Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 295

Dungeon Journal-295 (295/319)

# 295

Dungeon Journal

Chapter 296

104. Mystery of the Underground

Although the Usurper continued to speak for quite some time, Kim Jin-woo couldn’t concentrate at all, strangely preoccupied with the name of the Underground Tree that kept echoing in his mind.

Eventually, he decided to see the Underground Tree, and surprisingly, she didn’t stop him. Soon, he understood why.

“Ah…”

The overwhelming difference in presence, a sense of awe he hadn’t felt even once since becoming a Highlord, pressed down on his entire body. Standing before the massive ash tree, its branches extending in all directions as if supporting the entire Underground, he could barely keep his feet planted on the ground.

Kim Jin-woo was powerless before the Underground Tree.

“Th-This is the Underground Tree.”

He focused on strengthening his constantly faltering legs. Raising his head, his gaze swept up the massive trunk, only to fall again before reaching the top.

Who could assert their existence before that massive ash tree? He didn’t even have the confidence to suppress the smallest leaf hanging from the most meager branch of the Underground Tree.

For the first time since entering the Underground, even his soul was overwhelmed, and his consciousness felt like it was about to fly away.

[You have discovered the Underground Tree.]

If not for the flashing message window, he would have lost the thread of consciousness he was barely holding onto.

[No one in the Underground knows how long the Underground Tree has existed. In fact, most are not even aware of its existence.]

[However, only a few chosen lords have been allowed to directly see this massive ash tree, and they know that this giant tree is the pillar that forms the foundation of the Underground, and the mystery itself that governs all laws.]

Kim Jin-woo desperately tried to absorb the information about the Underground Tree that was being forcibly injected into his mind.

[The One-Eyed Lord, Botan, and the Watchers who follow him are the guardians who protect the Underground Tree.]

[Perhaps the One-Eyed Lord wanted you to confront the Underground Tree and directly experience the mystery of the Underground.]

[The Underground Tree is the pillar and mystery of the Underground, and a vast repository that has recorded the history of the Underground since the beginning.]

[The mighty power of the Throne of Truth is merely a glimpse into a fraction of the time contained within this Underground Tree.]

[The One-Eyed Lord has already used the Throne of Truth once. And it was a well-known secret among the lords that he had to offer his eye as the price. But even they didn’t know that he had to pay a separate price in addition to sacrificing his eye.]

[Instead of glimpsing the mystery of the Underground Tree through the Throne of Truth, the One-Eyed Lord was burdened with a new karma [destiny or consequence]. He had to accept the fate of a Watcher, guarding the Underground Tree for the rest of his life as the price for a single choice.]

It was the moment when the circumstances of how the One-Eyed Lord became the ruler of the Watchers were revealed.

[If someone unprepared were to look inside the Underground Tree, something terrible would happen.]

[The wisdom that the Underground Tree has accumulated over the years is too vast and dense for an individual to covet. If someone unqualified were to seek the mystery of the Underground Tree, they would be swept away by the violent torrent and lose their very existence.]

[And unfortunately, you are not yet ready to commune with the Underground Tree.]

[Do you want to attempt to commune with the Underground Tree?]

[In the worst case, your soul may be completely assimilated into the Underground Tree, and you may lose yourself. If that happens, I guarantee that it will be absolutely impossible to restore you to your original state.]

[Do you still want to attempt to commune with the Underground Tree?]

Even without the message’s eerie warning, he had no intention of trying to commune with the Underground Tree.

Just watching from a distance made him feel this dizzy; how terrible would it be to look inside?

Kim Jin-woo, his face pale, distanced himself from the Underground Tree.

“Hoo.”

As he retreated, the pressure disappeared as if by magic. It happened almost simultaneously with the massive ash tree disappearing from his sight.

“Didn’t I tell you? You are not yet ready to face the Underground Tree.”

At this moment, he couldn’t deny the Usurper’s words.

“If you’re curious about what the One-Eyed Lord left behind, bring back the Wish Stone. That will protect you from the divinity of the Underground Tree.”

Kim Jin-woo momentarily pondered at her subtle voice, seemingly filled with concern. Perhaps from the beginning, nothing else mattered. Wasn’t what was important to her that he face the Underground Tree with the Wish Stone?

“I don’t understand.”

He knew that his suspicion was quite reasonable. So, he decided to test her with a few words.

“If the One-Eyed Lord was truly a guardian of the Underground Tree, why is he making things so complicated? Did he really think the Underground Tree would be helpful to me?”

The Lord of Depravity replied that she couldn’t know what the One-Eyed Lord was thinking. He wasn’t particularly looking for an answer either.

The only important thing was that he had noticed the subtle discord flowing between her and the One-Eyed Lord.

If the One-Eyed Lord and she were truly in a cooperative relationship, Baek-oh wouldn’t have delivered the message so vaguely.

Then, the only remaining possibility was that the One-Eyed Lord had seen something through the Throne of Truth.

However, since he couldn’t know what it was for now, he postponed his reunion with the Usurper and returned to the Great Labyrinth.

She didn’t bother to hold him back, seemingly confident that he would return.

He, too, had several unresolved issues with her, so he had resolved to return.

“Master!”

As always, Dominique greeted him, but her face was quite troubled. It seemed she was greatly worried about his recent outing.

“Things seem to be moving more urgently than I thought.”

Kim Jin-woo already knew that she had glimpsed his thoughts through Naga Queen’s unique ability, but he explained the events to her once again to organize them. She, too, seemed to know his intention and listened quietly.

“In the end, the Wanderer was devoured by Night, and this cute guy named Night seems to have tried to deceive me through the memories of the Wanderer he swallowed. What Hollist Scarpe showed was all true, but also unrefined and fragmented.”

“Night probably wanted Master to devour all the Highlords’ powers.”

“That’s right. This side is rather too blatant, making it easier to understand, but the problem is with the Lord of Depravity and the Highlords.”

“Perhaps the One-Eyed Lord was looking for a new guardian.”

It was a plausible hypothesis. If her guess was true, the One-Eyed Lord might have been trying to ensnare him through Baek-oh.

“In the end, whether it’s this guy or that guy, seeing them taking care of their own schemes in the name of a grand cause makes me sick.”

So far, all he had figured out was that what the Usurper wanted was the integration of the Underground and the surface, and the key to that was the Wish Stone.

“And if there’s a place to use that key, it’s definitely where the Underground Tree is.”

Much had been revealed, but the future was still confusing. But fortunately, he knew a way to simplify all these situations.

“First of all, whatever they want, in the end, only one thing matters.”

“Getting the key,” Dominique finished his sentence, and he added one more sentence.

“I’ll have to make them regret putting the key in my hand.”

Angela didn’t return easily. Quite a long time had passed since Kim Jin-woo left the Great Labyrinth and headed to the depths, and considering that quite a lot of time had passed again until he returned, her return was too late.

Moreover, she was the ruler of the Reverse Side [a dimension or realm], who could reach anywhere in the blink of an eye if she wanted to, so this delay was by no means normal.

But he trusted Angela. He was confident that she would be able to get out of any situation, no matter what.

And as he expected, Angela returned safely.

“Master!”

However, what was different from expectations was that she was alone.

“The item?”

Kim Jin-woo quickly scanned her body and, seeing that there was nothing wrong with Angela, immediately asked about the whereabouts of the Wish Stone.

“You have no idea how much I suffered!”

She didn’t forget to boast, saying that it took quite a long time to find Brunhilde because of how careful she was about her whereabouts.

But on the other hand, there was nothing in her hands, so he was just puzzled.

“I couldn’t help it. That Wish Stone was a more troublesome item than I thought.”

She said that and explained the situation.

“I don’t know why, but the Wish Stone couldn’t pass through the Reverse Side.”

According to Angela’s explanation, she succeeded in finding it through Brunhilde, but failed to transport the Wish Stone.

“So, I took appropriate measures to prevent Brunhilde from escaping and had to return to bring Master.”

Kim Jin-woo, having heard all her words, immediately got up from his seat.

“In the end, I have no choice but to go directly.”

If it was an item that the power of the Lord of True Blood didn’t work on, he had no choice but to move the item himself.

“Good. Lead the way.”

Before the words were even finished, Angela led him to the Red Castle and guided him to somewhere in the Underground again.

“Huh?”

But after leaving the Reverse Side like that, she uttered a dumbfounded sound.

“I’m sure it was here?”

“There are no traces felt nearby. Aren’t you mistaken about the location?”

Kim Jin-woo, having quickly searched the surroundings for traces, gave her another chance to think. But Angela shook her head.

“I’m sure it’s here. The doors of the Red Castle are connected based on my memory. It’s the last place I parted with her, so this must be it.”

Contrary to her words, the surroundings were still quiet.

“Then, is there a possibility that Brunhilde escaped?”

“No. I cut off her limbs, there’s no way she could have escaped.”

The so-called measures she mentioned were more extreme than he thought, but that wasn’t the important thing now. Kim Jin-woo frowned deeply and urged her once again.

“Besides, Brunhilde would have come to find Master even if I hadn’t stepped in. There’s no reason for her to run away now.”

Her words were quite persuasive. He belatedly recognized the seriousness of the situation and hardened his expression.

“Ah!”

As he was lost in thought, Angela suddenly exclaimed and made a fuss.

“I found it!”