Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

61 – After the Monster Wave

Silence lingered.

It was so quiet that it almost felt as if time itself had stopped.

Even the passing breeze seemed to pause as if in agreement.

If it weren’t nighttime now, wouldn’t only clouds be leisurely drifting across the sky?

“?”

And in my mind, filled only with question marks, I revisited the scene I had witnessed a little while ago.

As Maru swung the sword, the Death Knight soared.

Ark Lich fell to Maru’s blade.

No.

What are they doing?

No matter how powerful Maru’s swinging sword may be, the opponents are Death Knight and Ark Lich.

Even if the current Maru were to swing the sword, it couldn’t exert such power.

Could it be that Maru has awakened?

Just to be sure, I checked on my smartphone.

“…”

I could see on the monster list that Death Knight and Ark Lich were still safely present.

Maru was the same.

Well, with their grades, they wouldn’t crumble from just a sword.

Their current appearance was nothing more than a show in my eyes.

After all, they were originally my monsters, and I knew their grades accurately, so it was just absurd.

However, the hunters far away seemed to perceive it differently.

The distance was considerable, making it impossible to confirm who they were, but they were probably hunters sent by the guild or association.

They were frozen in place, seemingly bewildered by the current situation.

Anyway, it was the most opportune timing for me.

The hunters remained still, and my monsters held their ground without colliding.

I quickly ran towards Maru.

Then, I grabbed the Ark Lich in front of Maru.

Despite being caught in my hand, it continued to emit an excellent aura of composure.

“Ha.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.

While holding onto Ark Lich, I looked around.

Celia and Azmo were watching me, and even the hunters in front were staring.

‘If I didn’t have the robe and mask, it would have been a big problem.’

Currently, Maru and I were covered in a robe and mask.

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Of course, the monsters could sense my existence, but at least the hunters probably couldn’t guess.

“What the heck is going on?”

I asked Maru with a hint of doubt.

I had clearly ordered Maru to capture them.

Maru followed the command and charged forward, but with the sudden turn of events, it was only natural for me to be puzzled.

“Clang.”

Maru spoke, shifting his jawbone.

And due to my abilities, I easily understood Maru’s words.

“What? Are you saying I want to dominate this world?”

What is this talk?

I asked again, thinking I might have misunderstood.

But Maru nodded, affirming with a positive gesture.

“Hah.”

It was even more perplexing than I had thought.

At what point did my intention get misinterpreted?

Now I realized.

“I’ll have to manage this carefully from now on.”

No, I’d need to give orders with precise meaning at least.

Fortunately, it seemed they hadn’t ignored my words out of disregard but rather excessive loyalty.

Still, the situation was a fact.

I wanted to say something here, but the situation was unfavorable.

Even if Celia and the others didn’t know, there were too many hunter eyes focused here.

“Now, let’s finish this slowly.”

I couldn’t tell them to leave right here.

If I ordered the monsters to leave obediently, how would it look in their eyes?

At least a minimum level of naturalness was necessary.

I whispered to Ark Rich in a low voice.

“Can you explode all those ghouls?”

A skill Ark Rich had before evolving.

Corpse Explosion.

Despite its name, it could only explode undead monsters, but that didn’t matter.

I formulated a plan in my mind.

By exploding the ghouls one by one, I could divert their attention to the maximum and slip away smoothly.

To my question, Ark Rich nodded very slightly.

He was pretending to be dead until the end.

“This guy is completely immersed.”

I immediately ordered the golems to explode.

As soon as Ark Leach heard the command, the golems exploded.

Boom-

Boom-boom-

Crash-

Deafening roars reverberated, and the golems exploded one after another.

Boom-

As the golems exploded, thick clouds of dust rose.

The dust created by the explosions enveloped everything in the vicinity.

In the obscured vision caused by the dust.

I threw Ark Leach and commanded Celia.

“Celia! Take them and go back immediately!”

Now was the opportunity, bought with the sacrifice of the golems.

Seeing Celia in person was the second time, following the dream last time.

Although I wanted to have various conversations since we met, there was no time to delay.

“Take everyone to the dungeon and wait!”

As soon as this mission is completed, I will change the system.

At least in a direction I can control.

Celia seemed to have a lot to say, but there was no time for it now.

“All right, Master.”

Celia bowed her head and replied.

Controlling the remaining ones, she began to leave this place.

“What’s up?”

Ark Leach, who had approached me unnoticed, was holding a thick book and jotting something down.

It seemed to be a notebook.

Next to him, a skeleton armed with hunter gear held an ink bottle with both hands.

I was curious about what he was recording, but there was no time to check.

“You follow quickly too.”

Upon my words, Ark Leach straightened his waist and started following Celia.

“?”

Is that Ark Leitch’s greeting method?

At the very least, he was a guy with proper manners.

As Ark Leitch, the last one remaining besides me, departed, I scanned the surroundings.

Now, there were no monsters left in this place.

Considering Celia’s abilities, we should return to the dungeon safely.

“Let’s go too, Maru.”

The thick smoke gradually thinned out.

As long as Maru and I leave this place before all the smoke disappears, everything will be fine.

* * *

The sudden explosion of ghouls.

The dust raised by the explosion obscured everyone’s vision.

“What the! What’s happening!”

The hunters shouted helplessly.

The dense smoke didn’t seem to settle.

Every time the ghoul exploded, it spread even more dust.

“Guard the current position and stay alert!”

Han Jung-chul shouted to the hunters.

He was already a formidable opponent.

In such a situation, having the line of sight blocked was the worst.

Fortunately, there was a being that showed an impressive appearance before the ghouls exploded.

Two figures in robes and masks.

Of course, their identities were unknown because they concealed their appearance.

“A summoner?”

Perhaps they were hunters working together.

Regardless of what they were, their abilities were truly remarkable.

As one of them charged forward, swinging a sword, the Death Knight was pushed backward.

That’s not all.

Ark Leitch also took care of things in an instant.

“I must capture it at all costs.”

Has there ever been a hunter who effortlessly faced an A-rank monster like this before?

Even for a team of two hunters, their achievements were remarkable.

If this hunter belonged to the summoner category, it was truly a sensational feat.

The summoned creatures that hunters usually bring forth are generally weak.

In theory, they possess the power to control a powerful legion, but in reality, it was often not the case.

If the summoned creature had indeed accomplished such a feat.

“It seems a new wind will blow in the hunter industry from now on.”

This wasn’t just the thought of Han Jungchul alone.

Kim Suho was also contemplating the same idea.

However, his expression was heavily distorted.

He silently observed the front, waiting for the smoke to completely dissipate.

Eventually, the smoke that had swallowed everything became faint.

Everyone raised their weapons, ready to attack.

“But…”

There was no one there.

* * *

As the day brightened, news articles poured in.

Since a tremendous incident had occurred, not only broadcasts but also portal sites continued to release news about the monster wave.

[The worst monster wave? Damage is ‘minimal.’]

[“Just let the monsters go…” Citizens share testimonies…]

[Hunter Association, unable to anticipate, is this okay?]

[Not even locating the dungeon in advance… Government and Hunter Association incompetence on display]

[Is it not over yet? Expert says, “This monster wave is a plan by highly intelligent monsters.”]

[Someone who ended the monster wave separately? What is his identity?]

[Unidentified hero, ‘possibly S-rank?’ Reaction…]

The articles on the portal sites were mainly divided into two categories.

The damage situation caused by the monster wave.

And the curiosity about the identity of the person who appeared at the end.

Nevertheless, the overall reaction was relief that, despite the occurrence of the worst monster wave, the damage was not extensive.

Of course, the damage was minimal, but it was not nonexistent.

Han Jung-chul, leading the emergency response team affiliated with the Association, had lost his deputy.

Far from mourning his colleague, he was being pulled in various directions to explain the incident.

He didn’t know if there would be any disciplinary action for not responding initially.

But it didn’t matter.

Han Jung-chul’s thoughts were directed elsewhere.

To the being that had brought down Death Knight and Ark Lich.

If only he could harness that power, the status of the emergency response team would soar.

‘It might truly be the appearance of an S-class.’

But rumors spread quickly.

The story of an unknown hero who ended this monster wave had circulated in an instant.

It was a situation covered even by the media.

Other guilds probably got wind of this news and started moving.

‘We must seize it no matter what.’

Determination shone in Han Jung-chul’s eyes.

As he anticipated, there was a guild that acted accordingly.

Kim Soo-ho of the Sacred Guild.

He, too, was shocked by the events of the previous night.

– So, what will Lee Kang-hyun do? It seems like the perfect time to handle it in this chaotic situation.

Kim Soo-ho simply bit his tongue at Kang Jin-soo’s message, without sending a reply.

In his mind, it wasn’t Lee Kang-hyun but another presence that had taken hold.

“How did they overwhelm an A-class monster?”

The mysterious figure who defeated the monsters.

Certainly, there were many hunters who faced A-class monsters.

But in this case, it was not one but two A-class monsters that were defeated.

And it was done in a single blow.

Kim Soo-ho found that extremely unpleasant.

The one who defeated Death Knight, whom he couldn’t bring down with his own attacks.

He was recognized not only in the Hunter Academy but also on the Eldorad continent.

And he had to continue to earn that recognition in the present and future.

The world’s attention should be solely focused on him, but someone intercepted it.

Kim Suho found this point extremely unpleasant.

“I need to find out who it is.”

One pressing question was why the guy tried to hide his existence.

In the end, not only did the monsters disappear, but the mysterious figure also vanished.

‘Could it be that he’s allied with the monsters?’

That thought crossed his mind for a moment, but he quickly shook his head.

Even by his own standards, that thought was too presumptuous.

The monsters might have retreated due to an unexpected powerful force.

While the monsters could be given the benefit of the doubt, why did the guy conceal himself?

With such power, he still hid his appearance?

In other words, there might be a situation where revealing his appearance was not an option.

Suddenly, a different possibility came to mind.

Kim Suho grinned.

“…Perhaps he might be a villain.”

A villain.

Awakened, yet not officially registered as a hunter, an entity that harms other hunters and people.

Kim Suho immediately gave orders to the guild members around him.

“Bring me all the data on villains registered with the association. Don’t leave out a single one.”

Of course, it didn’t matter if the guy wasn’t a villain.

Turning him into one would surely cool people’s interest again.

Kim Suho’s expression turned sinister.

Those affected by last night’s monster wave weren’t limited to just them.

Especially elite hunter Jung Ye-Rin, who had faced the Goblin Lord.

“Is that the true power of the Goblin Lord?”

The Goblin Lord appeared in the monster wave.

She had faced the Goblin Lord.

But that presence was overwhelmingly powerful.

She had also entered the Goblin Lord’s dungeon.

And at the end of a prolonged battle, she successfully subjugated the Goblin Lord.

Of course, all of this was thanks to one man.

“Lee Kanghyun.”

He had said it this way.

If you kill the goblins wielded by the Goblin Lord, the Goblin Lord weakens.

And that statement proved true.

Jung Yerin, along with her team members, stalled for time while gradually killing off the goblins.

And eventually, they dealt with the Goblin Lord.

So, she believed that dealing with this Goblin Lord would be just as easy.

But.

The goblins wielded by this Goblin Lord were extraordinary.

Not only were they agile, but their equipment was of high quality as well.

They were far from ordinary goblins, almost to the point where it was unreasonable to underestimate their strength as mere goblins.

“Above all, where did they get those weapons?”

The Goblin Lord did not use ordinary weapons.

Mana guns.

These were guns that used mana instead of conventional bullets.

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It was a hunter’s weapon that could be virtually used permanently as long as the user had mana.

And the Goblin Lord was using such a weapon.

Moreover, he handled it very skillfully.

On top of that, the magical power rating was high, making its impact even more powerful.

Because of this, Jung Yerin lost some of her team members.

“…”

While the majority of the media reported the damage as minimal, it was certainly not the case for her.

If the Goblin Lord and his horde had not suddenly retreated, the damage would have been even greater.

“We need to strengthen our forces.”

This incident ended somewhat luckily due to a series of coincidences.

But who knows what will happen in the future.

In fact, powerful monsters continue to appear even now.

Just looking at the recent monster wave confirms that.

She rose from her seat immediately.

In order to strengthen her power, Jeong Ye-rin sought to find a man named Lee Kang-hyun first.

“If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have at least gotten his number.”

Ye-rin felt a slight regret.

* * *

“Death Knight, sir.”

At Celia’s words, Death Knight looked up.

Celia had been carrying out the wishes of her master as soon as she returned to the dungeon.

Her master was very angry this time due to what Azmo had done.

Azmo was already confined to the dungeon, allowed to come out only with the master’s permission.

Not only that.

The master had also moved Azmo’s dungeon location.

‘Indeed, the power of my master is remarkable.’

And the punishment for leaving Azmo to Death Knight and Ark Lich was entirely entrusted to her.

“For the time being, no outings. Stay in the dungeon and focus on maintenance work until I give permission.”

Upon hearing her words of no outings, Death Knight was shocked.

And to start maintenance work on the dungeon.

Death Knight appeared as if he had lost the world.

Celia turned her head to look at Ark Lich.

“Ark Lich, you…”

Ark Lich also stared at Celia intently.

“As a penalty, inspect the surrounding dungeons for a while. If there are any rumors of Ark Lich misbehaving, just like Death Knight, outings will be prohibited.”

“Got it!”

Ark Lich vigorously nodded.

Under Celia’s command, there were four dungeons.

[Red-Haired Tribe]

[Village Shrouded in Mist]

[Remnants of the Demon Realm]

[Sticky Puddle]

There had been an incident where the owners of the adjacent dungeons had surrendered to Celia in the past.

And the numerous dungeons were merged into four by the master.

Until now, I had not been able to manage them properly due to a lot of work.

The discretion of the owners of each dungeon was entrusted with the management.

But this time, it was necessary to send Ark Leech to thoroughly investigate the situation of the dungeons.

Ark Leech immediately began organizing his belongings at the command of Celia.

The thick notebook Ark Leech carried was held by the skeleton on the left.

The feathered quill Ark Leech used for writing was held by the skeleton on the right.

The ink needed for Ark Leech’s record-keeping was held by the skeleton behind.

The skeleton behind was a new subordinate created on Earth this time.

Ark Leech nodded his head.

All preparations were complete.

Ark Leech and the three skeletons set out for the dungeon.