Chapter 275

A week had passed, but the gates of Valh?ll were still firmly closed. The only thing that had changed was that there were even more Moai outside than before. It was as if all the Moai of the Underworld had gathered there.

It was a rather terrifying sight to see the Moai, who only knew how to devour the flesh of living beings, quietly waiting for something for a week and counting.

Arghhhhhh.

The Moai, who had been looking only at Valh?ll as if it were the only existence in the entire world, began to sob.

“Here we go again.”

A summon let out a complaint. They had been observing the Moai for a week already, but they still couldn’t get used to watching over the abominable Dead. Moreover, if the Moai started to wail in groups, the Underworld felt like a literal hell.

“I’m just grateful that they haven’t started turning on each other despite their hunger.”

The summons thought that they were fortunate to have at least avoided seeing the terrible sights they had witnessed during the year-long war against the Moai ever again. After all, seeing tens of thousands of these Dead tearing each other apart had made them sick to their stomachs.

However, that didn’t mean the Nagas felt good about their current situation. They knew the Moai’s purpose was Valh?ll, but the tension of thinking that the Dead might suddenly change their minds and rush toward the Grand Labyrinth still weighed heavily on them.

The Nagas looked at the Moai who had multiplied in numbers and tightened their grips on their spears and shields.

“Phew.”

Gazing deeply at the scene, Dominique closed her eyes and attempted to communicate with her master. But not long after, she opened her eyes again.

Once again, she couldn’t feel anything. She had to take consolation in the fact that she could still faintly feel her master’s presence.

“The Rangers have returned from their long-distance expedition.” At that moment, Rikshasha approached Dominique and reported, “The total number of labyrinths identified so far is forty-seven. Nine of them have been identified as Duke-level labyrinths, and all of the remaining 38 labyrinths are estimated to be equal to or higher than Count-level.”

The change in the status of the 9th Floor due to the Second Restoration was more serious than Dominique had expected.

Previously, only four new labyrinths had been discovered when the 9th Floor came into contact with the Other Underworld during the First Restoration, but this time, more than ten times the number of labyrinths had been found. In addition, the number of Duke-level labyrinths had more than doubled compared to before.

Now that her master was away, she couldn’t afford to lower her vigilance even for a moment.

“I would like to give the Rangers a break if possible, but things aren’t looking good for us. I’ll need them to work just a bit more,” Dominique said.

She once again deployed the Rangers out of the labyrinth, despite their fatigue from their endless expeditions. There were more unexplored areas than those she had scouted; thus, she couldn’t afford to consider the welfare of the Under-Elves.

For now, it was important for the Grand Labyrinth to maintain its status quo until Master returned. And for that to happen, information was critical.

That was probably the reason why Dominique continued to pester Morrigan, who was watching the endlessly flowing Moai. She continued to press the Crow, who had been keeping her mouth shut, until she finally relented and started to speak.

“Ah…”

It was surprising that the true identity of the odd Moai that had been overlooked several times was the aide of the glorious Ancient Lord. But what was even more surprising was the fact that Master hadn’t recognized the White Raven, whom he had been looking for so desperately, even though she had been right beside him all along.

Huuuuurgh.

Near the gates of Valh?ll where Morrigan’s gaze was directed, the one odd Moai, sparsely draped in white feathers, wept bitterly.

It was no wonder that even Morrigan, who had been born with the White Crow as a pair, hadn’t easily recognized her own sister.

Upon hearing Morrigan’s explanation, Dominique’s expression turned serious. Everything was going in favor of Master. If he succeeded in claiming Valh?ll, he would obtain a powerful force no lesser than the Grand Labyrinth. In addition, if he were to be successful in fully incorporating those countless Moai into his army, it would prove to be a truly unstoppable force.

Despite all of that, she couldn’t help but feel a terrible sense of anxiety.

Nothing was ever given out for free. Even if Master did pay a price for all his newly attained powers, they could never drop their vigilance. The strange entity called the ‘Mysteries of the Underworld’ had a bad tendency to strike them when they least expected it.

Moreover, it hadn’t been by accident that so much luck and power had been concentrated in Master. Now that he knew that someone was behind all the supposed goodwill he had received thus far, he had to know that there had to be a grander purpose behind all these arrangements.

And whatever that purpose may be, it was clear that a test as grand as all the great fortune he had enjoyed thus far was awaiting him.

“There must be something I can do for Master.” Now, with a greater sense of certainty than before, and with Master vacating his place, Dominique racked her brains as she worked hard on devising a plan.

Gooooooooooar!

While Dominique was deeply engrossed in her own thoughts, a sudden change began to occur.

Kaaaaaaaaaaargh!

Valh?ll began to cry out. Even the Moai’s terrible sobbing sounded like a cheerful melody compared to Valh?ll’s cries.

The will of the Nagas, who had been holding out steadily for a week, broke instantly and their ranks collapsed.

“Argh!”

Dominique and the summons staggered, screaming in pain because of the deafening noise. They couldn’t come to their senses due to the groan that seemed to corrupt their minds just from listening to it.

Instinctively knowing that they were better off moving away from the source of the terrifying noise, Dominique shouted hoarsely, “E-everyone, retreat!”

The Nagas, who were desperately trying to maintain their consciousness, started to stagger away at her command. They retreated as far as they could.

After a while, they reached the borders of the Grand Labyrinth. When they finally felt the cold energies of the labyrinth, their minds that had been lost to the chaos finally returned to normal.

Dominique could see from a distance that the Valh?ll she once knew was no longer, as an entirely different Valh?ll had made its appearance.

The golden walls that had lost their shine to the passage of time were now completely shiny and new, and the spires that had collapsed were now standing high and mighty, as if they were spears ready to pierce the ceiling of the Underworld itself.

“Finally!”

The Ancient summons who recognized the original form of Valh?ll shouted enthusiastically in joy.

However, Dominique didn’t have the time to appreciate the majesty of the resurrected ancient fortress. The communion with her master, which had been cut off ever since Valh?ll became active, had been restored.

“Ah…”

However, what she felt through the restored communion was completely different from what she had expected. The fragments of emotions that rushed violently toward her mind like a tidal wave were nothing but malicious.

Anger. Heartbreak. Sadness. Despair.

Her heart pounded as she began to feel suffocated. The whirlpool of negative emotions shook her to her very core. In the end, she couldn’t withstand the torrent of malice and collapsed onto the floor.

Creaaaaaaaaak!

While she was caught up in the vortex of emotions that overwhelmed her, the tightly closed gates of Valh?ll opened.

Kuuuuuuurgh.

The Moai screamed in unison as they flooded into the open gates. Steadily, their procession continued. It was as if the ghouls of hell who had wandered the Underworld were returning to hell.

“This is terrifying.” Even the honest but fearless warrior Quantus, who would never lose his fighting spirit, couldn’t help but tremble at the sight.

Kuuurgh.

The number of Moai filling the Underworld decreased to a noticeable degree. The rest disappeared into the golden castle with its mouth hanging wide open, and the procession that had seemed endless finally came to an end.

The deafening cries of the Moai were no longer, and their screams that seemed to tear at the souls of those around them stopped. Silence returned to the Underworld.

All that was left was Valh?ll, which had devoured the countless Moai and proceeded to seem as if nothing had happened.

“Dominique!”

“My Queen!”

The summons, who had been looking at Valh?ll and the horde of Moai as if they had been possessed, were astonished to find Dominique looking pale and tired.

“What exactly happened…” Dominique barely managed to string together some words, as her dazed eyes struggled to focus on the summons around her.

Morrigan, who had been watching her silently, said, “I’ll go and have a look inside myself.”

Without sparing a moment for the other summons to stop her, she disappeared toward the golden castle, which opened wide to welcome her. Heimdall hesitated for a moment before following her, together with the rest of the Ancient summons.

Crash!

Even the Ancient summons disappeared, and the wide open gates slammed shut.

Belatedly regaining her consciousness, Dominique let out a pained moan. All that had been transmitted from the other side of the communion were negative emotions, and she simply couldn’t figure out what was going on inside Valh?ll.

“This… This won’t do. I have to go check on Master,” she murmured.

Master had already once turned into the Evil Dragon and wreaked havoc on the Underworld. Considering what had happened before, Dominique felt that it was for the best that she go and check the situation personally in order to understand the whole picture, rather than struggle all alone while being kept in the dark.

“Angela! If it’s now, we can still go…”

It was dangerous, but with Angela, the master of the Back Floor, it wouldn’t be impossible to get through the walls of Valh?ll. Thus, Dominique called for Angela.

“Angela?”

However, there were no signs of the Vampire, who had been observing the situation together with her up until that very moment.

“If it’s her you’re looking for, she’s just disappeared,” Rikshasha reported. Dominique frowned.

***

“Kuuurgh.”

Sitting on the throne of the golden ash tree, Kim Jin-Woo bowed his head and shook his shoulders. It was impossible to tell whether the bizarre sound he was making from time to time was laughing or sobbing.

[Although it was not a smooth process, you were able to successfully pass Hlieskjálf’s test.]

[Hlieskjálf has acknowledged you as its master.]

Messages appeared, but Kim Jin-Woo continued to hang his head low while making those strange noises.

[The Fortress of the Einherjar and the Castle of the One-Eyed Lord, Valh?ll, has awakened.]

[The mighty Lord’s castle, Valh?ll, is a strong fortress that is unlike any other in the Underworld. This powerful fortress that not even the most ferocious monster, ‘Night’, could break through is the embodiment of power that cannot be explained even by the Mysteries of the Underworld.]

[Valh?ll’s reactivated Labyrinth Core, the Eye of Wotan, begins to look around the fortress.]

[It has discovered that its spire and castle walls have been damaged over the years.]

[With its reactivation, Valh?ll has begun its restoration.]

[The damaged spire has been restored in the blink of an eye, and the walls have regained their gilded splendor.]

The Eye of Wotan, which had been quietly looking at its new master, began to roll around busily.

[The Giant-Killer Mace, Mj?llnir, has been restored. However, all the Einherjar who were able to use it are gone and none remain.]

[However, your disappointment will be short-lived. Fortunately, there are plenty of other beings who are worthy of becoming Einherjar.]

[Do you accept the Moai as residents of Valh?ll?]

Only then did Kim Jin-Woo finally raise his head.

“I’ll take them in. I’ll take them all!”

His eyes were bloodshot, and his distorted cheeks and chin were covered in tears and drool, like a demon. Apart from the expression he was making, he muttered to himself like a madman.

“It doesn’t matter what So-Hee wanted of me anymore.”

His voice, which had always been warm when he spoke of So-Hee, was no longer gentle and kind. That had been replaced by horrific hostility and hatred.

Hlieskjálf’s test had been rather straightforward, unlike what he had expected. It had simply weighed his past on its scales. However, what Kim Jin-Woo couldn’t accept so easily was the result.

He had been able to face the past uncovered and presented to him by Hlieskjálf. But the truth he had faced was cruel and twisted.

“Aren’t I just a ghost of the past too?”

The memories of his past, which he’d thought he had beautifully colored in over time, were in fact a fiery nightmare painted over by an unknown being to their own messy liking.

[The Moai have set foot into Valh?ll. They have gladly chosen to be your soldiers, so you can regain the power and form you have lost.]

[The Moai have become the Einherjar.]

[Mj?llnir has been activated. It is a decisive weapon of war that not even the powerful Giants could dare to look at, and has once again shown itself in the Underworld.]

[The news that the ancient fortress has been fully resurrected spreads far across the Underworld.]

[The Dukes tremble in fear, and all beings in the Underworld hold their breath at this moment.]

As if to ridicule his despair, the messages continued to appear.

[There is no additional price you have to pay.]

[You already experienced your most horrific disappointment countless years ago. Your disappointment from having your greatest moment of glory ruined is so great that not even the scales of Valh?ll dare to weigh you.]

[Following the Eye of Wotan and Hlieskjálf, Valh?ll now fully acknowledges you as its master.]

[You have succeeded in inheriting all the powers and legacy of the One-Eyed Lord.]

[The Eternal Warehouse can now be opened.]