Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 6

Dungeon Journal – Episode 7

# 7

Dungeon Journal

Episode 8

A bizarre sense of floating, a feeling as if every cell in my body was being scattered and reassembled washed over him. Kim Jin-woo couldn’t immediately come to his senses due to that chilling sensation.

He had to touch his body several times to confirm he was whole, feeling as if he had lost a part of himself.

“Ah…”

And when he finally regained his awareness, he saw the stone chamber he remembered. However, the subtly changed atmosphere made it difficult to immediately recognize it as the same place he had been before.

The stone walls, once covered with paintings, were now bare, and the somewhat rough floor was covered with neat tiles. The most significant change was the altar and stone table in the center.

In place of the diagonally cut stone table, there was now a chair that was neither too big nor too small.

The square, unremarkable chair looked ordinary, the kind you could find anywhere. However, the two mysterious orbs attached to each end of the armrests were somewhat unique.

“What is this…”

But more than anything else, what caught his eye was the large door that had appeared behind him. Beyond the door, which stood wide open without a frame, he could see a familiar sight.

A bed covered with clean sheets and a somewhat barren desk—it was undoubtedly his room.

Staring blankly through the doorway, he glanced back at the stone chamber and took a step closer. Again, he felt that floating sensation. It was the second time, but he exhaled sharply, still unable to get used to the terrible feeling.

His room was spread out before his eyes once more.

[Naga’s Labyrinth]

□ Rank 1 Labyrinth (Synchronization Rate 16.1%)

□ Durability 41/1050

□ Facilities

* Owner’s Room (Rank 1)

* Portal (Activating 23:59:43 0/1)

* Undisclosed

– The owner’s ability to manage the labyrinth is insufficient.

– The labyrinth’s facilities cannot be activated.

Just in case, he brought up the status window, and the ‘Portal’ section had changed.

The phrase ‘Awaiting Use’ had disappeared, replaced by ‘Activating’ along with a countdown timer. Even the button-like icon that had been next to it was gone.

Standing blankly and pondering what had happened, he snapped out of his daze and sat down in front of the computer. The old computer whirred to life, making an irritating noise.

The text displayed was exactly the same as the status window from the game he had played a few times before. Just in case, he typed the word ‘portal’ into the internet search bar.

– Portal: A portal is a doorway, an entrance.

A portal (fiction) is a magical or technological doorway that connects two different locations.

The definitions of ‘portal’ were listed one after another. Kim Jin-woo focused on the phrase ‘a magical or technological doorway that connects two different locations.’

It was a description that perfectly matched what he had just experienced.

He frantically typed various phrases into the search bar.

***

The reason the word ‘portal’ sounded so familiar was that it was a common term used in games. Because of that, he found himself playing a game that didn’t really appeal to him, hoping to find a clue.

He didn’t gain much, and he ended up in an embarrassing situation when his mother walked in while he was playing.

His mother was very pleased, saying that he was finally acting like other kids his age, but he couldn’t lift his head, his face burning with embarrassment.

“Oppa, you’re playing games?”

Lost in thought, he hurriedly turned off the screen at Hyun-ji’s sudden appearance.

He looked as if he was hiding something terrible, leading to a misunderstanding, though he didn’t realize it. [Oppa is a Korean term used by females to address older brothers or close male friends.]

“Here, use this. Anyway, your computer is too old to run games.”

Hyun-ji had a strange expression on her face, and her complexion, which had been troubled until just now, was somewhat brighter. He shook his head as he looked at the pristine white laptop she handed him.

“It’s okay. You use it. What if you need it later?”

“No, I just watch movies or listen to music or search the internet on my phone, anyway.”

Despite his strong refusal, she insisted on putting the laptop in his hand, and for some reason, she didn’t seem to want to leave the room.

Unlike before, she had a rather serious face, so he tilted his head, curious.

“Oppa, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you went back in there because of me. I’m really sorry.”

He wondered what she was talking about, but it seemed she was concerned about him sacrificing a significant portion of his savings (almost a dowry) to help her.

Kim Jin-woo, touched by her concern, rummaged through his pockets to return the money envelope he had forcibly taken.

The money envelope he had been holding just a moment ago was nowhere to be seen. He frantically searched his pockets and then let out a groan.

“Oppa?”

“Oh, no. I’ll use this well.”

Hyun-ji, who had been narrowing her eyes at his strange behavior today, smiled and left the room.

“Damn it!”

As soon as Hyun-ji disappeared, he cursed. He realized where the money envelope containing a whopping 15 million won [approximately $12,000 USD] in bills was.

He stroked the back of his hand and glared at the snake-shaped tattoo, cursing again.

***

Tszzzzzz.

Was that the sound of dust scattering? Shuddering at the strange sensation emanating from his body, he soon looked around at the labyrinth unfolding before his eyes.

“It’s not here?”

But the money envelope he was so desperately looking for was nowhere to be found.

***

In the end, he couldn’t find the missing money envelope. The whereabouts of the missing money envelope were revealed a full three days later.

[While the labyrinth was empty, an imp came in and stole the money envelope. To find the missing imp, you must complete synchronization and activate the gate.]

“What the hell is this!”

He shouted in frustration and bewilderment, but there was no one to answer him. He jumped up from his seat, and the message that had been flickering before his eyes disappeared.

He slumped back into the chair and placed his hand on the orb at the end of the armrest. The message reappeared.

[The labyrinth’s defenses are weak. Defense facilities and security must be increased as soon as possible.]

It was absurd. No matter how many bizarre things happened in the labyrinth, he never imagined that there would be a creature that would steal money like this. If someone else had been the victim, he would have just laughed it off, but unfortunately, this was his own problem.

He struggled all day, but in the end, there was no way to find the money.

For now, the only way was to activate that gate and find the imp. Frustrated, he kicked the innocent chair.

Giving up and turning around, he kept looking back as if he still had lingering feelings, even after crossing the portal.

But the portal callously closed as the waiting time expired.

***

In the end, Hyun-ji had to hold the wedding according to her limited circumstances. Fortunately, the groom’s family was not materialistic, so there were no major problems.

The way her in-laws looked at Hyun-ji was warm, and it seemed she wouldn’t be mistreated because of the insufficient dowry and gifts.

Hyun-ji cried so much that it was a bit chaotic, but the wedding ended safely anyway.

Of course, he was heartbroken the whole time because he had lost a large sum of money thanks to a guy he had never even seen called an imp.

“Let’s eat.”

His father, who had finally given up his business due to financial difficulties, had been speaking less and less lately.

Fortunately, the company was able to find a suitable buyer at the end and was able to wrap things up well, but he seemed concerned about his daughter, whom he had sent off without being able to do things properly for her.

“Don’t even think about going back in there again. I have money from selling the company, so I can open a chicken restaurant in a suitable place.

Our family of three won’t have to worry about starving, so don’t worry about useless things and take care of yourself.”

He answered that he understood his father’s gruff words. On the outside, he had a calm face, but in fact, he was taken aback by his father’s words.

He couldn’t even imagine what kind of expression his parents would have if they knew he was going in and out of the labyrinth every night.

Of course, it was different now that the labyrinth was not an underground labyrinth full of Underbeasts and creatures, but Naga’s Labyrinth, but anyway, it was true that he was going in and out of the labyrinth without his family knowing.

He went into his room, quietly locked the door, and opened the status window.

[Naga’s Labyrinth]

□ Rank 1 Labyrinth (Synchronization Rate 99.87%)

□ Durability 101/1050

□ Facilities

* Owner’s Room (Rank 1)

* Portal (Awaiting Use 1/1)

* Undisclosed

– The owner’s ability to manage the labyrinth is insufficient.

– The labyrinth’s facilities cannot be activated.

The numbers were clearly different from when he first returned from the labyrinth two months ago. The synchronization rate, which hadn’t even reached 20 percent, was close to 99 percent, and the durability also increased by 1 each day, exceeding 100.

“Portal.”

He stared at the status window and opened the portal.

Now, he no longer had to fumble in the air to press the portal button; simply saying the command was enough to move his body.

The only difference from two months ago was that there was less dust because he had cleaned.

Shaking his head violently at the terrible sensation he felt passing through the portal, he naturally sat in the chair in the center of the stone chamber. As soon as the cold feeling touched his buttocks, a message appeared before his eyes.

[0.13% remaining until synchronization is complete, 14 minutes and 37 seconds remaining.]

Only the numbers had changed, but it was a message he had seen countless times. The numbers had been increasing by about 1.25 percent per day, and now, two months later, it was almost at 100 percent. He would know the meaning of synchronization today, whether he liked it or not.

Sitting in the chair and tapping his fingers, the message that appeared before his eyes finally reached 100 percent.

“Hmm?”

He brought up the status window, but only the number 100 percent was visible, and there were no other changes.

Frowning, he tried to lift his butt from the stone chair when suddenly light burst out from all directions.

‘Synchronization complete. Eighteen thousand two hundred thirty Snake’s Nest, Naga’s Labyrinth registers Kim Jin-woo as its owner.’

Unlike usual, it wasn’t something visible to the eye, but a resonance transmitted directly to the mind. Listening to the unknown whisper, he lost consciousness.

[The labyrinth has been activated. The surrounding beasts and creatures recognize the existence of the labyrinth.]

A message floated in the air, but Kim Jin-woo, who had lost consciousness, had no way to confirm the message.