Let's See Who You Are
Several weeks had passed since she had settled into the dungeon under the pretext of repaying her debt. Though she didn't show it, Isabella felt that the time she spent here was far more than she deserved. To think that I, once part of a weak race driven out of our territory, woke up to find myself a servant of the Abyss Palace! It was like rising from a slave to a servant of a ducal house overnight! In truth, despite her claim of wanting to repay her debt, she felt she was the one receiving all the favors. Her boss was incredibly powerful, which gave her a massive boost in pride, and she was treated exceptionally well. Every day was deeply satisfying. She wasn't overworked. Her safety was guaranteed because this was the Abyss Palace. She even got to drink human blood from time to time. Aside from the slightly terrifying deputy, this place was practically paradise. But that paradise...
"Grrr..."
"Eek!"
The moment her eyes met a werewolf's, Isabella reflexively looked away. Look at those bloodshot eyes. What is that? So scary. Looking around, she wondered if this was truly their dungeon. She knew reinforcements had come from the Ecstatic Castle. She understood there was a good reason for it, too. But still, this is too much. Just being in the same space made it hard to breathe. They might be considered mere "trash mobs" in their home dungeon, but when that dungeon was the 6th-ranked of the Abyssal Seven Palaces, the story was entirely different. Every single one of them possessed enough raw power to tear someone like Isabella to shreds.
But I'm a True Ancestor vampire... A True Ancestor vampire was supposed to be someone who could hold their head high anywhere. So why was she struggling to even breathe here? Isabella huddled in a corner with her kin. Fearing they might annoy the newcomers, they quietly ate their meals—which consisted of nothing but the carcass of a dead Minotaur. As her self-pity piled upon more self-pity, tears welled in her eyes. Please come back quickly, Boss... She missed the boss, of course, and she was so desperate that she even missed the terrifying deputy.
The statement "three days by carriage" factored in several variables. The slow speed of a carriage compared to a single horse. The delays from camping and resting along the way. Since they had to travel along the long main road to their destination, it would take three days unless something unexpected happened. But what if one rode a single horse, took risks without resting at all, and forged a shortcut?
"We arrived incredibly fast."
As it turned out, it took less than half a day. They must have set out shortly after sunrise, and now the sun had already set. The skeletal horse was an exceptional steed to begin with, and being undead, it never tired. It had run at full speed for half a day. Consequently, they arrived in just six to eight hours. Here was a creature with zero hearts, putting even the legendary "Three-Lungs" Park Ji-sung to shame.
I brought the skeletal horse to a halt before the tropical rainforest where the Insect tribe lived. When I patted its white mane, it nudged its head closer as if asking for more. Why was it so cute? Had my aesthetic sense become undead as well?
"Can you keep up?"
Even at night, as an undead, I could enter the forest without hesitation. The problem was Charlotte. Unlike me, who had unimpeded vision, the night forest would be dangerous for her.
"I am accustomed to the dark, so it will not be an issue."
Come to think of it, didn't she say witches operate when humans are asleep? If she was truly a nocturnal creature—not just metaphorically—she should be fine. By now, her eyes would have fully adjusted to the dark.
"We walk from here."
Strictly speaking, this was the territory of the Insect tribe. Strangers stepping foot here would naturally arouse suspicion, and riding a horse through the area would practically brand us as enemies.
"I shall recall Golgol-i."
I told you, its name isn't Golgol-i. As Charlotte reached out her hand, the skeletal horse's form gradually blurred and sank into the shadows. The shadow slithered toward Charlotte's own shadow, merging with it.
"Let us enter."
Charlotte lit her lantern and took the lead. She moved proactively without me even having to say a word. I liked that. Her attitude is excellent, too. Charlotte had followed me all the way to this remote place without even knowing our purpose. She had every right to ask, yet her blind loyalty kept her silent. I had expected as much, given her deep green level indicator (which occasionally flashed pink).
"Are you not curious about our purpose here?"
I followed Charlotte into the forest. The vegetation and trees of the rainforest were remarkably lush and vibrant, a testament to nature preserved entirely untouched by civilization. Without turning around, Charlotte replied,
"If it is the Boss's choice, even questioning it would be insolent. I merely follow your commands."
"Then what do you think of the Insect tribe?"
As my partner in this endeavor, Charlotte needed to be informed. The Insects were human-sized, insectoid monsters. Balutak, the future Insect King, belonged to this race. Though they could be categorized more specifically into beetles or arthropods, they were collectively known as the Insect tribe.
"I believe them to be insignificant and barbaric."
As expected. The rainforest inhabited by the Insects lay at the southernmost edge of the Empire. Just across the sea below lay the Demonic Realm of the Southern Continent. Whenever the Insects appeared in the game, they were almost always the victims. Caught between two major factions, they frequently suffered as the grass that gets trampled when elephants fight. Before the DLC, the general perception of the Insect tribe was: Aren't they just a trash-tier race on par with vampires?
But everything changed after Balutak became a Boss. Once Balutak, the Grand Chieftain of the Insect tribe, became an Abyss Palace Boss, that perception flipped completely. His faction grew so powerful that the Spiral Cave of Deceit, despite being one of the Abyssal Seven Palaces, established itself as an independent power rather than a mere vassal of the Demonic Realm. Furthermore, they boasted an ironclad defense that held strong against both superpowers. Recruiting them would be a massive asset.
"I highly value the endlessly evolving nature of the Insect tribe. The reason we are here is to recruit them as allies."
"I do not doubt your wisdom, Boss, but the Insects are extremely barbaric. They do not live in organized societies, nor do they possess a hive mind like dungeon monsters. They are the most difficult monsters to rule over."
She was right. The Insects lived in a manner completely opposite to belonging to a group and serving a master.
"The Insects do not hesitate to commit fratricide, let alone cannibalism. They pursue nothing but evolution. Even if we recruit them, I believe they will be impossible to control..."
The Insects' survival method was the epitome of barbarism. They sought only endless evolution, which came with absolute survival of the fittest. Bringing Insects—who would gladly devour their own kind for the sake of evolution—into a dungeon? Many had tried, and all had failed. There was a reason they had remained wild monsters until now.
"I have a plan."
"Understood. I shall follow your lead."
Despite her warnings just a moment ago, Charlotte acquiesced immediately. A loyal servant through and through. She would offer her counsel, but whatever decision I made, she would support it heart and soul.
"As you know, survival of the fittest is everything to the Insects."
The law of the jungle. That was all.
"If an overwhelmingly powerful being rules over them, even the Insects will have no choice but to submit."
"..."
I knew the meaning behind Charlotte's silence. While the law of strength wasn't wrong, it wasn't entirely correct either. In reality, Charlotte would be the one doing the ruling, but regardless, a master-servant relationship built solely on raw power wouldn't last long.
"To keep them as reliable subordinates, we must grant them the ultimate desire they yearn for."
A master-servant relationship only lasts when it is mutually beneficial. What was the ambition the Insects risked their lives for? Evolution.
"And as it happens, I can grant that desire."
My active skill, Evolution, would be an unspeakable blessing to the Insect tribe.
"Of course, controlling a large number of them would be difficult. By nature, they cannibalize their own kind and possess no sense of obedience. However, if it is only a select few, you alone should be able to handle them, Charlotte. Do not worry, I will only select the useful ones."
I'm sorry, but you really will have to handle them alone. Even in this past timeline, Balutak was bound to be stronger than me. Keeping someone whose mind was entirely ruled by the law of the jungle right next to me was a recipe for disaster. If he realized I was a fraud, my life as a Death Knight would be over. I need to engrave the hierarchy into their minds. Insects: trash mobs. Charlotte: deputy. Me: the boss of bosses, an untouchable existence. As long as this hierarchy was firmly established, I wouldn't have to worry too much.
"As expected of you, Boss. I shall follow you with absolute loyalty."
Charlotte nodded, seemingly understanding my intent. After that, we walked in silence. There was no benefit in making noise, and we kept our senses sharp, scanning our surroundings for any potential ambush. After walking for about thirty minutes, we spotted tracks that looked like they belonged to the Insect tribe. Nearby, we also found what appeared to be insectoid droppings. Suddenly, Charlotte approached the droppings and crouched down. I couldn't help but grimace as I watched her touch them with her fingertips. She wasn't just touching one; she was touching all the scattered droppings, getting them on her fingertips and rubbing them together.
"These droppings are far too small for an Insect. Despite the high moisture content, they crumble easily to the touch... and there are no identifiable remains of food inside. If they had preyed on wild animals, there would at least be fur left behind."
"Hmm."
"The tracks we saw on our way here were faint to the point of barely being visible. That made me wonder, and it seems my suspicions were correct. There must be starving or sickly Insects nearby. Since they have lost the competition for evolution, they will likely die soon."
—Kieeeek!
It was then that a shriek echoed through the forest. I recognized it from the game. It was an Insect. My eyes met Charlotte's, and we nodded simultaneously. Without needing to say another word, we moved toward the source of the scream. To find Balutak, we had no choice but to capture any Insect we could find and extract information.
"...?"
Pushing through the dense undergrowth, an unexpected sight unfolded before us. A vast, cleared clearing lay in the middle of the forest, where countless Insects were carrying various materials. Bricks, ore, timber, sandbags, stone blocks—all of them heavy materials meant for construction. *Crack!* There were beastmen whipping the laboring Insects.
"You useless bugs! Keep moving!"
"No resting! This must be finished by tomorrow! If you fail, no water for any of you!"
This was a completely unexpected scenario. No matter how many times I looked, there was no doubt about it: the beastmen were treating the Insects like slaves. I had expected a brutal jungle ruled by the law of the jungle. Instead, I found a construction site where Insect slaves were being worked to the bone. What the hell is this? They were building something in the middle of the jungle. Judging by the shape, it looked like they were constructing a pyramid, but what on earth was it for?
"...Why are the Insects..."
I completely agreed with Charlotte's muttered words. We had just been discussing how difficult they were to control, only to witness them being driven like common slaves. Even if the Insect tribe was currently a punching bag for other factions, this was going too far.
"Hmm?"
Among the Insects struggling under the weight of the stone blocks, a familiar appearance caught my eye. An ant-like face. Spider-like venomous fangs. Eyes the size of an ant's, but upon closer inspection, they were the compound eyes of a dragonfly. The basic foundation matched my memory, but he was incredibly small and lacked several body parts he should have had. Normally, he should have had the chitinous exoskeleton of a stag beetle, a pair of forelegs like a mantis's scythes, a wasp's stinger at his rear, and finally, dragonfly wings. Perhaps it was only natural for him to look so pathetic right now. Since this was the past, he hadn't evolved fully yet.
Thud.
The Insect who appeared to be Balutak stumbled and collapsed weakly. He ended up pinned beneath the stone block he had been carrying on his head.
"Kirik... Balutak, tired-dak. Thirsty-dak..."
It was a faint, crawling voice, but I heard it clearly. Now that he had referred to himself as Balutak, my suspicion became a certainty. But this was a far cry from the Balutak I knew.
His level was only 38, lower than mine. Was this truly the Insect King, the nightmare of the DLC who had been cursed out on every gaming community for his absurd difficulty? It was so completely different that it felt as though my memories of his overwhelming scale had been fabricated. Looking at him now, it seemed like I would be raising a slave, but his potential was undeniable.
"Give me the canteen."
"Do you intend to show mercy to that Insect, Boss?"
"Yes. He said he was thirsty, so I must give him water."
"You are... remarkably considerate for a Boss of the Abyss Palace. I admire that aspect of you as well."
Why is giving a bit of water such a big deal? Just how terrible were the personalities of the other Dungeon Lords for me to be praised for something like this? I took the canteen Charlotte handed me, approached Balutak, and tilted it toward his mouth. Though much of it spilled, Balutak gulped it down as if it were rain in a drought.
"Wa-water. Balutak, saved-dak...!"
"Humans! Humans have invaded!"
The stream of water didn't last long before we were spotted by the whip-wielding beastmen. Tweet! A beastman blew a whistle, pointing a finger at us, and the attention of every beastman in the clearing snapped in our direction.
I had expected the beastmen to interfere. But so what? What could a bunch of guys under Level 40 even do? As long as Level 72 Charlotte was by my side, I had nothing to fear.
"Charlotte. Deal with them."
"Yes, Boss."
While Charlotte stepped in front of me, I counted to ten in my head. During that time, the sounds of magic being cast, the screams of the beastmen, and the heavy thuds of bodies hitting the ground blended together. Once the commotion quieted down, I looked to see the beastmen lying flat on the ground. My, my. Sleeping on the cold hard ground like that will give you a crooked mouth.
Slam!
Someone burst out of a nearby outbuilding that looked like a rest area.
"What is all this racket?!"
The wolf beastman who appeared late was a whopping Level 62. I would have been nervous if Charlotte weren't here, but she was standing right beside me.
"...Humans? Is this your doing?!"
The wolf beastman snarled, baring his fangs. Even if Charlotte could easily overpower him, it was always best to avoid a pointless conflict. There was no need to invite blatant hostility by letting him mistake us for humans. Since my helmet was feeling stuffy anyway, I took it off and tossed it aside. The wolf beastman's hostile gaze turned into one of confusion.
"A Death Knight? Why is an undead here?"
"I ask the questions. What are you using the Insects for?"
"Ha! How dare you, not knowing your place!"
At Level 62, a Death Knight probably looked like a joke to him. Awoooo! A wolf's howl echoed through the night. Beastmen began to emerge one by one from the surrounding foliage where they had been hiding. Emboldened by the arrival of his pack, the wolf beastman snorted and growled.
"Don't try anything funny! Take one more step, and I'll tear you limb from limb!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Charlotte took a step forward. And to make it as infuriating as possible, she took exactly one step. Then, she casually waved her arms as if to show off.
"My limbs appear to still be attached, however."
Even I would be pissed off by that. Sure enough, the wolf beastman glared at her with murderous eyes, grinding his teeth.
"I'll kill you!"
With a single leap, the wolf's body lunged right before us. Almost simultaneously, his fellow beastmen charged. In response, Charlotte merely flicked her finger downward with an indifferent expression. I had seen that gesture countless times in the game; it was Charlotte's signature gravity magic chant. I had been utterly wrecked by it before, too.
"Ugh..."
The wolf and the other beastmen couldn't even resist, pinned to the ground like flattened gum. Even with just a ten-level difference, the gap became exponentially wider at higher classes. To Charlotte, the wolf beastman wasn't even worth using as entertainment.
"You... you are no ordinary human!"
"I am a witch."
"Ha! A witch! No wonder you are so arrogant, drunk on a tiny bit of power! Do you even know what you have just done?!"
Look at him barking now that he's cornered. I crouched down in front of him, meeting his eyes.
"Do I need to?"
"...Death Knight. Both of you are going to die. For real."
"I will certainly live longer than you, who are about to die right now."
I placed my hand on the wolf beastman's head. Even if my level was much lower, crushing the skull of a completely defenseless beastman was child's play.
"Heh... Hehehe... Go ahead and do it if you aren't afraid of the consequences. Once our Boss arrives, you are both dead meat."
"Boss?"
"Yes! Do you see that tower? Of course you do, if you have eyes. How could you miss such a majestic sight? It is a 72 Dungeon that a mere Death Knight could never even dream of looking at!"
The wolf beastman snapped his gaze toward Charlotte.
"It is one of the 72 Dungeons that you humans fear so much. You foolishly attacked a 72 Dungeon. It is already too late to regret it. When that Lord arrives, you will be eaten alive!"
"What is your Boss's rank?"
At Charlotte's question, the wolf beastman laughed out loud.
"Pfft... Hahaha! Are you finally getting scared? It is the domain of Lord Lionheart, the Lion Heart King, ranked 14th and highly renowned even in the Demonic Realm! If you value your lives, run away now! Though that will only prolong your miserable lives by a fraction!"
"If it is the 14th-ranked Lion Heart King, his dungeon should be located in the Demonic Realm. Seeing as it is unfinished, he must be planning to relocate it here."
The wolf's eyes widened in shock. His expression practically screamed, How do you know that?
"And yet, you dared to refer to my Boss as a 'mere' Death Knight. You even threatened to kill him, and went so far as to attempt it. At this point, there can be no leniency."
"What? What are you..."
"As a fellow 72 Dungeon, we have witnessed your insolence clearly. If your Boss finds out about this, he will be the one trembling in fear of the consequences."
"A fellow... 72 Dungeon...?"
"Pardon my late introduction. I am the Deputy of the new Abyssal Seven Palaces. And..."
Charlotte gestured politely toward me.
"This gentleman is the Lord of the new Abyssal Seven Palaces. My master."
"...What?"
We're actually imposters, but... ah, screw it. In times like this, you just have to put on a shameless, brazen face and roll with it. I raised my chin arrogantly and spoke.
"Take me to your Boss."
Let's see who you are.