Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 234

Dungeon Chronicle – Episode 235

# 235

Dungeon Chronicle

Episode 235

The Sentinels, creatures marked with bulging eye tattoos, are the last bastion of the Underworld and a nightmarish presence to the military and Seekers on the Surface. The name ‘Sentinel’ is etched in their minds with terror.

Everyone fears them, yet so little is known about them, and fear only grows in ignorance and mystery.

Even the most strong-willed Seekers have become wary of even mentioning their name after being soundly defeated by them not long ago.

“The Sentinel’s reason for existence is the absolute protection of the Underworld, a duty to a sacred value that takes precedence over everything else. Even if it is their master, if they pose a threat to the safety of the Underworld, they will gladly bite their master’s throat and throw themselves to their death. That is what a Sentinel is.”

Mimir had warned him several times when he was still wavering between the Underworld and the Surface.

“No one in the Underworld knows what they look like normally. Perhaps they are closer than you think, or perhaps they are far away. Even the Dukes residing in the deepest parts of the Abyss have given up trying to figure out who they are. They simply hope that they do not exist in the worst form they can imagine.”

A blade plunges into the bed, and a neck is silently severed on the throne. It was a terrible thing to even imagine.

What was even more frightening was that such imaginings were becoming a reality, not just a concern.

In fact, the one who attacked Anatolius was said to be the aide that the Iron-Blooded Giant trusted the most, so it was no wonder that Brunhilde said that no one could be trusted.

“Anyone can become a Sentinel. Perhaps someone among us is that cursed Sentinel.”

She had not yet explained why they had formed an alliance, even at the risk of a Sentinel being mixed in among them, or why they had come all the way to the distant 9th Floor to tell this story.

“Why me of all people?”

“Because I am certain that you, at least, cannot become a Sentinel, nor can you side with them.”

Brunhilde answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“You are a Surface dweller. No, more than that, you are a High Lord, aren’t you?”

Only then could Jinwoo Kim understand. Ironically, he, a human from the Surface, was the most reliable partner in the chaotic Underworld.

“I asked a stupid question.”

He gave a wry smile as he belatedly realized this fact. He had forgotten the most basic fact while focusing on the Sentinels for a moment, and all the conversations he had had so far had been in vain.

“I’m not asking you to answer right away. I just want you to know that our Counts are not your enemies.”

But gaining enlightenment did not change the situation. If even the Counts of the Abyss could not be trusted, as she said, then he could not trust her either.

“I am not a Sentinel.”

“Words can say anything.”

Brunhilde replied to his words as if she had been waiting for them.

“Have you forgotten?”

Kim Jinwoo stood still and waited for an explanation, wondering what this was all about.

“Where you and Tyrant met for the first time.”

He frowned for a moment, then his eyes flashed as he belatedly understood the meaning.

“Don’t tell me.”

“That’s right. Even if the Counts aren’t, at least I’m on your side.”

She whispered in a more friendly tone.

“I have already decided to side with the Surface.”

***

Left alone, Jinwoo Kim unconsciously turned around and stroked the back of his neck.

Unlike the ever-changing situation outside the Labyrinth, the silence of the Great Labyrinth, which was usually so quiet, felt particularly heavy today.

Could there be a Sentinel on the 9th Floor? *I don’t know*, he thought.

Brunhilde said that the Naga Labyrinth, being a new Labyrinth, was less likely to have a Sentinel, and even if there was one, its power would be weak. But she didn’t sound very sure.

Although the Great Labyrinth was created by devouring most of the Labyrinths and even swallowing its members, some races survived to the end and established themselves in the Great Labyrinth. Perhaps there were Sentinels among them.

In the worst case, there may even be one among the Nagas.

“It’s a long shot.”

A word he couldn’t hold back finally crossed his throat.

***

He had heard the warning about the Sentinels, but there was no way to weed them out right now.

Even after searching all around with the Eye of Truth, he could not find any signs of a Sentinel, let alone a Sentinel.

If they were so easy to filter out, the beings of the Abyss would not have been so troubled, and Anatolius would not have been ambushed.

In the end, Kim Jinwoo had to end the search, leaving a lingering feeling.

For now, the only thing he could do was to summon the ancient summons whose allies and enemies were certain and protect at least one Owner Room.

“Hoo.”

The stress of not being able to fully trust his allies was unimaginable. But he had to endure it.

He absolutely did not want to ruin things by being bound by affection. So he was ruthless and restricted access to the center for almost all summons, including Angela.

There was no way that the quick-witted Angela would not have noticed that her master’s attitude was strange. But she didn’t bother to ask why; she just looked slightly sad.

“Angela, I’ll explain later.”

Even the most cold-hearted person wouldn’t feel good about it. But even so, he did not withdraw his order, and the Great Labyrinth was creaking and barely running, divided into inside and outside.

“My Lord.”

In the meantime, Rickshasha came to see him. Rickshasha, a descendant of the Fairy Lord, was almost the only being he could trust, except for the ancient summons. Naturally, he was happy to see her visit.

“Rickshasha.”

Rickshasha, who had come up to him at his words, prostrated herself at his feet and said.

“The Queen of Dreams, Ariane, has awakened!”

Kim Jinwoo, hearing the news of Ariane, headed straight for the outskirts of the Great Labyrinth. Arriving at the place that was once the residence of the Succubi, he found Ariane staring blankly into the air.

“Ariane.”

Ariane, who had regained consciousness after a long time, turned to him with a rather dazed face.

“My King.”

“You’ve finally awakened.”

She had said that she would not return until she had overthrown the Nightmare Dinari, so she must have come to some kind of conclusion.

“Let’s hear the report first.”

When he brought up the main point right away, Ariane belatedly brought an expression to her dazed face.

“No one will ever……”

As she slowly began to speak, a light of joy gradually spread across her pale face and soon filled it.

“No one will be able to put a nightmare before the name of the Dream.”

It was truly amazing that she, who had only ruled over two hundred Succubi, had overthrown a Count of the Abyss. As such, her face was full of pride.

“Did you break Dinari?”

He asked again, just in case, and she answered once more.

“The name Nightmare Dinari no longer exists.”

“Ah…….”

Kim Jinwoo could neither laugh nor frown.

That was because Yunhee was the first person he thought of when he heard her words. Nightmare Dinari was Yunhee’s father before he was a Count of the Abyss.

But he didn’t feel sorry or apologetic.

Dinari was never an affectionate father, and he was a cold-blooded man who used even his own bloodline for his greed for the High Lord’s power. In fact, Yunhee was so afraid of her father that she had fled to the Surface, where his power could not reach.

Yunhee would never blame him and Ariane for Dinari’s fall.

“I couldn’t take the Count’s seat, but I was able to obtain his power in its entirety.”

Ariane didn’t show any immediate noticeable changes, considering that she had swallowed a being as big as a Count. It seemed that it would take some time to fully absorb that power.

But that was a good thing anyway. From the beginning, he wasn’t very interested in whether the Queen of Dreams became stronger or not.

“Okay, let’s continue the rest of the story later.”

He turned away, watching Ariane stagger and complain of exhaustion.

***

The balance of the 11th Floor had collapsed. Anatolius was ambushed by the Sentinel and seriously injured, and Dinari was killed in a nightmare after being robbed of his power by the Queen of Dreams.

The balance between the Counts, who had been wary of each other with similar power, had been completely broken.

“No, even before that.”

The Underworld, where floors were touching floors, meant that the collapse of the balance was not just a problem on the 11th Floor. Perhaps the incident had accelerated the collapse even further.

So he decided to check the situation on the 11th Floor.

It had been a long time since he had seen with his own eyes that the Great Labyrinth’s replicas were slowly encroaching on the Counts’ territories, and by now the encroachment would have progressed much further.

Instead of letting someone else benefit from his hard work, he had to check the situation now and extract as much profit as possible, if possible.

If he was lucky, he might be able to absorb the Counts’ power as it is without lifting a finger.

“Alliance, my foot…….”

He thought of Brunhilde, who had come to him and asked for cooperation, but he ignored her.

After all, he could not trust the Counts, and he had no intention of being used again after being exploited in the Underworld for more than a decade.

Besides, this was a time when he desperately needed power. He didn’t care what happened to the Counts.

But in the end, he couldn’t go to the 11th Floor. Just as he was about to head to the 11th Floor, a messenger sent by the Queen of Corruption visited the Great Labyrinth.

“It’s been a while.”

This Underworld noble, who came in place of his master, bowed his head with a much paler complexion than when he had seen him before, wondering what had happened.

“You and your master must be quite busy, so what brings you here?”

He had been interrupted just as he was about to move, so his attitude was not good.

“Nightmare Dinari has been attacked.”

Kim Jinwoo frowned. He was already in a bad mood because he had been interrupted, and all he was saying was something he already knew.

“So?”

Even with his cold reply, Tyrant replied without showing any signs of embarrassment.

“We found traces of the Sentinel on Dinari’s body.”