Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 267

Dungeon Journal – Episode 268

# 268

Dungeon Journal

94. Secondary Restoration.

Violent tremors and shocks, the constant eerie howling of the wind; Kim Jin-woo felt as if he had returned to that day of the first restoration.

Everything was the same. The only difference was that he and the Great Labyrinth were prepared.

“Dominique!”

No sooner had he spoken than Dominique appeared and reported,

“So far, there’s been minor damage, but nothing noticeably dangerous! We might even be able to withstand it without major damage!”

She nearly collapsed several times from the violent tremors, but she managed to finish her report.

“It seems like it was worth pushing Daedalus so hard.”

The Great Labyrinth’s pillars and walls, reinforced several times, did not easily collapse despite the violent tremors.

However, he couldn’t relax just because the situation seemed better than expected. The Underworld was a monster that thrived on complacency. There was no telling when or how it would stab you in the back.

“Then I’ll move immediately!”

As if telepathically connected, Dominique, who had grown into a Naga Queen and shared her master’s thoughts, moved with the agility of a tongue in the mouth.

Dominique disappeared, and he, left alone, looked around the labyrinth, which was suffering from the violent tremors, and muttered to himself.

“Being caught off guard is enough for once.”

The first time, he was caught completely unaware, but he had no intention of repeating the same mistake twice. Everything he had prepared for this day was supporting the Great Labyrinth to prevent it from collapsing.

[The Great Labyrinth is emitting cold air on its own, creating thick ice barriers. These solid ice pillars and walls will withstand the strong tremors, preventing the labyrinth from easily collapsing.]

[Summons are beginning to evacuate to shelters prepared in various parts of the Great Labyrinth. Currently, 17% of the forces have completed evacuation.]

[However, despite thorough preparations, it was impossible to completely prevent damage. The durability of the outer facilities continues to decline.]

Even so, this terrible disaster was forcing him to make a choice.

“Abandon the defense of the outer areas and concentrate energy to protect important facilities.”

In the end, he had to abandon the outer areas after watching the steadily accumulating damage.

No sooner had his order been given than the Great Labyrinth wailed, and messages appeared one after another, indicating that the outer facilities were being destroyed.

His stomach churned, but he didn’t lose his composure because the damage was still within an acceptable range.

“I should start moving too.”

He wanted to sit in the owner’s room and monitor the Great Labyrinth’s status, but it was time to move. To prepare for potential damage to the cores, the Great Labyrinth would completely freeze this place, and the passage, frozen to the point where only one Naga could pass, would also be closed.

Crack.

No sooner had he stepped out the door than the spacious owner’s room froze solid. Kim Jin-woo, looking at the three cores still shining brilliantly beyond the blue ice wall, soon moved to the designated shelter.

“Master!”

Dominique, who had been waiting in the shelter, greeted him happily.

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

She must have known he was safe through their connection, but she didn’t seem to be relieved until she saw it with her own eyes. Or so it seemed.

Feeling that her relief was a bit excessive, Kim Jin-woo looked around and belatedly noticed the strange atmosphere in the shelter.

On the right were nobles, including Anatolius, and on the other side were Morrigan and the summons from the original labyrinth. Their stiff faces showed that the atmosphere was definitely not friendly.

It wasn’t hard to figure out the situation.

It was clear that the nobles, who had been subdued due to their lack of power, had formed a separate faction with Anatolius as their center. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to divide and confront each other like that.

“Unbelievable.”

The current earthquake was definitely not an ordinary one. The disaster that had annihilated countless labyrinths on all floors was happening again.

Even though the Great Labyrinth, reinforced with ice walls, was holding up well, no one could predict what would happen.

To be fighting over dominance in such a situation was simply absurd.

“Have they lost their minds?”

At his quiet words, the faces of the summons, including Morrigan, who had been glaring fiercely, turned pale.

They hurriedly suppressed their energy and lowered their eyes. When his displeasure didn’t subside, they prostrated themselves and begged for forgiveness.

The nobles, who had been standing behind Anatolius and watching the situation, also lowered their bodies, following the summons of the Great Labyrinth.

Only the Iron-Blooded Giant seemed bewildered by the sudden change in the situation.

“Anatolius.”

Kim Jin-woo called the Iron-Blooded Count in a dry voice.

“Don’t be mistaken. You are no longer the noble count of the Underworld, nor the master of the labyrinth.”

He didn’t yell or threaten. He simply stated the reality.

But somehow, there was something eerie in his voice. Even Anatolius, who had been standing upright, awkwardly bent his back.

“I don’t like it.”

Was it because he had accepted him too readily as a subordinate, unlike the others? Or was he overconfident in his power, having once been one of the rulers of the deep layers? Anatolius still hadn’t completely suppressed his energy.

It seemed necessary to remind him of his position at this point.

“Master.”

Just as he was about to take action, Angela suddenly appeared from the darkness.

“Please leave his disposal to me.”

She suddenly begged him to let her handle Anatolius.

“I know you owe him a debt, but this is not the time to bring up trivial grudges.”

At his words, Angela curved her eyes.

“You still don’t know what vampires are.”

What was she talking about? Angela disappeared into thin air, as if she had been extinguished. And when she reappeared, she was behind Anatolius.

“For our clan, only contracts matter.”

“Hmm.”

He exclaimed at Angela’s elusive movements, which had become even harder to detect since she had obtained the Reverse Side [a unique ability or power].

“Everything else is just food.”

Anatolius belatedly turned his head, startled by the voice coming from behind him.

“Everything is just food.”

But Angela was faster. She mercilessly sank her fangs into Anatolius’s neck and smiled eerily.

“Kuh-uh-uh.”

Anatolius was unusually powerless for such a large figure. The moment her teeth touched him, he gave up resisting and only groaned.

Thud.

A moment later, Anatolius lay sprawled on the floor in an unsightly manner.

“I didn’t kill him. I thought you might have a use for him.”

Angela nonchalantly wiped the Iron-Blood [likely referring to Anatolius’ blood] flowing from her mouth. Even the boiling blood of the giant was merely a refreshment for a true vampire.

“Iron-Blooded Anatolius. He’s not stupid, so he probably realizes it now.”

She crouched in front of the fallen Iron-Blooded Giant and said,

“Forget what you were in the past and how great you were. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Angela shamelessly gave him a look of pity.

“And be grateful to me. If Master had stepped in, I guarantee you would have felt pain beyond comparison to what you’re feeling now.”

Kim Jin-woo didn’t scold her for her impulsive actions. He thought it was a reasonable measure in its own way.

There was no better way to realize the reestablishment of the relationship than to be subdued by a vampire who had barely survived under his protection.

“Master, it’s time to gather the scattered Nagas.”

Dominique stepped forward at the right time to clean up the situation.

“Tsk.”

Kim Jin-woo glanced at Anatolius’s miserable state with a click of his tongue and glared at the nobles who had been arrogant for a moment.

They realized what insane things they had done and were trembling uncontrollably.

“Worthless.”

His words were ambiguous, whether they were mocking the uselessness of the nobles or implying that there was no need to punish them.

“Summon the Nagas!”

The moment Kim Jin-woo gave the order, Dominique stepped forward.

“With the Queen here, the loyal warriors will be where they should be!”

[The Naga Queen’s unique ability, ‘Herald of the Queen,’ has been activated.]

[All Nagas who hear the Queen’s message are summoned to this place.]

Before she could finish speaking, a huge hole appeared in the air, and Nagas emerged from it. Kim Jin-woo was slightly impressed as he looked at the door of space, which felt similar to a portal but different.

A useful ability if used well; it felt like he had seen the true nature of the Queen.

But that was only for a moment. Kim Jin-woo frowned as he watched the Nagas pouring out of the portal.

“I should have built the shelter a little wider.”

The Nagas, who had grown through the Sea Dragon’s egg, were excessively large. As the Nagas continued to pour out of the hole endlessly, the spacious shelter quickly became crowded.

Gooooooo.

The tremors intensify in the meantime. If the tremors so far were similar to the first restoration, now it was on a different level.

As the tremors and shocks grew more and more violent, and the wind howled as if the Underworld was wailing, Kim Jin-woo looked at the sky.

[Currently, 78% of the forces have completed evacuation.]

[Currently, 84% of the forces have completed evacuation.]

[Currently, 96% of the forces have completed evacuation.]

[Currently, 100% of the forces have completed evacuation.]

Fortunately, all the forces were able to take refuge in the shelter prepared in the Great Labyrinth before it was too late. After checking the message, he gave a short command.

“Close the labyrinth.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than cold air burst out from the inside, and the frost that flowed out completely froze the entire Great Labyrinth.

The Great Labyrinth withstood the earthquake while frozen solid.

***

Even though quite some time had passed, the tremors showed no signs of subsiding.

During the first restoration, countless labyrinths were swept away and destroyed by the earthquake, and even count-level or higher labyrinths suffered damage close to destruction.

But now, the earthquake was several times stronger and lasted longer than that time, so it was doubtful whether any labyrinths would remain in the Underworld.

“What happens to the energy when a labyrinth disappears?”

“It will be returned to the Underworld. Although it’s not something you can see with your eyes.”

Kim Jin-woo’s eyes widened at Angela’s indifferent answer.

“Maybe.”

He narrowed his eyes as if looking at something far away beyond the barrier.

The ancient monarchs’ powers, which the Usurper had divided with the Noble’s Seal [an artifact or power used to divide power] and scattered throughout the Underworld, became the foundation for countless labyrinths and the source of the nobles.

And this earthquake will return many sources and foundations to the Underworld.

“The meaning of restoration may not be just merging the layers into one.”

The thought that forced 淘汰 [elimination] beyond the law of survival of the fittest might be one of the true purposes of restoration flashed through his mind.