Chapter 108: Dungeon Destruction (3)

The battle was intense. The situation wasn’t good.

The Awakened could handle the general creatures, but the number of soldiers dying wasn’t a joke. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers were dying while the Awakened were struggling.

Screams. Screams. And more screams.

But the number of creatures was also rapidly reducing. In particular, the South Korean Awakened were dazzling.

The South Korean Awakened as a whole were on a much higher level and could handle the advanced creatures. Even the quality of the items they were using was different. Each Awakened was wearing some unique rated armour. They could deal blows to the advanced creatures to some extent.

“Damn! Is he the Dungeon Master?”

Kim Yong-woo’s body trembled.

Yes, they could deal with the number of creatures gathered here.

However, there was one person. He had a strong presence and commanded the creatures.

Long, sharp nails. Teeth that were reminiscent of a wolf! He was terrifying in battle as he grabbed an Awakened and ‘destroyed’ them.

An entirely different class; they weren’t his opponent. The twin head ogres were difficult, but he was on a completely different level.

It made sense if he was the Dungeon Master. But still, it was beyond common sense.

“Cough!”

“Line up! Don’t give…ack!”

He couldn’t be seen. An afterimage. He came close to them in the blink of an eye.

“Kill him! Just kill him!”

The quick-witted Awakened soon noticed that he was the ‘king’ of the dungeon.

In the end, they were no match. Some attacks were successful but they were stopped at the level of the clothes. In contrast, the Awakened were torn apart by his nails.

‘What should we do? What to do?’

Kim Yong-woo fell into a state of panic. Too strong. Despite being prepared, in reality they couldn’t do anything against him.

How many people needed to be sacrificed to catch him? A thousand? Ten thousand?

His spirit became dull at the thought. One thing was for certain, everyone in the dungeon might be wiped out. They would become victims of the creatures!

“Ack!”

“Noona…!”

Yoo Eun-hye’s side was grazed. She quickly used electric current to buy some time.

Edward was aware of the situation and aimed his sword. But he could only swing it a few times. Edward had his chest pierced and collapsed to the ground.

“Cough!”

The two most prominent people in Heaven’s Will. It was fortunate that they weren’t instantly killed. Of course, it was only a matter of time at this rate.

“No!”

Kim Yong-woo pulled out his sword. They were the main backbone of Devil Hunters. His power was lower than theirs, and they would be the centre of Heaven’s Will in the future. He couldn’t lose them here to the creatures.

The Dungeon Master gave a cold laugh. He stretched out his nails and tried to take the lives of the two people lying on the ground. And…just before he killed them.

Kwa ru ru rung!

In the dungeon, a thunder dragon poured down.

* * *

Tens of thousands of people had entered the dungeon. They had divided into groups with their own goals, and only a few thousands remained alive at best.

Survival?

It was a ridiculous thought.

The creatures were persistent. It was impossible to deal with them even if the groups combined. After some large scale battles, some guilds and the black society left the battlefield. Some felt there was no hope and retreated from the dungeon.

“Dog scum!”

The remaining Awakened felt nauseous.

In the end, they used the people following them as shields.

The black society deliberately left the battlefield to climb up the dungeon. They intended to monopolize all the benefits before disposing of the remaining creatures.

A tacit agreement. However, those were just words. In reality, the Awakened couldn’t help feeling resentment.

They had varying nationalities and just met, so they couldn’t trust each other. It was a mere formal procedure. The Awakened from different countries were like cats and dogs.

The soldiers also moved according to their own benefit…this division made them vulnerable.

At first glance, it seemed like the battlefield was tilting towards one side. The largest contributor to this was naturally the Dungeon Master.

Overwhelming strength. He seemed like a god.

The Awakened tried to step back but were too late. The creatures surrounded them from every direction. They should have escaped from the beginning, just like some guilds and the black society!

There was no more hope. Each of the Awakened could feel it. The situation was urgent and they would soon be wiped out. Only screams could be heard as they lost hope.

“Help me…”

The sharp nails tore apart bodies. His eyes were dark and relaxed hands clutched the weapon. Little by little, things were tipping to the Dungeon Master’s side. There was no way to reverse this.

Chwahahak!

All of the Awakened felt despair.

At that moment, someone rushed through the creatures from the direction of the dungeon entrance. A red spear tore through the creatures.

Krasla!

He quickly squeezed through dozens of creatures.

What was going on? That question was in everyone’s eyes. But the doubts didn’t last long. This was a critical situation.

“There is a breach!”

The problem remained about whether to fight or retreat.

“Retreat! Fall back!”

The soldiers were the first to leave. They verified that the strength of the opponent was too much. The soldiers were more concerns about getting away from Saudi Arabia. The guilds from other countries also started stampeding away.

The person wielding the spear was strong, but that was it. It wasn’t enough to revive the dying hope. They were lacking something in their chests.

But there was no escape.

The Koreans in the front. The wounded. A few guilds. They were abandoned.

The light had completely disappeared, and in its place was death.

However…

Ddubeok.

Ddubeok.

A man holding a sword. Wearing a black, half skull mask.

He made his way to the centre.

The area around him seemed to be blurred by a strange haze and he drew the attention of everyone around him. As every eye turned towards him, the man raised his hand.

Chiiiik.

Kwa ru ru rung!

At the same time, lightning swallowed up the Dungeon Master.

* * *

Yoo Eun-hye’s mouth gaped open. The current situation was beyond her understanding.

A familiar appearance. He was wielding the sword but it was still unbelievable.

‘Captain-nim…!’

She couldn’t say it properly because of the deep cuts. But Yoo Eun-hye saw it. She clearly saw it.

She wasn’t mistaken.

His whole body might be blurred, but she couldn’t forget that proud stance.

A man that appeared whenever there was despair. In the past, he was the rising star of Heaven’s Will and Yoo Eun-hye’s guide.

After his death at the hands of the creatures, Heaven’s Will had held a crisis meeting of how to handle it. As well as…Yoo Eun-hye had some serious problems regarding it.

Randalph Brigsiel.

He died. Everyone thought he was dead. He was seriously injured and dragged into the dungeon with the angel. Yoo Eun-hye believed in him, but he didn’t come out alive.

She cried while holding the memorial service. More than a year had passed since Randalph Brigsiel became her leader. The only person she would follow. Since then, she was always expanding the horizon of her limitations. A man who always disappeared then suddenly reappeared.

Deep in her heart, she always thought he would return. But she had dismissed it as a delusion every time the thought entered her head.

Then…

He returned.

He came here alive.

Once again when everyone was in trouble. When their lives were at risk! He once again showed up with a blasé face.

Yoo Eun-hye couldn’t see half his face but she could imagine it; he would be coldly smiling. He would address all problems like it was exciting.

“Take this. It is a very precious potion but Master commanded me to pass it to you. Treat the child next to you.”

Krasla, holding the red spear, was suddenly next to her. She only saw him a few times as he always followed the captain. He passed her a potion that had small leaves floating in it.

The finest potion made using the leaves from the Tree of Origin. It was slightly weaker than an elixir but it had excellent recovery abilities. It could heal a person even if only half the body was alive.

Yoo Eun-hye accepted the potion. She treated Edward first. Edward’s status was a lot worse than hers.

She poured the potion and the wounds healed in the blink of an eye. An instant effect. She turned her head with surprise.

“…Is there a way to win?”

“That isn’t worth answering.”

Krasla turned his body.

He joined the battlefield. It was cruel but that cruelty was already like an answer.

‘That’s right. Isn’t it obvious that there is a way to win?’

There was a smile on Yoo Eun-hye’s face. She didn’t feel any more pain after pouring the potion on her wound.

Frankly, she had been having a hard time. No matter how hard Lee Ji-hye tried, it was impossible to fill his shoes. Confidence…came flooding in.

‘Thank you for being alive.’

* * *

“…You!”

Pakan Griolli’s eyes widened. It seemed like he recognized Krasla and I.

There was no significant correlation. In this situation, I had taken measures to prevent my identity from leaking. I arranged my powerful creatures around the dungeon. By now, they had probably reached the top floor of the dungeon.

The guardian protecting the Dungeon Core would be simple to handle.

The humans were an issue, but this would be a one-time experience.

Pakan Griolli’s power was no match for me. After processing Pakan Griolli, I would also need to deal with Kim Yong-woo.

The humans had withdrawn like it was low tide, there were only a few remaining here. Half of them were South Koreans…although I couldn’t completely block their mouths, it was possible to conceal the situation.

Of course, not all of them would be able to survive.

“It has been a while.”

I laughed coldly.

I wore a rare grade ring called ‘Strange Echoes’ that distorted the sound in the environment. In other words, not many of the people here would be able to guess who I was. So I didn’t need to worry about the conversation being heard.

Chwack!

I brandished Wrath.

Pakan Griolli narrowly missed getting injured and said.

“Why are you here? No…why are you helping the humans?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. My purpose for coming here is only you. Pakan Griolli.”

Their hands didn’t stop moving. Nails scraped against a sword in a situation that seemed equal.

But there was a difference in their expressions. Pakan Griolli frowned and said.

“You are aiming for me? Ha!”

“How funny. You are still drunk on the glory of the past and aren’t aware of your position. Right now, you are my food.”

I opened Mind’s Eye. The status window soon surfaced in front of me.

Name: Pakan Griolli

Occupation Demon Duke (Dungeon Master) Title * King of Wolves (Ex U, Agility and Strength +4)

* Slaughterer (Ex U, Agility and Strength +4)

Stats

Strength 87 (+8) Intelligence 75

Agility 79 (+8) Stamina 72

Magic Power 78

Potential: (390+16/500)

Uniqueness: The master of Griolli, the barren land of wolves.

Skill: The Last Wolf (Epic), Revival (Ex U), Viciousness (U)

[Relative Comparison]

Pakan Griolli

Strength 95 Intelligence 75 Agility 87 Stamina 72 Magic 78 Potential (390+16/500)

Randalph Brigsiel

Strength 95 Intelligence 81 Agility 90 Stamina 85 Magic 96 Potential (396+51/500)

Pakan Griolli had quite a steep growth compared to before. His titles and skills also increased.

But I still had superior total strength. Thanks to the Emperor’s Sword stimulating the Heart of the Hell Monarch, I gained two points in intelligence and a further two points from drinking the potions made by the leaves of the Tree of Origin for a month. Therefore, I wasn’t lacking in intelligence.

“That is just casual talk! Come, I will show you the proper Pakan Griolli.”

His body started to change.

The Last Wolf (Epic) skill was activated.

Grrrrr!

Soon Pakan Griolli had turned into a three metre blue wolf.

A dignified presence that filled the area.

I pulled out one more sword.

It was the radiantly shining ‘Emperor’s Sword.’

Although I wasn’t familiar with dual swords, the ego sword was steady in my hand. It felt like the sword was waking up in my hands.

The option attached meant it could never be destroyed.

It would keep stimulating the Heart of the Hell Monarch the more I used it.

So now I used it in conjunction with Wrath.

“You are a good opponent to practice against.”

I violently collided with the wolf Pakan Griolli.

Two swords in my hands. I had no constraints.

The fight was over. Krasla was helping the Awakened against the incoming creatures.

Some people felt hope and started to become more active. Thanks to that, I was able to relax and enjoy the fight against Pakan Griolli.

A grand duke was needed. A mere duke wouldn’t be able to beat me.

A message window flashed.

-Great achievement! Duke ‘Pakan Griolli’s’ dungeon has been destroyed!

One residual point has been awarded.

1,500,000pt will be paid.

1,100 achievement points will be added.

My creatures had succeeded in destroying the Dungeon Core.

The barrier was already destroyed so the dungeon was useless. It would take too long to recover. It was only a matter of time before it was the target of other demons or humans. Investing in it would just damage me.

Grrr…!

Pakan Griolli panicked. He placed his most powerful creatures near the Dungeon Core, so he never imagined it would fall so easily.

Kwang! Kwakwang!

The dungeon started to crumble.

Rocks fell from the ceiling and threatened everyone.

But I was still pushing against Pakan Griolli.

Grwaang!

I didn’t try to escape.

In fact, this situation was rather nice. I would be driven to extreme limits while fighting Pakan Griolli, so it was an invaluable experience.

“Pakan Griolli. This will be your grave.”

It was time to end this.

Kuuong!

Pakan Griolli collapsed.

He lost his leg and his heart was stabbed. The wolf features started disappearing, but his body was already dead.

-Great achievement! The hunt of Duke ‘Pakan Griolli’ has succeeded!

One residual point has been awarded.

1,500,000pt will be paid.

1,100 achievement points will be added.

He received the same achievements for destroying the Dungeon Core.

Then Krasla cut off Pakan Griolli’s head with his spear. It was a contingency measure against advanced healing. The severed head rolled across the ground.

“Hrmm…”

My condition wasn’t okay. Krasla’s body was also a wreck. My stamina was a little low and there were multiple wounds in several areas.

I pushed myself to the limits while fighting Pakan Griolli. I wanted to practice dual swordsmanship so I had pushed myself. My technique would rise in more dangerous situations. This was my own belief learned from the battlefields in my past.

“Captain-nim!”

Members of Heaven’s Will including Yoo Eun-hye and Kim Yong-woo came up to me.

The people from other guilds were also slowly moving to their feet.

However, I held out a hand and stopped them.

“Ah…”

White, Black, the other saber tigers and the spartoi appeared at that moment.

The remaining humans were forced to freeze.

I was injured. All the Awakened also had serious injuries. They judged that it would be impossible to fight in this state.

I moved while holding my dual swords. And I stood in a position to save my guild members.

The standoff lasted a few moments.

Soon after, the creatures’ claws and fangs took the lives of some Awakened.

“We have to help them!”

“Stay back. There will be greater damage if we move in.”

I blocked Yoo Eun-hye before she could run out.

She bit her lips but stopped moving. She needed to think objectively or it was highly likely she would lose her life. In the end, Yoo Eun-hye could only stand back with tight fists.

After a while, the creatures left the dungeon.

‘Great.’

I nodded.

This was also part of my plan.

It was better to have fewer witnesses.

I had killed a duke. Of course, this story leaking still wouldn’t cause significant problems. I was already a symbol and now I had ‘resurrected’ during the dungeon destruction event. It was evident from Kin Yong-woo’s face. Thanks to this, my name would spread a little further.

“Quickly. Time is running out to leave the dungeon.”

Kururung!

The dungeon was slowly collapsing.

The rest of the guild followed behind me.