Chapter 302

#105. Throne of the Underworld

“From the deepest depths of the Underworld, I’ll wait for you to keep your promise.”

The red giant, who was the titular leader of the Reaper forces consisting of the Hydras and giants, left after Kim Jin-Woo made his promise. Numerous Reapers followed him and disappeared back into the darkness of the Underworld.

Although they weren’t able to obtain the Highlords’ bodies as they had initially hoped, they still seemed rather satisfied with the feast they had finally been able to participate in after so long. After all, they had still feasted on an incalculable number of summons, so it must have been more than sufficient to satisfy their cravings.

When the Reapers left, the only ones remaining were the Heavenly Giant Lord and the Wailing Lord. Their mighty army had been annihilated by Mjöllnir and the Reapers, leaving not a single trace behind. The Lords, who had once dreamed of becoming Kings of the Underworld, had been left in a miserable and pathetic state.

[The Dwarves’ Chains]

[These chains, initially made to forcibly hold the waning moon and the sun in the Underworld, were unfortunately forged too late, and eventually became prisoner’s bonds in the present.]

[The Dwarves’ Chains have bound a new prisoner—the Heavenly Giant Lord.]

[The Heavenly Giant Lord’s ability to transform into a giant has been sealed. If he forces himself to become a giant, his entire body will be torn apart by the tight chains.]

[Most of the Heavenly Giant Lord’s abilities have been sealed.]

[The Dwarves’ Chains will never be unbound without the permission of their master.]

The Heavenly Giant Lord was bound by the Dwarves’ Chains that Kim Jin-Woo had taken out from the Eternal Treasury, and had left hanging on the walls of Valhǫll. The same went for the Wailing Lord, except that it was her powers over the Dead and the Wraiths, as well as the world beyond death, that were sealed.

In addition to using the Dwarves’ Chains, additional measures had been taken. There were slight differences in the details, but the Wailing Lord and the Heavenly Giant Lord had been left hanging on the walls of Valhǫll, looking like out-of-season decorations on a Christmas tree.

[The entire Underworld bows to your majesty due to the way you brought the Highlords, considered to be the mighty rulers of the Underworld, down to the level of mere ornaments.]

[There will be none left to oppose you, the mighty and ruthless Lord.]

[The Dukes and Nobles of the Underworld, who have been hostile to you ever since your ascension to the rank of Highlord, will no longer dare to be hostile toward you.]

Even though countless Nobles had died in the previous battle, it seemed there were still many Nobles remaining.

Kim Jin-Woo belatedly breathed a sigh of relief as he recalled how difficult the battle would have been without the Reapers’ reinforcements.

[Many Nobles of the Underworld have begun to recognize you as another King of the Underworld, apart from the Usurper.]

[You are not yet truly a King of the Underworld, but it is undeniable that you have gained considerable influence.]

[From here on, the entirety of the Underworld will flinch as they pay attention to your each and every move.]

Kim Jin-Woo frowned upon seeing the grandiose explanation. But regardless, the messages continued to appear.

[Your level of dignity, which will never be seen in the Underworld ever again, lies in your tenacity and ruthlessness, as you ultimately annihilate your enemies completely rather than showing any form of compassion or generosity. There is no other word that describes you better than ‘Tyrant’.]

[The Tyrant’s name will begin to spread all across the Underworld.]

[The majesty of this ruthless and merciless ruler will make even the staunchest Noble unable to maintain their own indomitable will.]

[Your existing title of ‘Tyrant’, which was only effective on Nobles below the rank of Count, has been upgraded and now affects Dukes as well.]

[You have acquired the Tyrant’s unique ability.]

[The Nobles have no choice but to work desperately to stay out of your sight. They know perfectly well what happens to your enemies, and they desperately do not wish to meet the same ending.]

[It is now possible to issue a summons to the entire Underworld, albeit a temporary one.]

[There is no Noble who would dare to spare their army when summoned by the envoys who bear your name.]

[It is now possible for you to command the Underworld Legion, thanks to the combined armies of those who have surrendered to the majesty of the ferocious Lord.]

[The Underworld Legion is a powerful and mighty army, but you cannot expect complete solidarity within. They do not have the ability to wage a drawn-out war.]

[You are also unable to utilize this Legion for very long. No matter how fearful a ruler may be, there are not many Nobles who are willing to give up their troops indefinitely.]

[You can only summon the Underworld Legion once. It would be wise to think carefully and issue the summons when it is absolutely needed.]

The title of ‘Tyrant’, which Kim Jin-Woo had previously held as a mere title, now came with a unique ability. He stood in awe of the unfathomable ability to assemble an entire Underworld Legion, even though it was a one-time ability.

Through the last battle, he had realized that no matter how powerful his Fortress was, it would inevitably face destruction in the face of overwhelming numbers. Although he had acted wisely and was able to come out victorious, there was no way that the Reapers would take his side again if another day like this came in the future.

In such a situation, gaining the ability to summon the entire Underworld at will was like receiving a rainstorm in a drought.

“Things have just gotten interesting,” Kim Jin-Woo remarked. For some reason, he had a foreboding that the day he would use the ability would be sooner rather than later.

***

Numerous delegations visited Valhǫll and the Grand Labyrinth. They trembled at the name of the Tyrant that had spread all across the Underworld, and they wanted to forge a strong relationship with him as soon as possible.

It didn’t take long for the Nobles, who had refused to bow to him at first, to eventually surrender themselves. They were frightened by the wretched sight of the Heavenly Giant Lord hanging from the walls of Valhǫll, and quickly changed their attitude.

“Thank you! Whenever you require reinforcements, I will rush to your assistance immediately!”

“None would dare to rebel against your exalted majesty, for a true King has risen in the Underworld!”

“Now that I have finally found someone to serve, I will offer my utmost loyalty.”

The Nobles may have been proud beings, but they had the flexibility to bend their will at any time if it ensured their survival, and they seemed to have decided that it was the right time. They didn’t show even the slightest hesitation in claiming their submission to Kim Jin-Woo as his servants.

But not all Nobles reacted the same way. Most of the beings who visited Valhǫll and the Grand Labyrinth were Nobles at the rank of Count and below, and none of the Dukes visited him. It seemed that those who were as cunning as they were mighty needed time to weigh their options.

Unlike the Counts, who simply resided on the edge of the Deep Floors, the Dukes were the true inhabitants of the Deep Floors, and they were sensitive to any changes in power dynamics. The Dukes knew right away that the ruthless tyrant had a big plan up his sleeves, and they were all the more cautious about their next course of action.

Kim Jin-Woo, however, didn’t pay much attention to the Dukes’ inexorably slow response. After all, when the time came, they would be forced to make a choice, and that moment was just around the corner.

Until then, he considered leaving them alone. For the time being, he had to deal with something that was far more important than a couple of Dukes.

“Urgh. I’ve never felt so resentful of my own strength as I do now.” Kim Jin-Woo shook his head as he looked at the Wish Stone Angela was holding.

Due to the power of Greed that was desperate to reach out toward it before he himself could hold it, he hadn’t even been given a chance to properly examine the Wish Stone, despite having been named its owner in the prophecies.

“Still, the prophecies of the Ancient Lords aren’t wrong, so somehow, there should be a way. Maybe it’s because your time hasn’t come yet,” Dominique advised him.

Kim Jin-Woo nodded. Dominique’s explanation made sense. It couldn’t be called the Treasure of the Underworld if it were easy to obtain or dispose of just because someone wanted it.

Even the three Highlords who had attacked him desperately had each wanted to become the owner of the Wish Stone, but in the end, their efforts had turned out to be in vain.

“Let’s hope that moment isn’t too far away,” Kim Jin-Woo said, even as he let go of his impatience.

Although it was a bit of a stretch to claim the Wish Stone as entirely his own, the matter of fact was that it was in his possession. Even if others were conspiring to take it away from him, it was something they had to be wary of him over.

Now that he felt a greater sense of ease, Kim Jin-Woo started to wonder what the One-Eyed Lord had seen through the Throne of Truth. He remarked, “I’m certain he must have seen something, but I don’t know what it is.”

The One-Eyed Lord must have seen something; if not, he wouldn’t have told the White Raven to inform Kim Jin-Woo to head to the Deep Floors. And he had a foreboding that it was something important.

After deliberating for a while, he finally made a decision, saying, “I’m going to use the Throne of Truth.”

Dominique and the other summons tried to dissuade him, stating that it was dangerous, but Kim Jin-Woo didn’t reverse his decision.

“Wotan offered one of his eyes in exchange for using the Throne of Truth,” he remarked.

Remembering Wotan, whose real name before he became the One-Eyed Lord was unknown, he looked at the throne for a moment. It was certainly attractive to be able to glimpse into the hidden truths of the Underworld through the Throne of Truth, but it would be meaningless if he became crippled because of it.

Wotan, who was infamous for being one-eyed, had been a giant with great power by birth, while Kim Jin-Woo was nothing more than a mere human being. If he lost an eye, an arm, or any other such part, it wouldn’t be easy for him to compensate for that loss.

“But that doesn’t mean I can’t do it,” he continued.

Although he was well aware of that fact, there wasn’t a hint of hesitation on his face. Finding it too strange, Angela couldn’t help but ask why.

“As far as I know, when Wotan received this castle, he had nothing else to his name,” Kim Jin-Woo said.

The summons tilted their heads as they listened intently, wondering what their master was trying to say.

“What I’m saying is that all he had was his own body,” he continued.

Dominique’s eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of her master’s thoughts through their communion. She applauded and exclaimed, “As expected of Master!”

The other summons looked at her, bewildered. Angela asked, looking dissatisfied. “Can you please explain so the rest of us can understand?”

Kim Jin-Woo responded, “Do you still not understand?” Seeing Angela narrowing her eyes sullenly, he continued, “The price to be paid for using the Throne of Truth doesn’t have to be from my body.”

Angela and the other summons finally understood what he was talking about, and exclaimed in admiration upon realizing that.

“If I have to pick out precious items of value, I’m overflowing with them,” Kim Jin-Woo said.

He had defeated numerous Nobles and had taken them as his prisoners. And now, he was a true winner who had even taken the Highlords themselves as spoils of war. He had plenty of sacrifices that would satisfy the Throne of Truth.

Among them were the two Lords he had taken in as prisoners from his previous battle.