NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15
It had been a few weeks since I decided to settle in the dungeon to repay my debt.
Although I didn’t show it, Isabella thought the time she spent here was excessive.
I, who was once a weak race pushed out in a territory dispute, suddenly found myself as a servant of the Nether Palace?
Talk about a meteoric rise from slave to a duke’s servant overnight!
If they thought they’d come to help me repay my debt, it seemed they were the ones who were indebted instead.
The boss was incredibly strong, which puffed up my ego, and they treated me well, making every day a satisfying one.
They didn’t overwork me either. The safety of the Nether Palace was guaranteed, and I even got to drink human blood from time to time.
Except for the slightly scary subordinate, it was nothing short of paradise on the surface.
But then that paradise…
“Rrraaaar…”
“EEK!”
The moment I made eye contact with the werewolf, Isabella instinctively looked away.
Those bloodshot eyes—what the heck was that? So scary!
Looking around, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was really our dungeon.
I knew help was coming from the ‘castle filled with the sound of trumpets.’ I understood there were reasons for that.
“But still, this is too much.”
Just being in the same space made it hard to breathe.
Even if these monsters were considered mere fodder in their dungeon, it was a different story when that dungeon was the 6th-ranked Nether Palace.
They all had the power to tear Isabella apart.
“I’m a True Blood Vampire, you know.”
If I’m a True Blood Vampire, I should be able to swagger around anywhere. So why was it hard to breathe here?
Isabella huddled in a corner with her group.
Worried they might get on my nerves, I quietly ate my meal, which was, tragically, the corpse of a dead Minotaur.
With sorrow piling on sorrow, tears blurred my vision.
“Come back soon, Boss…”
I wanted to see my boss, and even the scary subordinate at that!
*
A three-day carriage ride was a complex matter.
The slow speed of a single horse-drawn carriage. The delays for camping and resting in between.
Since I had to take a long route to the destination, it was three days unless something unexpected happened.
So, if I were to go without a break on a single horse and brave the dangers, how long would it take?
“You got here pretty quickly.”
Turns out it took less than half a day.
We must have just left at sunrise, and now the sun was setting.
The skeleton horse was such an exceptional steed and, being undead, didn’t tire, so we galloped at full speed for half a day. And somehow, we arrived in 6 to 8 hours.
Right here where zero hearts would make even the legendary Park Ji-sung weep.
I stopped the skeleton horse in front of the tropical forest inhabited by the Insect tribe.
After stopping, I stroked its white mane, and it nudged me as if asking for more.
Why is it so cute? Did my aesthetic sense turn undead too?
“Think you can keep up?”
Even at night, as an undead, there shouldn’t be a problem entering the woods.
The issue was Charlotte.
Compared to me, who had perfect vision, the night forest was a danger for her.
“I’m quite accustomed to the night, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Come to think of it, witches tend to be active when humans fall asleep.
If she’s truly a nocturnal human, it might work out fine. By now, she must have fully adjusted to the dark.
“We’ll walk from here.”
Strictly speaking, this is the territory of the Insect tribe.
If an outsider sets foot here, they’d naturally be on guard, and riding around would probably make them think of us as enemies.
“I’ll recover the Gol-goli.”
Well, it’s not even Gol-goli, so whatever.
As Charlotte stretched out her hand, the shape of the skeleton horse began to blur, slowly sinking into the shadows.
That shadow seemed to blend into Charlotte’s shadow as if being pulled in.
“Let’s go.”
Charlotte lit the lantern and walked ahead.
She moved perceptively without a word—pretty impressive. I liked it.
‘Good attitude.’
Charlotte had bravely followed me here, not knowing the purpose of our journey.
I could’ve asked what she was thinking, but her blind loyalty made her remain silent about it.
Given her dark green level (occasionally turning pink), I expected as much.
“Are you not curious about our purpose here?”
I stood Charlotte before me as I entered the forest.
The shrubbery and trees of the tropical forest were distinctly lush and full of life.
This was the result of preserving nature without the intrusion of civilization.
Charlotte didn’t even look back and said,
“It would be disrespectful to question the boss’s choice. I shall simply follow whatever the boss commands.”
“Then what do you think about the Insect tribe?”
As a person who deals with them, Charlotte had to know a thing or two.
Insects were insect-like monsters the size of a human. The species of the insect king Balutak was indeed insect-like. To delve into specifics, they can be classified as beetles or arthropods, but overall, they were simply insects.
“I think they are insignificant and barbaric.”
So that’s how it is.
The tropical rainforest where the insects lived was located in the southern extreme of the empire. Just across the sea below was the southern continent’s magic realm.
Whenever insects appeared in the game, they were usually in a victim’s position.
Positioned between the only power structures, it often showed the scene of shrimp getting crushed in a whale fight.
Until the DLC was released, the thought was, “Insects? Aren’t they a joke species that competes with vampires?”
“But that changed after Balutak became the boss.”
With the insect tribe’s chieftain, the insect king Balutak, becoming the boss of the Seven Lairs, everything flipped like a pancake.
How strong must they have been for the “spiral cave of deceit” to establish itself as an independent force, not under the magic realm, despite being within the Seven Lairs?
Moreover, they boasted an impregnable defense, not backing down even in front of the two great powers, making them a tremendous asset if recruited.
“I have a favorable view of the endlessly evolving insects. The reason I came here is to recruit them as allies.”
“I don’t doubt the boss’s thought, but the insects are very barbaric. They don’t live in colonies and lack a collective consciousness like dungeon monsters. They are the most challenging monsters to control despite their dominance.”
That’s true.
Insects lived entirely opposite to a lifestyle of belonging to a group and living under someone.
“Insects are monsters that have no qualms about cannibalism. They only pursue evolution. Even if they were recruited, it would be deemed uncontrollable…”
The survival method of insects was the epitome of barbarity.
They sought endless evolution, accompanied by a ruthless survival of the fittest.
Bringing insects into a dungeon, which they would cannibalize for evolution? Many attempts had been made, all of which ended in failure.
Insects weren’t just wild monsters for no reason.
“I have a plan.”
“Yes. I will follow.”
Despite the advice given just moments ago, Charlotte nodded in agreement almost immediately.
As expected of a loyal subject. Offering advice, yet promising to support whatever decision was made—classic!
“You know, the insects are all about the survival of the fittest.”
Only the logic of strength. That’s it.
“If an overwhelming powerhouse rules, how could even insects do anything?”
“….”
I knew what Charlotte’s silence meant.
The logic of strength isn’t entirely wrong yet isn’t right either. In reality, it’s Charlotte who is the one ruling, but still.
If one solely rules by strength, the power dynamics won’t last long.
“To have reliable subordinates, I must grant them their ultimate desire.”
Mutual benefit is the key to sustaining a power dynamic.
What do the insects desperately desire? Evolution.
“Conveniently, I can fulfill that desire.”
My characteristic, evolution magic, would be an indescribable blessing for the insects.
“Of course, if there are many insects, controlling them would be tough. They don’t even possess the instinct to obey because of cannibalism. But with a few, Charlotte, you should be able to manage them alone. I’ll selectively choose those that are useful, so don’t worry.”
Sorry, but you might end up managing all of them alone.
Looking at the past, it’s clear Balutak would be more powerful than me.
Keeping one with a survival-of-the-fittest mindset by my side could lead to disasters.
If all my secrets were to be revealed, my Death Knight life would be over.
“I need to instill the hierarchy in them.”
Insect – insignificant.
Charlotte – lieutenant.
Me – superior boss who cannot be reached.
Once that hierarchy is firmly established, I won’t have to worry too much.
“Truly the boss! I will serve you loyally.”
Charlotte nodded, understanding my intention.
After that, we walked silently.
There was no point in making noise, and I remained alert for possible ambushes.
After about 30 minutes, I spotted footprints that looked like insect traces.
Nearby, I discovered what seemed to be insect droppings.
Suddenly, Charlotte approached the droppings and squatted down. I couldn’t help but frown as I saw her touch it with her fingertips.
Not just one, she touched all the scattered droppings and was rubbing them on her fingers.
“This insect’s droppings are surprisingly small. Given the moisture content, the texture is crumbling… There doesn’t seem to be anything indicative of what they’ve consumed in the feces. If they were to prey on a wild animal, there should at least be some fur left.”
“If we feast on wild animals, at least there should be some fur left behind.”
“Mm.”
“The tracks I saw on my way here were barely visible. That made me wonder if there were hungry or sick insects nearby, and it turns out I was right. They must be the ones who lost in the evolution competition, so they’re probably gonna die soon.”
– Kieeeek!!
That was when the scream echoed.
I knew it from the game. It was an insect.
Charlotte and I locked eyes and nodded simultaneously.
Without needing to say more, we headed straight to the source of the scream.
If we wanted to find Balutak, we had no choice but to catch any insect and get information from it.
“…?”
As we pushed through the thick foliage, an unexpected scene unfolded.
A vast clearing opened before us, where numerous insects were hauling something.
Bricks, ores, wood, tar, stones. All heavy materials that looked like they were meant for construction.
Slap!
There were beastmen whipping the working insects.
“Get to work you bug-like creatures! No time to rest!”
“No breaks! We have to finish everything by tomorrow! If you can’t, no water for you!”
What an unforeseen picture.
Even after seeing it twice, it was clear that the beastmen were working the insects like slaves.
I had expected a predatory insect jungle. Instead, it was a construction site where enslaved insects were toiling.
“What the hell is this?”
In the middle of the jungle, they were building something.
From what I could tell, it looked like they were constructing a pyramid. But for what purpose?
“…Why are the insects here?”
I wholeheartedly agreed with Charlotte’s musing.
Just moments ago, we were saying how uncontrollable they were, yet now we witnessed them being treated like slaves.
At this moment, the insects might be the town’s punching bag, but this was pushing it too far.
“Mm?”
Among the insects struggling to carry the stones, I spotted a familiar figure.
It had an ant face. Fangs resembling a spider’s venomous fangs. The size of its eyes was like an ant’s, yet if you looked closely, they had the lateral eyes of a dragonfly.
The core shape was as I remembered, but it was infinitely smaller and missing body parts it should have had.
Ideally, it would have an exoskeleton like a stag beetle, one pair of arms like a mantis, a wasp’s stinger on the hind end, and finally, dragonfly wings.
It made perfect sense that it looked wretched. Since it was in the past, the evolution was likely less developed.
Thud.
The insect that appeared to be Balutak stumbled and collapsed weakly.
Naturally, it ended up buried under the stone it was carrying.
” kirik… Balutak, it’s hard. I’m thirsty…”
Its voice was weak, but I definitely heard it.
Now that it had called itself Balutak, my suspicion turned into certainty.
But this was a far cry from the Balutak I knew.
[Lv. 38]
Its level was also a measly 38, lower than mine.
Was this the nightmare of the DLC, the Champion they reviled for its difficulty in the community?
The overwhelming scale I remembered felt utterly different now—perhaps those were manipulated memories.
From what I could see, it seemed like raising a slave, but its potential was undeniable.
“Give me the water jug.”
“Um, do you intend to offer something to that insect?”
“Yeah. It said it’s thirsty, so I should give it water.”
“Even as the master of the Endless Palace, you are so considerate. I respect that about you.”
Why on earth would giving someone a drink earn such praise?
How terrible must the personalities of other bosses have been for this to be commendable?
I accepted the water jug that Charlotte offered and approached Balutak, tilting the jug to its mouth.
Despite spilling some, Balutak gulped it down as if it were a life-giving rain.
“Water… Balutak will live…!”
“Humans! Humans have invaded!”
Our brief moment of hydration was cut short by the whip-wielding beastmen.
Peep!
A beastman pointed at us with a whistle, causing all of them to turn their attention our way.
[Lv. 32]
[Lv. 36]
The wild beastmen were as expected.
But what could they do? With Charlotte beside me at level 72, I had nothing to fear.
“Charlotte, handle it.”
“Yes.”
As Charlotte blocked my path, I silently counted down from ten.
In that time, sounds of magic being cast, screams from beastmen, and the thud of bodies hitting the ground echoed around us.
Once the chaos subsided, it was clear that the beastmen were all down. Ouch. I can’t imagine sleeping on the bare ground like that.
Crash!
Someone burst out of an annex that looked like a shelter.
“What’s going on?!”
The late-arriving Wolf Beastman had a whopping level of 62.
If Charlotte hadn’t been by my side, I might have been nervous, but there she was, all calm and collected.
“…Humans? Is this your doing!?”
The Wolf Beastman ground its teeth and growled.
No matter how much Charlotte overwhelmed, it was best to avoid pointless shows of strength. No need to attract open hostility by being mistaken for a human.
Feeling claustrophobic, I tossed my helmet aside.
The Wolf Beastman’s gaze, once filled with hostility, turned into one of confusion.
“Death Knight? What’s an Undead doing here?”
“I’ll ask the questions here. What are you using the Insects for?”
“Hah! You dare not to know your place!”
At level 62, I guess a Death Knight would look like water to him.
Awooo!!
In the middle of the night, the howl of a wolf echoed through the air.
One by one, Beastmen began to reveal themselves from the bushes, as if they had been hiding.
With their numbers joined, perhaps they gained confidence, as the Wolf Beastman snorted dismissively, growling.
“Don’t mess around! One more step and I’ll tear you apart!”
Before he could finish his sentence, Charlotte took a single step forward. Just that one step, but it was so infuriating.
Then, she waved her arms in a teasing manner.
“My limbs are still attached, you know.”
If it were me, I’d be furious too.
As expected, the Wolf Beastman glared with a look that could kill, grinding his teeth in frustration.
“I’ll kill you!!”
With a single leap, the wolf dashed towards me. Almost simultaneously, companion Beastmen charged as well.
Charlotte, however, simply flicked her fingers downward indifferently.
I had seen that infamous gravity spell of hers so many times in the game, often falling victim to it.
“Gghh….”
The wolves and Beastmen couldn’t even resist, sticking to the ground like gum.
Even with a mere 10-level difference, as one climbs up to higher classes, the disparity becomes extreme.
For Charlotte, the Wolf Beastman was nothing more than a diversion.
“You’re not just any human…!”
“I’m a Witch.”
“Hah! A witch! I see why you’re so arrogant with your meager power! Do you even know what you’ve done?”
Since he was panicking, he was showing his teeth.
I crouched down to match his eye level in front of him.
“Do I really need to know?”
“…Death Knight. We both might genuinely die here.”
“I’d likely live longer than you dying right now.”
I placed my hand on top of the Wolf Beastman’s head.
Even with a significantly lower level, crushing a defenseless beastman’s skull would be easy.
“Hmph… If you’re not afraid of the consequences, go ahead and try. If the boss comes, you’re all dead meat.”
“Boss?”
“Yeah! Can you see that tower? If you have eyes, you would. How could you miss that magnificent figure? A level 72 dungeon that I wouldn’t even glance at, while a Death Knight is nothing!”
The Wolf Beastman abruptly turned his gaze towards Charlotte.
“That level 72 dungeon that you humans are so afraid of. You’re foolish to assault it without a care. It’s too late for regrets. When that person arrives, you’ll be eaten alive.”
“What’s the rank of your boss?”
At Charlotte’s question, the Wolf Beastman laughed loudly.
“Hehe… Are you finally scared? The 14th ranked, the Lionheart, in the realm of magic. If you value your life, you should run now! Even that won’t save you!”
“The 14th Lionheart should have his dungeon in the realm of magic. Since it looks incomplete, I guess he’s moving it here.”
The Wolf’s eyes widened in shock.
His expression was like, how do you know that?
“But referring to your boss as a mere ‘Death Knight’… and even threatening to kill me. You might have to think twice about that.”
“What? What are you saying?”
“I witnessed that rudeness as part of the 72 dungeon. Your boss would surely be scared if he finds out about this.”
“Same, 72 dungeon…?”
“My apologies for the late introduction. I am the deputy of the new Seven Lairs. And…”
Charlotte gestured politely towards me.
“This person is the new boss of the Seven Lairs. My master.”
“…What?”
It was a lie, but whatever, when in doubt, pretend to be confident.
I lifted my chin arrogantly and said one line.
“Guide me to your boss.”
Let’s at least see their face.