Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 317

Dungeon Journal-317

# 317

Dungeon Journal

Episode 318

Epilogue

“I swear I saw it! That pit looked like it led to another world!”

The rumors started vaguely, as they always do, with the boasting of a man prone to exaggeration.

The drunken land surveyor’s tale wasn’t worth a grain of salt, and initially, no one paid much attention.

“We ran as soon as we saw the hole. A strange chill and dampness emanated from it, giving us goosebumps. We had to take a long detour to get here.”

The land surveyor’s words, which might have faded away as mere drunken boasting, resurfaced through the accounts of travelers passing nearby.

Even then, it was just another urban legend circulating on the continent.

“Beyond the pit, beneath the ground, another world exists!”

As time passed, the rumors gained substance.

“The world beneath the ground was as vast and immense as the world above. We didn’t dare to explore it, contenting ourselves with just seeing the entrance.”

“Strange monsters wandered inside. I guarantee those monsters were creatures that never existed in this world.”

The rumors became more specific, and testimonies poured in from those who had witnessed monsters emerging from the dark and damp cave.

“I must have been crazy. Something must have been wrong with me that day. Otherwise, there’s no way I would have entered that horrible place on my own.”

The story of a well-known herbalist spread like wildfire.

“I wasn’t in my right mind. All I could think about was escaping that place, where all sorts of unheard-of monsters roamed. But the path was so complicated, it wasn’t easy to find my way back.”

The herbalist seemed to have ventured deeper than those who had only glimpsed the edge of the pit.

“But after wandering for a while, I saw something amazing. Such a dazzling sight!”

The herbalist claimed to have seen a castle shining brightly even in the darkness.

“It was definitely gold! That huge castle was made entirely of gold! At first, I doubted my eyes. But no matter how much I looked, it didn’t disappear, and I finally accepted reality. There was a castle made of gold right in front of me!”

Unable to believe the story, someone interjected.

“Then where’s the gold? You should have torn off a piece while you were there. If what you’re saying is true, you came back empty-handed after seeing a castle made of gold. Who would believe that?”

“I wanted to! I tried to! But I couldn’t!”

He said bitterly that he couldn’t dare approach the castle because of the monsters roaming around it. But people remained skeptical. The one who believed the herbalist’s story was an unexpected figure.

“The rumors were all true. There is a new world beneath the ground, and beyond that, there is a castle made of gold. The castle was being protected by surprisingly agile and brave warriors.”

The man was a well-known treasure hunter, and based on the herbalist’s information, he explored beyond the pit and confirmed the rumors. His words carried more weight than the stories of the land surveyor, travelers, and herbalist.

“But don’t underestimate the danger. Just as the rumored golden castle was real, the monsters roaming beneath the ground also exist. I lost all my companions to them.”

The rumor solidified into fact, and the story spread widely, sparking global interest in the pit and the world beyond.

People rushed to the pit immediately.

“Oh! The rumors were true!”

“I can’t believe something like this exists.”

People were excited by the discovery of the pit and already fantasizing about the golden castle. They threw themselves into it with hope and expectation, but only a few returned.

“Mana stones [crystals that store magical energy] are scattered everywhere. But there are too many monsters guarding them.”

Many people disappeared, never to return, but those who heard the rumors became even more excited. The existence of the golden castle was enticing, but they were blinded by the abundance of precious mana stones underground.

Even a mana stone the size of a baby’s thumb was said to be enough to change one’s fate, fueling their greed.

More and more people flocked to the pit and vanished, leaving few survivors.

But among those who flocked this time were well-known adventurers and treasure hunters. Some of them succeeded in collecting mana stones.

“The world below may be the remnants of an ancient civilization that disappeared due to the wrath of the gods.”

The adventurers’ words were quite persuasive. People began to believe that the world inside the pit was a forgotten ancient city.

Even more people flocked in. Now, there were even those who organized large-scale expeditions to explore beyond the pit.

These expeditions were composed of experts in various fields, experienced and capable.

Naturally, the survival rate was higher, and many mana stones made their way into the world.

The world was turned upside down around that time.

“We will take over this pit.”

The demons, the natural enemies of humans, declared the world beyond the pit as their territory. Most of the adventurers who had flocked to obtain mana stones were killed by the demons, and more travelers and treasure hunters were driven away from the vicinity.

“The demons’ purpose is to gather the mana stones from the underground world and summon the Demon King. If they succeed, they will turn this world into a gloomy outpost.”

People began to heed the warning of a famous sage. Now the pit was not just a treasure trove full of mana stones, but a powder keg.

Armies from each country were dispatched, and famous knights and wizards flocked in, vowing to overthrow the demons. In the meantime, the hero’s clan, a legendary lineage, reappeared, and the saintess, known for her benevolence, joined their ranks.

The morale of the humans soared. Although the demons’ power was formidable, they had no doubt that they could win this sacred war.

Indeed, the potential of humans was great. Although the sacrifice was immense, they succeeded in purifying most of the areas contaminated by the demons, until only the world below the pit remained as the demons’ territory.

But the real war started then. The dark underground world was the demons’ domain, and countless famous knights and wizards lost their lives in the darkness.

To make matters worse, the demons cleverly manipulated the monsters of the underground world, who did not distinguish between friend and foe, to turn humans against each other.

Victories were followed by defeats, making the previous triumphs seem like a lie. Nevertheless, humans did not give up.

“If the Demon King descends, this world is doomed.”

The fear of the Demon King kept them fighting.

“Don’t give up. The blood we shed now will be the foundation for preventing a greater disaster in the future.”

Inspired by the hero’s struggle, humans mustered their last strength.

Finally, in the last battle, humans were puzzled that the demons’ base was located on the outskirts of the underground world, but they dismissed it as a trap.

They gathered their final forces and prepared for the decisive battle.

“Evil demons! Your vain dreams are over!”

“It’s a pity we couldn’t eradicate your bloodline, you eyesore,” the leader of the demons said, facing the hero, gnashing his teeth. But only for a moment. Soon, he smiled and said,

“But it’s already too late. All preparations have been completed, and now he will awaken.”

The hero and humans were shocked. Realizing that the ritual was not yet complete, they launched a fierce offensive. The demons desperately blocked the humans’ all-out attack.

“Now this underground world will become his complete territory. Nothing beneficial to humans will exist in a world full of death and magic.”

At the demon’s words, the hero and a few others risked their lives to charge forward. Many died or were injured before reaching the end, but they did not give up and finally reached the center of the ritual.

“Oh…….”

But it was too late. The magic circle, which had been shining intensely, was spewing out a gloomy aura.

“How could it be so fast!”

“The mana here was quite compatible with us. Thanks to that, we were able to procure what was lacking while proceeding with the ritual.”

The magic circle was constantly sucking in the surrounding earth and vitality. The monsters and humans caught in the terrible aura were dying, and the light of the magic circle intensified.

“I’ll buy you time! Please, hurry!”

The saintess stepped forward.

The saintess knelt and prayed reverently. The most sacred energy in the world descended upon her body, spreading out and suppressing the light of the magic circle.

“Hurry, while you have the chance!”

The hero, reaching the demons on the stepping stone of his comrades’ sacrifices, swung his divine sword and drove them away. But the demons were formidable opponents, and the hero grew increasingly impatient.

The saintess’s divine power was gradually weakening. She was loved by God, but there was a limit to how much divine power she could wield with a human body.

The energy of the magic circle, which had been suppressed, slowly began to strengthen again.

Again, the earth’s energy was sucked in, strengthening the magic circle, and pushing back the divine power.

“Heh heh. It’s almost time. He will soon awaken and crush your arrogance and hypocrisy!”

It was an obvious provocation, but the hero was helpless. His impatience made him clumsy, and he suffered a serious injury.

In the end, the hero could not stop the Demon King’s descent, and the ritual was coming to an end.

“Good. I can already feel his scent.”

The demon looked around at the desolate surroundings, depleted of earth’s energy, and shouted triumphantly.

The saintess, her divine power exhausted, vomited blood and lost consciousness. The magic circle, which had been slightly suppressed, began to shine even more fiercely.

“You!”

The hero despaired. Even the comrades who had been supporting him were surrounded by demons and were falling one by one. To make matters worse, the intensifying magic of the circle made it difficult to move.

He was angry and frustrated by his helplessness.

“Now this place will become a world where only death reigns, and he will descend and make the whole world like this!”

He couldn’t even stop the demon’s arrogant words. But someone stepped forward and silenced the demon.

“That might be a problem?”

“Are you also a companion of the hero!”

The demon, startled by the sudden intrusion, shouted, but quickly regained his composure and sneered.

“But no matter what you do, it’s too late. He has already decided to come here of his own will, and there is no one in the world who can stop him.”

At those words, a man with black hair and yellow skin frowned.

“Oh, I was too late.”

The demon, seeing the man’s gaze fixed on the magic circle, became even more excited and shouted.

“When he comes, he will use this land as the foundation of his kingdom and rule the world, and your death will be the foundation of that sacred beginning.”

“This guy is hilarious.”

The magic circle was gaining momentum, the demon was shouting menacingly, and none of it seemed to faze the newcomer. The man’s tone suggested he was merely annoyed by a barking dog.

“I left you alone because you seemed to know your place on the outskirts, but this behavior is ridiculous.”

“What is that…….”

Seeing the demon’s stunned face, the man, Kim Jin-woo, said with a displeased expression.

“This is my land, you bastards.”