Dungeon Hunter - Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Episode 28. Devorong’s Request (1)

I felt somewhat different. Perhaps it was because it had not been long since the skill of Anger ended.

I became impatient.

Now that the battle had ended, I wanted to quickly move on.

There was another important reason for my impatience… I had shown my power to Oculus, which smoothly ended the battle, but I knew there were more to come.

I did not have any option but to fight with Oculus, but it meant that I had lost a useful option that I could have used on Oculus in the future.

Oculus would try to check on me and analyze me. Then he would prepare to try to trap me. The only good news was that archdukes did not form alliances.

Oculus did not resonate with the rest of the archdukes at all. He was not like any of them, and he could not get along very well with them.

However, the fact that he got an important piece of information concerned me. Of course, he could be bluffing. Unfortunately, I was not confident and could not guess the unpredictable archduke’s next move.

“The Clue of Awakening has got to work.”

By saving the Malicious Commander, I had put myself at risk. If the Clue of Awakening was something trivial, I would cut his head off right away.

The commander must have also sensed my determination as he became nervous. Hardening his face, he handed me his sword, still sheathed.

“This is the sword that the emperor had given me.”

I grabbed the sheathed sword.

Opening the Mind’s Eye, I checked the status of the sword.

Name: The Sword of the Emperor

Comments: This sword was the Shadow Emperor’s favorite. It is made of Martanium, which is known as the iron of iron. Furthermore, the combination of complicated magic, methods of wizardry, and enchantment created a strong ego in the sword.

*This sword is unbreakable. The dignity of the user greatly increases. The user may also use “the Military Power of the Emperor” once in a decade.

**One must be approved by the Spirit of the Sword to wield this sword.

Nowhere in the explanation was there information about the awakening. I found the fact that the sword had an ego and the Military Power of the Emperor interesting, but they were not my top priority.

“What about it?”

I asked while frowning. Then Maxium started to explain in more detail.

“A spirit dwells in this sword. The sword has its own thoughts. Unless they are permitted to be the user by this sword, one cannot even touch it. However, I am sure that this sword will open itself to you, emperor.”

“The Spirit of the Sword…”

“Before the emperor passed away, he gave me the sword. And he asked me if I could give it back to him when he came back. The emperor told me that the sword would perfect him.”

Was that the reason why the commander called it the Clue for Awakening?

I immediately drew out the sword.

Glowing gold, the magnificent sword appeared.

Zzing-!

When I grabbed the sword, it started to vibrate. Still vibrating, the sword refused me.

However, an interesting thing happened at that moment.

[Sentiment du Fer (Ex U, Passive) has been activated. The ego in ‘the Sword of the Emperor’ surrenders to the user.]

Thanks to Sentiment du Fer, the sword became obedient.

It stopped vibrating and clung on to my hands like a proper lady.

The sword felt very comfortable; I felt as though I had been using it for a very long time.

However, that was about it. Nothing interesting, such as the ego speaking to me, happened.

“Is this how it is supposed to be?”

I thought about Ego Swords. There were a few in Devildom, but the number was small. I had not even touched one of them before. Therefore, I did not know how Ego Swords were supposed to behave.

I tried swinging the sword and knocking it with my fingers a couple of times. However, I could not feel any reaction from the sword.

“Ah, as I expected! The sword approved of you! I believed that it would have done so!”

Maxium, who was standing by me, was awed, but I could not care less. He clenched his fists as though he was greatly impressed. However, I spoke to him again while frowning.

“What should I do now?”

“I do not know exactly. I only know that the sword would lead you… I was only allowed to touch the sword.”

“You are not very helpful.”

“I-I am sorry.”

Maxium bowed his head.

Tsk. I clicked my tongue quietly.

The sword was surely a clue, but I did not know how it would affect me. At least I was satisfied with the fact that I got an epic-graded sword. However, the problem was that there were also many downsides to this sword.

Anyways, if the Shadow Emperor had left something for me, I would gradually find out his legacies.

“The Military Power of the Emperor.”

It was a skill that was attached to the sword. The user could use it only once in a decade, but I believed that such a constraint implied a tremendous power of the skill. I continued reading the explanation.

Name – The Military Power of the Emperor (???)

Comments: The skill summons ten thousand “Soul Cavalries” from the abyss. The Soul Cavalries do not have physical bodies but are covered with armors. Following the summoner, the cavalries destroy the enemy, and return to where they were after ninety days.

I realized that the emperor had soldiers other than Maxium and the skeleton soldiers here. The more I knew about the Shadow Emperor, the more I started to fear his true strength.

At that very moment, Maxium knelt and solicited for my help.

“My great emperor, please return to the continent and start a new dynasty. I, Maxium, will be your loyal servant. We can start leaving for the continent.”

“I cannot do that.”

I was not the Shadow Emperor in the first place, and I did not know how to get to the continent.

Then Maxium slightly raised his head.

“Do you have any more work to do here? This place is filled with thieves. It is not Devildom, but it is almost as bad.”

“I have one goal to accomplish. I shall not return to the continent until I achieve it.”

“What is it? Is it something that I can help with?”

“Aren’t you unable to stay in this world for a long time?”

“…You are correct. My mana is scattering little by little. After a certain number of days, the soldiers and I will return to the treasure house, where we came from.”

It seemed that Maxium did not want to return.

Everything was as I had expected. The system was well-designed.

“However! If I can help you during that short time, I will do it. Please let my soldiers and I help you.”

Maxium pleaded loudly.

I still had some time to use the commander and his army.

There were ten thousand skeleton soldiers, and I could use them for many purposes.

The commander and his army were determined to help me. Therefore, they would not complain even if I gave them hard tasks.

“It is not wise to conquer another dungeon here.”

If I were to conquer a dungeon, it should be that of Ufa’s demons’. However, Ufa’s demons had already lost two dungeons, and I was quite sure Ufa’s faction had started to notice my involvement. Furthermore, I had not fully recovered the dungeon in China. If I hastily go for another dungeon now, then Ufa’s demons might strike back.

I needed to wait until the dungeon in China got back in shape. Until then, I had to keep an eye on what was going on.

“However, it would be nice to give them some more damages.”

I slightly nodded.

“Go and attack the dungeons that I assign to you. You may attack and retreat quickly, while killing as many monsters as possible. That is the help that I need from you.”

I said indifferently.

The commander and the skeleton soldiers were temporary; they would return to the treasure house ultimately.

Therefore, I did not care about the possible casualties of the skeleton soldiers.

“My lord, I, Maxium, will follow your order.”

Maxium said without doubt.

Exactly ninety days had passed since Maxium the Malicious Commander and his army appeared.

During that time, Maxium and his army stopped hunting humans and focused on attacking the dungeons that I assigned to them. All of the dungeons belonged to demons in Ufa’s faction. The commander and his soldiers thought that they were helping their emperor, and they were quite passionate throughout the quest; in the end, the number of surviving skeleton soldiers was less than a thousand.

I had earned a little over four million points in total. The net loss was about two million. However, the number was not that bad, when I considered the fact that I had calmed the Malicious Commander and his army, conquered a dungeon, and gained an important and epic-graded sword.

Furthermore, I could confirm the effects of my “awakening.”

Since I obtained the Sword of the Emperor, my intrinsic intelligence had increased by two. The increase seemed to be a clue.

I did not know if the increase was the effect of awakening, but at least the sword was a clue. When I held the sword, the ego of the sword stimulated my heart and raised my statistics. I guessed that the sword and my heart shared some sort of wavelengths.

Anyways, time had passed quickly, and the final day had come.

Maxium had been attacking several dungeons of Ufa’s faction and pushed until there were less than a thousand soldiers left. He looked sad about the upcoming farewell.

“Emperor…”

“You have done a good job.”

“You cannot go with us?”

“I told you. I have a goal to accomplish here.”

Maxium thought that I was his emperor. He even worshipped me to some extent. Had I told him that the Sun is the Moon, Maxium would struggle to accept it. But in the end, he would believe what I told him.

On top of that, he had done a good job, carrying out my order. So I played along with him.

Maxium looked heartbroken. The name Malicious Commander did not match him. The commander knelt.

“I, Maxium, will be waiting for your return from far away.”

Maixum and his soldiers started to fade away. The transportation through the Dimensional Gates began.

Soon, they evaporated as though they had never existed in the first place.

“…”

I was in the middle of the wilderness.

And I was left alone.

I thought about Oculus’ arm that I cut.

Then I threw that arm in front of the dungeon in China.

Buds sprouted from the arm and became flowers that I did not know the names of.

“Oculus, I do not know what you have learned from me, but you could not have completely read me. On the other hand, I know a bit more about you than you know about me.’

I knew that the Naturalization skill was taking place, but I pretended as though I did not notice. Roots grew from Oculus’ arm. Now, that arm had become Oculus’ eye and it was watching my dungeon.

However, this was my dungeon in China. It used to be Saman’s, but I conquered it rather recently. Unless Oculus had shared information with Ufa, he could not have known that, and he must have thought that this dungeon was mine from the beginning.

Furthermore, if Oculus had never conquered another demon’s dungeon before, he would not have known that he could teleport between his dungeons. As a result, I could use this dungeon as a bait to earn more time. If Oculus made a move, I would be able to respond quickly.

When I entered the dungeon and moved to the top floor, I found Wheezy with a red face.

“Hisss! You little bitch! How can you do that to me?!”

“Huh! Lyhee did not do anything! And can you stop being wheezy? It does not look good!”

I saw a familiar face.

Lyhee, crossing her arm, was having a loud argument with Wheezy.

“Fairies can also teleport between dungeons.”

I thought about teleportation magic circles. I thought that it only could teleport those who had physical bodies. However, I must be wrong; fairies could also teleport through them. Guyo did not find the magic circles necessary. Wheezy and Lyhee knew each other, so, Wheezy must have asked Lyhee to meet up.

“You do not know how much effort I put to get that flower. But you destroyed it ruthlessly.”

“Oh, Lyhee did that? Well, it is too bad, because Lyhee will not fall for mere flowers.”

Wheezy shrugged her shoulders.

“But… you said you will meet Wheezy if she gets the flower…”

“That was because you were bothering Lyhee. I did not know that you would have gone and try to get that flower like a dumb fairy! Lyhee got goosebumps!”

“Hissss. I will not forgive you, and Wheezy will become the Fairy King!”

“Hahaha! That is nonsense. Master is so into Lyhee. Why don’t you go away?! How dare you think that you can get ahead of Lyhee?”

“No, master said that he would give Wheezy a chance, too!”

“No, master is on Lyhee’s side!”

“No!”

“No!”

When they were about to start a staring match, I stepped in.

“I will play it fairly.”

“Master!”

“M-master…”

Wheezy cheered, and Lyhee, who looked embarrassed, hesitated to talk.

“It seems that both of you know each other quite well.”

“We are enemies.”

“She is stalking Lyhee. Please scold her.”

Lyhee slowly approached me and rubbed her chins against me while sitting on my shoulder. She was trying to show off to Wheezy that she was closer to me than Wheezy was. When Wheezy saw Lyhee boasting, her face became redder.

“Anything special while I have been away?”

“Nothing much, master.”

“Lyhee has some news. Master has not been around in the dungeon for a while. Lyhee has brought this to give to master. If it was not for this item, I would not have come all the way here to see that ugly face.”

Wheezy immediately responded to Lyhee.

“What?!”

“Huh!”

The two were indeed enemies.

Ignoring Wheezy, Lyhee took out a small piece of paper.

The paper had some comments on it… When I read the comments, I could not quite believe my eyes.

[The Fairy King wishes to meet you. I am sure that the meeting will be helpful. I will try to arrange a meeting. Could you come? – Devorong – ]