Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 274

# 274

Dungeon Journal

Episode 275

A week had passed, but the gates of Valhalla remained firmly shut. The only change was that the number of Moai had increased even more than before.

It was as if every Moai in the entire underground world had gathered in this one place.

Watching the Moai, who knew nothing but tearing apart the flesh of others, patiently waiting for something for a whole week was quite a horrifying experience.

Ughhhhhh.

The Moai, as if believing that only Valhalla existed in the world, began to sob as they blindly stared at it.

“Here we go again.”

Someone complained. It had already been a week of watching, but they could never get used to seeing those hideous undead creatures so close.

Moreover, when they occasionally howled in unison, it was hard to tell whether this was the underground world or hell.

“Just be thankful they’re not tearing each other apart because they’re hungry.”

The summoned creatures were grateful that they didn’t have to witness the gruesome sight they had seen so many times during the war with the Moai, which had lasted almost a year. The sight of tens of thousands of spirits biting each other was enough to make them nauseous just imagining it.

However, that didn’t mean the Nagas were completely at ease.

They knew that their goal was Valhalla, but the tension that they might suddenly turn and rush towards the Great Labyrinth still weighed heavily on them.

The Nagas, staring at the Moai that had doubled in number, did not let go of their firmly grasped spears and shields.

“Hoo.”

Dominique, who had been watching the scene with a deeply composed gaze, closed her eyes and tried to communicate with her master.

But she soon opened them again. It was the umpteenth time, and she felt nothing.

She had to take comfort in the fact that her master’s presence had not disappeared.

“The patrols who went on a long-range exploration have returned.”

Ricshawsha approached her and reported the results of the exploration.

“The total number of labyrinths identified so far is forty-seven. Among them, nine have been identified as Duke-class, and all of the remaining thirty-eight labyrinths are estimated to be Count-class or higher.”

The changes in the 9th floor due to the second restoration were more serious than expected.

When it was connected to other underground areas due to the restoration before, only four were discovered, but this time, more than ten times that number of labyrinths had appeared. Moreover, the number of Duke-class labyrinths had more than doubled compared to before.

With her master away, they couldn’t afford to let their guard down for even a moment.

“I would like to let the patrols rest if possible, but the situation is not favorable. They will have to suffer a little more.”

She drove the patrols, who were exhausted from the high-density exploration work, back out of the labyrinth. There were still more areas that had not been identified than those that had, so there was no room to consider the circumstances of the Under Elves.

For now, it was important to maintain their strength until their master returned. To do that, information was essential.

That must have been why. Dominique didn’t leave Morrigan, who was staring at the Moai as if possessed, alone. She pressed the tight-lipped raven and was finally able to hear an explanation.

“Ah……”

To think that the identity of the hideous undead creature she had passed by so many times was the glorious lord’s retinue was truly astonishing.

But what was even more surprising was that she had not recognized Baek Oh, whom her master had been so desperately searching for, even though he was right in front of her.

Hueooo.

Closest to the gate, one of the Moai with sparse white feathers that Morrigan’s gaze was directed at cried mournfully.

With an appearance that was not much different from the others, it was not so strange that Morrigan, who was born as a pair, could not recognize her sister.

Dominique looked serious at Morrigan’s explanation. All the circumstances were turning in favor of her master. If he succeeded in obtaining Valhalla, he would gain a powerful force comparable to the Great Labyrinth.

In addition, if those countless Moai were fully incorporated, that too would become a mighty force.

Nevertheless, she was more anxious than ever.

Nothing is obtained for free here. Even if a price has been paid, one must not be careless. The mysteries of the underground world have a nasty personality and could stab you in the back at any time.

Moreover, the various fortunes and powers that were now concentrated on her master were by no means coincidental. Now that she had realized that someone was behind the favors that had been shown so far, she had to admit that there was a purpose in all of these arrangements.

And whatever that purpose was, it was as clear as day that a trial as great as the good fortune he had enjoyed so far was waiting for him.

“There must be something I can do for Master.”

Now, with a feeling that was beyond expectation and closer to certainty, she pondered and pondered, now that her master was away.

Gooooooo!

Just as Dominique was lost in thought, a sudden change began.

Kyaaaaaaaa!

Valhalla cried out. Even the Moai’s whimpers, which she had thought were terrible, were nothing more than a cheerful tune compared to this scream.

The Nagas’ fighting spirit, which had stubbornly endured even while listening to the ghostly sounds for a week, was broken, and their ranks collapsed.

“Aaaagh!”

The summoned creatures, including Dominique, screamed and staggered at the ear-splitting noise. They couldn’t come to their senses from the ghostly sound that made their minds go blank just from hearing it.

“E, everyone, fall back!”

An instinctive judgment that they had to get away from this terrible noise even a little bit, she shouted in a shrill voice.

The Nagas, who were desperately trying to stay in their positions, staggered at her words and distanced themselves from Valhalla.

How far did they retreat? After retreating for a long time, they reached the border of the Great Labyrinth. Only when they felt the cold energy of that place did their confused minds finally return.

Dominique saw Valhalla, which looked completely different from before.

The golden walls, which were splendid but had faded due to the power of time, were completely new, and the spiers that had collapsed here and there stood tall as if they were spears piercing the ceiling of the floor.

“Finally!”

The ancient summoned creatures who knew Valhalla’s original appearance shouted with joy and were ecstatic.

But Dominique had no time to admire the majesty of the revived ancient fortress. The communication with her master, which had been cut off when Valhalla began to operate, was restored.

“Ah……”

However, what rushed in through the reconnected communication was far from what she had expected. The fragments of emotion that rushed in like a tidal wave were all malicious.

Anger. Grief. Sorrow. Despair.

Her heart was constricted, and she couldn’t breathe. The vortex of all kinds of negative emotions shook her wildly. In the end, she couldn’t bear it and collapsed to the floor.

Creak.

While she was caught up in the vortex of emotions that had overwhelmed her, the gates of Valhalla, which had been tightly closed, opened.

Kkeueooooooo.

The Moai let out a cheer that sounded like a scream and rushed into the opened gate. They poured in, one after another. It was as if the spirits of hell that had been wandering this land were returning to hell.

“Terrible.”

Even the steadfast warrior Quantus, who never lost his fighting spirit, shuddered at this moment.

Kkeueueue.

The number of Moai that had filled the underground world had noticeably decreased. Even those that remained disappeared into the golden castle with its mouth wide open, and the procession that seemed like it would never end was over before she knew it.

The Moai’s ghostly sounds, which had been grating on her ears, no longer existed, and Valhalla, which seemed to tear her soul apart, stopped screaming. Silence returned to the underground world.

All that remained was Valhalla, which had swallowed countless Moai and acted as if nothing had happened.

“Dominique!”

“Your Majesty!”

The summoned creatures, who had been staring at Valhalla and the Moai as if possessed, belatedly discovered the pale Dominique and were horrified.

“What on earth happened……”

Dominique, as if she couldn’t hear the summoned creatures’ voices mixed with concern, said with unfocused eyes.

“I will go inside and investigate.”

Morrigan, who had been watching her quietly, said that and then disappeared into the golden castle with its mouth wide open before anyone could stop her. Heimdall and the ancient summoned creatures hesitated for a moment and all followed her.

Bang!

Just like that, even the ancient summoned creatures disappeared into Valhalla, and the wide-open gate closed.

Dominique, who belatedly came to her senses, groaned.

All that was conveyed from the other side of the connected thoughts were all kinds of negative emotions, and she couldn’t even know what was happening inside.

“Ah, no, I have to go see Master.”

He was a master who had almost become an evil dragon and caused a great deal of trouble. Rather than agonizing alone to find out the reason for the unknown grief, it seemed better to meet him directly and confirm the whole story.

“Angela! If it’s now, you might be able to get inside……”

It was dangerous, but with Angela, the owner of the reverse side, it was not impossible to cross that wall. So she looked for her.

“Angela?”

But Angela, who had been watching the situation right next to her until just now, was nowhere to be seen.

“She disappeared a moment ago.”

Dominique frowned at Ricshawsha’s report.

***

“Keuheuheuk.”

Kim Jin-woo, sitting on the throne of the Golden Ash Tree, lowered his head and shrugged his shoulders. The bizarre sounds that occasionally flowed out were impossible to tell whether he was laughing or sobbing.

[Although the process was not smooth, you were able to completely pass the test of Hliðskjálf [throne of Odin, from which he could see all the worlds].]

[Hliðskjálf has recognized you as its master.]

The message popped up, but he still didn’t raise his head and only made strange noises.

[The fortress of the Einherjar [warriors who have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla], the castle of the one-eyed lord, Valhalla, awakens.]

[The castle of the great lord, Valhalla, is an impregnable fortress that will never exist again in the underground world. This powerful fortress, which even the fiercest beast, ‘Night,’ could not destroy, is the authority itself that cannot be explained by the mysteries of the underground world.]

[The core of Valhalla, Votan’s Eye [Odin’s eye], which has resumed its activities, begins to examine every corner of the fortress.]

[It has discovered spiers and walls that have been damaged by the long years.]

[Valhalla, which has started operating again, begins to restore itself.]

[The damaged spiers are restored in the blink of an eye, and the walls regain their brilliant golden color.]

Votan’s Eye, which had been quietly watching its new master, began to roll its eyeballs busily.

[The giant-crushing iron hammer, Mjolnir [Thor’s hammer], has been restored. But all the Einherjar who would operate it have left and are no longer there.]

[But don’t be disappointed. Fortunately, there are plenty of people nearby who are qualified to become Einherjar.]

[Will you accept the Moai as residents of Valhalla?]

Messages popped up one after another, and Kim Jin-woo, who had been bowing his head, finally raised his head.

“Accept them. Of course, I’ll accept them!”

Bloodshot eyes, cheeks and chin smeared with tears and saliva were distorted as if they were those of a demon. But he didn’t even care what kind of expression he was making and muttered like a madman.

“Whether that’s what my sister wanted or not, I don’t care anymore.”

The voice that had always been warmly soaked when he talked about her no longer felt warm. What replaced it was a terrible amount of hostility and hatred.

Hliðskjálf’s test was easier than expected. It just weighed his past on a scale. But accepting the results was not easy.

In the past that Hliðskjálf had dug up, he was finally able to face the truth. And the truth he faced was terribly cruel and twisted.

“Am I not also just a ghost of the past?”

The memories of the past, which had been beautifully colored over time, were actually a messy painting with someone arbitrarily adding a red and murky nightmare.

[The Moai have entered Valhalla. They willingly chose to become your soldiers and were able to regain their lost powers and appearances.]

[The Moai have become Einherjar.]

[Mjolnir has been activated. The decisive weapon that even the most powerful giants feared and could not even look at has reappeared in the underground world.]

[The news that the ancient fortress has been completely revived spreads far and wide in the underground world.]

[The dukes tremble with fear, and all beings in the underground world hold their breath at this moment.]

The messages continued to pop up as if to mock his despair.

[There are no additional costs for you to pay.]

[You have already experienced the most terrible failure a long time ago, countless years ago. Your frustration, which tragically ruined the most brilliant period of glory, could not even be weighed by Valhalla’s scales.]

[Following Votan’s Eye and Hliðskjálf, Valhalla has completely recognized you as its master.]

[You have succeeded in inheriting all the powers and legacy of the one-eyed lord.]

[You can now open the Vault of Eternity.]