Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

54 – Monster Wave (2)

“Damn it.”

It’s strange.

A really strange day.

“Why did I forget Seo Yeong-ho…?”

The headcount was off, and nothing seemed to go right today.

It felt as if he was under some kind of spell.

“Let’s focus for now.”

Now, he had to focus on something else.

There was no time to waste on trivial matters.

Choi Ji-hoon immediately stepped outside the barracks and shouted loudly.

“Everyone, gather right now! We’re going to check the headcount again, so hurry up!”

There was only one thing on his mind.

“Please, let it be nothing.”

He simply hoped it was just a happening, eagerly waiting for the members to gather.

A moment later.

“Everyone is here. Captain Choi Ji-hoon!”

The voice of the subordinate officer echoed.

“Hmm. Good.”

Choi Ji-hoon quickly conducted a headcount, looking at the hunters.

“One, two, three, four…”

However, there was a problem.

“…Twenty-two.”

The total should be twenty-one, but the actual number of people was still twenty-two.

He hoped that the situation board presented by the subordinate officer was incorrect, but…

Upon rechecking, frustratingly, the count remained at twenty-two.

“Ha…”

This time, Choi Ji-hoon scrutinized the faces of all the hunters.

Anyway, he just needed to find Seo Young-ho’s face.

“…”

He was sure he thought so.

But there was no sign of Seo Young-ho anywhere.

“Damn! This is driving me crazy.”

The hunters were taken aback by Choi Ji-hoon’s sudden curse.

But Choi Ji-hoon didn’t stop there.

“Everyone, take out your hunter IDs!”

Choi Ji-hoon leads the patrol unit.

Regardless of how the situation is unfolding, for now, one must follow the orders of a superior officer.

Hunters each pulled out their hunter IDs and extended them forward.

“Uh… Captain, I apologize. I forgot and left my hunter ID behind. Is that okay?”

Among them, there were individuals without their hunter IDs.

Choi Ji-hoon looked at those individuals.

“Tell me your name and rank!”

Then, swiftly, he drew a handgun from his waist.

It was a mana-powered magic gun.

Choi Ji-hoon aimed the gun at the person without the hunter ID.

Everyone around was surprised when their leader suddenly pulled out a gun.

“Ca, Captain?”

“What’s going on?!”

What on earth was happening?

“Hurry up and tell me your name and rank!”

When Choi Ji-hoon shouted loudly again, the person without the ID quickly spoke up.

“D-rank Hunter, Kang Sung-woo!”

However, Choi Ji-hoon’s gun continued to point at him.

“Uh… Captain…?”

Kang Sung-woo, who had revealed his name and rank a moment ago, called out to Choi Ji-hoon with a trembling voice.

“Why are you doing this for real…”

He was almost stammering as he spoke.

However, Choi Ji-hoon’s gun didn’t waver from him.

Choi Ji-hoon continued to gaze at Kang Sung-woo.

“Why didn’t you bring your hunter ID?”

Usually, hunters always carried their hunter IDs.

But no hunter ID in a situation like this?

It was highly suspicious.

“Listen, everyone! There’s a non-human entity among us!”

His words seemed to be the starting point.

All the hunters exchanged glances and began to distance themselves from each other, especially directing most of their attention to one person – Kang Sung-woo, the one without the hunter ID.

“No… Why is everyone like this…?”

Kang Sung-woo spoke with a desperate voice, but others didn’t pay any attention.

Especially Choi Ji-hoon approached Kang Sung-woo little by little.

At first, he only intended to threaten.

But Choi Ji-hoon saw it.

The moment Kang Sung-woo’s neck twisted.

‘Huh?’

It was not just a simple turn of the head; it was literally the neck twisting in a grotesque direction.

What should I call it?

As if not human?

It happened in a short moment, but Choi Ji-hoon didn’t hesitate.

Because what he saw just before was too chilling.

Thud-

Blue mana sprayed from the magic gun Choi Ji-hoon was holding.

Thud-

The mana shot from the gun hit Kang Sung-woo’s head precisely.

“Cook!”

Kang Sung-woo left a brief scream and died instantly.

The most suspicious hunter departed.

But Choi Ji-hoon couldn’t be relieved.

He pointed the gun at another hunter right next to him.

“Name and rank!”

Just when the other hunter was about to speak.

Choi Ji-hoon saw another strange sight in the opponent’s eyes.

The corners of the opponent’s mouth lifted slightly.

It was a sneer.

Why is he suddenly smiling now?

And it was a smile that sent shivers down the spine.

This time, there was no doubt.

The author is not a hunter.

Bang-

Bang-

Two rapid gunshots echoed consecutively.

“Cough….”

Just like before, another hunter collapsed, coughing up blood.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

Choi Ji-hoon aimed his gun at another person.

Bang-

This time, there was no hesitation.

He simply pulled the trigger.

Then, he aimed his gun at another person.

Bang-

By this point, the others were shaken.

Bang-

“The captain has gone mad! Stop him!”

Everyone tried to respond, brandishing their weapons.

But Choi Ji-hoon was a B-grade hunter.

Not just any B-grade, but one close to A-grade, which was the problem.

Moreover, he was a hunter with enough skills to take on the role of the patrol unit captain.

“For now, keep blocking!”

No matter how they joined forces, they were, at best, D-grade or C-grade hunters.

There were no B-grade hunters, except for the captain.

Bang-

Therefore, blocking Choi Ji-hoon’s attack right now was urgent.

But another problem arose.

Choi Ji-hoon felt the limits of his magical gun and drew his sword.

“….”

It didn’t take long.

Choi Ji-hoon, who continued to wield his sword.

As he regained his composure, the surroundings were filled with scattered pools of red blood.

“Ah….”

What on earth is happening now?

“I…”

My hands were trembling.

My whole body was shaking.

“What have I done…”

I acted as if I had suddenly lost my mind.

The result was that the area around the dungeon turned into a sea of blood.

Choi Jihoon looked around with vacant eyes.

However, he noticed one strange thing.

“Huh?”

Blood was scattered everywhere, but there were hardly any corpses.

And something unfamiliar entered his eyes.

“Liquid?”

It emitted a blue light.

The liquid gradually moved, taking on a form.

“…Slime.”

Its identity was undoubtedly a slime.

But why was there a slime here?

Choi Jihoon stared blankly at the slime.

The blue slime approached the remaining corpses.

Then it began to absorb them.

“….”

Too much had happened, and Choi Jihoon, unable to follow the current situation, could only stare blankly at the slime.

At that confused moment, the slime, realizing Choi Jihoon’s gaze, turned its body.

The slime soon began to approach him.

Strength flowed into Choi Jihoon’s hand, holding a weapon.

Ordinary slimes are not much of a threat as monsters.

But the slime in front of him was different somehow.

Choi Ji-hoon’s mind was sending out danger signals.

“…….”

But the slime stopped at a certain distance and stayed still.

Fortunately, perhaps.

A moment to catch his breath.

The slime’s body began to twist.

“Uh….”

Simultaneously, the slime began to change its form.

It was the shape of a person.

“…Lieutenant?”

Choi Ji-hoon called the lieutenant.

There, in front of him, was the lieutenant.

More precisely, the slime had transformed into the appearance of the lieutenant.

And a slime in the form of the lieutenant opened its mouth.

“Kick.”

It was a clear mockery.

“Commander Choi Ji-hoon? Since when did you have a lieutenant?”

Huh?

What is this presence in front of me saying?

Since when did I have a lieutenant?

Come to think of it, there was something off.

From Noble mtl dot com

Yes, clearly, I had a lieutenant assigned to me.

Certainly… a lieutenant….

Who was the lieutenant?

Why can’t I remember the name?

Questions filled Choi Ji-hoon’s mind as he pondered alone.

The slime turned its head towards the dungeon and spoke.

“Indeed, the skills of the administrator are remarkable, aren’t they?”

The closed door of the dungeon opened.

From beyond the door, ghouls began to emerge.

Wheee—

The sound of sirens echoed as monsters came out, but there were no hunters guarding this place.

“hahahaha, I have merely received the mercy of the great one.”

And amidst the horde of ghouls, a presence slowly walked forward.

It was the Incubus Azmo.

* * *

Ghouls began to emerge from the dungeon.

Amidst the horde of ghouls, there was the presence of the Incubus Azmo.

As if his figure exuded masculine elegance and charisma, shining like a jewel even in the darkness.

The sharp horns protruding above his head represented his strength.

With a well-groomed appearance, his beautiful muscles were prominently displayed.

His face was sharp, with distinct features.

His eyes contained intelligence and profound insight, as if harboring infinite wisdom and secrets.

With a slightly wicked smile, he radiated confidence and dangerous charm in all directions.

Azmo surveyed the area outside the dungeon.

The surroundings had turned into a sea of blood.

It was a sweet sight.

“Indeed, the skills of Administrator Azmo are remarkable.”

A presence among the blood sea spoke to Azmo.

It was his subordinate, Vetter.

Originally a slime, he now took on a human form.

Truly a master of transformation.

In response to Vetter’s words, Azmo replied, “I have merely received the mercy of the great one.”

Azmo smiled.

“Thanks to the mercy of the master, I have gained new skills.”

It was the ‘distorted allure.’

He consumed the succubus bestowed upon him by his former master.

It was the first time he had taken a member of his own kind, and although he felt a slight aversion at first, looking at the results alone, he had become even stronger.

[Distorted Allure]

Now, he could enchant not only the opposite s*x but also the same s*x.

Of course, the effect was considerably more subtle compared to the opposite s*x.

However, he could still induce confusion by imparting a moderate cognitive impairment to the other person.

Azmo gazed down at his own hand.

Certainly, he was growing stronger.

So much had happened until now.

At first, he was just the master overseeing a small succubus dungeon.

He was an utterly ordinary master managing a mundane dungeon.

“Since when was it….”

Yeah, it was probably from that day.

The day Celia first descended and helped him.

Celia possessed truly formidable power.

With just a gesture, she had rendered the hunters invading the dungeon powerless.

Azmo was profoundly shocked by that sight.

I want that power too.

A primal desire welled up within him.

He had pursued external beauty more than raw power until now, a natural inclination for the succubus race.

But seeing Celia changed Azmo’s thoughts.

The pinnacle of beauty.

Certainly, that was true.

However, true beauty emanated from strength.

Yes, I want that strong power too.

Beauty without strength is merely swallowed by the surroundings.

True beauty lies in strength.

Although the races may differ, the desire to be under the immense presence of Celia was like a towering chimney.

However, Lady Celia spoke.

“I am merely a servant following a great being.”

To think that there exists a being who follows even Lady Celia, who displayed such immense power.

‘Just how extraordinary must this being be…’

From that day on, Azmo’s perspective widened significantly.

But what astonished Azmo was not just that.

Upon witnessing beings who descended into the dungeon after Celia.

Death Knights and Liches.

He felt awe at dispatching such formidable entities without much difficulty.

And the amazement did not end there.

Azmo witnessed a miracle.

Before his eyes, the Lich transcended into Arch Lich.

‘Ah, a miracle has occurred before me.’

For that moment, tears flowed from Azmo’s eyes.

And a single goal was born.

He wanted to be reborn as a more powerful being.

To achieve that, he needed the mercy of the great one.

To receive the mercy of the great and noble master, one thing was required.

“Lady Celia mentioned it.”

– Act for the master and spread the master’s will throughout the world.

Then, someday, the master would show mercy.

‘Spread the master’s will throughout the world…’

It was easy to guess the master’s will.

If one deduced from what Lady Celia mentioned, there was only one answer.

“The world will kneel before the master.”

And the beginning of that would be initiated by Azmo himself.

“My children!”

Azmo shouted towards the Incubi.

“And those who have returned from death!”

He shouted towards the Ghouls.

“Go! Go and show the will of the master!”

Under Azmo’s command, the ghouls and incubi began to move.

Behind them,

Thud-

Thump-thump-

Ark Leech and Death Knight followed suit.

It was the beginning of the monster wave.

“This, this is unbelievable…”

And there was one human who saw the current scene from the beginning, Patrol Captain Choi Ji-hoon.

“hahahahaha….”

A death knight clad in black armor and armed with a sword.

And a undead wizard who had even forgotten death.

Choi Ji-hoon could only laugh at the sight before him.

“This is hopeless….”

No, there might not have been hope for humanity in the first place.

Choi Ji-hoon aimed the sword he held in his hand at his own throat.

Today was truly an unyielding day.

But if one thing went well.

At least he could decide his own end with his own hands.

His hand holding the sword tensed.

Thunk-