Records of Dungeon Travel

Kim Jin-Woo blinked several times as he stared at Krasto, wondering what on earth the mercenary meant.

Krasto looked back at him as he continued, “The 11th Floor is in the midst of a war.”

Kim Jin-Woo’s mind turned blank at the word ‘war’. He started biting his own lips before he even realized it. He said, “I’d like to hear more details.”

“It’s as I said. The 11th Floor isn’t a great place for an outsider to visit right now,” Krasto replied.

His statement didn’t make sense, however. Anatolius had even had to reach out to the 9th Floor in order to shake the 11th Floor up, knowing he alone was incapable of it. A war suddenly breaking out on the 11th Floor was incomprehensible.

“Weren’t the 11th Floor Counts busy sizing each other up?” Kim Jin-Woo asked.

Krasto seemed impressed that Kim Jin-Woo was informed to that extent, as he responded, “If it were just an ordinary war, none of the Counts would have been able to get their way easily. But the war ongoing on the 11th Floor right now is no ordinary war.”

“Then what could possibly motivate those passive, wary Counts to suddenly engage in an all-out war? Give me a straight answer, I’m starting to lose my patience.”

Krasto seemed to almost be indulging in Kim Jin-Woo’s frustration. “Whoa there, you sure are a feisty one. Alright. Don’t stare at me like that. I was just about to tell you anyway.”

The old man’s head on Krasto’s shoulder was as slow as his wrinkled face made him look.

“Did you know that from the 11th Floor onward, our Underworld is connected to other Underworlds? The 11th Floor Counts are currently in a war with forces from other Underworlds. Did you get that? The 11th Floor Counts are now united as one. That’s why the Counts are no longer wary of one another.”

It was as if time itself stood still. Kim Jin-Woo was frozen upon hearing of the existence of other Underworlds.

“That’s why no one should enter the 11th Floor right now, and why Parthenon retreated so quickly,” Krasto said as he looked Kim Jin-Woo in the eye. He continued, “And that’s why my mercenaries and I have come to the 9th Floor. Despite the title of “Undefeated” in my name, even I can’t survive on the 11th Floor right now. That’s just how bad the situation is.”

After saying his piece, Krasto returned to his residence. Kim Jin-Woo was once again left alone in the master room as he stared blankly around him.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know of the other Underworlds’ existence. In fact, word of them existing in other countries and continents had been spreading like wildfire back on the surface as of late. So when Krasto brought them up, Kim Jin-Woo was more anxious than surprised.

But what he was truly terrified of was the fact that he had sent Angela over to the 11th Floor. Despite her obsessive and selfish nature, he still viewed her as his. And he couldn’t help but be frustrated at the fact that he had sent her to the 11th Floor; a place that even the ‘Undefeated’ Krasto had fled from.

“Fuck.” Kim Jin-Woo cursed under his breath.

He knew best that there was nothing he could do for Angela at the moment. There was too much at risk for him to head out in search of her in the chaotic 11th Floor. He kept cursing as he blamed himself for his ignorance and incompetence.

But just as when he was about to give up all hope on her, she returned.

“Master.” Angela emerged from the shadows with bruises all over her body. Her long, graceful hair was tangled and soaked in blood, and her beautiful pale skin was full of cuts and scratches.

“Angela!” The startled Kim Jin-Woo rushed over to Angela, who looked as if she were about to collapse any second. His face darkened when he grabbed her, only for his hands to be soaked in the dark red, viscous liquid.

“I… I really didn’t think I'd be able to make it… I thought I was going to die there…”

“I get it, so stop talking, you idiot!”

Angela coughed blood every time she opened her mouth to speak. “But I wanted to see Master so much…  I was afraid Master would be upset if…”

“Stop talking!” Kim Jin-Woo tried to stop her from talking as her eyes started to fade out.

However, she continued. “I… I’m home.” Perhaps she thought this was the end for her, but even then, she was desperate for one last compliment from her master.

“Yes, yes. You did well… You did well, so stop talking!”

Angela let out a smile at Kim Jin-Woo’s half-compliment, half-scolding, before losing consciousness.

“The Priests! Call the Priests!”

The labyrinth quickly bustled with movement as Kim Jin-Woo’s cries echoed across it.

***

The Naga Priests’ healing abilities were of no use to the vampire, who was on the verge of death. Kim Jin-Woo belatedly realized this, but it was too late. Her wounds had opened up even further, and even more blood was spilling out of them.

There was only one method left. As blood was a vampire’s source of sustenance, there was nothing better than fresh blood to help with their recovery.

Kim Jin-Woo cut open a slit on his arm and watched his blood drip from it, before holding it up to Angela’s lips. Thankfully, it seemed her vampire instincts were still alive, as she started to slowly lick the flowing blood. It wasn’t long before she attached herself to his wrist and started sucking on it voraciously.

Slurp, slurp.

She seemed to have completely lost her sense of self-control, as she sucked Kim Jin-Woo’s blood like an infant sucking on its mother’s teats. With only her pure instincts remaining, she seemed to feed with no restraint or regard for his life.

Usually, Kim Jin-Woo would have pulled her off by now. But her wounds were still bleeding out, and Angela still looked weak and pale. Kim Jin-Woo soldiered on, willing to bear the pain.

A long time passed before he even noticed it.

Angela finally started to look more alive. New flesh had grown over her wounds, and her bleeding had stopped. Her pale, Naga-like complexion had returned.

“Hm?”

But as Kim Jin-Woo tried to shake Angela off from his hand, her grip on him only grew tighter. Kim Jin-Woo was taken aback, as he knew that if she kept this up any longer, his own life would now be in danger.

“Angela, let go.” He pressed on her forehead to push her off, but she unexpectedly held on strongly, perhaps due to having recovered from her injuries. Kim Jin-Woo was stuck in a dilemma, but something suddenly grabbed Angela by the hair.

“Morrigan?” he asked.

“Vampires are known for taking a mile when you give them an inch. You’ve been suckered, Master.” Morrigan was pulling hard on Angela’s head, seemingly almost twisting it off her body. There was an eerie sensation as she stared hard into Angela’s eyes.

“That’s enough. She’s still recovering.” Kim Jin-Woo dissuaded Morrigan, who seemed about to take the life Angela had barely regained.

“If you let her binge on your blood any longer, she’ll be stronger than ever before. Wait, is she pretending to be unconscious?” As soon as Morrigan finished speaking, her hand formed a claw.

But before Morrigan could make any moves, a black mist appeared right where Angela had been just a moment prior.

“Wicked bitch.” Morrigan cursed as she leered at the black mist, before turning her attention to Kim Jin-Woo. “I’ll give you a word of advice. The most ideal love for a vampire is that of a master and their slave. That vicious race desires for their master to only have eyes for them, and will cling to them without end, even if they’re the masters of other beings. So don’t allow her to get too close to you.”

Morrigan looked at Kim Jin-Woo with an annoyed expression before shaking her head.

“You,” she growled as she looked at the vampire, who was starting to emerge from the black mist and taking on her humanoid form.

“If you cross the line, then I’ll personally see for myself what’s inside that pathetic little body of yours. This isn’t a warning. This is a promise between you and me.” Morrigan left her warning before disappearing with a flap of her wings.

Kim Jin-Woo frowned as he looked at her disappear, then turned to face Angela.

“I’m back!” Angela shamelessly smiled brightly at Kim Jin-Woo. She looked more energetic than a cat who had just been fully fed.

Kim Jin-Woo let out an angry snort at the ridiculousness of her shamelessness.

“Phew, I thought I was going to die, for real!” Angela belatedly tried to lighten the mood, but Kim Jin-Woo was feeling anything but light-hearted. There wasn’t a hint of the warmth he had previously shown. In fact, he was filled with rage.

But it seemed Angela had noticed that he was truly upset, as she did her best to avoid his gaze.

“You…” Kim Jin-Woo began.

“The 11th Floor is hell right now.” Angela made the first move.

Despite knowing that she was being sly and was up to her shallow tricks, Kim Jin-Woo had no choice but to fall for it. Despite having heard of the situation from Krasto, the information from the giant was way too fragmented for him to get a clear picture. Thus, he decided to put off disciplining Angela for another time.

“Speak,” he said.

Thinking her plan had worked, Angela quickly started talking about what she had seen for herself.

“Mm…” Kim Jin-Woo’s expression stiffened as he listened to her story.

***

The situation was worse than Kim Jin-Woo had thought. He asked, “The Counts are losing?”

“Yes. I managed to meet up with Lord Anatolius, but because I didn't really have a good reason to be there in the first place, we weren’t able to talk much. That’s how bad the situation is.” Any hint of playfulness was gone from Angela’s face, as she spoke with dead seriousness. “He said he might even reach out to the lesser Nobles for support, and if that time came, he’d even ask you for help as well, Master.”

“Mm…” Kim Jin-Woo finally understood the entire situation clearly. Parthenon had retreated hastily because the situation on the 11th Floor hadn’t turned out the way he had expected it to.

And as for the Black Merchant, judging from the reach he had in everything related to the Underworld, he was sure to be highly involved with the Counts; given the situation, the 9th Floor was probably the last thing on his mind.

Kim Jin-Woo thought long and hard. He had yet to even invade the 10th Floor, and yet, a large-scale war had broken out on the 11th Floor. Things were getting complicated.

“If he requests help from Master, will you accept his request?” Angela asked with a look of concern. She was undoubtedly worried that her master might get himself involved with the war.

“Well...”

“Please don’t get involved. The war on the 11th Floor is nothing like the war we had with the 10th Floor Nobles. If we rush into getting involved…” Angela’s words trailed off, but Kim Jin-Woo knew what she wanted to say.

“Okay. We won’t be participating in the war.” Kim Jin-Woo seemed to have collected his thoughts as he spoke bluntly. Angela finally looked relieved, but it was short-lived as he continued, “But that doesn’t mean we’ll remain completely uninvolved.”

Angela’s expression quickly turned from a look of relief to one of horror.

***

Angela had spoken as though the war would spill over to the 9th Floor at any moment, but Kim Jin-Woo thought otherwise. Only if the 11th Floor Counts were completely defeated would the war spill over to his floor. Thus, he expected the war to drag out for a long time.

“I’ll be away for a while, so if anything happens, look for the Mirror Wraiths. Espesto will be able to fill in for me for a short while,” he said.

“Isn’t it a bit dangerous to take your leave now, given the situation?” Angela asked. She seemed to be more easily frightened ever since her return from the 11th Floor.

“If this situation blows up, it means the situation has grown beyond the Counts’ control. If that happens, there’s really nothing much we can do,” Kim Jin-Woo replied. Angela seemed even more anxious upon hearing that, so he quickly added when he saw her nervous expression, “That’s why we have to find a solution using something they don’t have.”

Kim Jin-Woo was certain he had a solution that even the mighty 11th Floor Counts couldn’t even think of. He was a Terran, after all.