Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 126

Dungeon Journal-127

#50. Impending War

Kim Jin-woo, having dealt with Marcus and the Blood Lions, frowned at the Under Elves, who were still trembling on the ground.

The Under Elf tribe didn’t even dare to lift their heads, overwhelmed by the Nagas who had so easily handled the predators they had been begging for their lives from.

Their 모습 [Korean: appearance] was so pathetic and abject that his gaze turned cold.

“Worthless.”

That was all it took. With that one word, the fate of the Under Elves was sealed.

“As the Master wills.”

Even Rickshasha, the only one who could have defended the Under Elves, didn’t speak. She simply bowed her head deeply, accepting the fate of her tribe.

“Dragon Knights, collect the corpses of Marcus and the Blood Lions and return to the Labyrinth!”

With those words, Kim Jin-woo turned away, averting his gaze from the Under Elves.

The Dragon Knights skillfully collected the bodies of the Blood Lions and Marcus.

“Rickshasha, what should we do?”

Only then did one of the Under Elves, who had been blankly prostrate on the ground, cautiously ask Rickshasha.

The Under Elf trembled, his 모습 [Korean: appearance] so pathetically begging for his fate. Perhaps that was why Rickshasha’s expression darkened even more.

“The sanctuary you spoke of…”

Startled by Rickshasha’s silence, the Under Elf clung to her, pleading. The battlefield, thick with the smell of blood, was perfect for attracting creatures.

Soon, wild creatures would swarm the area.

And those creatures would drool at the sight of the Under Elves waiting for them, instead of the fragrant corpses.

Realizing their future, the Under Elves cautiously raised their heads one by one, looking at the Nagas and Rickshasha.

But Kim Jin-woo didn’t tell them their fate.

Rickshasha, too, simply stood by his side and turned away instead of answering. When Morrigan also left the scene following Kim Jin-woo, the Under Elves, left alone, glanced around nervously before cautiously getting up at the sight of the Dragon Knights who hadn’t left yet.

Then, they began to follow them.

***

“That was a pointless act.”

“I have no excuse to the Master. I never imagined the decline of our tribe would be so miserable.”

“I’m not blaming you. Anyway, you’ve returned, and that’s enough. It’s just a pity that you went through unnecessary hardship.”

Kim Jin-woo, recalling the wretched 모습 [Korean: appearance] of the Under Elves, judged that they were worth less than Rickshasha’s severed hair. Once he thought that way, he almost felt sorry for Rickshasha’s needless suffering.

“Is there anything you want to say?”

He couldn’t see Rickshasha’s expression as she kept her head down, but he could tell that she was hesitating about something. And he could guess what she was about to say.

“You seem concerned about your own kind.”

“How dare I defend them before the Master? I simply regret that I cannot be of help to the Master.”

Rickshasha hadn’t defended her tribe even when Kim Jin-woo had practically abandoned the Under Elves and turned away.

It was strange that she was now showing hesitation in front of him. He asked her the reason.

“They are inherently natural scouts. Although their minds and bodies have been corrupted by long years of slavery, they will surely do their part when the time comes.”

“Are you suggesting we give them a chance?”

In fact, if Rickshasha asked, it wouldn’t be difficult to create a place for the Under Elf tribe, which numbered less than 300, to settle down. After all, he was the ruler who had the entire 9th floor under his control.

But Rickshasha shook her head, saying that she had never even dared to think of such a thing.

“They have been raised like livestock and think like beasts, so the word ‘opportunity’ is not appropriate for them. However, they may still have some use…”

“You seem to have something in mind.”

“Entrust them with scouting the lower levels.”

Kim Jin-woo’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.

“Do not waste the precious Nagas, but use these worthless ones. Although there will be sacrifices, there will surely be some 成果 [Korean: results, outcomes].”

“You’re cold. Aren’t they still your tribe?”

“If it is to achieve the Master’s glory, I would sell not only my tribe but even my own soul.”

Even though he had sent the Gluttony Masses down to the 11th floor, it was true that he was having difficulty obtaining information.

The Gluttony Masses that left the floor weakened over time and eventually disappeared, and even those that did mostly perished in the war on the 11th floor before reaching the end of their lifespan.

As such, he couldn’t help but be tempted by Rickshasha’s proposal.

“But with them being so fearful, what can they do?”

“Even beasts have families, and there is maternal and paternal love.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I first found the tribe, I selected and led those with families.”

He could guess the rest even without her saying it. Rickshasha was suggesting that they use the families as hostages and drive the Under Elves to their deaths.

Kim Jin-woo was almost dumbfounded by her ruthlessness, which didn’t even consider her own tribe.

“Still, they are your tribe. If you just say the word, I can provide them with a safe place to live.”

Rickshasha shook her head at his question.

“The Master’s mercy is not appropriate for those who cannot prove their own worth. Just treat them like beasts and slaughter them like livestock.”

Kim Jin-woo examined Rickshasha’s expression, but he didn’t see any signs that she was testing him.

Her unwavering devotion reminded him of the message he had seen when she had grown into an Under Elf Runner.

‘This wanderer, who roamed the underground without pride, has finally learned what pride is after serving the King and offering true loyalty. Her pride is the glory and victory of the King, and she will not hesitate to do anything for it. Even if it is something more dirty and vile than anything else, it is the greatest glory and joy for her.’

‘Unique ability, ‘Loyalty and Service’ has been created. She finds true joy and pleasure in carrying out the King’s orders. If it is the King’s command, she will gladly smile and stab her own tribe in the back.’

It wasn’t a lie. Right now, she was showing her resolve to drive her own tribe to their deaths for the sake of the fortress and his benefit.

“Hmm. Let’s go back and decide.”

He didn’t give the returning Dragon Knights any specific instructions regarding the treatment of the Under Elves. They would probably run through the underground as usual and return to the fortress. And if the Under Elves still thought of the fortress as their settlement, they would have to grit their teeth and chase after the Dragon Knights.

But it wouldn’t be easy.

The Naga Dragon Knights were known for their swift marches and elusive maneuvers even on the 9th floor.

If they didn’t fall behind and arrived at the fortress, he would accept the Under Elves.

After that, whether he would send them to the 11th floor like consumables, as Rickshasha had said, or find another use for them, he was planning to provide them with a place to rest for the time being.

“As the Master wills.”

Rickshasha seemed to think that she had overstepped her bounds, as she belatedly bowed her head deeply and retreated. Kim Jin-woo, who had been quietly watching her, began to move again.

“First, let’s deal with Marcus’s Labyrinth. If it’s left unattended for too long, flies will gather.”

***

Marcus’s Labyrinth, having already lost its master, was as silent as death. Naturally, Kim Jin-woo was able to reach the core of the Labyrinth without any hindrance or resistance.

“Oh. There was a decent Labyrinth on the 8th floor.”

The core of Marcus’s Labyrinth, which he had thought would be at best a Rank 5 considering the difference in floors, was actually Rank 6.

Moreover, the Dungeon Energy it contained was close to its limit, so from his perspective, he had unexpectedly struck it rich.

“I heard that the leader of the Great Mother Boars sought refuge on the 9th floor after being pushed back by the Blood Lions. Although it is now a worthless name due to the Master’s 威严 [Korean: majesty, dignity], it is not surprising that Marcus, who was a strongman representing one floor, had accumulated this much power.”

Rickshasha subtly told him the information she had gathered about the 8th floor.

“That’s right. It’s quite useful. At this rate, I can activate it immediately and use it as a force.”

Kim Jin-woo nodded in agreement with a satisfied expression. But only for a moment, as a look of concern appeared on his face.

He didn’t know when, but the war on the 11th floor would soon spread throughout the underground. He wasn’t sure if he would have the 余裕 [Korean: leeway, margin] to worry about the Labyrinth on the 8th floor in the midst of that.

If he were to advance to the 8th floor in the future, there would be no better place to use as a bridgehead, but he had to avoid expanding the front lines.

So, after much deliberation, he decided to extract the core of the Labyrinth.

“Let’s go back!”

Kim Jin-woo, who had extracted the core and transferred it to the remaining Supreme-grade Down Gem, left the Labyrinth that had lost its heart without any regrets.

***

The return journey was smooth. Marcus’s Labyrinth itself was at the edge of the 8th floor, and the entire 9th floor was under his control, so there was no reason for it not to be smooth.

“Master!”

He smiled at Dominique’s warm welcome and glanced at her smooth legs. Seeing this shameless advisor showing off her long legs, it seemed to be night.

“The Dragon Knights?”

“They all returned as they were and are now resting. But they brought back some strange things.”

Dominique frowned as she replied to his question. It wasn’t difficult to guess what she meant by ‘strange things’.

“How many came?”

“Including the young and old, injured and healthy, two hundred and forty-nine. I’ve gathered them all on the outskirts for now.”

Dominique answered casually, cutting off the unnecessary details. Hearing her answer, Kim Jin-woo couldn’t help but look at Rickshasha, surprised by the smaller-than-expected number of stragglers.

“They are skilled at running away and hiding.”

This ruthless Under Elf still didn’t like her own tribe. He wondered why she had bothered to gather the tribe in the first place if she was going to treat them like this. It was clear that she had lost all affection for her tribe on this outing.

“What should we do?”

“Leave them as they are for now. But assign a watcher to report their conversations and every move to me.”

It seemed that Kim Jin-woo had no intention of ending the Under Elves’ test easily. Dominique nodded at his words and reported based on the information she had gathered.

The situation on the 11th floor was still deteriorating, and there were even reports that some of the Barons on the 10th floor were gathering troops to support the Earl on the 11th floor.

In addition, news came that Anatolius’s army had been defeated by the enemy on the 11th floor, and the Parthenon’s Pride, the Dispair Priests, had also suffered severe damage and retreated.

“The Earls on the 11th floor need to hold out longer.”

Kim Jin-woo still needed Anatolius.

Although material support had been completely cut off, the information he obtained from the Earls on the 11th floor in exchange for the secret agreement was not insignificant, so it was in his interest for Anatolius to hold out a little longer for the sake of the future.

However, Dominique expressed concern, saying that Anatolius was one of the Earls who had suffered the most damage.

“No. He won’t be defeated so easily. There’s no way that sly guy would have poured all his forces into the war.”

“I think the same way. If it’s Anatolius, he must have hidden his forces in order to move after the war is over. However, I doubt that he will have the opportunity to plan for the aftermath of the war if the war lasts longer than expected.”

Dominique was more pessimistic about the war situation than he had thought. Well, the Earls who were repeatedly defeated even in the battles taking place in their own front yards couldn’t say that the war situation was good, even as a joke.

As Kim Jin-woo discussed the situation on the 11th floor, he felt the shadow of the approaching war more keenly.

It wasn’t far off. The war that had swept the 11th floor would surely come to the 9th floor as well.

Clenching his fist, he spurred on the preparations for war, going back and forth between the underground and the surface.

He exchanged a significant amount of the Down Gems he possessed for weapons on the surface, and in the process, he latched onto Song Jong-chul’s weaknesses.

As if he had something to hide, Song Jong-chul uncomplainingly provided him with the ‘real war weapons’ he had requested.

He didn’t know what role the weapons from the surface would play in the upcoming war, but he prepared for the war by exerting as much skill as he could.

Kim Jin-woo, who had been frantically going back and forth between the underground and the surface, exhausted and weary, fell asleep on the throne.

And he was once again invited to a nightmare.