Episode 126: The King of the Dead (5)
Kuguguguguguguguung―!
The thick door collapsed with a single swing of the sword.
In the aftermath, a cold wind blew and the lined up stones fell down like dominoes.
The entire dungeon, which had been as quiet as a graveyard, began to vibrate.
“… … .”
“… … .”
“… … .”
The people watching could only swallow their saliva. Especially Shail, who they were seeing for the first time. Her eyes were beyond absurd and almost hazy.
Even if it was a dream, it was a phenomenon that was beyond imagination and believable. Anyone would just open their lips like a goldfish.
The door that Ganggeomma had dug through was not as big as it could have been, but it was a huge door, probably 10 meters in diameter or more.
But with one swipe of the knife, the lock and the door that had been connected were cut like butter.
Even with that sword. More than the shock that shook the ground, Shail felt his common sense crumble.
Ironically, at the same time, a sense of relief welled up from the bottom of my heart.
In fact, Shail had been hesitating all the way here.
Just today, there were countless absurd situations.
Kanggeomma immediately suggests going to subdue S-class demons.
At first I thought it was just a joke, but when I thought about it, the circumstances meshed together like cogs in a wheel.
All circumstances were tilted toward what he said being true.
Moreover, Kang Geum-ma completely evaded questions as soon as they were asked.
I was feeling down, I did a lot of research, etc…
There were a mountain of additional questions I wanted to ask.
Although Shail was tempted to question him, he could not do so.
There was a reason why Miss Abel came to the Undead Dungeon, but her fear of Kanggeomma was even greater.
Although I tried hard to deny it, my shoulders would tremble slightly whenever I felt Kang Geum-ma’s gaze.
Kanggeom-da is a person whose mind is hard to fathom and whose direction you never know where he will go in any given situation.
Cool yet gentle.
It was calm yet fiery.
That chaotic nature struck Shail like a cosmic horror.
“after…….”
Kanggeomma took a deep breath and put the sashimi back into the scabbard.
He opened his mouth in a nonchalant tone, as if he had just peeled an apple.
“Please check the condition before you go in. Oh, and thank you for your hard work, Mr. Michelan. You may go back now.”
At this, Michelangelo shook his head with a face full of joy. Even the lifeless pupils began to sparkle.
“Ah, no. I will stay by your side, Kanggeomma, until the end. This feeling of my heart beating like this is the first time in hundreds of years! I, Michelan, have no regrets even if I die now!”
“… Sir, your gags are really bad.”
As the shock settles, the two exchange pleasantries.
Shail, who was watching the scene, slowly turned his gaze towards Abel.
The young lady also had similar eyes to her own. However, the degree was less than that of Shail. Apart from being surprised, her expression seemed as if she had expected it.
Abel also looked at Shail, as if he noticed his gaze. Then he opened his mouth with a pretended expression of understanding.
“Shai, you were incredibly anxious a moment ago, but your face has calmed down a bit. Are you relieved to see him handle the sword?”
“… Yes, Miss. To be honest, it’s beyond my expectations, no, it’s beyond my imagination. Lord Swordsman… … .”
“I know how you feel. From the first time I saw him until now, I’ve never once been unsurprised.”
Abel smiled bitterly. She turned her gaze back to Kanggeomma. Her golden eyes were filled with various emotions.
“Sometimes I look at him and feel like there’s a wall. One that I can never get over. And no matter how far I tilt my head back, there’s a wall where I can’t see above.”
“… … .”
“… But if you look at it from a different perspective, that wall. It’s not just me who feels it. Think about it, what would it be like if you encountered a strong swordsman?”
The imagination lasted only a moment.
As that thought crossed Shail’s spine, a cold sweat ran down his spine. The swordsman’s swing was something that made his ribs clench involuntarily.
Abel pursed his lips for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“So, Shail, don’t worry too much. Of course I’m scared, too. We’re going to meet an S-class demon. But whenever you feel anxious, just remember that feeling from earlier. The sense of relief you feel when you have a strong swordsman as your ally, and the feeling you get when you face an enemy… that’s it.”
Thinking about it like that, the lump in my heart seemed to disappear. It was the concept of a ‘routine’ that athletes usually do before every game.
“… Yes, Miss.”
Shail nodded in understanding.
Kanggeomma gave roles to Abel and Shail, and coordinated and corrected the strategy with Michelan, who called himself a strategist.
The plan was simple.
Quick and easy.
Defeat the Draugr before they can assemble their forces.
The strong swordsman leaps and slashes at a rapid pace. [Painless Protection] The activation time is ’50 seconds’. However, if you are aiming for a speed battle, that restriction will become meaningless.
The most troublesome ones are the janbaris. Abel and Shail decided to suppress their numbers in the rear.
Additionally, he secures a field of vision in case Michelan, a non-combatant, pops out of the square, and also finds Abel’s parents.
Although Michelan has absolutely no fighting ability, his role was to help the three focus on the battle.
The most important thing is to immediately run away as soon as the sign of Ganggeomma is given.
In a way, it was the core of this punitive war.
It was natural that if you stubbornly resisted, you would be beaten to death.
You have to live to see what happens next. It was not something you could risk your life for because of the magic stone.
“―That’s the plan. If you have any objections, please tell me now.”
There was no reply. It was meant as an affirmative.
In fact, it was a plan that was put together in a hurry, focusing on efficiency rather than system.
But it was hard for anyone to deny that this was the best.
Kanggeomma glanced at the area and then raised his lowered body. He spoke in a determined voice.
“Let’s go.”
* * *
30 minutes walk down the passageway.
We are descending a flight of stairs whose length is difficult to estimate.
‘Oh my.’
The musty air and the smell of moisture seeped into my skin and nose. Maybe that was why my heart was pounding and I was covered in cold sweat.
‘But the feeling when I first stepped into the hole was really… … . Even I, who have a lot of courage, felt a chill run down my spine.
An interior completely blocked from any signs of life, external light, or human presence.
Even with a flashlight, it could only illuminate the area just in front of your feet.
Because the slope was steep, I felt my way along the wall and maintained my tension.
‘The road to this boss is more eerie than the mob itself.’
Fortunately, Michelan existed.
He led us from the very front of the display, cutting through the darkness without any lights.
He didn’t forget to check from time to time to see if I was following along well. He was doing everything as a guide.
‘It definitely exceeded my expectations.’
An impeccable assistant.
Damn it.
Michelan’s footsteps stopped. He kept his gaze fixed ahead and stretched his arms behind him. It was a signal to wait a moment.
Michelangelo looked around twice. Then he just turned his head and spoke quietly.
“I think we’ve finally arrived.”
Michelan’s expression as he spoke was not very good. His face began to harden like a statue.
It seemed as if he had sensed that something was wrong. His pupils were trembling with anxiety.
I asked him.
“What’s wrong, sir?”
“That’s… In fact, undead can vaguely perceive each other’s spirits.”
“What does that mean?”
“You may have noticed from the inscription on the tombstone, but even if the undead’s body crumbles, their souls seem to remain in the dungeon. Even if the shell that encases their souls falls off, I don’t think they will ever be able to escape the dungeon. Of course, I’m not sure since I’m an undead with intact limbs… … .”
To put it simply, it means that even if the body is destroyed, the soul remains. Even if the body dies, the soul cannot escape this dungeon.
This place was literally a hell that you couldn’t escape from even after death. Could people have ever imagined that a seemingly D-rank dungeon would be this kind of hell?
“On the ground, that is, above the stairs, there are not many wandering spirits. In all the centuries I have been here, I have only seen about ten. At the time, I thought I had seen a ghost or something… .”
There is only one intention behind suddenly speaking like that.
“Are there that many here?”
Michelangelo nodded to my question.
“Yes, that’s right. And that’s why I’m telling you this now. This ridiculous number of souls, I’m convinced when I see this.”
“How absurd is that?”
Michelangelo took another quick look around the area. His eyebrows furrowed as his gaze moved.
After finishing checking, he opened his mouth lowly.
“It seems like there are at least a hundred thousand people.”
“… … ?!”
“I’m just estimating, but it’s a huge number. Almost enough to take physical form.”
Everyone was startled by those words and their shoulders shook. With over a hundred thousand souls trapped in this dark, dark room, isn’t this just a den of ghosts?
That was when.
Khuu …
The inside of the room began to shake violently. The air became sticky and the atmosphere became eerie. There was a creepy noise coming from the road, like bugs swarming.
“Everyone, get your weapons out!”
I shouted to the group. Abel and Shail, who had been absent-minded for a moment, immediately moved their hands to their waists.
Pfft!
Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the previously dark scenery. It seemed as if the middle of the night had turned into broad daylight at one o’clock.
“Ugh.”
I groaned at the light that hit my eyes without mercy. My eyes stung.
But I didn’t close my eyes. I had to narrow them as much as possible and somehow secure my field of vision.
I finally strained my eyes to see in the pouring light. Then, I was dazed by the magnificent view that my retina captured.
“…crazy.”
A space ten times larger than that of the Cow King’s. It already weighs heavily on the shoulders from the surface area.
If it were just the size, it wouldn’t have been that surprising. It’s more strange that the space is so narrow for a place that’s home to S-class demons.
A huge temple stands before our eyes. Although it is a temple in terms of form, its scale is overwhelming.
It was practically an underground city. It was like a mysterious sanctuary often mentioned in conspiracy theories.
However, the materials that made up this magnificent structure were truly creepy. It was made of only three things: bones, skulls, and torn flesh. Even the floor was not a normal road surface, as it shook.
“Ah, no… … .”
The three people opened their eyes one after another. They were unable to continue speaking.
An indescribable emotion spread through my entire body. My lips trembled at the sight of this hellish world.
“Hey, look over there.”
Michelangelo lifted his trembling fingers in amazement. The end of his gaze was the tallest tower of the temple.
At the top was a throne. A vantage point overlooking the entire space. And sitting haughtily on the throne was a figure.
A long distance away. However, I could tell what that being was just by the aura it was emitting.
‘Draug.’
A golden armor ornately crafted with gold and various jewels. A crown is placed on top of the head, signaling to the opponent that he is a king.
In this space filled only with gray and red, the colors were clearly heterogeneous. However, one thing bothered me.
‘Don’t Dragoons use swords?’
On the other hand, that guy’s weapon was a sword. As I stared at it with a bewildered look in my eyes, the air shook again.
Woof woof woof!
The whole area is shaking and the walls are melting.
The next moment, the Draug sitting on the throne slowly raised his head. And slowly, his eyes opened.
At the same time, a voice came out. Not from the front, but from behind.
“iced coffee…….”
The tone was extremely distorted. Eventually, all eyes were focused on one person. It was Abel.
She covered her mouth with both hands, shaking convulsively, but was unable to swallow the sound leaking out through her teeth.
“Ah. Dad… … ?”
