Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

70 – Reinforcement System of My Own Choosing

The dungeon interior was dark.

The atmosphere was equally heavy.

It felt like a thick blanket had been draped over the face, creating a dense texture.

Navigating the dark and heavy space, someone was desperately writhing on the floor.

The equipment they wore confirmed their identity as a hunter.

However, the equipment had lost its luster.

It might have displayed a dazzling appearance just a while ago, but now, that radiance was gone, shattered.

It would have been fine if only the equipment had broken.

You could always replace it.

The problem was not just that the equipment ‘only’ was broken.

The wearer’s condition was equally unfavorable.

“Please… Please spare me.”

A frail voice echoed within the dungeon.

Along with the voice, blood flowed from the mouth.

In such agony, the person was scratching the ground to the point where their nails broke, and blood dripped from their hands.

Perhaps they were aware that their life might soon be extinguished.

Even so, they pleaded desperately for their life.

“Sob, please… I won’t report you, so please spare me. Alright?”

It was a desperate cry for salvation.

Behind her, five party members had long become corpses.

All five had died instantly.

And it was at the hands of the two hunters standing before her.

It was an overwhelming difference.

All she could do was beg for her life.

She knew it too.

The fact that her life depended on their mood.

So she pleaded.

She closed her eyes to the other’s actions.

She could endure the shame as long as she could preserve her life.

She begged desperately, but the hunter in front of her remained silent.

No, they were laughing instead.

They felt exhilaration witnessing the pitiful figure on the ground begging desperately for her life.

“Kick.”

After a moment of silence, someone burst into laughter.

“Ah, that’s why I can’t quit hunting,” one of the men said with a malicious tone.

Yet, the woman on the ground begged even more desperately.

She clung to the thigh of the man in front of her, crying.

But her action became a handshake.

“Where’s this filthy b*tch grabbing my clothes.”

Thud-

With one kick from the man, her arm twisted in a grotesque direction.

“Ah…?”

It was so sudden that no sound came out.

She couldn’t even feel anything.

She looked at her broken arm, falling into a sense of emptiness.

Now, even hope had vanished.

“….”

Now, it’s over.

Crying for mercy would never save herself; that’s the truth.

Holding onto hope that they would spare her was a foolish thought.

Rather than enduring this pain, she wished to die quickly.

It might be a little more comfortable that way.

But the world didn’t go as planned.

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you.”

The man spoke with a sinister expression.

“It’s not time yet. The night is long.”

“Ah…”

The men approached.

In her eyes, there was only despair as she watched them.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the familiar ceiling.

“Has it already been six hours…?”

Celia remembered fainting after offering the sacrifice.

I clearly remember summoning Maru to stand guard before fainting.

I immediately looked around.

Certainly, Maru was next to me, drawing his sword and on high alert.

He thoroughly surveyed the surroundings, checking for any sign of approaching danger.

Of course, the location now was inside the house.

As long as no thief entered, there was naturally no danger.

“Pfft.”

The sight of drawing a sword and being on guard in an empty house was slightly amusing.

At the same time, it felt commendable.

If this were outside the house?

The only presence to protect me would be Maru.

“Maru, stop now and take a break. I’m awake.”

Only then did Maru relax his body when I gave the command.

After the Monster Wave, Maru seemed slightly different, but fortunately, he followed orders very well.

I don’t know why.

Whenever there was free time, he engaged in something similar to meditation or spacing out.

I couldn’t quite grasp the reason, but it clearly coincided with right after the Monster Wave.

Still, he acted steadfastly in response to my command to protect me, giving me peace of mind.

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“Well, as long as you listen well.”

When I had such thoughts, my stomach rumbled.

Come to think of it, I realized I hadn’t eaten anything.

Um…

“Maru, you don’t have to be on guard now, so make some ramen for us.”

Maru immediately rushed out upon hearing my command.

Seeing Maru like that made me proud.

Actually, considering the six hours of hard work, I should let him rest a bit, but Maru’s ramen is no joke.

The deep and rich flavor showed how much care he put into it.

Now, it had reached a point where it had to be Maru’s ramen.

After Maru completely disappeared from my sight, I turned my head.

“By the way, is it already night?”

Looking out the window, it was already dark outside.

Slowly, I rose from my seat, intending to get up.

“Huh?”

But something was strange.

Getting up, my body felt too heavy.

“Why am I so tired?”

It didn’t feel refreshing after sleeping.

No, normally, at this point, my body should feel light after absorbing sacrifices and gaining abilities.

But it wasn’t the case now.

Rather, the fatigue seemed to accumulate and make me feel sluggish.

It was slightly perplexing since I had never experienced this before.

“Is something wrong?”

I immediately looked at the status window.

＜Lee Kanghyun＞

[Attributes]

– True Owner of the Dungeon (EX)

– Owner of the Devil’s Sword (S)

– Mana Sensitivity (A)

[Basic Information]

Vitality: C+

Attack Power: B

Defense: C

Mana: A+

Divine Power: F

[Skills]

– Knight’s Oath (S): Activation – Maru

– Goddess’s Healing (F)

“Sigh….”

Was my prediction accurate?

Nothing seemed to have changed.

Even though I absorbed the sacrifice, there was no change in the status window.

“What’s going on?”

The attributes remained the same, and there were no additional skills.

The stats were unchanged as well.

Could it be that the adventurers sacrificed were too low-level?

Or did something go wrong during the absorption of the sacrifice?

In a moment of doubt, I quickly grabbed my smartphone.

“Could it be….”

Could there be something wrong with my dungeon?

With an anxious heart, I launched the game and scanned through the dungeon.

“Phew.”

Fortunately, the dungeon was intact.

All the monsters were diligently performing their tasks in each area.

As soon as I confirmed the peaceful scene, a wave of relief washed over me.

“Thank goodness.”

Then, what could the problem be?

I immediately touched the alert window.

I succeeded in absorbing the sacrifices made by the adventurer.

According to the alarm, it indicates that I successfully absorbed the sacrifices.

However, there was no noticeable change in myself.

I immediately checked the next alarm.

– Acquired adventurer’s stat [Sacred Power]. Available for reinforcement.

Huh?

The next part was subtly different.

While previously I would have absorbed abilities directly, now it said I acquired them.

I checked all the following alarms.

– Succeeded in absorbing the sacrifices made by the adventurer.

– Acquired adventurer’s skill [Swift Thrust (E)]. Available for reinforcement.

– Succeeded in absorbing the sacrifices made by the adventurer.

– Acquired adventurer’s stat [Sacred Power]. Available for reinforcement.

– Succeeded in absorbing the sacrifices made by the adventurer.

– Acquired adventurer’s trait [Radiant Warrior (A)]. Available for reinforcement.

Mostly, I gained one ability per adventurer, but among them, there were adventurers who left two abilities.

– Succeeded in absorbing the sacrifices made by the adventurer.

– Acquired adventurer’s trait [Subtle Healing Regeneration (D)]. Available for reinforcement.

– Acquired adventurer’s stat [Sacred Power]. Available for reinforcement.

The alarms continued endlessly, and other things were similar.

I absorbed the adventurer offered as a sacrifice, but the abilities obtained were only acquired and not immediately absorbed.

Above all, the message indicating that they could be used for reinforcement caught my attention.

“Reinforcement? I can use them for reinforcement?”

I immediately clicked around the game.

And there, I saw a familiar window.

[Dungeon Monster Reinforcement System]

Ah.

This reinforcement system appeared when I acquired the ‘True Owner of the Dungeon’ trait last time.

Originally locked, it was said that I found clues to unlock it thanks to the sacrifices Celia made just before fainting.

But I thought it would take more time to use the system even after finding the clues to unlock it…

“Suddenly, it opens like this?”

Although it would be good if it opened quickly, something felt off.

I clicked on the reinforcement system.

There, the abilities I had gained moments ago were listed.

[List of Acquired Abilities]

– Sacred Power × 13

– Minor Recovery Regeneration (D) × 1

– Light Warrior (A) × 1

– Swift Thrust (E) × 1

– Mana Circuit (B) × 1

– Steadfast Will (C) × 1

– Fireball (E) × 1

– Acceleration (E) × 1

– Poison Coating (D) × 1

– Agile Body Movement (F+) × 1

– Provocation (C) × 1

…

…

Celia had sacrificed so many offerings that the acquired abilities seemed endless.

It was overwhelming to check each one.

“So, can I enhance anyone with these?”

From the beginning, it was called the Dungeon Monster Enhancement System.

If I could use these to enhance monsters, it would be a tremendous advantage for me.

I immediately clicked on the next screen.

[Dungeon Monster Enhancement System]

– Dungeon Master ‘Lee Kang-hyun’ (Unlocked)

– Scoll (Unlocked)

Ah, I see.

Upon exploring the system, it wasn’t applicable to every monster.

At least, not right away.

“By the way, why is Scoll here?”

Scoll is clearly the one leading the orc dungeon.

He’s the one I gave a direct role reversal to, so I remember him.

The problem is, I couldn’t figure out the criteria for this system to be applied.

“Hmm….”

Is it strength?

No, if it were strength, Celiana, a 6-star, Death Knight, a 5-star, and Arc Lich would have benefited from the system first.

Even if I am originally the owner of the dungeon, it was incomprehensible that Scoll, a grade 3, raised his name.

“There’s clearly something….”

No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t figure it out.

Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about it.

Using the enhancement system in earnest was out of the question for now.

“It’s a bit disappointing.”

Among the acquired abilities, there were quite a few that could go well with specific monsters.

For example, take a look at the C-grade skill, Provocation.

– Provocation (C): Skill. Draws the attention of all enemies.

It’s a simple explanation, but what would happen if you gave that skill to a Death Knight?

Raising a grand shield and provoking….

“No, that’s not it.”

Come to think of it, giving it to the Death Knight didn’t seem like the right choice.

“That guy had a maid outfit on his shield.”

Even though the monster wave had ended, Death Knight still enjoyed the most popularity worldwide.

That popularity was still ongoing, and some hunters had reached the point of buying maid outfits to attach them to their equipment.

If only that were the case, Necromancers had even made it a trend to dress their summoned creatures in maid outfits.

“Just thinking about it gives me chills.”

Well, that’s that. I once again examined the enhancement system.

There was no monster other than Scoll to enhance right away, but that wasn’t the important part.

“Do I have something useful for myself?”

Enhancing monsters was important, but I was important too.

No matter how many abilities like this I had, if I was weak, what good would it do?

The moment of death, and that’s the end of it.

For now, I must prioritize strengthening my abilities.

I examined the lists.

The grades of adventurers sacrificed as offerings weren’t particularly high, so there were hardly any high-grade abilities.

Among them, I searched and searched for what I needed.

“A Light Warrior?”

It was the only A-grade.

The ability was a trait, providing added strength as health decreased.

Dangerous, but specialized in mustering strength in critical moments.

“Not something I’ll use.”

Of course, it wasn’t for me.

I was better suited for a position in the rear rather than the front.

Since Maru would take care of the front anyway, I looked for other abilities.

“Can I use Mana Circuit?”

Mana Circuit caught my eye on the list.

It was a B-grade trait, and the description seemed to fit me well.

“It paves the way for mana to flow through every nook and cranny of my body?”

Mana Circuit would undoubtedly synergize well with my mana sensitivity.

“What if I add Fireball to this?”

It was truly the position of a magician.

I promptly chose these abilities.

– Would you like to enhance the trait Mana Circuit(B) of the dungeon owner ‘Lee Kanghyun’?

– Enhanced traits cannot be reverted.

Once enhanced, is it irrevocable?

If that were possible, it would truly be an overpowered ability.

“I didn’t originally hope for such a thing.”

I immediately touched the enhancement.

As soon as I touched it, mana began to flow into my body.

“Whoa!”

The mana that entered my body gathered in my heart.

A moment later, it spread from the heart throughout the entire body.

During this process, pain was felt in every part of my body.

It felt as if someone were stabbing me with a knife.

“Ugh… Ugh!”

I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t move.

I could only accept the pain.

“…Damn.”

Swear words automatically escaped my lips.

Dark blood began to trickle from my mouth.

‘Could it be that a path was carved inside my body?’

If I had known, I would have prepared myself mentally.

I never dreamed that such pain would come.

“Ugh…”

Fortunately, the moment of suffering was short.

As the pain gradually subsided, I felt relief.

“Heh… heh…”

And soon, all the pain disappeared.

Was it a success?

I took a deep breath and called up the status window.

“Status window.”

＜Lee Kang-hyun＞

[Attributes]

– True Dungeon Master (EX)

– Owner of the Demon Sword (S)

– Mana Sensitivity (A)

– Mana Circuit (B)

[Basic Information]

Health: C+

Attack: B

Defense: C

Mana: A+

Holy Power: F

[Skills]

– Knight’s Oath (S): Maru (Activated)

– Goddess’s Healing (F)

“Ha.”

The result was a resounding success.

Mana, which had previously only been felt externally, now flowed throughout my entire body.

“Amazing.”

Above all, the greatest gain was the ability to selectively acquire the attributes and skills I desired.

“Now, I need to figure out the reinforcement conditions, don’t I?”

I can’t keep this good thing to myself.

If I can reinforce Maru as well, I could truly become a one-man army.

I immediately touched the next ability.

Next was the E-grade skill, Fireball.

Unlike mana circuits, acquiring Fireball was instantaneous and painless.

“At least I’ll be useful for a minute now.”

Now I could truly consider myself a competent magician.

I possessed the strength to raise my Hunter grade immediately, but that was a matter for later.

“Now I’m really hungry.”

Perhaps because of piercing circuits inside my body, my stomach was more unsettled than before.

“Is Maru ready yet?”

At this point, there should be time left even after the ramen is done, but there was still no news from Maru.

“Maru, is the ramen not ready yet?”

I called Maru and went to the kitchen.

Maru was in the kitchen.

“Maru, what are you-“

??

Seeing Maru’s actions, a question mark popped up in my mind.

“You… What are you doing?”

Maru was dipping their own bones into the boiling water.

Maru slowly turned their head and spoke to me.

“It makes it tender.”

According to Maru, doing it this way makes it taste better.

It’s truly exhausting.