NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13
The decay cave where death breeds.
The ominous atmosphere was so suffocating that even the living wouldn’t dare to step inside.
In the bone throne of the boss room, Calandas leaned on his chin and contemplated the events that had transpired.
‘Not all rank 7s are created equal.’
Death Knight Barugore.
He was a different entity from the previous rank 7, the soot beast of the Fangs of Bangoh.
At the time, when he enveloped the human as an undead, Calandas felt an intense disappointment.
That disappointment morphed into a desire to kill him right then and there. However, he wasn’t about to act without thinking.
After all, his opponent was a low-ranking member of the Seven Lairs.
Moreover, it was a newborn dungeon with no ties to any of the 72 dungeons.
Even if Calandas decided to replace him, nobody would dare hold him accountable for his unilateral decision.
At least, with rank 6 Valentia Roseha, it might’ve been different. The higher-ranked lords would surely regard it with indifference.
If he killed him, the rank 7 of the Lairs would be reestablished, and the newborn Seven Lairs would simply become another new one.
Of course, there would be some noise for a while, but it wouldn’t be enough to matter much.
‘So it’s true that he killed a hero in one blow.’
Killing a hero shouldn’t be difficult. Especially considering the Hero of Faith, Balmunk.
However, if it had to be done in ‘one blow,’ even Calandas couldn’t guarantee that.
As if to prove that it wasn’t just a rumor, Barugore obliterated his artifact, which he had shared for a thousand years, as a warning.
It was true obliteration. There was no trace or hint of its presence—the result was a complete erasure.
Even if he was rank 7, was his essence really that of a unique dungeon?
While the upper ranks of the Seven Lairs commanded multitudes of forces, he had reigned solo from his very inception at rank 7.
Yet, that alone didn’t justify retreating.
Even if he were to die, he had the Life Vessel.
Unless the dungeon core or Life Vessel was destroyed, Calandas was immortal.
If he were to die, that would be what he desired. He could simply resurrect and politically maneuver his way using his forces afterward.
“Foolishly… I should have recognized it from the start.”
Calandas realized much too late that all those plans had been utterly unrealistic.
In the face-off, Calandas carefully closed his eyes.
To open the third eye, he first had to shut his two eyes.
By losing life, the lich attains a higher rank of soul.
An undead of Lich King caliber might even reach a state where they can open their third eye, the spiritual eye (靈眼).
The spiritual eye—Calandas had benefited greatly from its powers for a thousand years.
When the spiritual eye was opened, he could see the rank of a soul, allowing him to select his opponents and exercise power accordingly.
No being can train their own soul.
The third-rate train the physical muscles.
The second-rate train the mana within the body.
The first-rate complete both body and mana.
But no one could ever train the essence of their being—the soul itself.
Furthermore, the soul cannot be hidden or deceived.
It is inherent from birth, so it is referred to as the rank of the soul.
“…It was an extremely foreign soul.”
Had he not prudently opened his spiritual eye at that moment, his choice might have led to his death.
Originally, the souls of undead were all the same, disregarding rank. They were merely the souls of the dead.
However, if it’s a unique entity of the Seven Lairs….
With a flicker of hope, Calandas opened his spiritual eye.
What he saw of Barugore’s soul was not an undead’s soul.
No, he couldn’t even begin to gauge its rank.
Was it that superior? It meant something entirely different.
Incomprehensible. An utterly foreign soul.
It was so alien that it seemed as if it didn’t belong to this world.
Had he ever seen such a soul in his more than a thousand years of existence?
…Only once.
‘The Old One.’
The top rank of the Lairs, resting in the realm of the most ancient.
Barugore’s soul resembled the soul of the Old One he had seen there.
Incomprehensible, making their ranks incomparable.
Yet, both were equally alien, as if neither belonged to this world.
It felt so alien, as if it didn’t belong to this world.
When Calandas first laid eyes on the Old One, he was trembling all over without a clue about the ridiculousness of the situation.
Once again, it seemed like an unknown terror was creeping up on him.
“That guy is really dangerous.”
And yet, he’s ranked 7th? Even considering he’s a single entity, questions started to arise about the ranking.
Could it be that the power of the Seven Lairs depends on its subordinates?
Or perhaps it’s the nascent Seven Lairs, which means it might have infinite potential.
Maybe a few years down the line, he could surpass rank 6, and even Calandas’s own position.
“….”
Calandas closed his eyes, chewing over that memory.
Even now, that alien soul seemed to flicker in his closed eyelids.
*
To know the enemy and know myself is the path to victory, yet here, we didn’t even know our own dungeon before understanding the enemy.
Before heading off to the tropical rainforest, he leaned over the dungeon map with Charlotte, putting their heads together.
Isabella poked her head in like a pesky fly but was ignored.
“We definitely need to enhance the traps.”
A no-brainer! With manpower short, we had to boost the traps.
The dungeon’s design was a maze, split into seven floors.
Traps were placed from floors 1 to 3, and there were no monsters below, making it essentially an automatic door.
“Oh, let’s hand this over to Isabella first.”
Charlotte pulled out a crystal orb.
It was a security alarm linked to the mana thread of the entrance she personally crafted. It would react and ring if an intruder came, but without a suitable return method, carrying it around would just be a nuisance.
As Charlotte passed the crystal orb to Isabella, she continued.
“From my limited knowledge, an average hunting party wouldn’t even make it past the 3rd floor. Even if they did, they’d get stuck at the 4th. As you know, the dark chamber is very favorable for vampires.”
“Uh-huh!”
Isabella proudly thumped her chest.
“Just to reiterate, that’s for average hunting parties. If even a moderately strong party invades, they’d be crushed and retreat without a trace.”
An uneasy ripple crossed Isabella’s face.
“Even a bunch of vampires teaming up with Balmunk would probably give an A-class party a hard time. And the Seven Lairs? They’re always attacked in droves by at least A-class hunting parties.”
“Mm.”
“No matter how much we bolster the traps, they’re just passive obstacles in the end. We need powerful monsters that can act actively in the dungeon.”
“Can’t we just enlist the higher-ups’ help?”
“I’m trying to source powerful monsters, but there’s just no suitable ones. Even if I find some, it won’t be an instant acquisition; it’s just preliminary scouting for future needs. For now, we can’t seek help from the higher-ups.”
Why? The look on my face asked, and the answer came immediately.
“I can’t take on any more debt with the higher-ups. Adding monster hiring fees to dungeon construction costs, we’re in debt by millions! If our few Kobold residents leave, we’ll lose our means of mining too.”
“….”
“The higher-ups seek profit. No matter how formidable the Seven Lairs are, if there’s no visible income, they won’t be interested.”
Instead of solidifying our foundations, we haven’t even paid off our debts yet.
Drinking from a bowl of kimchi soup is one thing, but this is overboard!
“There is one method, though….”
Charlotte glanced at me cautiously, trailing off her words.
What could it be that warranted such hesitation?
I shrugged nonchalantly.
“We could go under the name of the Seven Lairs and request support from other dungeons. However, if that happens, it would totally ruin the Seven Lairs’ reputation.”
That was definitely true.
Even considering we were a new dungeon, rumors of the Seven Lairs asking for support from low-tier dungeons would spread like wildfire.
I could easily picture being completely ignored at the upcoming meeting with 72 dungeons.
And it would naturally lead to suspicion, wondering if I’m really from the Seven Lairs.
“If we’re all under the same Seven Lairs, won’t it be fine?”
Even if we’re of a high ranking, there’s still a difference in degree.
Thinking about how other bosses would perceive it, being new and of a higher tier might just make sense.
“That’s an excellent insight. Indeed, a true boss.”
“….”
“…I think she’s really trying to hit on me.”
“But the boss had a falling out with the 5th-ranked Lich King just because of me.”
“That’s no small thing. You’re a competent deputy after all.”
“…Thank you.”
Subtly raising the morale of my subordinate was a win-win situation.
“The Seven Lairs probably knows about the news by now. Even if they didn’t and helped us out, the betrayal they’ll feel later on will be immense. That would lead to more conflicts with the Lairs.”
“What if their relationship is already bad?”
I knew of one person who’s on the outs with Calandas. The 6th-ranked Valentia Roseha.
Looks like we’re on the same wavelength, as Charlotte nodded in agreement.
“They say, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend.’ She might actually be willing to help us. But if things go south, we’ll be irreparably at odds with the 5th rank.”
“That’s fine. I never liked that guy anyway.”
Just recalling that moment still sends chills down my spine. Why would I want to keep close with someone who tried to kill me?
It’s better to stick with a boss who can actually communicate, even if they hold a lower rank.
“…You’d go that far for me.”
Charlotte misinterpreted my intentions, but I didn’t feel the need to correct her.
Thus, the story settled on seeking the 6th-ranked Roseha’s assistance. It was uncertain whether she’d help, but doing something was better than sitting around idle.
“Luckily, my assigned merchant is also in charge of her. We can contact her through him.”
Wait, that devil is acquainted with the Lairs’ boss too?
…Just how competent is this guy to have such connections with the Seven Lairs’ merchant?
As Charlotte tore up the black ticket, the merchant leaped out from the portal.
Charlotte quickly explained the whole situation, and by the end, the merchant’s expression was priceless.
“Uh… the 6th-ranked Lord?”
“Yes.”
“Are you serious?”
“This is the boss’s decision. Let’s avoid further questions.”
“In that case, what kind of compensation are you planning to offer?”
If something goes out, something must come in. For the massive military support, we needed to offer something in return, and if we hoped for the future, some kind of promise had to be made.
I’d be happy to join a faction, but that was a backup plan. Right now, I had to tread carefully since I didn’t know anything about the power structure.
I had an outrageous plan in mind, but it was so absurd it made me question my own conscience.
“But I have to do it anyway.”
According to Calandas, the 6th-ranked Roseha had taken an interest in me.
And if I knew her well enough, she made decisions based on her own interests, regardless of the situation.
“Tell the 6th-ranked boss that if she helps us, she could leave a good impression on me before our first meeting.”
“…Huh?”
The merchant asked back in a dazed manner, which was a perfectly understandable reaction.
You want me to help because I might leave a good impression?
That sounded like an order disguised as a request from a higher rank to a lower one.
It was absolutely crazy for a 7th to say that to a 6th.
But I knew Roseha liked that kind of cheeky, audacious attitude.
Moreover, while this wasn’t a definite, it did suggest some positive interest in recruiting into her faction.
If she were aware of the grudge against Calandas, she’d definitely jump in to help.
“Go and deliver the message.”
“….”
The merchant’s anxiety was evident as he darted eyes back at me before reluctantly disappearing into the portal.
“…Boss.”
After the merchant left, Charlotte quietly spoke up.
“We’re facing two enemies now.”
I shrugged.
Guess we’ll find out as we go along.
*
“They agreed right away. They’ll send part of the standing army since they have a little leeway. Phew!”
The returning merchant was drenched in sweat, but his expression showed relief.
“See? I told you it would work.”
Stealing a side glance at Charlotte, her lips were slightly parted.
The Demon Merchant was reading from the parchment.
“Let’s see… The support troops consist of 100 Succubi, 100 Incubi, 100 Werewolves, and 100 Vampires. A total of 400 Night Minions to support you, and aside from that, no further details were provided.”
400, huh? That’s a bit low for a Hellish Dungeon, but hey, it’s better than nothing.
Thinking it over, I was sufficiently satisfied considering they were Night Minions.
Monsters that excel in battles during the night or in darkness are collectively called Night Minions.
With them, I could leverage the advantages of defense and space even more favorably.
“What’s the timeline?”
“They said it’s right away—”
Whoosh!
Before the sentence ended, a pink portal opened up.
From within, monsters began to appear gracefully, one by one.
Succubi, Incubi, Werewolves, Vampires.
As promised, the 400 Night Minions lined up in front of me.
Though a massive number moved at once, it was incredibly orderly.
It felt less like a poorly trained army and more like well-educated elite subordinates.
“””We bow before the new master of the Hellish Dungeon.”””
The minions bent at the waist in perfect unison.
I pretended to look around casually.
[Lv. 35]
[Lv. 47]
[Lv. 58]
[Lv. 61]
The levels were inconsistently all over the place, but this was more than enough.
There was a chance they might betray me and seize control of the dungeon, but frankly, I had no plan for that.
If that happened, I’d simply abandon the dungeon and be done with it. I was not bound to the core of the dungeon; I could escape to another place.
But I was confident that Valentia Roseha wouldn’t do that.
Backstabbing was for a cunning snake like Calandas. Roseha might be sly, but in this respect, she was a lady.
This was purely a covenant born from mutual trust.
Just when I was about to happily look away…
[Lv. 41 (?)]
…What’s that?
Next to the bowing Succubus, a symbol indicating my emotions was attached next to her level.
I had never seen such a thing even in games. What was this? A bug, maybe?
Like I was entranced, my steps unconsciously drifted toward the Succubus.
“….”
The Succubus remained bowed before me.
Even up close, the question mark next to her level hadn’t changed.
My mind was swirling with all sorts of questions.
This couldn’t possibly be a bug. It felt like there was some secret reason behind it, but I had no clue what it might be.
‘…Could it be?’
Roseha is the Succubus Queen.
Among the numerous abilities she possessed, naturally, her racial traits carried the most weight, but she also had unique powers independent of the Succubus realm.
If it were one of those unique powers… it could easily account for the question mark.
“I couldn’t have imagined you had such a bizarre hobby.”
Startled.
The Succubus’ shoulders slightly moved. That confirmed it.
Feigning ignorance was so unlike her. She must really want to keep this hidden.
“I wanted to meet you in your true form.”
Only then did the Succubus lift her head.
Her expression was flat, showing no trace of tension. She looked like your average Succubus on the surface.
But I knew all too well the presence hidden beneath that facade.
“Valentia Roseha. Take off your mask.”
She smirked.
Before I even realized it, she suddenly wrapped her arms around the back of my neck and pulled me towards her face in an instant.
As she stood on her tiptoes, our faces came so close that our foreheads touched.
I was dumbfounded, staring into her eyes.
“Darling. How did you know?”
Roseha said with a bewitching smile, licking her lips.