla?]

The message prompted once more, as if urging him, but he gave no answer.

This was the fortress ruled by the Cyclopean Monarch, considered the most powerful even during the era when the great Ten Monarchs dominated the Underworld. Its might was beyond question. Yet, he couldn’t make a hasty decision.

After all, how much hardship had he endured to obtain the Howling Spear, Gungnir? Having faced the memories and grudges of the spear, and been tormented by long nightmares, he knew all too well the terrible price of inheriting a powerful ancient legacy.

Moreover, it had only just been restored. There were countless tasks at hand. Accepting the Cyclopean Monarch’s trial rashly in such a situation was far too dangerous.

That wasn’t the only reason he couldn’t decide.

Valhalla, a dazzling golden fortress, emanated an unsettling aura behind its magnificent facade.

It felt as if a venomous snake was flicking its tongue in the shadows beneath a pile of glittering gold and silver treasures in a vault.

With lingering regret, he had no choice but to turn away from Valhalla.

“Let’s put it on hold for now.”

[As long as Valhalla bears your name and the Cyclopean Monarch’s, and as long as the key remains in your hand, it will wait for you here.]

No sooner had the message ended than the towering spires and walls collapsed, and the golden radiance of the fortress vanished. All that remained was the solitary gate.

“Master, why didn’t you cross the gate?”

“The Cyclopean Monarch is no easy opponent. He’s a notorious miser who never gives away a single legacy for free.”

After gazing at the entrance of Valhalla for a moment, he turned away without hesitation.

***

Fortunately, the damage to the Great Labyrinth was minimal. Although the outer regions had to be sacrificed, in return, the central area suffered no damage at all.

And thankfully, the damage to the Otherworlders was also minimal. Only a few slow-footed individuals were caught in the freeze during the evacuation.

All thanks to having the Frost title, newly acquired in the Great Labyrinth.

“Argh. Then, how long do we have to endure this?”

But not everyone had acquired the Frost title.

Uther, whose gelatinous body was half-frozen and crumbly, was making a fuss, and so were the kings of the Otherworlders, including Malak-sus.

“Four days at most.”

Uther leaped, his body like slush.

“The Dragon Knights are doing their best, so it might be shortened to some extent. So, let’s endure until then.”

Indeed, many Lawful Dragons were doing their best to melt the frozen passages by spewing flames. The firmly frozen ice walls didn’t seem to melt easily, but it was true that they were having some effect.

At his encouragement, Uther, who had not received the Frost title, and the kings of each race lowered their heads with dark expressions.

After confirming the damage to the Otherworlders, Kim Jin-woo sought out Morrighan and Heimdall.

“Do you know anything about Valhalla?”

The ancient hero-grade summons who had served the Cyclopean Monarch must know something about the suddenly risen fortress.

“Valhalla was the most renowned fortress among fortresses in the Underworld. If the Monarch had stayed only in Valhalla, I assure you that he would never have been humiliated by usurpers and treacherous nobles.”

“It must have been quite something.”

“Each rampart and spire was equipped with all sorts of powerful weapons, and there were countless battle-hardened war nobles, so who would dare covet such an impregnable fortress?”

In Morrighan’s hazy gaze, as if tracing back to a distant past, one could see an unhidden pride.

“If the King wishes to become a true monarch, he must seek the highest point of Valhalla.”

“Explain what’s there.”

At Heimdall’s words, she tilted her head.

“Hliðskjalf [Odin’s throne from which he could see all the realms] is there.”

“Hliðskjalf?”

“It is the throne of power where Wotan [Odin] sat and looked down upon the abyss. They say that the reason he could see more than others with his one eye was solely thanks to this throne of power.”

Although its use wasn’t immediately apparent, the Dawn Chicken said that the one-eyed monarch accomplished much while sitting there and that it should be taken before anything else. It was clear that it was an item with extraordinary abilities.

“Hliðskjalf is great, but there’s something even greater.”

Morrighan added, not wanting to be outdone.

“Have you seen the spires of Valhalla?”

Kim Jin-woo nodded, and she rattled on in a rarely excited tone.

“Mjolnir [Thor’s hammer] is there. Once it reveals itself, no matter how far away they are, the enemies could not rest easy. Even the toughest steel giants would turn away and take the long route when this powerful siege weapon revealed itself.”

As expected, unlike the Dawn Chicken, who was a sentinel monitoring the war, she spoke like a raven obsessed with battle.

“I hope those two at least remain intact.”

“Even if nothing else does, Hliðskjalf and Mjolnir will surely remain. They are by no means ordinary items that would be damaged by the mere passage of time.”

“I hope it is as you say.”

He had heard quite a few stories, but he still hadn’t heard the information he wanted. The reason he had to turn away despite having such powerful legacies before his eyes was that he thought the ancient summons, including Morrighan, would know the true nature of the claws hidden within Valhalla.

At his question, Morrighan and Heimdall exchanged glances before belatedly opening their mouths as if they had just thought of something.

Summons skilled in handling fire, including the Guardian Dragon, became busy.

The flames they spewed hastened the thawing of the frozen Great Labyrinth, and they barely managed to create a passage leading to the entrance.

The Guardian Dragon and the summons, who had to spew flames to their limits, were exhausted and collapsed, but thanks to them, the Great Labyrinth, which had isolated itself, finally had a breath of fresh air.

“Scout the situation outside. And report to me.”

Kim Jin-woo drove the scouts out of the labyrinth as if he had been waiting for this.

The blindly devoted Under Elves, who would throw themselves into hellfire at their master’s command, did not hesitate to venture into the unknown underground world in the aftermath of the disaster.

They scurried around in all directions to grasp the situation inside.

As time passed, the scouts who had left the labyrinth sent information one after another. Through the gathered information, he learned that the scale of the secondary restoration was several times larger than he had thought.

“But you couldn’t find any labyrinths?”

“We searched with our eyes peeled, but we couldn’t find any traces of labyrinths, let alone the labyrinths themselves.”

He frowned at Ricksha’s report.

“Could they really have all been destroyed?”

Well, if an earthquake of this magnitude had swept through, it was highly likely that most labyrinths would not have been able to withstand it.

“Still, there must be some labyrinths left somewhere; find them without fail.”

“We will do so without fail.”

While the Under Elves were even more enthusiastic in their search, Kim Jin-woo sat at the edge of the labyrinth, in a shaded corner, guarding the entrance to Valhalla.

“Master, is there really a reason to go this far? The Nagas or the scouts alone would be enough for guarding.”

Even at Angela’s words, he did not leave his spot. He seemed to firmly believe that someone would come looking for this place.

And before long, Angela realized who he was waiting for.

“You’ve come after all.”

A small shadow, appearing without a sound and stealthily approaching Valhalla, flinched in surprise at Kim Jin-woo’s voice and stepped back.

“L, Lord.”

“I wondered if you would, but I can’t believe you actually showed up.”

One of the reasons he hadn’t taken Valhalla and left it alone was to use the ancient legacy as bait to catch a cunning prey.

“I was just thinking of meeting you, so I’m grateful that you came to me like this.”

At the nonchalant voice, the small shadow, Mimir, wore a flustered expression.

“Tell me. What were you doing here? No, what were you trying to do?”

Mimir’s eyes darted around quickly. He was definitely trying to come up with a way to get out of this situation.

“Let me warn you about one thing.”

Kim Jin-woo said quietly, looking at such Mimir.

“Today, it would be best not to use that little head of yours.”

He was smiling, but his eyes were flashing eerily.