The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices – 182

EP.182 Survival Method of the Undead

At the southernmost tip of the Orovis Empire lay a mountain range.

There, a dungeon existed within the mountains.

The Silent Fortress.

True to its name, the dungeon stood tall in the form of a massive fortress.

Despite its grand exterior, it exuded a gloomy and desolate atmosphere.

As if no one lived there at all.

“Click.”

And at the front gate, a ghoul and a mummy were each standing guard.

His mission was only one.

To conquer the dungeon as per the orders of the Great One.

But before entering the dungeon in earnest, there was one thing to do.

“Click click.”

Necros gestured to the monsters guarding the fortress gate and spoke to them.

“Guh?”

One ghoul tilted its head and answered, but that became the ghoul’s last words.

Click-

As Necros snapped his bony fingers, the ghoul’s body exploded.

“…?”

The mummy standing nearby looked at Necros with a surprised expression.

It was so startled that the bandages wrapped around its head slightly unraveled.

What just happened?

Some skeleton wearing a blue robe suddenly appeared and made its fellow ghoul explode.

Above all, the mummy knew well what that skill was.

It was exactly the same skill used by the Lich, the master of the dungeon it served.

The problem was that the being before its eyes seemed even more powerful than its master.

“Ah…”

There was only one action the mummy should take at a time like this.

“Oh… I’ve been waiting… new master…”

That was switching allegiance.

The mummy bent its waist 180 degrees and greeted Necros with a deep voice.

Though its speech was slow, its perception was quick.

“Your luggage… looks heavy… allow me to carry it…”

Necros nodded and handed over the notebook he was holding to the mummy.

The action was so natural that it seemed as if the mummy had been Necros’s subordinate from the beginning.

“Click click, click click.”

“Do not worry… I know… everything about this dungeon…”

The mummy said this as it opened the fortress gate.

It was the moment when the one who had been guarding the dungeon until just now transformed into an intruder.

Stepping into the fortress, a long, dark corridor stretched out.

As if no one cleaned, cobwebs covered the walls and ceiling, and thick layers of old dust had accumulated.

“This way… if you continue… the Lich is there…”

Following the mummy’s guidance, Necros continued walking down the corridor.

Then, from far away, someone’s shout could be heard.

“Mr. Lich, enough with the excuses! You’re saying you can’t pay back the money today either? If this continues, I’ll have no choice but to report to the higher-ups!”

Someone was yelling in an angry voice.

Necros looked at the mummy, questioning the mysterious voice.

“Click?”

“Ah… the dungeon master here… borrowed money from the association… and couldn’t pay it back…”

From the mummy’s words, Necros could understand how the dungeon was operating.

They borrowed money from the Demon Realm Association to run the dungeon but couldn’t pay it back, so they were being pressured.

Even now, the sharp voice echoed through the corridor.

“We’ve already extended the deadline three times, you know? Even the association’s patience has its limits! We need to balance our books too, so if you don’t pay at least the interest by this week…”

Just how much money did they borrow to be in this situation?

“Click…”

In Necros’s opinion, the dungeon’s location wasn’t good.

Come to think of it, this mountain range was barely visited by humans.

Although the dungeon where Celia serves as the general manager is also located in a mountain range, the environment was completely different.

Beyond the Silent Mountains where Celia’s dungeon is located, the demon realm exists.

Just because of that, there were many dungeons and monsters, so adventurers’ visits were constant unless it was for special occasions.

But what about this place?

It’s a mountain range located in the southern part of the Orovis Empire.

Beyond the mountains lies the Barren Desert, which is practically a dead land.

Necros knew well about the Barren Desert.

As he ran a monster arena and was interested in investments, he had studied a lot about the human world.

Currently, humans are trying to develop the desert, but the endless sand and lack of resources were slowing down the progress.

Above all, it was a region where unknown terror lurked, as no one knew what kind of monsters existed under the sand.

In other words, in this environment, there was absolutely no reason for adventurers to come all the way here.

As a result, since there were no intruders entering the dungeon, the master here also had no income.

Usually, the structure was to generate profit by dealing with adventurers who entered the dungeon and selling the byproducts from there.

“Click click.”

“Understood… I will… continue to guide you…”

As it wasn’t his problem anyway, Necros continued to follow the mummy’s guidance.

As the fortress was large, the interior was also vast.

“Click…”

The more he saw, the more decent the dungeon seemed.

If only the location had been good, it would have been really nice, but that point made Necros feel sorry.

“…?”

At that moment, suddenly an idea popped into Necros’s mind.

===

**

===

Necros and the mummy finally reached the heart of the dungeon, the space where the master resided.

Sounds leaked through the thick iron door.

“Click click… click clack click. Click click click click”

(I understand… I’ll definitely arrange the interest by this weekend. Please wait just until then.)

The desperate voice of the Lich, the dungeon’s master, could be heard.

Regardless, Necros flung open the iron door without hesitation.

In the dim room, there was a merchant standing with an arrogant posture, and in front of her, the Lich was kneeling.

The merchant was a fairy-type monster with beautiful wings, which didn’t match the dungeon’s atmosphere.

However, startled by the sudden visit, the merchant shouted irritably.

“Who is it! Can’t you see we’re talking here!”

But then the merchant’s eyes fell on the blue robe Necros was wearing. Her expression changed.

“Oh my, what a lovely robe?”

It was a high-class robe that didn’t fit with this poor dungeon.

Her voice softened, and she made a proposal to the Lich, the dungeon’s master.

“If you give me that robe, I’ll let this week’s interest slide.”

The merchant proposed to the Lich while inwardly laughing.

‘I could make a fortune just by selling that robe!’

Although she wasn’t well-versed in items, she could tell the robe’s value was enormous.

But she had no doubt that the Lich would accept her proposal.

In a situation where he was strapped for cash, would he recognize the robe’s value?

Even if he refused, she planned to persuade him by offering to reduce the debt a bit more.

The Lich tilted his head at the merchant’s words.

No matter how he looked at it, the being wearing that robe wasn’t a monster belonging to his dungeon.

The Lich himself, being undead, could sense it.

A stronger aura of death emanated from that being than from himself.

There was only one action the Lich should take in this situation.

“Click! Click click clickclickclick!”

(You scoundrel! How dare you speak to the dungeon master and my teacher like that!)

Pledging loyalty to one who appears stronger than oneself.

This was the Lich’s survival method honed over many years.

The Lich, who had been subservient just moments ago, now raised his voice at the merchant.

It was the moment when the master of the dungeon ‘Silent Fortress’ changed from the Lich to Necros.

The merchant’s expression turned bewildered at the Lich’s sudden change in attitude.

“Ah, no… Mr. Lich, what are you saying? Teacher?!”

It was undoubtedly confusing when the dungeon’s master was clearly the Lich, but suddenly someone else was being called the master.

And on top of that, Teacher?

Necros sat down naturally.

Then, as if he had been the dungeon’s master all along, he crossed his legs and opened his mouth, looking at the merchant.

“Click clack click?”

(So, how much is the interest?)

Just how much debt had been incurred for the merchant to have such control over them with just the interest?

“Gasp! Th-that’s…”

The merchant trembled, her voice shaking.

Upon closer inspection of Necros, she could clearly tell.

‘W-why is there a 5-star here of all places…!’

The fear that enveloped her entire body was turning into despair.

The being before her eyes was undoubtedly a superior existence to the Lich.

Above all, a 5-star was a VIP even in the Demon World Merchant Association, so how did such a being suddenly appear here?

As the merchant was too frightened to speak, the mummy standing nearby bellowed.

“Groooan… The master… is speaking to you…”

At the mummy’s words, the merchant held up ten fingers.

“Click?”

(10 gold coins?)

If the interest alone was 10 gold coins, it was understandable why the merchant was so pushy.

If that was the case, the principal must be substantial, but for all that money spent, the dungeon’s condition seemed rather poor.

Of course, this amount was insignificant to Necros, so he was about to take out some gold coins from his pocket when the merchant shook her head.

“No… 10 silver coins.”

“…?”

At the mention of silver coins, Necros raised his head.

Right now, he felt dumbfounded.

Moreover, he didn’t have any denominations lower than gold coins in his possession.

But that wasn’t the problem.

Didn’t the merchant say earlier?

That she would take the robe instead of this week’s interest.

The robe Necros was wearing was practically a gift bestowed by his master.

Above all, it had incredible functions, essentially an artifact-level equipment, yet she was valuing it at just 10 silver coins?

“…Click.”

Necros’s expression darkened.

“Eek!”

Sensing the change in atmosphere, the merchant exclaimed in terror and bowed her head.

“I-I’m sorry! O Master of the dungeon!”

She knew well that if the master was a 5-star being, even if he killed a merchant like herself, the Demon World Merchant Association wouldn’t bat an eye.

No, rather, it was obvious they would offer various benefits and gifts to establish a trade relationship with such a being.

In other words, dying here would be nothing short of a dog’s death.

So, what should she do in this situation?

The opponent was presumed to be a 5-star Arch Lich, the master of the dungeon.

Naturally, it seemed right to forgive all the debt incurred so far.

Even if it wasn’t her, the association would have made the same decision.

“I was disrespectful! Instead, I will completely forgive the 19 gold coins of debt the dungeon has incurred!”

19 gold coins.

While it might be a large sum for a dungeon in such a barren region, it wasn’t that significant an amount for the association.

Moreover, maintaining a good relationship would surely bring many advantages to her merchant life in the future.

Her actions were swift.

She pulled out an association-exclusive black card and additional gold coins from her pocket.

“This is an apology gift I’m offering as a sign of my regret.”

With the black card, one could participate in the occasional auctions held by the association.

This was the maximum sincerity she could show right now.

Fortunately, the other party’s expression didn’t seem to worsen.

It even gave the illusion that the skeleton was making a smiling expression.

===

***

===

– Necros has conquered the dungeon ‘Silent Fortress’. –

– You can now dispatch and appoint a manager to the dungeon ‘Silent Fortress’. –

As expected of a 5-star.

Just like Baalcherit, Necros, who was dispatched this time, quickly conquered the dungeon.

I thought it would take a bit longer since it was an undead dungeon with a Lich as its master, but he finished it in no time.

‘Let’s appoint Necros as the manager for now.’

After all, the goal this time is to nurture a Lich to assist Baalcherit.

For nurturing a Lich, the teachings of an Arch Lich would be excellent.

– You have selected Necros (★★★★★) as the manager of the dungeon ‘Silent Fortress’. –

‘Should we try to shorten the time a bit more here?’

It’s a Lich receiving Necros’s teachings.

But it seemed wasteful for the Lich alone to receive such valuable teachings.

‘We need to conquer more actively in the future.’

Wouldn’t it be good to select a monster to receive Necros’s teachings along with the Lich?

Just as we can extract monsters from conquered dungeons, we can also dispatch additional ones.

‘An undead that’s suitable…’

Ah, this one would be good.

There was a suitable monster right on hand.

– Dispatching Werther (★★★★) to the dungeon ‘Silent Fortress’. –

Werther is a 4-star Dullahan monster.

It’s a case where he became a Dullahan after being killed by a Death Knight, and we can’t just let such a being idle around.

‘This looks good.’

Just as I was feeling satisfied about saving time, Deputy Park Seo-yun approached.

“Advisor Lee Kang-hyun, the team leader has come out of the dungeon.”

Team Leader Jung Ye-rin came out of the dungeon.

Translator Note:

Hi everyone!

I have a little bit bad news for The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices.

Currently we caught up with the raw of the novel, however the author is having some kind trouble in writing the stories, resulting the released of new chapter being delayed.

So, this novel will be put as hiatus until the author released a new chapter.