Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 108

Dungeon Chronicle – Episode 109

# 109

Dungeon Chronicle

Episode 109

“It’s Dinariyon. Others call me the Lord of Nightmares.”

The man, no, Dinariyon’s smile was eerily similar to Yunhee’s.

“Damn it. I knew that wretched dream was your doing.”

Kim Jin-woo wouldn’t normally speak so rudely to a Count of the Abyss, but today he couldn’t help himself.

He wasn’t sure if it was because it was a dream or because it reminded him of his most hated days as a tunnel rat.

But it was clear that having a part of his subconscious revealed to someone else was a rather unpleasant experience.

“My apologies. It’s just that this is how my ability works, so there was no other way.”

Dinariyon apologized with a face that showed no remorse. Kim Jin-woo had to swallow the curses that rose to the tip of his tongue at his detestable appearance.

“Is this your nightmare? It’s not as bad as I thought.”

Dinariyon, who had been observing the stagnant and filthy tunnel, made a brief remark after the world had stopped the moment Kim Jin-woo realized it was a dream.

“Shut up! You’re snooping around in my dream without permission!”

“Oh dear, I’ve really earned your hatred.”

Kim Jin-woo gritted his teeth at his nonchalant expression and asked.

“What’s the reason you came to find me?”

He barely managed to sort out his muddled mind, a result of the nightmare, and asked about his business. A Count of the Abyss wouldn’t come without a reason.

And as he suspected, Dinariyon had a separate matter to discuss.

“Would it seem too foolish if I said it was because of my daughter?”

“You’ve come because of Yunhee.”

At this point, there was no need to hide it. Besides, it was clear that Dinariyon’s business had to be concluded first to wake up from this wretched dream.

So, he accepted Dinariyon’s words without beating around the bush.

“I heard that you took in my lovely daughter.”

“So, are you here to take her back?”

Dinariyon slowly shook his head at Kim Jin-woo’s sharp question.

“Of course not. She’s already out of my hands. I have no intention of acting like a father now. Of course, things would be different if there were problems with her safety, but she seems to be doing quite well.”

“Then what’s the reason you came?”

If he wasn’t thinking of suddenly claiming custody, he couldn’t guess why he had come. So, Kim Jin-woo forcibly cooled his head.

“I came to give a warning.”

Dinariyon’s expression, which had been slippery, hardened coldly.

“A warning?”

Kim Jin-woo frowned at the vague answer that lacked both subject and object.

“The Parthenon will be moving soon.”

He raised his chin as if to say, what is this nonsense, and asked for more explanation.

“I heard you gave them a pretty cute gift? It seems they’re trying to return the favor thanks to that.”

“But if they move rashly, the other Counts won’t stand still, will they?”

“You seem to know the situation on the 11th floor quite well. Did Anatolius of the Iron Blood tell you?”

“What if he did?”

No matter how deep the Parthenon’s grudge was, they wouldn’t be able to easily move their body as long as the other Counts were keeping them in check.

Perhaps that’s why Kim Jin-woo didn’t feel much of a sense of crisis even at the mention of the Parthenon moving. But it was a misjudgment.

“I want to tell you not to trust Anatolius. Because this time, Anatolius won’t be able to help you either.”

“Why?”

“I can’t tell you the reason. But I can guarantee this much. Anatolius can’t move even if the Parthenon leaves their territory completely empty. He won’t be able to dispatch a single knight.”

Could it be that there’s been a change in the landscape of the 11th floor? Kim Jin-woo wore a serious expression at Dinariyon’s strangely confident words.

That’s because if there was no check from Anatolius, the Parthenon couldn’t be restrained.

And the Parthenon, with its reins released like that, would come running with sweat on its feet to trample the arrogant crow and the Naga King.

But that’s it.

As long as the inter-floor penalty existed, the Parthenon could never reach the Naga’s fortress.

“The Parthenon’s army that has left the 11th floor is nothing more than a joke.”

“Don’t be so quick to judge.”

Dinariyon narrowed his eyes and warned.

“The Counts of the Abyss are several times more tenacious and cunning than you think.”

It seemed there was a way to overcome the inter-floor penalty. Otherwise, Dinariyon wouldn’t have warned so strongly.

“I’ll be careful.”

“I’m glad you understand. Arrogance and self-righteousness will only eat away at you.”

Was that all he had to say? Dinariyon, who had closed his mouth, was becoming blurry as if he would disappear at any moment.

“I have one question.”

At his words, Dinariyon, who had been blurring, became clear again.

“The Invincible Mercenary, did you send them?”

Dinariyon didn’t answer. But seeing the slightly raised corner of his mouth, Kim Jin-woo could be sure.

Krassto and his mercenary band were definitely sent by Dinariyon. He didn’t know the reason, but Dinariyon was quite favorable to him.

“Then, until we meet again, may luck be with you.”

“Wait!”

Kim Jin-woo grabbed Dinariyon, who was now saying his farewells. He gave a cold smile to Dinariyon, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

“Hmm?”

Dinariyon widened his eyes at the somehow eerie smile. And at that moment, Kim Jin-woo’s fist struck his face.

“I have to get the price for the nightmare, you son of a bitch!”

***

Waking up from his sleep, Dinariyon unconsciously stroked his face. It was because the fist that had rushed at him as if to shatter his face at the last moment was still vivid.

“Keuk.”

The corners of Dinariyon’s mouth twisted as he stroked his cheek with a blank expression.

“Hahahahaha!”

The small crack-like chuckle soon became a loud laugh. Dinariyon’s laughter didn’t stop for a long time, as if something was funny.

“Yunhee has drawn quite a good card.”

Dinariyon, who had finally stopped laughing, sat on the throne and tapped his legs. His gaze seemed to be looking somewhere far beyond the darkness.

“My pitiful and lovely daughter, unfortunately, your fight is not over, so I hope you will struggle and survive until the very end.”

Dinariyon’s words, with eyes so cold they were eerie, echoed in the darkness.

***

Kim Jin-woo was in a bad mood all day. Thanks to Dinariyon, the faintly faded ghosts of the past had become clear again.

Lee Ji-seok, a sergeant in the Republic of Korea Army, Jang Ki-soo, an officer, Oh Hyun-il, a cook, Lee Ji-woong, a technician, and Jung Young-tae, a reporter.

The forgotten names rose like scabs on old, faded wounds.

“Master?”

Was he making a scary face without realizing it? Dominique called him with a worried expression.

“Ah, sorry. I had a bad dream.”

“Did you have a nightmare?”

Dominique’s eyes, which had come closer, were full of concern. Seeing that pure goodwill and trust, the heavily sinking heart seemed to lighten a little. So, he was able to force a smile.

“Dominique.”

“Yes, Master.”

“The Parthenon seems to be moving.”

He quickly explained the conversation with Dinariyon. Dominique, who had heard the whole story, said with a serious face.

“If the Parthenon’s army comes up to the 9th floor while maintaining its power, no one will be able to stop them.”

“If it’s the main force of a Count from the 11th floor, that’s definitely the case.”

After all, Balzac, whom Anatolius had deemed useless and abandoned, was among the strong in the Naga’s fortress. In such a situation, it was clear without anyone telling him that the power of a Count could not be compared to that of the 9th floor.

“But that doesn’t mean we’ll lose.”

Nevertheless, Dominique mentioned invincibility. It seemed she had a good idea.

“Is there a way?”

“Yes. Please give me some time.”

It was Dominique who said it, not anyone else. There was no reason to disagree with her confident words.

She was the true advisor who had been with the Naga’s fortress since the moment it was born.

“Just in case, make sure Dominique takes the best one when the summoning stone production is finished.”

“Thank you, Master.”

She rummaged through the entire 9th floor and dragged all sorts of creatures. The creatures that had been gathered in that way were becoming the materials for the summoning stones, so soon the Naga’s fortress would not be able to handle the overflowing summoning stones.

And those summoning stones would make a great contribution to the growth of the Nagas.

“I’ll be away for a while. If anything happens, send a message to the party hall.”

Kim Jin-woo, who had risen from the throne, opened a portal. He crossed the space that had cracked open and reached the party hall.

“Your Majesty.”

Yunhee, who seemed to be in the owner’s room, hurriedly came down from the throne as soon as she saw him. Kim Jin-woo, who sat in that seat with a natural attitude, said to her.

“I met the Lord of Nightmares.”

“Ah……”

Even she, who never had any expression, widened her eyes and looked surprised this time, as if she had been caught off guard.

“Perhaps……”

“No. Dinariyon didn’t come to take you back.”

Was she expecting something? A complex light floated on her face. He watched her without missing that sign and asked.

“Are you still attached?”

“There’s no way I’d be attached now. I was just surprised.”

She quickly regained her composure and answered with a blank face.

“Really? But I wonder if Dinariyon would think the same?”

“What does that……”

Yunhee once said with her own mouth. That she was Dinariyon’s most beloved daughter. And Kim Jin-woo, who had actually met Dinariyon, felt the same way.

Thanks to that, he could vaguely understand.

Dinariyon wanted something from Yunhee.

He didn’t know what it was, but he thought that perhaps Dinariyon had a hand in the fact that Yunhee had flowed into the auction house.

“Anatolius wanted the landscape of the 11th floor to change. And perhaps Dinariyon may also be waiting for some kind of change.”

Yunhee, who had heard his words, fell into thought without answering. Kim Jin-woo, who had been quietly watching her, left a word and left the party hall.

“I’ll give you time to think. You’ll be able to know what Dinariyon is thinking.”

***

Anatolius’s message arrived through the black marketeer.

“It was true.”

Kim Jin-woo spat out a groan after reading the contents written on the parchment. As Dinariyon had foreseen, Anatolius said that his feet were tied and that he could no longer keep the Parthenon in check.

And along with that, he informed him that the Parthenon was summoning the Disciples of Despair.

“Are you alright?”

Kim Jin-woo raised his head at the black marketeer’s words.

“It seems you know about it too. What happened on the 11th floor?”

He asked just in case, but the black marketeer, as expected, did not answer.

“Is it something I shouldn’t know?”

This time too, the black marketeer kept his mouth shut and avoided answering.

“I understand. I’ve received the letter, so please leave.”

Now that the Parthenon’s invasion was realistically approaching, there was no time to hang out with the black marketeer.

He had to immediately summon Woo Seo to spread the Gluttony Mass to the 10th floor and prepare Boreas’s Labyrinth, the Frozen Land.

Because Boreas and his warriors would be the first to face the Parthenon’s army that had come up from the 11th floor.

“Is there something more you want to say?”

But for some reason, the black marketeer was hesitating without leaving.