CH 306

#107. The Underworld Tree Expedition

The Underworld had changed completely after the Third Restoration. The information the Under-Elves had risked their lives for, and the maps that had been created, were subsequently rendered useless. Because of the Reapers that ran rampant everywhere, they couldn’t figure out what surviving labyrinths remained or where they were.

It was only natural to feel burdened by the prospect of heading out on an expedition, given the situation. The silver lining was that the destination was the Underworld Tree, which could be seen from anywhere in the Underworld. It would be impossible for anyone but the blind to get lost when there was a huge ash tree holding up the ceiling of the Underworld.

“Minimize the number of personnel on reconnaissance missions; we’ll be taking the shortest direct route,” Kim Jin-Woo ordered.

“The area the reconnaissance squads can cover has gotten narrower thanks to the Reapers. Given the situation, if we minimize the number of reconnaissance personnel, it’ll become impossible for us to avoid encountering other labyrinths or Reapers,” Rikshasha replied, expressing her disapproval.

In any other situation, Kim Jin-Woo would have nodded in response. But not now.

Almost all the Nagas except for a skeleton crew were included in the expedition. Every single one of them was more powerful than any other labyrinth master, and aside from Dominique, every other elite leader in his army was so powerful that they could easily outclass most Nobles.

Furthermore, the Nagas were all equipped with the latest weaponry from the Eternal Treasury. Any ordinary labyrinth would end up being nothing but fodder for them.

“Close the gates of Valhǫll. Morrigan and the White Raven will lead the Einherjar,” Kim Jin-Woo ordered.

In addition, it wasn’t just the Nagas who had been included in the expedition. All the Einherjar were also included, leaving behind only the minimum needed to operate Mjöllnir in Valhǫll.

The might of his army was so strong that Kim Jin-Woo even wondered if an army of such strength had ever assembled in the Underworld before, and if anyone would be insane enough to even attempt to block his way.

“Dominique,” Kim Jin-Woo called out.

The Naga Queen stepped forward and replied, “Master’s advance won’t be stopped by anyone.”

With the two understanding each other on a level deeper than anyone else, Dominique knew better than anyone what her master wanted to hear at that moment, and she didn’t hesitate to declare his will with absolute certainty.

“A Duke’s labyrinth may stand in our way. They aren’t our target, but from their point of view, they won’t stand for having such a large army like ours roaming in what’s basically their front yard,” Kim Jin-Woo said.

“If there ever is such a Duke, what they should be worried about isn’t their front yard, but their future,” Dominique replied.

Dominique, usually careful and thoughtful with her words, was filled with vigor today. It seemed the awakening had had a more profound impact on her character than her external appearance.

She continued, “If there’s no path, we can make one. That’s all there is to it.”

In response, the Nagas slammed their weapons onto the ground in unison. They stomped their feet and roared with great ferocity, as if an enemy Duke’s labyrinth stood in their way.

“Ha!”

As the Nagas let out their characteristic sharp roar, the air around them froze in an instant, and frost appeared from all sides. Kim Jin-Woo was highly satisfied with his army’s high fighting spirit and momentum that was incomparable to before.

“I believe you will,” Kim Jin-Woo said in response to Dominique.

The Nagas roared once more before standing at attention. As soon as the feverish momentum died down, the cold air disappeared. However, the surroundings that had been covered in a thin layer of ice remained the same.

Rikshasha looked at the frost covering her scimitar with a bewildered expression, before letting out an ambiguous sound that was neither a cry of astonishment nor a groan. “Ah…”

“You and the Under-Elves are tasked with finding the quickest route. Should it be blocked, the others will open up a new path,” Kim Jin-Woo said to Rikshasha as if he were making a declaration.

Only after listening to her king did Rikshasha come to her senses, and she calmly accepted his orders the way she always did. She replied, “As the King wills.”

The moment she finished speaking, the handpicked group of Under-Elf Rangers split off from the main group and set out on their reconnaissance missions.

“All troops.” Kim Jin-Woo raised a finger while looking at the Under-Elves disappearing into the distance. He pointed toward the neverending Underworld Tree and ordered, “Advance.”

At his command, his army began to move.

***

Dominique’s words soon turned into reality thanks to the Nagas. As promised, everything that stood in their way was destroyed without mercy.

[You have won the battle. It is a trivial victory against a foe that is woefully weak compared to the mighty Nagas, but a victory is still a victory nonetheless.]

[The Nagas are asking what will happen to the Labyrinth Core and the enemies who have surrendered.]

The battle ended so quickly that the Nagas showed no signs of fatigue. They simply looked at their master with gazes that were brimming with an unknown fever and enthusiasm.

“Mm.” Kim Jin-Woo knew exactly what they were longing for just from the look in their eyes, and he had no intention of disappointing them. He said, “Enjoy the spoils of your rightful victory.”

The moment he granted his permission, the Nagas rushed toward the survivors and the labyrinth, cheering silently to themselves.

[The Bloodrite has begun.]

[This unknown Count’s labyrinth is truly pitiful, having been the first to encounter the starving Nagas. The Nagas have devoured all the remaining survivors, and have even consumed the Labyrinth Core.]

[The Nagas who participated in the Bloodrite have ascended ever so slightly.]

[The army and labyrinth of the unknown Count were not enough to satiate the greedy Nagas. There have been no noticeable changes at the moment.]

[However, the first Bloodrite enjoyed by the Nagas after being liberated from their bindings was enough to reinstate their lost appetite.]

[The Nagas desire stronger enemies.]

It felt familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time for Kim Jin-Woo to witness an entire labyrinth disappear right in front of his eyes. He remarked, “I can see why the Ancient Lords were so desperate to stop the Underworld Serpent and his clan.”

When the meal was over, all that was left was the remains of the labyrinth. Perhaps it was because of Kim Jin-Woo’s mood, but even the smallest stone fragments looked as if they had been drained of life, if that were even possible, and that somehow terrified him.

“All troops, forward,” he commanded.

A few days had passed since the expedition began, but the view of the Underworld Tree from their current location didn’t differ in the slightest compared to how it had looked from the Grand Labyrinth. Kim Jin-Woo looked at the Underworld Tree that didn’t seem to get any closer no matter how much he walked, and was once again struck by the immense size of the single ash tree and the vastness of the changed Underworld.

[The Nagas have consumed quite a large number of labyrinths thanks to the successive Bloodrites, but they seem to resemble their master, as they are still hungry for more.]

[The Nagas continue to grow.]

Meanwhile, the Nagas were in their element. Every time a labyrinth appeared, the Nagas initiated a Bloodrite and feverishly consumed their meal. Thanks to that, compared to when they had first left the Grand Labyrinth, the present Nagas had turned into completely different beasts.

[Nagas’ tails are their symbol of strength. Their scaly tails are good indicators of their strength and authority, and also their most effective weapons.]

[Quantus' tail is over ten meters long. There are no more Nagas who can challenge the authority of this intrepid Naga. His tail, covered in hard scales, is a weapon powerful enough to encircle and crush even the mightiest of Underworld creatures.]

[Valicius’ tail has reached eight meters in length. The limitations of a Naga Mage, a variant weak in close combat, have been slightly mitigated. However, he is paying more attention to the changes within the clan rather than the growth of his own tail.]

[Please watch out for Valicius and his Naga Mages. Now that these maniacs have gotten even more tenacious, they will not hesitate to even use their own kin for their twisted experiments. It seems he has already started looking for the most satisfactory test subject.]

The Nagas’ tails, which would usually have grown up to two or three meters long at most, had now reached ten meters for the largest Naga, and even the smallest of Nagas had grown so huge that their tails alone exceeded three meters.

[Dominique has achieved growth once again.]

[Apart from you, this Naga Queen can be said to be the noblest of Nagas, and is not a being who would be at the forefront of a battle.]

[The true significance of the Naga Queen is that she is the Naga King’s companion. As a result, instead of growing in a manner that could be considered cumbersome, her tail has instead become covered in denser scales with a beautiful luster.]

[However, that does not mean she is weak.]

[Her brilliance as an assistant to her king, and her ability to amplify his powers, prove that she is a true companion to the Naga King.]

[In addition, not even the Naga Mages would dare to look down on her when it comes to her ability to use the element of Frost. Her Frost magic is more effective against large enemies, unlike the Naga Mages who specialize in dealing with large groups of enemies.]

This time, Dominique had grown in a direction completely different from the other Nagas. Seeing Dominique, even Kim Jin-Woo lost his mind for a brief moment as he completely forgot about the situation he was in.

Even though he was certain that his own preference in a partner was no different from that of a normal human man, he felt an inexplicable sense of impulse rushing through his veins when he saw Dominique’s scales and tail glittering like black jewels. That was how fatal Dominique’s beauty was.

[Ahead of the most dangerous battle, now would be the best time to breed successors for your clan.]

[The Naga Queen has unwittingly been exuding an enchanting scent all over her body.]

[Unfortunately, your needlessly strong mental fortitude and obsession with victory in combat has overcome her temptation.]

[The Naga Queen is disappointed, but she will not give up so easily. She will continue to seduce you.]

Apparently, it wasn’t just the clan’s power that had been released after the seal was lifted. Dominique longed for her master more actively than before, and she didn’t hesitate to show her appeal.

Of course, things became awkward for Kim Jin-Woo.

“Master, a Duke’s labyrinth is in front of…” Dominique began.

“Take care of it the way you’ve been doing so far. If you need reinforcements, ask Angela to assist you,” Kim Jin-Woo cut her off.

“Master… Still, it’s a Duke’s labyrinth. Can we really absorb it?” Dominique asked.

“Do whatever you like,” Kim Jin-Woo replied.

***

As time went on, Kim Jin-Woo ended up not even daring to face Dominique. However, it was impossible for him to completely avoid her in the first place, when she was in charge of all matters big and small, and he had to fight against temptation several times a day.

However, Dominique was truly formidable. Since they had absorbed a Duke’s labyrinth several days before, her seductive scent had gotten so strong that it was giving Kim Jin-Woo a splitting headache, and as time went on, he started to lose control of himself.

After all, it was too much to ask of the Lord of Greed, who had to have everything he wanted, to put up against such levels of desire. In fact, even the reason he had been rejecting her was vague.

As the message had said, it was hard to predict the future, and thus it was the perfect time to think of leaving descendants behind.

Eventually, he did the deed. He pretended to not be able to resist Dominique’s temptation any longer and surrendered.

Seeing Kim Jin-Woo sneakily push the rest of the expedition ahead of him, Angela commented sarcastically, “Don’t be too late.”

Kim Jin-Woo pretended not to hear her as he sent her away before turning to Dominique.

Dominique had taken on human form, losing her tail and greeting him with a dazzlingly pale pair of legs. Her eyes gleamed with allure as she looked at Kim Jin-Woo, murmuring, “Master…”

At that moment, Kim Jin-Woo lost all semblance of reason.

“Ah…”

He had already experienced it once with Angela, but with Dominique, the experience on an entirely different level. It was as if the body of the Naga Queen existed solely for him, as even the tiniest details overwhelmed him with pleasure.

“Urgh. I’ve lost again,” he muttered.

Thanks to that, he was forced to relive the memories of his first time, when he had suffered his most brutal defeat.

[The Naga Queen is highly satisfied with the fulfillment of her greatest mission, and she feels an incomparable sense of satisfaction and happiness.]

[It was just one time, but it was more than enough for the Naga Queen to conceive your child.]

[The Nagas will now cherish and protect the Naga Queen, who has conceived your child, as they would you.]

Several messages followed, but Kim Jin-Woo wasn’t surprised in the least. As the two shared a communion between their minds, there was no way he would be surprised.

“Master, even if it means losing my life, I’ll protect this child,” Dominique said resolutely.

Kim Jin-Woo smiled warmly, but just as he was about to say something in response, a familiar voice resounded in his head.