Records of Dungeon Travel

#83. The Ancient Promise

“Aaah.” The voice that flowed through Angela’s voluptuous lips was as captivating as the whispers of a lover at one’s bedside, and she blinked blankly while rolling her eyes. Every single one of her gestures was graceful, like a sculptor’s finest work.

There was an air of old-fashioned beauty about her, like a beautiful doll that had been left unattended for a long time only to be covered in dust—a masterpiece that might crumble at a single touch.

But rather than admiring her fatal beauty, Kim Jin-Woo felt a sense of crisis.

[The avatar of the Ancient Lord has wandered the Underworld for far too long. Eons of time and the terrifying Malice of the Underworld have eaten away at her spirit, whom even the Ancient Lords were reluctant to turn into their enemy.]

The moment Kim Jin-Woo saw the message flashing red in front of him, he reflexively withdrew. No, he tried to withdraw.

Squeeze.

But Angela didn’t let go. There was formidable power in her slender hands, as she grabbed Kim Jin-Woo’s wrist tightly while staying perfectly still.

“Hhhh.” Again, meaningless hums flowed through her lips. But this time, it felt different. There was definitely a sense of exclamation in her resistance.

“Angela,” Kim Jin-Woo calledd.

Even as countless assumptions, including possibly the most horrifying of them all, went through his mind, Kim Jin-Woo continued to hold out hope. His authority as her master and the unique presence of the Highlord was behind him each time he called out to Angela.

But unfortunately, it seemed that it was his presence as the Highlord and not as her master that reached Angela.

“Angela?” the spirit responded. At first glance, her voice sounded like an innocent girl speaking shyly, but it also sounded like the voice of a bewitching lover speaking to Kim Jin-Woo from his bedside, and he started to feel dizzy.

[True Blood Vampires are deadly creatures that fascinate all creatures simply by existing. Her overwhelming existence can make you lose your mind.]

[Fortunately, your tenacity and willpower were sufficient to withstand her fatal temptation.]

[You have succeeded in resisting her temptation.]

Kim Jin-Woo, who had been unknowingly left in heat, finally calmed down.

“Angela… What a lovely name,” the spirit remarked.

Although Kim Jin-Woo had succeeded in resisting her temptation, her voice had a mystical power that nearly made him lose consciousness. He strengthened his mind and put on a stern expression in order to stay focused.

“I remember now. There were those who looked at me with those very same eyes in the past,” the spirit said.

Her presence, which had been nothing special other than her overwhelming beauty, suddenly rose to an even higher level than that of Catherine, the Wailing Lord. She asked arrogantly, “So, you’re a Highlord?” Kim Jin-Woo frowned upon hearing her arrogant tone.

“That was a stupid question. If you were not one of them, you would not dare to be looking down at me right now,” she continued.

Kim Jin-Woo eventually responded to the exceptionally haughty spirit. “Why don’t you get up so we can talk?”

“It has been a long time since I last moved a physical body, so it is not as easy as I would like. I seek your understanding.”

The spirit inside Angela’s body, that should have been corroded by time and the Malice of the Underworld, was more intact than Kim Jin-Woo had expected. She apologized for her posture and asked for Kim Jin-Woo’s understanding. But it didn’t change the fact that she was still within Angela’s body.

Kim Jin-Woo’s gaze was unrelenting as he said, “That’s not what you should be apologizing for. Isn’t it a bit too much to speak while taking over someone else’s body?”

“I see. Your enmity stems from your concern for the master of this flesh.” It was as if the spirit had only just realized that fact. But Kim Jin-Woo was disappointed by how calmly she spoke. Still, she continued, “But do not worry. My thoughts will not linger for long. When the work that was given to me is done, they will cease to exist.”

It was welcome news, but rather than being delighted, Kim Jin-Woo was more curious about what the “work” the spirit was talking about was. “What is this “work” you’re referring to?”

However, instead of replying to his question, the spirit said something completely different. “I knew that your aura felt familiar. It is the same as that of the person who upheld the half-world he saw through his One-Eye as if it were the Truth.” It seemed she had felt the energy of the One-Eyed Lord, Botan.

“But this is strange. The energy within you is not just his alone.” The avatar of the True Blood immediately recognized something that not even the Wailing Lord had noticed.

“The maniac who wanted to become the Sun of the Underworld.

“The harsh Mother who drove all the weak Fairies into darkness.”

She had also recognized the energy of the Lord of Brilliance, which had yet to fully develop, as well as the energy of the Fairy Lord, which Kim Jin-Woo had yet to fully resonate with.

“They are all dormant within you.” The avatar continued to speak. “The abyss lurks inside of you as well… the abyss that has devoured all, and is yet unsatisfied.”

As soon as he heard the word ‘abyss’, Kim Jin-Woo felt distant, as if his consciousness were floating away. He felt as if his whole body were melting like a lit candle. He mustered all his strength not to flail around.

“Aah, I now remember how much I had to suffer in pain as my soul scattered across the Underworld for eons.” The avatar tried its best to get up, but it continued to stumble. Kim Jin-Woo staggered before eventually falling on top of her.

“A prophecy exchanged for a single eye. A Promise made with the Light. The thread of Fate braided with the hairs of a hundred thousand Fairies. They all point to one,” she continued. Their faces touched until they could feel each other’s breath, and the avatar of the True Blood smiled brightly. “I am willing to be a witness to that Promise.”

Kim Jin-Woo was already beyond confused, and those words made no sense whatsoever to him.

“I bear witness with the reddest of blood,” the avatar said.

“What the hell are you saying…!?” Kim Jin-Woo fiercely snapped back. But instead of words, what came out of his mouth sounded like the slurred speech of a drunkard, and even that was quickly swallowed back down his throat.

“The prophecy will come true.”

In those last moments, as Kim Jin-Woo heard the avatar’s voice, he faded out of consciousness.

***

“Master?”

When Kim Jin-Woo regained consciousness, Angela was waiting for him, her expression full of concern.

“Angela?” Kim Jin-Woo asked.

“Master!” With a tearful expression, Angela threw herself into his arms.

“Ah…” As Kim Jin-Woo’s hazy consciousness returned, he realized that he was gripping the bed with both hands and had barely held on. He must have been subconsciously doing his best not to fall off. He asked, “Where is she?”

It was a very brief statement with no context, but Angela replied without hesitation. “She’s returned to her slumber.”

Thankfully, Angela seemed to have remembered everything. She explained everything that had happened from the moment Kim Jin-Woo started losing consciousness. “She said she’ll be back when Master has achieved everything.”

Even though there was another existence inside of her, a transcendent being that could take over her body at any time, Angela didn’t seem too concerned. When Kim Jin-Woo asked why, she said, “I may have obtained the True Blood, but my blood pact remains. You’re still my Master, and that fact will never change.”

Kim Jin-Woo frowned, wondering what she was talking about. Hadn’t she stated that she wanted to obtain the True Blood because she wanted to be an independent being that could live freely on her own, and not have to be in a parasitic relationship dependent on others?

“I never knew how to live on my own in the first place,” Angela explained. Was she already too accustomed to it? She said she didn’t want to break free from the blood pact.

Finally, after a long time, she gave a reason Kim Jin-Woo could comprehend. “Besides, the ritual was barely successful, and if I had gotten any greedier, it would have failed. So, please don’t worry. Even if she wakes up again, as long as she’s within my body…”

Angela said with a purr, like a cat on its owner’s lap waiting to be praised, “She’ll never be able to disobey Master.”

***

Angela hadn’t lost the memory of the time the True Blood had taken her over, but that didn’t mean she was able to completely suppress the memories of the avatar. It was just that her willpower was that much stronger.

“The proof of the Promise… What is this ‘Promise’?” Kim Jin-Woo asked.

“I don’t know. Just the fact that Master has something to do with this ‘Promise’…” Angela trailed off.

Kim Jin-Woo couldn’t understand what he had to do with the ‘Promise’ the Ancient Lords had made in the distant past, when he hadn’t even existed back then. But through that, he realized that the sense of incongruity he had felt wasn’t just a delusion.

The path he had taken ever since he became the Naga King until now, and the fortunate chain of events that had occurred behind the scenes without him knowing, had been more than a simple coincidence.

If the dice of fortune thrown across the gambling board that was his life had in fact been rigged to show the highest number every time, was he, as the beneficiary of that, supposed to be ashamed by this deceitful act? Or was he supposed to rejoice at his victories?

Kim Jin-Woo had decided on the latter. The only difference was that he knew not to simply fall prey to the fruits of victory.

Just then, Mimir appeared to report on the situation to him, looking more nervous than ever before. “The Usurper has begun to move.”

It was such impeccable timing. As always, things happened as if to prevent Kim Jin-Woo from smoothly getting what he wanted.

“It’s not going to appear and start acting immediately, but it looks as if the Dukes are making their move to reorganize the Underworld,” Mimir said. “We now have to make the necessary preparations.”

“We?” Kim Jin-Woo asked.

“Because I’m not the only one whose name is on the Usurper’s kill list,” Mimir replied.

From the day the avatar of the True Blood first appeared, the wheels of Promise had begun to spin once more.

***

The Ant Ghost was now a completely different beast. Previously, it had only acted on its appetite alone, but now, it was finally able to think and judge for itself, and it had evolved into a truly terrifying monster.

The Satyrs’ labyrinth was its first target.

Crunch, crunch.

Even the Duke’s army, which belonged to the most powerful class in the Deep Floors, was helplessly attacked by the beast over and over again.

In the process, countless Satyrs ended up being delicious and nutritious prey for the beast, and the number of them devoured by the Ant Ghost alone reached thousands.

At this point, even the arrogant Duke couldn’t help but pay attention to this terrifying beast. The Duke led an army of five hundred Heroes and attacked the Ant Ghost.

The Ant Ghost, which had become incredibly powerful in that time, fiercely resisted them as it stubbornly continued to feed on the Duke’s army. However, the Deep Floor Duke was too strong for a monster that had just started to realize its potential.

The Duke’s anger knew no limits, as he willingly sacrificed a third of his army just to try to get his revenge on the Ant Ghost that had already consumed thousands of his Satyrs.

Kaaaargh.

To avoid the Duke’s murderous intent, the beast roared as it fled deep into the Underworld. The passageways of the 9th Floor had been badly damaged after the earthquake, which allowed the Duke’s army to catch up, but the beast was truly formidable.

The Ant Ghost ran away again and again from the Duke that had already inflicted a fatal wound on it. In the middle of its escape, the only thing that continued to drive the beast was the memory of the time when only its primal appetite mattered.

It remembered the time it had been provided with countless prey, and it had attempted to communicate for the first time. It remembered the place where it could feel the energy of that single, dependable existence. The Ant Ghost followed Kim Jin-Woo’s energy to the Grand Labyrinth.