It's Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

* * *

Since coming to this world, I have learned many differences between MilDun 1 and 2, not only in the simple historical background but also in a few other things.

First, the biggest one would be the existence of demon realms, and the existence of those called Archdukes in the demon realm and on the ground. In MilDun 1, there was a ‘Demon King’ but no demon races called ‘Archdukes’.

This means one thing.

‘Human culture is flowing into the demon realm.’

Of course, I didn’t think of this simply based on the title of Archduke.

It was a guess based on what I felt from the demon races I’ve met so far… ‘They seem much more ‘human-like’ now than those in MilDun 1′.

‘Come to think of it, 200 years have passed.’

For as long as two centuries, humans and demon races have continued exchanges under the name of ‘war’, so it’s not strange how much they’ve influenced each other.

The similarities in the cultures of the two worlds will probably continue to increase in the future.

‘Since there are absolute beings like the Demon King and Goddess, it’s impossible to mix into a completely peaceful state.’

Unless one of the two changes decisively.

[We received testimony that children were kidnapped here! After entering as quickly as possible… let’s survive!]

[Send everyone else away. What you want is ultimately me, isn’t it?]

And the next biggest thing I feel is the difference in the ‘human quality’ of the adventurers I’ve encountered so far.

‘Million Dungeon Lord 1’ is ultimately a game with villains as protagonists from a human standpoint.

Rather than picaresque, it was a villain story.

Because of this, the Dungeon Lords who became protagonists in the story mainly played the role of the axis of evil, and the main purpose of adventurers entering dungeons was nothing but killing the Dungeon Lord and silencing the dungeon.

However, this era is different.

“You humans are very greedy.”

The adventurers here grow and build fame by subjugating dungeons that appear or grow within each country, then head towards the border with demon realms and solidify their achievements there to become strong or powerful.

Not only that, there were even those who were already walking the successful path.

Those who become the goals of adventurers living in this era.

In other words, the goal of modern adventurers is not ‘victory in war and peace’.

“So what? Which adventurer these days doesn’t have greed for money or power?”

It’s ‘what can be gained from war’.

So after thinking this far, and seeing Knight Elias envying the two senior knights, I came up with one thought.

‘Can’t I give that wealth and honor?’

Strong desire is sometimes like a hand trying to obtain a precious thing in a bottle.

At first, those who reach out blinded by wealth and power, later become bound by further narrowing the bottle’s mouth or enlarging their grasp.

Of course, whether to trust and use such people is another matter, but after contracting with the demon realm, the only way for contractors to escape that contract is through ‘another contract’.

It’s safe until the contractors meet another stronger or more convenient Dungeon Lord to use.

‘It is dangerous. There won’t be only incompetent ones among human nobles. But the benefits will be big too. Then…’

After pondering a bit more, I decided to take the first test on the subject at hand.

“What if you take this gold? Could you claim one of the titles in Copzerin?”

“Where did you get so much gold… No, more importantly, what? Nobility?”

Alexis looking up at me incredulously.

However, through that grotesquely distorted expression, I detected eyes that strangely began to sparkle and corners of his mouth subtly rising.

Although it disappeared quickly a moment later, it was clearly a sign of boiling desire.

“This isn’t enough. Not unless I bring the head of the Dungeon Lord you made disappear.”

The words Alexis answered with after calming his expression and putting on a slightly crooked smile implied ‘negotiable’.

Of course, what I wanted wasn’t a deal, but it didn’t matter how the other party felt.

“Is that so? Then how about the head of another Dungeon Lord? For example… the Lord near Iltkis.”

“There’s a Lord near Iltkis? Is that true?”

“You can verify the truth of that information yourself.”

In fact, there was almost nothing I could tell.

The information about this place was obtained as a result of asking the guild to let me know about nearby cooperable entities.

What could I provide when I haven’t met or contacted them yet?

‘But the city name has value.’

Iltkis is a city west of Copzerin, located upstream of one of the two rivers that become the center of logistics within the Kingdom of Heisen, and is also the origin of a considerable amount of wheat sold to the southern part of the Eastern Continent.

It’s also a military stronghold of Heisen because if a conflict arises with the Grand Duchy of Arilit, military provisions can be transported most quickly there if the latter is involved.

If a Dungeon Lord exists here, it’s virtually another potential crisis that Heisen hasn’t yet identified.

“Fuck. Are you joking…”

Shing.

“W-What, joking? Of course it’s possible! With that, it’s just… I mean, does it depend on growth? Anyway, even in Hairashi, it’s easily a junior baronetcy, and if you speak well, even a baronetcy is possible!”

Alexis, who gradually revealed signs of excitement while watching my expression, finally opened his mouth and tried to mix in vulgar words as usual, but fell silent in front of Evangeline’s sword.

Watching that scene, I re-examined the benefits and risks of keeping him alive.

‘Well, most of the risks are eliminated at the point of contract.’

The ‘secrets’ Alexis must keep will be kept once he’s formally put under the influence of the contract.

Even if he tries to blurt out secrets unknowingly while drunk, the contract and curse on his soul will inflict pain that will drive even the alcohol from his brain.

Even if he falls under hypnosis or mental manipulation, it’s possible to block it to some extent, and it’s impossible to reveal his contract through writing or other means.

Therefore, there’s virtually no risk.

Unless he carelessly draws on the power of the demon realm and gets caught by a cleric.

‘The benefits are unknown though. It’s something I’ve never done before. I wonder if the Archdukes on the ground have barely tried it.’

Of course, that’s unknown too. It’s something I haven’t heard of so far.

But if those established Dungeon Lords have really succeeded in territorializing demon realms, I think it wouldn’t be strange if they’re inserting spies among humans to monitor.

By that point, they would more than recognize the importance of information.

‘It’s arrogant to think they can’t do what I can.’

Isn’t there already a contradiction between the setting in MilDun 1 where a Dungeon Lord had to ‘corrupt’ humans to contract with them, and my current situation?

I, too, own humans in this world.

Although I couldn’t obtain complete loyalty that follows from the heart, at a level where they can function as human assets.

So, for me to follow them too…

‘I wanted to fill in the necessary parts slowly if possible, but…’

『Demon King Candidate ‘Libertas’s Dungeon Lv. 4』

『Core Activation – 417/560』

『Attributes – Health 18 Technique 26 Durability 23 Magic Power 32 Resistance 24』

I alternately check the dungeon’s information window and my status window.

The deliberation didn’t take long.

‘Indeed, now is the time to invest.’

The dungeon’s level up obtained from sending Serica, the magical leeway that came with it. I poured those gains into attributes without hesitation.

Up to the realm that the blonde vampire I sent first had reached.

『Core Activation – 663/728』

『Attributes – Health 34 Technique 46 Durability 38 Magic Power 53 Resistance 47』

Whoosh…!!

Crack-!

The magic circle rising from the ground where I stand and the power rapidly filling my entire body now is obtained by consuming the remaining capacity in the dungeon core.

The rapid physical enhancement by magic power that occurred as a result made my body feel somewhat stiff.

If I was going to do it anyway, I thought it would be good to go all at once, so I naturally hammered it to a somewhat tight level, considering the ‘contracts’ to come later.

If I proceed with contracts with these people from there, only 1 of the remaining core magic power will be left.

Since contracts with humans or demon realm mercenaries take several to tens of times more magic power than maintaining ordinary summons, I had to measure well.

Kuh… Hehehehe…

The change wasn’t limited to my body.

The ghostly wails that suddenly started to be heard from all over the dungeon disappeared when I waved my hand once, but the power that was their source still permeated this space.

Death energy.

Transformed magic power that proves this place is the domain of a necromancer who has reached enlightenment.

Although there’s little room for strategic use as the applicable area is small, even at the current level, it can be used to weed out or subdue small fry. This part doesn’t seem to have changed much, as it feels similar to the description in my memo.

However…

『Occupation – Sinister Necromancer』

I inwardly prayed this would change a bit.

‘Sinister’ necromancer feels too orthodox and a bit disappointing. Well, ‘ancient’ vampire or ‘excellent’ succubus are just as funny.

“Impossible…”

-Could capturing us really bring about this much growth…?

How could that be.

Ordinary Dungeon Lords born in this world can’t visibly check their own power and core situation, so they have to build know-how directly on their bodies by going through all sorts of trial and error to increase their power.

If they increase power recklessly like now, the core might get overloaded and instead decrease in power for a while.

But there’s no need to tell that secret.

『Name – Alexis Julka』

『Occupation and Rank – Elite Magic Swordsman』

…

『A warrior and mage with excellent abilities compared to his rank. Both body and soul are of high quality.』

Reading through Alexis’s information appearing in my eyes, I opened my mouth again towards them who were dumbfounded.

“Do you understand what I can give you?”

As calmly as ever.

* * *

“Impossible…”

The shocking scene unfolding before Alexis and Jin Kyung’s eyes.

The black magic power enveloping the body of the woman, whose face was so kind and weak that she seemed harmless at first glance, instantly darkened her body while increasing the amount of magic power flowing from it.

It was a change that felt somewhat unreasonable.

‘I see why Dungeon Lords’ growth was so fast…’

Alexis, unaware that he was misunderstanding, looked up at the woman looking down at him with astonished eyes.

She was clearly small, but now she looked larger than ever.

‘Now I understand why these monsters need to be killed early…’

This sentiment was shared by Jin Kyung as well.

This was also due to one difference these two had from adventurers who had come to dungeons so far.

The time of rising from high-rank to elite realm. This was the realm where the sense of detecting external magic power began to bloom in earnest.

Thanks to this, they couldn’t help but feel Libertas’s change much more than previous adventurers.

Of course, it’s actually impossible to feel others’ magic power so sensitively, and this change was only possible because it was so remarkable that it could be felt even with insufficient sense for magic power.

“Do you understand what I can give you?”

Towards them who were immersed in shock like that, Libertas, still with an indifferent air, opened her mouth again.

With her hair still shadowed by the remnants of black magic power, her two eyes glowing eerily with purple light.

With a voice boiling with power due to the sudden surge of magic power change.

“Power. And wealth. Furthermore, honor.”

Lips closed in a small straight line without even smiling.

“Choose.”

Eyes shining innocently as if curious about something worthless.

“Whether you will grasp what you desire. Or…”

A body standing straight, exuding enormous power disproportionate to its small build.

“Be crushed futilely here, and bloom anew.”

Beauty like an angel.

“Either way, I will welcome your choice.”

That appearance now felt to the two adventurers not like a simple demon race or demon, but like a legendary devil from scripture…

That is, like a ‘Demon King’.

“We will serve you…”

-If you just, spare our lives…

Looking up at that expressionless face with a kind impression, Alexis and Jin Kyung finally properly knelt down.

“Desire. A good choice.”

It was the moment when Demon King candidate Libertas began to invade their territory beyond owning humans.