The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices – 163

EP.163 The Generous Ghoul (2)

Was it just a simple worry?

Not long ago, an alert had spread widely about the existence of a dungeon on the continent of El Dorad.

Because of the sudden nature of the news, the dungeon facilities had been upgraded and new monsters had been summoned after a long time.

“Nothing’s happening.”

As the saying goes, it had been a truly peaceful daily life.

“Hmm.”

Was the alert overreacting? Or were the monsters, including Celia, handling things well?

– Dambi has offered the platinum-ranked adventurer ‘Ibis’ as a sacrifice. –

– Absorbing the abilities of the sacrifice ‘Ibis.’ –

– (Time remaining: 6 hours) –

– Lils has offered the gold-ranked adventurer ‘Faren’ as a sacrifice. –

– Absorbing the abilities of the sacrifice ‘Lils.’ –

– (Time remaining: 6 hours) –

It had been a long time since sacrifices were made.

One thing became clear with these sacrifices.

‘It seems the alert was correct about the dungeon’s existence being spread.’

The adventurers who had just been offered as sacrifices must have been drawn by the rumors.

And it meant that the monsters in my dungeon had blocked the intruders.

“By the way, a platinum-ranked adventurer…”

It was definitely noticeable that the difficulty had increased.

The ranks of the adventurers coming to the dungeon would continue to rise in the future.

‘I must continue to prepare accordingly.’

I spent 6 hours under the protection of Maru’s escort.

And the results of absorbing the sacrifices were quite satisfactory.

– Successfully absorbed the adventurer ‘Ibis’ who was offered as a sacrifice. –

– Acquired the skill [Venom Explosion (A)]. It can be used for enhancement. –

– Successfully absorbed the adventurer ‘Faren’ who was offered as a sacrifice. –

– Acquired the trait [Spirit Affinity (B)]. It can be used for enhancement. –

Was it because they were high-ranked adventurers?

The grades of the abilities absorbed from the adventurers were quite good.

‘I think I know what Spirit Affinity is, but what’s Venom Explosion?’

I immediately checked the description of the skill.

– Venom Explosion (A): An offensive skill that creates a powerful sphere of toxic energy in the hand and launches it at the enemy. The target hit by it is engulfed in a powerful toxic explosion, which corrodes and pulverizes the body. –

‘Isn’t this a gain?’

Currently, the only offensive skill I possess is an E-grade Fireball.

And now, an A-grade offensive skill has appeared.

‘It’s good enough for me to use.’

As an attack utilizing poison, it could introduce a variety of variables.

While there’s also the option to enhance my subordinates’ monsters, Venom Explosion seems better suited for my use.

‘I can’t rely on monsters forever.’

I need my own means of defense.

In that sense, I decided to use Spirit Affinity as well.

There was no immediate need to enhance monsters, and more sacrifices would continue to come in.

Two days passed like that.

There were no additional sacrifices offered.

Instead, this time an alert related to monsters rang out.

– Squall has gained the enlightenment of evolution. –

– Squall’s rank evolves from 3-star to 4-star. –

– Dungeon ‘Red-Headed Tribe’ Master, Squall (★★★★) –

“Oh, why did this one suddenly evolve?”

Enlightenment of evolution, huh.

Until now, monsters had only evolved when I spent money or when they completed missions and received rewards.

But now, a monster that evolves on its own has appeared.

“Yeah, this is what makes raising them worthwhile!”

Honestly, it was moving.

It felt gratifying to see that the monsters had finally learned how to live on their own.

One couldn’t rely on the pay-to-win system forever.

My joy didn’t end there.

– Ghoul (★★) has evolved into Toxic Ghoul (★★★). –

“Oh.”

What’s this now? Toxic Ghoul?

It was a monster I had never heard of before.

Is it called Toxic Ghoul because it harbors poison?

“By the way, how did this one evolve?”

Squall gained the enlightenment of evolution and evolved to 4-star.

But this Ghoul evolved without any such notification, just an alert stating it had evolved.

“Is there a difference?”

Did the Ghoul also gain the enlightenment of evolution like Squall?

If it did, it would have shown up in the alert.

Hmm… it’s really hard to tell.

Maybe it was just lucky.

Ghouls aren’t particularly intelligent monsters.

It seemed likely that the Ghoul had simply seized an opportunity for evolution by chance.

For now, that seemed to be the correct assumption.

“Still, it’s a bit disappointing.”

If only I knew how it evolved, I could apply the same method to other Ghouls…

Although it was regrettable, I decided not to dwell on it further.

I had another matter to prepare for.

It was the visit to the Phoenix Guild.

I was scheduled to visit the Phoenix Guild soon.

Currently, my identity was that of a consultant affiliated with the Phoenix Guild.

To be precise, I was a consultant for the team led by Jung Ye-rin, but a consultant was a consultant nonetheless.

Originally, Jung Ye-rin had offered me the consultant position, saying I didn’t need to come to the office, but staying at home all the time felt a bit uneasy.

‘No matter what, it’s only polite to visit at least once.’

A consultant position was not a role to be taken lightly.

Jung Ye-rin had said she would come to me when she needed my help, but if she came unexpectedly, it would put me in a difficult position.

Currently, I didn’t know how the Phoenix Guild operated, nor did I know everything about all the monsters.

Jung Ye-rin had mistaken me for an expert because of the information I had on the Goblin Lord, but there was no guarantee that such coincidences would continue.

Therefore, I decided to go to the Phoenix Guild for a while.

I would understand how the guild operated and listen to the team members’ concerns.

By getting closer to the team members and fulfilling my role as a consultant, I could hide the fact that I was actually incompetent.

At least I wasn’t someone who did nothing.

I made at least the minimum effort.

“It’s a good strategy, even if I say so myself.”

Yes, it was time to start going to work.

Now, I was pondering what gifts to give Jung Ye-rin and the team members on my first day.

“……”

Should I just give out chocolates?

But that seemed too ordinary.

If I were just a regular guild member, it might be fine, but currently, I held the role of a consultant within the guild.

“Hmm…”

The high-quality tea leaves Celia sent?

But there was too little of it to begin with.

I didn’t know how many members were in Jung Ye-rin’s team, but there definitely wasn’t enough to share with everyone.

If some received it and others didn’t, it would only tarnish my image.

“Isn’t there anything good?”

As I was deep in thought, an alert sounded from my smartphone.

– Celia has offered ‘high-quality liquor made with utmost sincerity’ as a sacrifice to the master. –

– Receiving the sacrifice ‘high-quality liquor made with utmost sincerity.’ –

– (Time remaining: 3 hours) –

“……?”

Why liquor?

Why did Celia offer liquor at this moment?

Moreover, the name was peculiar.

‘High-quality liquor made with utmost sincerity?’

Was it meant to cheer me up?

After pondering for a moment, a good idea struck me.

“That’s it! Liquor!”

Why not give that high-quality liquor as a gift on my first day?

The name itself suggested it was high-quality.

Since it wasn’t just any ordinary liquor, it seemed appropriate to give as a gift.

In an instant, my worries vanished.

I didn’t know how or why Celia made and offered the liquor as a sacrifice.

“There’s no one like Celia.”

Since Celia made it, the liquor would undoubtedly taste good.

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***

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The Ghoul trudged slowly through the forest.

As it moved, it put whatever it could grab into its mouth, causing its appearance to continuously change.

Now, the Ghoul’s skin had transformed into a grotesque purple hue, and a hard, armor-like exoskeleton had grown over it.

Vines from the surrounding plants seemed to intertwine with the Ghoul’s body.

Yet, the journey continued.

One notable change was that the Ghoul, who had once wandered the forest alone, now had companions.

They were Sharia and Lucas.

Thus began the strange journey of the monster and the humans.

“Guooor.”

Even while moving, the Ghoul reacted immediately upon discovering the corpse of an adventurer.

It rummaged through the corpse, extracting money.

Some of it was given to Sharia, while the rest was swallowed by the Ghoul itself.

There was no special meaning behind it.

When it shared the gold coins, the humans would express their gratitude, which oddly felt good.

In retrospect, didn’t Necros also continuously give gold coins to his master, the Death Knight?

“Guoooor.”

The Ghoul began to understand Necros’ actions.

As a result, the Ghoul continued to hand over a portion of its earnings to the humans.

Each time, Lucas bowed deeply.

“Thank you so much, Apostle, for your consideration… We are truly grateful.”

To those who had been struggling in poverty, even moldy bread was akin to a feast.

But today, the grace received from the Ghoul, presumed to be the Apostle of the Evil God, was so abundant that they couldn’t help but be moved.

“Lucas, with this much, we might even be able to have bread with eggs…!”

Sharia’s eyes sparkled as she drooled at the mere thought.

Sharia, the leader of Eclipse, had two dreams.

Her greatest wish was the resurrection of the Evil God, and the second was to eat freshly baked bread topped with a runny fried egg.

At least for today, the latter seemed like it might become a reality.

Lucas solemnly nodded at Sharia’s words.

“The leader is right. This must be the grace bestowed upon us by Him.”

The Ghoul before them was undoubtedly the Apostle of the Evil God.

It wasn’t mere speculation or vague hope.

Even at this moment, the Ghoul was evolving at an astonishing rate.

Its appearance had become so grotesque and powerful that it couldn’t be compared to an ordinary Ghoul.

‘Indeed, there is no doubt. This one is surely the Apostle of the Evil God!’

Of course, ordinary monsters also evolve.

But the process is slow and requires a long time.

The rapid changes the Ghoul was undergoing far exceeded the scope of normal evolution.

Moreover, Sharia and Lucas were dark wizards.

They could feel the aura of death emanating from the Ghoul at every moment.

“We might have discovered something far more precious than treasure.”

No, it was certain.

They had met the Apostle of the Evil God.

Initially, they had come to the mountains following rumors.

The chances were slim, but if they found treasure, it might solve Eclipse’s financial troubles.

But they had found something more valuable than treasure.

‘Apostle…’

This might be the beginning of the Evil God’s resurrection.

‘If that happens…’

Lucas’s heart raced.

They would reclaim their honor as dark wizards, and their prestige would once again spread across the continent.

Currently, the perception of dark wizards was at its worst.

To the public, dark wizards were seen as evil and ruthless beings.

They were known as demon worshippers who killed for dark magic and offered corpses to the Evil God.

But that was far from the truth.

At least, the current Eclipse was not in such a position.

They were so desperate that they scavenged animal carcasses to stave off hunger.

There was even a member who was beaten to death for stealing a dead livestock.

“He was such a kind person…”

Sharia shed tears, recalling the sad memories of the past.

And killing people to use high-level dark magic?

If they did such a thing, the White Order would chase them to the ends of the continent. Would any dark wizard dare to act like that?

They didn’t even have enough time to research dark magic.

Most of the Eclipse members were surviving by begging, worrying more about their next meal than research.

This was the current state of dark wizards.

‘But today is the last day for that.’

Lucas stared at the coins on his scorched palm.

Copper, silver, and gold coins shimmered together.

They weren’t just money.

They were the grace bestowed by the Evil God.

‘From today, Eclipse will rise again.’

It meant that the resurrection of the Evil God was imminent.

Lucas clenched his hand tightly.

“……”

Next to him, Sharia’s eyes also gleamed with determination.

With this amount of money, they could eat freshly baked bread for several days.

They could even afford to add fried eggs on top.

‘The members will finally have a decent meal after a long time.’

Sharia regretted not being able to take better care of her members as their leader.

But now, the situation had changed.

Sharia’s gaze turned to the Ghoul.

‘If we continue to follow this Apostle…’

It wouldn’t be an impossible dream to have ham on their bread instead of just eggs!

With a fervent look, Sharia murmured to herself.

‘Yes! The Evil God is surely watching over us!’

The wheels of fate were turning towards Eclipse.

It was by chance that she had heard the rumors.

Avoiding the White Order’s surveillance, they had come here via the mountains between the Kaln Empire and the Free City Alliance.

And on that path, they had encountered the Apostle of the Evil God.

All these coincidences seemed like pieces of a meticulously arranged puzzle.

Could all of this really be just a coincidence?

Sharia shook her head.

It was too precise to be mere chance.

This was undoubtedly a script written by the Evil God.

Even the rumors of treasure that led them here must have been the will of the Evil God.

With a solemn heart, Sharia bowed her head.

She deeply engraved in her heart that all of this was the mercy of the Evil God.

Thus, Sharia and Lucas closely followed the Ghoul.

“Guooor guooor.”

(Where is the Death Knight?)

The Ghoul’s muttering was an indecipherable code to them.

They could only guess at the profound meaning behind it.

Lucas nodded.

“It seems like he wants us to keep following, Leader.”

“Yes, I think so too.”

Thus, the three of them continued to walk endlessly through the forest.

After walking for a while, suspicious figures suddenly appeared ahead.

“Monsters! Everyone, prepare for battle!”

The figures turned out to be a group of adventurers.

There were more than ten of them, a fairly large party, quickly forming a battle formation.

Their swift actions indicated they were quite experienced adventurers.

“It’s dangerous! Apostle!”

Lucas shouted to the Ghoul with a panicked expression.

No matter how much of an Apostle of the Evil God it was, the Ghoul was still a Ghoul.

It didn’t seem easy to hold out in a situation where they were outnumbered.

“No… We just met the Apostle…”

Sharia gritted her teeth and looked at Lucas.

Their determined gazes met.

“Lucas! Let’s get ready too!”

Understanding each other’s thoughts, they immediately began chanting spells.

Although they couldn’t expect much power without sacrifices, they could at least draw the enemy’s attention.

“Oh great one who governs death, please grant me the power to bring death to my enemies-”

Sharia’s mouth fell open as she chanted.

The Ghoul was casually walking towards the enemy lines.

“No! Apostle!”

Lucas shouted at the top of his lungs, but the Ghoul paid no heed.

Instead, it calmly stood before the adventurers.

“Guooor guooor?”

(Do you want some money too?)

“What…?”

The adventurer at the front mumbled in confusion at the Ghoul’s words.

“Guooor guooor?”

The Ghoul repeated itself with a nonchalant expression.

When it gave money to the humans following it, they acted respectfully.

And the Ghoul felt happy when it shared money.

So, it decided to give money to the adventurers this time as well.

The Ghoul smiled brightly at the thought of sharing money.

However…

The Ghoul currently had no money on it.

“Guooor…”

All the money it had taken from corpses had either been swallowed or given to Sharia and Lucas.

But the Ghoul quickly came up with a good idea.

It could simply retrieve the money from its stomach.

The Ghoul tensed its abdomen to bring up the swallowed gold coins.

“Guooor…”

The more it strained, the more its insides twisted and writhed.

“What the hell is that!”

The adventurers were agitated by the Ghoul’s strange behavior.

At that moment…

“Guoooorrrr-!”

Instead of gold coins, green smoke spewed from the Ghoul’s mouth.

“No, get away! Everyone, move!”

An adventurer screamed in panic, but it was already too late.

“Aaaaargh!”

The adventurers enveloped in the green smoke fell to the ground as their flesh seemed to melt away.

The forest was filled with horrifying screams and a burning stench.

Sharia and Lucas, standing behind, watched the scene with horrified expressions.