The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices – 139

EP.139 The Blood Ruler (1)

Time had passed since the Lamias invaded the dungeon. Finally, the awaited notification appeared.

– You have acquired the unique monster Stia (★★★). –

– You have acquired the monster Lamia (★★). –

……

…

– You have acquired the monster Lamia (★★). –

The notification indicated the acquisition of a unique monster named Stia and twenty Lamias. They had all headed to Area 1, only to be killed by the Death Knight and reborn as ghouls. While it was pleasing to see the number of monsters in the dungeon increase, something felt lacking.

I muttered, clicking my tongue.

I had expected something significant when they declared war on me so confidently. But the reality? They were all turned into ghouls without putting up much of a fight. In fact, even without the Death Knight’s direct involvement, the existing undead army could have easily subdued them. The Death Knight’s intervention merely ensured the Lamias were converted into ghouls.

“This makes it pointless to assess their strength, doesn’t it?”

“Clink.”

Maru replied, jotting down notes in his notebook.

Maru was also observing the dungeon’s situation through the smartphone screen. I had instructed him to do so, hoping that viewing things from a monster’s perspective might offer a different insight. However, with the Lamias falling so easily, there was nothing to analyze.

“On the bright side, it means we don’t need to worry about Area 1.”

In other words, Area 1 was secure for now. It was primarily composed of undead monsters, with the Death Knight acting as a mid-boss, creating a strong synergy. Watching the Death Knight hand pickaxes to the ghoulified Lamias, I shifted my focus away from Area 1.

“What about Area 2?”

I touched the smartphone screen to switch the view. Area 2 was where the Goblin Lord served as the mid-boss. Under the Goblin Lord were regular goblins, goblin shamans, and hobgoblins. Like the undead army in Area 1, they were individually weak but numerous. However, they had the Goblin Lord to lead them. Just as the Death Knight provided synergy to the undead, the goblins moved in perfect unison under the Goblin Lord’s command.

“Oh, what’s this? Where did they learn that?”

When the lead Lamia cast a spell, the goblins all donned bird-beak-shaped masks. Their response was just beginning. When the magic attack proved ineffective, the Lamia quickly cast another spell.

“What’s that?”

The goblins climbed onto the corpses of their fallen comrades to avoid the spikes rising from the ground. The Goblin Lord watched with a satisfied smile.

“Wow, they’re really something else, aren’t they?”

How much training had they undergone to respond so effectively? sI couldn’t help but be impressed. While the undead army overwhelmed their enemies with sheer numbers, the goblins combined their numbers with strategy and tactics, forming a well-coordinated force.

The next scene, however, was shocking even to me.

“They’re using their own kind as shields?”

The goblins had changed their strategy in response to the Lamia’s continuous magical attacks. They began lifting their nearby comrades and using them as shields.

“Wow…”

Seeing goblins use their own kind as shields to advance was a shocking sight. This was a true display of human-wave tactics, sacrificing one to save another. It was effective—two would have died, but only one did.

Maru seemed to be deeply impressed by this and nodded, jotting down notes in his notebook. It was clear that the Goblin Lord was effectively commanding the goblins.

“But why aren’t they using that gun?”

Next to the Goblin Lord was a familiar-looking firearm, the kind used by hunters. The weapon was simple to use—just infuse it with mana, and it would fire. The problem was that the damage varied greatly depending on the mana grade of the user.

“The Goblin Lord should be able to wield it effectively, though. Strange.”

Even though goblins weren’t typically compatible with mana, the Goblin Lord should have been able to produce significant results. Yet, the Goblin Lord didn’t use the firearm, merely observing his subordinates.

“Clink, click.”

Maru also found it odd but then seemed to have an idea and spoke to me.

“Right? It seems that way to you too?”

Maru shared my thoughts. The goblins’ actions didn’t seem aimed at killing the Lamias.

“Are they trying to capture them?”

The goblins continued to advance, using their comrades as shields. If their goal was to kill, the Goblin Lord would have intervened by now.

“But what use would they have for capturing Lamias?”

I couldn’t think of any reason. Were they trying to turn them to our side? Lamias were a race not currently present in my dungeon. Even if we did recruit them, there wasn’t enough space to accommodate them. Moreover, we weren’t in dire need of more monsters.

Could they be trying to extract information? This made some sense. Understanding why the Lamias invaded could help us respond better.

After a moment of contemplation, I shook my head.

“This must be the field commander’s decision.”

I had no intention of micromanaging the monsters’ actions. I was merely an observer through the smartphone, and the Goblin Lord was the commander on the ground. He must have made this decision based on the situation.

As expected, the goblins began capturing the Lamias carefully, without causing any harm. It was puzzling, but it wasn’t my concern.

“Alright, it seems there’s nothing to worry about in Area 2 either.”

If their goal had been to kill, they would have finished much more quickly. In that sense, Area 2 was also secure.

“The real issue is definitely Area 3.”

Area 3 was markedly different from the other Areas. Firstly, it lacked a mid-boss. While the Death Knight and Goblin Lord provided synergy in their respective Areas, Area 3 had no such figure.

“The monsters here are only 2-star and 3-star at best.”

Area 3 was sustained by two types of monsters, the 3-star carnivorous tentacle plants and the 2-star bloodsucking butterflies. The giant poisonous spiders, which moved between the dungeon and the outside, were excluded as they were not strong combatants. They were helpless against the current invaders unless the invaders were of low rank or few in number.

“No matter how many elves are there, plants are still plants, huh?”

The leader of the invading Lamias, Arcane, was indeed formidable, having swept through Area 3. Despite the elves enhancing the plant monsters, they crumbled under the overwhelming force. The bloodsucking butterflies swarmed but couldn’t penetrate the Lamias’ scales. Eventually, green smoke emanated from the Lamias’ mouths, killing all life in Area 3.

“I need to deal with them first and then reinforce Area 3.”

“Clink!”

Maru diligently scribbled notes in his notebook. I continued to watch the screen.

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Arcane led her subordinates with a confident expression.

“Hmph, this is easier than I thought.”

She had reached an area covered in soil and grass, teeming with various plant monsters and bloodsucking butterflies. It was hard to believe this dungeon was ruled by an Arch Lich. Despite the number of enemies, they posed no real threat. The bloodsucking butterflies couldn’t penetrate the Lamias’ scales, and Arcane had a deadly poison at her disposal.

“Stand back!”

A black mist spewed from her mouth, quickly enveloping the ground. It was a lethal poison.

“Kiieek!”

The plant monsters screamed as they came into contact with the poison. Their stems and leaves withered, collapsing to the ground

Even the vampire butterflies fluttering in the air were not spared. They all succumbed to the poisonous mist, dying en masse. In just a few seconds, they were completely annihilated. Arcane’s overwhelming power ensured that all her followers remained unharmed.

“Let’s go.”

Arcane led the way confidently. Leaving the poisoned ground behind, they moved to the next location. Soon, a vast lake appeared before them. Arcane’s golden eyes reflected the lake.

“Oh, what a magnificent sight.”

The grand underground lake was almost unbelievable in its vastness, considering it was within a dungeon. The humid air clung to her skin. The moderate humidity provided the perfect conditions for a Lamia.

‘This makes the invasion worthwhile.’

Initially, Arcane’s sole motivation was to strike a blow against the Arch Lich. She had launched the invasion with the support of her Association for that reason. However, exploring the dungeon had changed her perspective. Especially after seeing this lake, she felt a connection to the dungeon.

‘And it’s close to the Demon World, which is a bonus.’

It seemed excessive for an undead Arch Lich to manage such a magnificent dungeon. It would be more fitting for her to take control. With that thought, Arcane decided to wait here for Stia and Picha.

But then, a sudden scream pierced the air.

“Kyahhh!”

Lamia resting by the lakeside were being dragged into the water, screaming as they went.

“……!”

It was an ambush. The Naga, who had been hiding at the bottom of the lake, sprang out of the water.

“Move away from the water, quickly!”

Arcane issued the command swiftly, but it was too late. In the blink of an eye, her subordinates were snatched by the Naga and pulled underwater. She had been momentarily distracted by the vast lake, and the price of that distraction was steep. They had not anticipated the Naga’s ambush and lost several subordinates in vain. Any attempt to retaliate was futile as the Naga had already disappeared back into the depths of the lake.

“Damn it…”

Arcane gritted her teeth in anger. She was more infuriated by the unexpected ambush than the loss of her subordinates.

“How dare they mock me like this. I will never forgive them!”

Her golden eyes flashed with fury. She wanted to poison the entire lake, but she intended to claim this dungeon for herself. Poisoning the lake would be a poor move in the long run. So, she suppressed her emotions and focused on the primary objective—defeating the Arch Lich and taking over the dungeon.

“You, stay here. Inform Stia and Picha to join us immediately when they arrive.”

Leaving one subordinate by the lakeside, Arcane advanced with the remaining forces. They cautiously passed the lakeside and moved to the next area. Beyond the lake, a damp and eerie passage greeted them. Moss grew sporadically on the rock walls, and the ground was muddy. Each step echoed with a squelching sound.

At the end of the passage, a deep, dark staircase appeared.

“…It’s really vast.”

Arcane muttered as she looked down the stairs. Only pitch-black darkness awaited below.

“Stay alert, everyone!”

She warned her subordinates and led the way down the stairs, relying on a single torch mounted on the wall. The air was stale, and a faint smell of blood lingered. Ignoring the smell, they continued down until they reached the bottom.

The sight before them was grand.

“Impressive.”

A vast cavern stretched out before them. The ceiling was so high it was out of sight, and the surroundings were shrouded in pitch-black darkness. The sheer size of the dungeon was awe-inspiring. The more she saw, the more Arcane coveted it. It seemed grossly unfair that an Arch Lich managed such a magnificent dungeon. But that no longer mattered. Arcane was convinced that soon, this dungeon would be hers.

She cautiously surveyed the area, maintaining her guard. Then, she noticed something crimson shimmering in the middle of the cavern—a pool of blood.

“Blood?”

The smell of blood had been pervasive since earlier. It was the scent of human blood, and not just from one person.

“It’s as if they were tortured.”

At that moment, a whispering voice echoed from afar.

“No! I too wish to enter there!”

The presence was familiar. It was impossible not to recognize it.

“Baalzerith… Why are you here?”

Arcane growled lowly. Baalzerith was supposed to be captured by the Demon World Association. Why was she here?