Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 231

Dungeon Journal- Episode 232

I never imagined the Usurper would start moving at this timing. But Kim Jin-woo wasn’t anxious.

Because he wasn’t alone.

Mimir, who was immediately targeted as the first purge, was in the same situation, and there were High Lords who had awakened earlier.

There was no secret agreement, but it didn’t seem like the High Lords could coexist with the Usurper.

They, too, would probably start moving in some way.

However, it was difficult to cooperate with them right away.

Mimir didn’t seem to want to come forward, perhaps because he had his own agenda, and the Lord of Lamentation and other High Lords were too far away.

Besides, the Lord of Lamentation, with whom he had a secret agreement, must have been out of his mind after having something precious stolen by someone. He couldn’t expect any help at the moment.

Kim Jin-woo had taken out one insurance policy in preparation for such a day.

“The Underworld will soon become noisy, so keep your center and don’t be shaken.”

The bloodline of the Dragon Emperor, Agrippus, was in his hands.

“I will do my best to protect your labyrinth. But even if that’s not enough, I will separate life and death to relieve my son of his duty.”

Although there was a creepy condition attached, Agrippus was the first person he could ask for help in this situation.

But unlike expected, the Dragon Emperor didn’t visit the Grand Labyrinth. So Kim Jin-woo decided to find him himself.

“Please give me a chance to wash away my sins.”

Ortega, whom he met again, repeatedly begged to have his honor restored.

From his point of view, it sounded absurd for a coward to talk about honor, but he didn’t bother to say it out loud.

Even a coward had his uses now.

“Guide me to your father.”

At the sudden words, Ortega looked blank for a moment.

“A Dragon Emperor full of fatherly love, unlike you, must have left you a thread [a way to contact him].”

Ortega couldn’t answer easily. But probing the Drakhan’s naive inner thoughts was too easy for him.

“I’ll make all your past mistakes as if they never happened.”

“Really!”

As expected, this Drakhan was hopeless. The descendant of the proud Dragon race was so frivolous by nature that it was laughable.

Honor couldn’t be restored with just a word, but Ortega openly looked pleased at his words.

But he didn’t care. He had lived in a world where only killing and being killed, only survival was virtue, and honor was just a worthless illusion.

“So guide me.”

“I’ll do as you wish, so please keep your promise.”

The Drakhan, who had put his hand into the unknown material covering his scales, took out a familiar piece of parchment.

“A portal scroll.”

Kim Jin-woo smiled as he looked at the scroll he had seen several times through Mimir.

***

Meeting the Dragon Emperor wasn’t difficult. As soon as he tore the scroll and crossed the portal, colorful Drakhans surrounded him, and soon the Dragon Emperor appeared.

“You’re a slow one. I thought you’d come to me first.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. An explanation is needed.”

Kim Jin-woo frowned at the Dragon Emperor’s unexpected direction.

“What? Didn’t you get any contact from down there?”

“Contact? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

The Dragon Emperor really seemed to know nothing.

“This situation has become a bit difficult.”

Agrippus, who he thought would have received orders from the Usurper, hadn’t received any contact. When he explained the situation to the Dragon Emperor, who asked about the details, he soon looked serious.

“He seems to no longer trust me.”

As he said, he could only think that the Usurper had noticed some kind of secret agreement between them.

“Only my trusted subordinates know that Ortega is in my labyrinth.”

“I, too, have no reason to spread the word about the flaws of a clan that might become my successor.”

Just in case, he said, but the Dragon Emperor also kept security thoroughly and looked somewhat uneasy.

“Things have gone wrong.”

In this situation, all he could expect from the Dragon Emperor, who had been excluded by the Usurper, was force.

“I knew it was too easy.”

Since even Mimir had failed to find out the specific plan of the Usurper, his heart became heavier.

“Perhaps the Usurper’s blade is aimed not only at me.”

Since the Usurper didn’t trust anyone, there was no guarantee that the Dragon Emperor would be safe, given the excuse.

Although his own power and mighty army were outstanding, one hand couldn’t block ten hands [one person can’t fight many]. The Dragon Emperor also felt a sense of crisis, and his eyes were several times heavier than before.

“In this case, I need to strengthen my connection with you.”

The Dragon Emperor’s decision was surprisingly quick and firm.

“Are you okay? It’s different from just helping. Aren’t you also bound by the Dragon’s Oath of Loyalty?”

When he pointed out the characteristics of the Drakhan, who would end up being cursed if he didn’t keep what he said, the Dragon Emperor didn’t hide his displeasure.

“Master? A grown Drakhan only serves himself.”

It seemed that the relationship between the Dragon Emperor and the Usurper was closer to a deal than a master-servant relationship. Thanks to this, Kim Jin-woo, who had gained a reliable helper, couldn’t get information, but he was able to gain the Dragon Emperor as a reliable ally.

***

And soon Kim Jin-woo found the Lord of Lamentation. But she was still away from the labyrinth, and he couldn’t meet her.

In the end, Kim Jin-woo, who returned to the labyrinth without any results, began to strengthen his forces by releasing the enormous Down Gem provided by Mimir. But he felt that no matter how much he increased the number, it would only feel insufficient to him, who had already felt the lack of individual power while fighting the Satyrs.

Angela became a new alternative for him.

She, who had become incomparably powerful with the True Blood, soon began to form a force by selecting vampires who were drawn to the scent of the True Blood.

In fact, Angela’s position in the Grand Labyrinth had been somewhat ambiguous until then.

She didn’t roam the battlefield and take on difficult tasks like Morrigan and other summons, nor did she get involved in the major and minor affairs of the labyrinth and assist in its operation like Dominique and Rickshasha.

Just a vampire who aimlessly roams around her master. That was exactly the perception of others about Angela.

But her status completely changed after obtaining the True Blood.

What supported her was the vampires who had heard the rumors of the True Blood and flocked to her.

Hundreds of vampires fawned over the newly born Queen of True Blood as if they would take out their hearts, and didn’t hesitate to kneel at her feet and volunteer to be slaves.

In such a situation, it was not so strange that summons including Morrigan expressed severe concern.

It was no different from a group promoting a new queen among those who only supported one king, so it was no wonder that their eyes were not good [they were jealous].

“If you allow me, I will immediately wipe out those stupid guys who don’t even know who the master is.”

Kim Jin-woo was only lukewarm to Morrigan’s excited voice.

He was so nervous about the news that the Usurper had started moving that he had no intention of matching Morrigan’s tune at all.

“They have a useful purpose. So don’t worry about what the vampires do.”

“But!”

How many times is this? Kim Jin-woo sighed deeply.

“Never move without my permission.”

If there was anything that would undermine the dignity of the king, the summons of the Grand Labyrinth would remove the threat by any means.

So he couldn’t leave any room for it. Thanks to this, he had to worry every time the summons came to him.

“Heh, everyone seems to have a lot of complaints.”

Angela, who could be said to be the culprit of all this, had a smiling face as if she was enjoying the situation.

“I’m sure they don’t understand why I don’t take them in or take any action.”

“Now that it’s like this, why don’t you just take them as your subordinates?”

“You’re saying things you don’t mean.”

Kim Jin-woo knew it well. If he wanted, Angela would gladly hand over her family. But he had no intention of doing so.

The more followers a True Blood vampire has, the more powerful they become. Vampires were also more useful in many ways when they were with True Blood than when they were bound by a blood contract.

In such a situation, his reason was too cold to make irrational decisions with suspicion and jealousy.

“Even if you treat them as considerately as you treat Dominique and Rickshasha, these complaints won’t come out.”

However, the complaint was that Angela was deliberately neglecting the resentment of the radical summons, including Morrigan.

In fact, Dominique and Rickshasha didn’t express much concern about the luck given to her.

Rather, they were pleased with the fact that a new force had been created, so it was only the warmongers who looked down on the True Blood vampires.

And Angela enjoyed the pursuit of vampires as if she were teasing them.

It was a completely different attitude from when she treated Dominique and Rickshasha.

“Are you ignoring them on purpose? I can’t figure out why you treat them differently from her.”

Angela answered his question without saying anything.

“Because the master’s affection is different.”

A worthless answer, Kim Jin-woo didn’t answer.

***

The forces following Angela continued to grow. It was rather surprising where so many vampires were in the Underworld.

At first, Angela randomly took places near the residences of other races and drove the vampires together, but later she had no choice but to occupy and settle down in the entire western part of the outer edge of the Grand Labyrinth.

The number of vampires who came to her had already exceeded one thousand.

“I’m sad that I have less time to spend with Master.”

Angela was grumbling that she didn’t have enough time to make the newly joined vampires her family, but she knew better than anyone what was needed right now.

So she spared no effort to increase her family, even while complaining from time to time.

As a True Blood vampire who becomes stronger as her family grows, she became stronger day by day, and after a few days, she gained a power that no one except Kim Jin-woo could easily handle.

It was a truly amazing rate of growth.

At this point, even Dominique, who had trusted and neglected her to some extent, began to monitor the vampires with a sly look of concern.

Angela just looked happy to meet her master from time to time, whether Dominique did that or not.

“I couldn’t meet the deadline, but you will be satisfied with the results.”

After a week had passed, Kim Jin-woo was able to hear the news he had been waiting for so long. And at the same time, the Ant Hell finally arrived at the Grand Labyrinth.