Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

60 – As the Master Wishes

Before Lee Kang-hyun and Maru arrived at the scene.

The emergency response team hunters were still facing off against monsters.

A critical situation where monsters emerged from the dungeon, threatening human civilization.

Despite deploying to resolve this, the situation did not improve at all.

Instead, they realized there were not one, but two A-class monsters.

“Tsk.”

Team leader Han Jeong-cheol bit his lips, seeming frustrated.

‘I thought wrong from the beginning.’

They knew about the Ghouls, Incubus, and Death Knight, but Ark Rich was unexpected.

How could anyone have anticipated that there would be not one but two A-class monsters like the Berger Ghoul?

No one could have predicted that.

And the biggest loss was losing the vice team leader.

Rushing in without correctly assessing the opponent’s strength ended in a defeat.

And here, the terror of the opposing monster was revealed.

The undeadification of the killed beings.

The Death Knight turned the opponent into a Ghoul.

Similarly, Ark Rich raised skeletons from the corpses.

In theory, the opponent could endlessly produce monsters.

Of course, they had deployed to stop their advance, but now it was meaningless.

The vice team leader who had charged forward had also become a skeleton.

The irony of a hunter who had been loyal to the country now being involved in trying to destroy it was staged.

Han Jeong-cheol slowly scanned his subordinates around him.

The momentum that had risen just a moment ago plummeted again.

No one moved from their positions due to the vice team leader’s death.

Despair and fear filled their faces.

The emergency response team, considered powerful, was now in a situation laden with irony.

However, perhaps due to being too accustomed to the prolonged peace, they were powerless to suppress the current monster wave.

The situation was so tangled that even those who hadn’t abandoned the field or fled deserved praise.

At this moment, confronting them in battle was tantamount to suicide.

It was a moment of contemplation, debating whether to temporarily retreat and join forces with the reinforcements.

Bang—

Suddenly, a beam of light shot towards the monsters.

“?!”

Naturally, Death Knight raised his eerie-looking shield for defense.

“The light…!”

The emitted light was blocked by the shield but spread out into the surroundings.

The dispersed light finally delivered the decisive blow.

Some of the ghouls nearby began to melt.

Of course, except for the ghouls, the other monsters remained unscathed.

Still, a crack had formed in the once impregnable monster formation.

‘So, powerful.’

And it was beautiful.

The hunters present here were having such thoughts.

Han Jung-chul’s gaze followed the direction of the light.

From behind, dozens of hunters, armed and ready, were walking towards this place.

Distinctive white-designed armor.

It was the Holy Guild.

At the forefront, a man led them.

It was obvious who had just launched the attack.

“Kim Soo-ho….”

Affiliated with the Holy Guild and simultaneously an A-rank hunter.

While Han Jung-chul was also an A-rank hunter, the difference in level was striking.

Kim Soo-ho was a talent who had already traveled to the Eldorado Continent.

And more.

He claimed to have been knighted there as well.

Even though Han Jeong-cheol had never been there, he couldn’t help but acknowledge what a remarkable achievement it was.

Thanks to that, Kim Su-ho currently held the title of a Holy Knight.

Quite distinct from his outward appearance.

“Hmph, can’t even handle something as simple as this. It’s a shame to call this an Emergency Response Team.”

Jeong-cheol had long been aware of Kim Su-ho’s rough temperament.

Due to the nature of the Emergency Response Team, even if it wasn’t field deployment, they interacted with several guilds.

Having met Kim Su-ho several times through these interactions, Jeong-cheol knew him well.

“Imi-rae. Leaving the Divine Guild only to come to such a place?”

And as expected,

Kim Su-ho’s tone was arrogant and confrontational.

Right from his gaze, it was evident he couldn’t dominate his opponent, leaving him frustrated.

Kim Su-ho directed his roughness towards Imi-rae, who was standing behind him.

*Sigh*…

Jeong-cheol’s head started to throb due to the current situation.

Kim Su-ho had always been like this.

People who didn’t know him well admired the name Kim Su-ho, but this current version was his reality.

However, the situation was urgent now.

Even if the impression a while ago wasn’t great, they needed to join forces to resolve the crisis at hand.

They had more or less gauged the opponent monster’s strength a while ago.

Moreover, the Divine Guild mainly utilized the holy attribute of light.

With their knowledge combined with the abilities of the Divine Guild, they could quickly quell the monster wave.

That’s how crucial cooperation was.

Despite Kim Su-ho’s rudeness, Jeong-cheol silently extended his hand.

It was a gesture of asking for cooperation, yet the other party merely sneered.

“Fine. What kind of teamwork is this with those who can’t even solve this? Just stand back and watch while we take care of it ourselves.”

Kim Su-ho was strictly formal in a public setting, refraining from informal language. Yet, his words dripped with sarcasm.

Simultaneously, he belittled the hunters of the Emergency Response Team.

“…”

Jeong-cheol, likewise, had nothing to say.

No matter what was said here, Kim Suho wasn’t the type to listen.

The Divine Guild, too, was more likely to follow Kim Suho than to ignore their words.

But now was a dangerous situation.

At the very least, Han Jeongcheol said a word because he didn’t want the Divine Guild’s power to diminish.

“Don’t let your guard down, and be careful of Arc Lich.”

He said it as politely as possible, but Kim Suho didn’t even bother to listen as he passed by them.

Han Jeongcheol didn’t bother to stop them.

They would realize it soon enough.

That their opponent was a different existence from the monsters they had faced so far.

It was the worst monster wave, but ironically, the overall damage was minimal.

Even though they didn’t know what those monsters were after, there was still hope.

That’s why they had decided to do their best now.

“Pay attention so that the damage doesn’t spread to the surroundings!”

At the team leader’s command, the emergency response hunters began to move again.

“……”

Kim Suho was moving forward in silence.

“Death Knights and Arc Lich….”

On the other side, the appearance of the monsters could be seen.

They knew about the Death Knights, but the power of the Arc Lich was unexpected.

Now everyone knew from the report of the emergency response team that had been dispatched earlier.

The worst-case scenario had occurred.

But they weren’t worried.

After all, they were the Divine Guild, the best guild in South Korea.

Moreover, their opponents were mainly undead.

This also meant that they had an advantage in terms of compatibility.

Above all, Kim Suho himself was here.

‘It’s not a big deal.’

Kim Suho briefly reminisced about the past.

So far, he had walked the path of the elite.

He had never missed the top position at the Hunter Academy.

In the end, he graduated as the top student and even traveled to the Eldorad Continent.

It was on the Eldorad Continent that his true worth manifested.

Entering the ranks, he established various achievements there.

Thanks to that, within the ranks, he received the title of a Holy Knight and a supply-grade Holy Sword used by the Holy Knights.

Up to this point, these were the facts known to the public.

Of course, in this process, Kim Suho faced numerous monsters.

Especially the monsters on the Eldorad Continent were different from those existing on Earth.

“These monsters in front of me are just parasites on Earth at best!”

Therefore, Kim Suho was not afraid at all.

If he had honed his strength while roaming Eldorad, this would be nothing.

Kim Suho slowly drew the sword at his waist.

“Show yourself.”

It wasn’t a true Sacred Sword, but just its presence alone radiated a dazzling light.

“The power of holiness!”

Kim Suho’s sword completely emerged from its scabbard.

“My strength!”

Simultaneously, he swung it forward.

Swish-

The light emitted from the sword rushed towards the monsters with a fierce sound.

Bang-

The result was a hit.

However.

“!”

Once again, the attack was blocked by the Death Knight’s shield.

But Kim Suho remained unfazed.

Continuing to attack, he unleashed the light.

One time.

Two times.

Three times.

Each time, the Death Knight blocked Kim Suho’s attacks with its shield.

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Even though it continued to block the light, the ghouls around gradually fell due to the aftermath.

Yet Kim Suho wasn’t satisfied.

“Urgh!”

Kim Suho’s expression twisted.

While the number of ghouls was decreasing, the Death Knight remained unscathed.

Why were all of his attacks being blocked?

Kim Suho scrutinized the Death Knight closely.

“A maid’s uniform?”

He hadn’t heard anything about this beforehand.

No, why would there be a maid’s uniform tied to the shield before this?

It was a strange combination.

“Maybe… could there be something about that attire?”

Otherwise, it made no sense for his attacks to continuously be thwarted.

In that case, wouldn’t it be enough to just avoid the shield?

With that thought, Kim Suho commanded his guild members.

“Attack simultaneously!”

The hunters from the Holy Guild behind him all began attacking the monster.

And Kim Suho, too, gathered his strength to its maximum.

“I have to finish this in one strike!”

The Death Knight swung its shield back and forth amidst the hunters’ simultaneous attacks.

It couldn’t focus amidst the multiple directions of assault.

“Now’s the time!”

When the opponent wasn’t paying attention, Kim Suho swung his sword.

A brilliant light emanated from his sword.

It was brighter and larger than before.

“That’s it!”

The light Kim Suho unleashed precisely flew into the gap of the Death Knight.

Boom—

Simultaneously, an enormous noise reverberated, shaking the ground.

Thick smoke unfolded, shrouding the sight of everyone.

Hunters from the Emergency Response Team gaped at the spectacle, while those affiliated with the Sacred Guild were already in a festive mood.

There was a significant difference between facing one or two A-class monsters.

With the recent attack, the Death Knight would have been dealt with, leaving only Ark Lich to worry about.

After a moment, the dense smoke began to disperse.

Now, the opponent would look pitiful being called a monster wave.

However,

“What the hell!”

Even they, who were rarely taken aback, were horrified at this moment.

“…!”

Kim Suho was no exception.

Certainly, the attack just now had been an assault where he exerted all the power he could muster.

He believed that he could eliminate the Death Knight with that strike, but an entirely different situation unfolded.

“Oh my, my. You’re quite the forceful one, aren’t you?”

Kim Suho’s attack was effortlessly blocked by the presence that appeared in front of the Death Knight.

It was blocked even by the extended hand of the adversary.

“W-Who are you!”

This time, even Kim Suho was bewildered.

The opponent was visibly extraordinary.

An entity exuding an extraordinary appearance and charm, but the horns extending above her head represented her identity.

Though he gripped his sword again, the opponent showed her back.

“Kuk.”

Kim Suho tasted humiliation.

How belittled must he have been for someone to blatantly show their back?

In a moment when he tried to swing his sword to retaliate against the one who openly ignored him,

“Mr. Death Knight and Mr. Ark Lich, please come to me after this is over.”

Her voice, of unknown origin, echoed.

For some reason, the monsters nearby began to tremble.

The Incubus at the forefront completely lowered its face to the ground.

Even the A-class monsters, Death Knight and Arch Lich, began to gently retreat, glancing at her cautiously.

In the process, Arch Lich seemed to be writing something diligently, but that was probably fine.

‘What is this…’

Kim Suho was perplexed.

Monsters that had shown such powerful appearances were trembling at her mere words, appearing out of nowhere.

What kind of existence could make those monsters tremble like that?

“No way…”

Suddenly, Kim Suho, with a hint of realization, shouted towards her.

“Are you the owner of the dungeon?”

But she, as if hearing something she shouldn’t, brought her finger close to her lips.

It was a signal to be quiet.

* * *

In a situation where the attack was about to be directed towards Death Knight, Celia appeared.

Celia stretched out her right hand straightaway, nullifying the opponent’s attack.

The light scattered weakly.

It was an attack that poured all of its power, but Celia effortlessly blocked it with her hand.

In fact, it was correct to say that she took the full damage.

“Well, you’re quite the forceful one, aren’t you?”

Celia looked at her own hand.

Her hand had turned ever so slightly red from the attack a while ago.

The difference with the opponent was such that if Death Knight had taken the current attack head-on, it would have been a considerable blow.

Celia looked around and opened her mouth.

“Miss Death Knight and Miss Arch Lich, come to me after this is over.”

At the same time, she also spoke towards Azmo.

“As for you, Azmo, I’ll let it slide just this once.”

Celia, who had been entrusted with the role of managing the dungeon and holding authority over the owner, made her pronouncement, and the reactions were sharply divided.

Azmo bowed towards Celia and expressed his gratitude.

In truth, Azmo only wanted to be loyal to the owner.

She decided to give him a chance.

But it wasn’t Death Knights or Arc Liches.

The Death Knight began to tremble at her words.

Meanwhile, the Arc Lich next to her didn’t forget to record as an inspector.

“When Chief Administrator Celia herself arrived, humans were astonished, Incubi nodded in approval, and the Death Knights trembled. Truly magnificent.”

Recording this, slowly stepping back.

A presence was felt from behind.

Clang—

The Death Knight immediately raised his shield in response.

The Arc Lich saw it.

The figure that attacked the Death Knight.

And he also noticed that the opponent possessed a similar aura to theirs.

It was a feeling of being on the same side.

Why attack those on the same side?

The Arc Lich asked, filled with doubt.

And, of course, didn’t forget to record it.

But from the opponent’s mouth came completely different words.

“It’s an order from my master.”

The statement surprised the Arc Lich.

An order from the master!

Come to think of it, faint traces of the master’s aura could be vaguely sensed in the distance.

The Arc Lich promptly edited the brief content.

“Listening attentively to the words of our great and noble master. This is worthy of praise.”

Of course, he wrote it like this, but why would the master issue such a command now?

It couldn’t be understood.

As he pondered the master’s intent, Vetter suddenly jumped out to the side.

Vetter, chosen as a deputy in Azmo’s dungeon management.

He was a slime and a genius of transformation at the same time.

Even now, he appeared not in the form of a slime but as a human, moving his lips to articulate precise words.

“Ah! The master intends to take advantage of the current situation!”

What does that mean?

How can one take advantage of the current situation?

Everyone was filled with questions.

Even Celia, who was in front, perked up at the mention of the master, and listened closely to Vetter’s words.

“So, this is how it is!”

Vetter began explaining with a decisive tone.

1. Currently, the master aims to dominate this world.

2. However, dominance achieved solely through power cannot garner true loyalty.

3. Therefore, the master stages acts of saving the world, earning the respect of everyone.

4. Devouring the world in one gulp.

Vetter had spent many years in the research lab.

Even though it was called a research lab, it was not a place where research was conducted peacefully.

Researchers divided into factions, and it was a place overflowing with intrigues and power plays.

Naturally, Vetter was able to acquire such skills.

And it seemed clear that the current master also harbored significant ambitions.

Therefore, Vetter confidently explained.

“Oh.”

Azmo, who was lying down listening to the explanation, responded first.

“To pursue the natural beauty so effortlessly!”

As someone who believed that forcing loyalty was not beautiful, Azmo admired the master’s wisdom.

Indeed, the master understood true beauty.

Celia also nodded in agreement.

“Indeed. Celia finally understands the master’s thoughts.”

She now understood why the master had sent her here.

Deathknight and Ark Lich also nodded.

Deathknight immediately looked straight ahead.

There, in front of him, was the being sent by the master, Maru.

Nod.

Deathknight nodded towards Maru.

The floor made a sound unfamiliar at first, but upon closer reflection, it seemed fitting.

So now, only one thing remained.

To act according to the master’s will in all of this.

As Maru’s sword clashed against the Death Knight’s shield with a resounding thud,

the Death Knight was sent flying backward.

It was an astonishing display of strength.

As if Ark Lich couldn’t bear to be outdone, he lunged toward Maru.

Maru’s blade pierced through Ark Lich’s body.

Of course, it meant nothing as the sword passed through the gaps in Ark Lich’s bones.

Yet, Ark Lich reached toward the sky, hand outstretched.

Ah…

As if in profound misery.

Even more desperately.

Sadly.

The hand stretched toward the sky then fell limply to the ground.

Thus, Ark Lich remained motionless.

“…”

At that moment, the Emergency Response Team hunters and the Sacred Guild’s hunters, who had been watching the scene, were horrified.

To them, it seemed as if an unidentified being, concealed within its form, had suddenly appeared and was not only bringing down monsters.

Han Jung-chul and even Kim Soo-ho were merely blinking in response to the current situation.