Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 276

Dungeon Chronicle – Episode 277

# 276

Dungeon Chronicle

Chapter 277

[Fortress Valhalla, famed for wielding the mighty iron hammer, Mjolnir, is actually a gateway protecting the Throne of Truth.]

[Now that the Throne of Truth has finally revealed itself, transcending time, the fortress will unlock all its functions to fulfill its mission once more.]

[All defense systems of Valhalla have been activated.]

[Mjolnir has regained its true power. The lightning-infused iron hammer will crush intruders without a trace. Even the mighty Dukes will be wary of this formidable weapon.]

Most of the Einherjar [elite warriors of Valhalla] were now merely summoned creatures, their minds barely recovered from corruption. It was remarkable that Mjolnir, operated by such beings, could stand against the powerful Dukes.

[The Howling Spear, Gungnir, has manifested its true form.]

[The magic spear is being moved to the deepest chamber, preparing for its final, devastating strike.]

[Originally, Gungnir should have become even more powerful than Mjolnir now that Valhalla is fully operational. However, having diminished in power over the long years, the magic spear has become a decisive weapon, capable of only a single, ultimate use.]

[The strike of the magic spear, wagering even its own existence, will surely be more intense than anything you have ever witnessed. Please use it with extreme caution.]

Gungnir, which he had considered just a usable spear, had been transformed by Valhalla into a decisive weapon of immense power, albeit with only one shot.

[The Einherjar have become one with Valhalla and its destiny. Although they cannot leave the fortress, these warriors, embracing their past glory, each possess power exceeding that of a hero-grade summoned creature.]

[No force in this underground world can easily overcome the nearly 100,000 Einherjar.]

[Those who defy the dignity of the king, those who harbor wicked thoughts, none may enter the fortress without permission.]

It was an immense power. But even more astonishing than Valhalla’s true strength was the authority of the Throne of Truth.

[The Throne of Truth is one of the fundamental mysteries of the underground world.]

[You have gained access to these mysteries through this throne.]

[However, even for you, who has been recognized by the throne, glimpsing the mysteries of the underground world demands a considerable price. Wotan [Odin], for example, sacrificed one of his eyes to glimpse the truth.]

[Furthermore, there is no guarantee that the truth you glimpse after paying such a heavy price will be the truth you seek.]

The authority to access the mysteries that formed the foundation of the underground world was an unexpected boon.

However, the price was steep, and even after paying it, the answer might be wrong, making it a power he couldn’t readily use.

Even if he was curious about the elusive mysteries of the underground world, now was the time to safeguard what he had and prepare for the future. It wasn’t an easy decision.

[You have gained a strong fortress, powerful weapons, and a vast army, but it is too early to celebrate.]

[You will have to fight against the monsters that rush towards you, drawn to the throne that leads to the mysteries of this underground world. Wotan also had to battle countless monsters to protect the mysteries and truth of the underground world.]

[Although few powerful monsters remain in the ancient underground world, they have not completely vanished.]

[Among them, the monster you should heed most is ‘Night.’ Wotan’s spear could not destroy this terrible monster and only managed to banish it into the deepest darkness.]

[After a long time, all the wounds Night suffered have healed, and now the monster may be lurking somewhere, hungering for the resurrection of Valhalla.]

As expected, nothing was freely given in the underground world. In return for obtaining an incredibly powerful fortress, Kim Jin-woo had gained a terrifying enemy.

“‘Night’….”

His shoulders felt the weight of the knowledge that this monster, which even the most powerful lords couldn’t kill when united, was now targeting his fortress.

But the more that happened, the colder and more resolute his expression became.

Whatever the past held, this was reality. If you didn’t fight, you would be devoured and erased. That was the way of the underground world, and the way of his life.

When a wounded stray dog faces an enemy ready to bite, it focuses on attacking and tearing at the enemy rather than dwelling on its own injuries.

And regardless of his past self, what had brought him to this point was that very stray dog-like mentality.

The heightened sense of reality brought on by the crisis felt like finally waking from a long nightmare.

If he could, he would turn everything upside down and make a glorious mess.

***

The first thing he did after regaining his composure was not to survey his newly acquired fortress. He went to find Mimir first.

The news that the Vault of Eternity had been opened was important, but he had unfinished business with Mimir.

“The Grand Maze wouldn’t have let that cunning guy escape, but I can’t rest easy.”

He wanted to use the Red Castle, but Angela was not in a stable state. She seemed deeply affected by abandoning her master in the face of overwhelming fear.

Her face, clouded by self-reproach and contempt, sometimes cast strange glances at the Nagas [serpentine humanoids] and Dominique. A strange sense of competition, born from deprivation and self-reproach, twisted her features.

“Angela.”

Kim Jin-woo called Angela’s name, noticing her twisted jealousy.

“Yes? Yes!”

Jealousy vanished from her face, replaced by surprise and fluster, and then shame and self-reproach.

“Am I still your master?”

“O, of course……”

Before she could finish, she turned pale and covered her mouth, feeling too ashamed to answer.

“You are mine. Even if you deny it, I have no intention of letting you go.”

She seemed independent and strong-willed, but in truth, this vampire was terribly dependent and spoiled.

For Angela, these forceful words would be more effective in this situation.

“Ah……”

As expected, she looked relieved. Although still downcast, the shadows receded from her face, which had seemed consumed by inner darkness.

“Lead me to Mimir.”

Angela, having barely regained her composure, opened the door to the Red Castle, which existed on the other side.

“Then I’ll wait in the Grand Maze.”

“I will follow soon.”

The Nagas, summoned to Valhalla, saw him off.

***

“Damn it, my bad premonitions are never wrong.”

Kim Jin-woo, arriving at the Grand Maze where Mimir had been imprisoned, gritted his teeth, recalling the imp who had vanished without a trace.

But it was too early to despair. Mimir was the keeper of the Vault of Eternity first and a cunning messenger second. The imp’s destination was obvious.

“I’m going to see Mimir.”

“Master! Wait!”

Kim Jin-woo, about to tear the portal scroll Mimir had given him, stopped.

“What happened inside?”

Now that she had barely overcome her self-reproach, she seemed curious about what had transpired.

“You have inherited the name of True Blood, so you can’t claim to be uninvolved. But finding Mimir comes first. We’ll talk when I return.”

With those words, he tore the scroll and headed to the Vault of Eternity.

***

“Is this the only place you could run to?”

As expected, Mimir was in the Vault of Eternity.

“The situation may seem amusing, but I didn’t run. I simply returned to my original place.”

Surprisingly, Mimir was neither frightened nor anxious. As he said, he was simply where he belonged.

“Have you given up?”

Mimir didn’t answer.

“Coming here must mean you have obtained the true qualifications.”

“If you mean the Vault of Eternity, then yes. Valhalla has recognized me as the complete owner.”

Mimir nodded.

“You are an amazing person. No one thought you could do this.”

“Are you mocking me?”

A fragment of hatred and anger, barely contained, leaked out. Even that alone made Mimir turn pale, clutch his neck, and cough.

“N, no way. I’m just being honest.”

His little mouth told lies more often than truth, but he wasn’t foolish enough to lie before him, the one who held the Throne of Truth.

Knowing this, Kim Jin-woo gathered his hatred and watched with cold eyes as Mimir coughed.

“I imagine you have many questions. But unfortunately, I don’t know much. He didn’t tell me much, and I didn’t want to get involved. Curiosity shortens one’s life.”

The imp’s eyes, seemingly calm as if he had resigned himself, flashed with a desperate obsession with life, making Mimir’s words ring true.

“I’ll tell you everything I know, will you spare me?”

Mimir was proposing a deal for his life, even now.

“If you’re offering a deal, I refuse. You shouldn’t be making deals, but begging for forgiveness.”

Unfortunately, even the skilled merchant’s tongue couldn’t overcome this crisis; no choice was offered.

Mimir was a prisoner before the gallows, and Kim Jin-woo was the judge and executioner. In this situation of clear power imbalance, all of Mimir’s resources were worthless.

Now, the best course was to reveal everything and plead for mercy.

Mimir seemed to realize this and stopped offering deals.

“I only recently learned that she was a former lord who inherited the name of Depravity.”

Her identity, which he had struggled to accept even after facing the harsh truth, flowed from Mimir’s mouth again.

“That’s right. The one who sought your help was the Usurper. The Usurper, whom I thought would be the last to desire the restoration of the underground world, was actually behind the entire process.”

He had learned this by facing the 홀리드스ㅤㅋㅑㄹ프’s test [unidentified term, possibly a trial or challenge], but the confirmation sent a chill through him.

“And when I realized that, I learned that you were one of the many seeds the Usurper had sown.”

“Seeds?”

“You are not the only seed the Usurper planted. Most were buried without sprouting, and many of the surviving seeds flowed to the surface as Underground People. A few who returned to the underground world finally sprouted and bore fruit.”

Mimir continued to speak casually, considering the weight of the truth.

“They are the newly awakened High Lords, including you.”

Kim Jin-woo had already suspected this, so he waited for more information.

“But you were special. The Usurper, who only hoped that one seed would sprout, paid particular attention to you. I can’t understand why……”

“Because I’m different.”

Kim Jin-woo hoped Mimir’s explanation wouldn’t end in a question, so he didn’t hesitate to delve into his own wounds.

“I am a fragment of wandering.”