I succeeded in absorbing the sacrificed Minotaurus.
Baalcherit absorbed all the sacrifices over 5 hours.
As I opened my eyes with a light feeling, Assistant Manager Park Seoyoon spoke to me.
“Advisor, you must have been very tired. You were sleeping so deeply that I didn’t wake you separately.”
I was flustered for a moment, but since I couldn’t say I had fainted from absorbing the sacrifice, I made up a plausible excuse.
“Ah, yes. I apologize. Did anything happen in the meantime?”
At my words, Park Seoyoon waved his hand.
“No, it’s fine. Some personnel came out first, and it seems the Team Leader will be coming out soon.”
Fortunately, nothing happened while I was unconscious.
‘Still, I need to be careful.’
I had asked Celia to let me know before sacrificing, but this was the first sacrifice Baalcherit had offered.
It was fortunate that it wasn’t in the dungeon, otherwise, it could have been a big problem.
Fortunately, members of the Fire Bird Guild were guarding the surroundings, so it wasn’t dangerous.
“Thank you. Then I should probably get ready too.”
After getting up, I checked the notifications first.
It was time to confirm what abilities I had gained.
– Acquired Minotaurus Trait [Tough Hide (B)]. Can be used for enhancement.
– Acquired Minotaurus Skill [Ground Smash (C)]. Can be used for enhancement.
– Acquired Minotaurus Trait [Bull’s Mighty Strength (B)]. Can be used for enhancement.
– Acquired part of Minotaurus’s Defense stat.
– [Defense] × 4
I gained two traits, one skill, and a defense stat.
‘Not bad?’
It was a good start, with two B-rank traits.
– Tough Hide (B): Increases resistance to physical attacks. Possessing this trait affects the Defense stat.
– Bull’s Mighty Strength (B): Greatly increases physical strength. Possessing this trait affects the Attack stat.
Although the descriptions were simple, they were practical traits that also increased stats.
‘I’ll use these myself.’
I planned to use all the traits I obtained this time to supplement my lacking strength.
Following the traits, I decided to apply the defense stat to myself as well.
‘The last one is the skill?’
– Ground Smash (C): Strikes the ground with powerful hooves, dealing damage to nearby enemies and briefly stunning them.
No matter how many skills are better, the Ground Smash skill didn’t seem particularly necessary.
‘I’ll pass on this one for now…’
I don’t have to use it right away anyway.
If there’s a suitable monster later, I can enhance it then.
‘Rather, the content of the previous notification is what bothers me.’
The notification stated that the time required to absorb sacrifices had decreased.
– Conquered and managing a total of 1 dungeon. Time to absorb sacrifices is reduced by 10%.
This was my second conquered dungeon, following the Stone Golem Dungeon. However, this was the first time I had appointed a manager.
At first, I doubted whether there was any merit in conquering and managing dungeons, but now I don’t.
‘The time it takes to absorb sacrifices has decreased.’
Originally, it took a total of 6 hours to fully absorb sacrifices.
For simple items, it sometimes only took an hour, but the biggest problem was that I was defenseless during that time.
Of course, Maru could guard me, but there was also the possibility of a sudden situation like this.
‘Time reduction is what I need the most right now.’
As the time required to absorb sacrifices decreases, I can become stronger more safely and quickly.
‘So, the reduction time gets shorter as the number of conquered and managed dungeons increases?’
It was highly likely.
Ultimately, it meant I had to conquer and manage multiple dungeons.
‘It won’t be easy.’
If it were just conquering dungeons, it would be fine.
I could just dispatch high-rank monsters to conquer them.
However, considering I have to appoint and protect managers for conquered dungeons, it’s not a simple task.
‘The manager’s rank is also important.’
What would happen if I blindly dispatched any monster as a manager and they died?
On the other hand, dispatching only high-rank monsters as managers would lead to the dispersion of my main dungeon’s forces.
It wasn’t a problem that could be solved simply by increasing the number of dungeons.
‘If I had known this, I should have dispatched a manager to the Stone Golem Dungeon too…’
The Stone Golem Dungeon is managed by the Fire Bird Guild anyway.
Unless the Fire Bird Guild were to subjugate the dungeon, the probability of an attack from other intruders would be extremely low.
However, it was a story that had already passed.
No matter how much I regretted it, the Stone Golem Dungeon wouldn’t come back.
For now, it was better to leave the regret behind and conquer new dungeons.
I looked around.
Jeong Yerin still hadn’t come out of the dungeon.
‘Did she reach the center?’
Now, the manager of this dungeon is Baalcherit.
If Jeong Yerin encountered Baalcherit in the dungeon, there was a possibility of offering a trade.
‘Well, she’ll handle it herself.’
Whether Jeong Yerin or Baalcherit made any choice, it wasn’t something I needed to interfere with.
In Baalcherit’s case, if her dungeon management seemed insufficient, I could dismiss her, so I wasn’t concerned for now.
‘Then, until everyone comes out, should I conquer something?’
I immediately touched my smartphone screen and looked at the list of conquerable dungeons.
[Dungeon Conquest & Dispatch]
– Dungeon ‘Fortress of Silence’ (Eldorado, Dungeon Master: 4-Star Lich)
– Dungeon ‘Cockroach Den’ (Eldorado, Dungeon Master: 2-Star Giant Cockroach)
– Dungeon ‘Sticky Temptation’ (Eldorado, Dungeon Master: 5-Star Arachne)
– Dungeon ‘Serpent’s Nest’ (Eldorado, 2-Star Cobralite)
‘Hmm, this time they are all dungeons in Eldorado.’
These dungeons had different concepts, such as undead, cockroaches, spiders, and snakes, in order.
‘Fortress of Silence has a Lich as its master.’
It was a dungeon that obviously seemed to be full of undead monsters.
‘The problem is the scale of the dungeon…’
2-star dungeons were not a big problem.
However, a 4-star Lich and a 5-star Arachne were different.
Since I didn’t know what was inside the dungeon, I had to be cautious.
Moreover, the environment was completely different from the Stone Golem and Minotaurus dungeons.
Liches use corpse explosions with undead monsters.
The difficulty of the strategy would depend on how many undead monsters were in the dungeon.
The dungeon with Arachne would undoubtedly be filled with spiderwebs.
There was a chance that the dispatched monsters could be counter-attacked.
In this way, the dungeon itself was structured in a way that was disadvantageous to intruders.
‘And there’s also the problem after conquering the dungeon.’
The reason I am trying to conquer dungeons is for management.
Even if I conquer the Lich and Arachne dungeons, a similar rank manager must be dispatched for smooth dungeon operation.
‘Shall I try conquering other dungeons first?’
I started touching the screen.
– Dispatching a young Hydra to the dungeon ‘Serpent’s Nest’.
First, I dispatched a young Hydra to the Serpent’s Nest, which was no different from a snake.
Even though it’s young, it’s a 4-star monster.
If I preferred to conquer safely, I would have sent a different monster instead of the young Hydra.
‘I need to think about the future.’
The dungeons I have to manage are expected to increase.
Therefore, it is necessary to raise new monsters, not always the same ones.
In that sense, I planned to let the young Hydra gain practical experience at this opportunity.
‘Who should I send to the Cockroach Den?’
The Cockroach Den is different in nature from the existing dungeons.
In a way, it can be seen as the final result that evolved in accordance with the environment.
‘It’s a case where a cockroach entered a dungeon and mutated into a monster.’
Even without that, the scale of cockroaches that became monsters was immense, considering their already enormous reproduction rate.
I suspect the interior is inhabited by a tremendous number of cockroaches, just like the dungeon’s name.
‘I need an ability that can melt them all at once.’
For example, wide-area attacks like fire or poison are necessary.
While contemplating, I thought of a monster that had recently completed its evolution.
‘Ah! I have that one?’
It was the Corrosive Ghoul.
‘It uses poison and is 3-star, so it should be fine.’
– Dispatching a Corrosive Ghoul to the dungeon ‘Cockroach Den’.
I dispatched monsters to the two dungeons, excluding the Lich and Arachne dungeons.
‘Shall I send Celia to extract monsters from the Lich and Arachne dungeons?’
Even if I couldn’t manage the conquered dungeons, it would be beneficial for me to just extract the monsters, similar to the Stone Golem Dungeon.
As I thought this, a new notification message appeared.
– Baalcherit suggests reinforcing the dungeon with monsters like ‘Necros’.
“Hmm?”
Baalcherit made a suggestion to me. The suggestion was to place monsters like Necros in the dungeon.
Naturally, just as I can withdraw monsters from the dungeon, I can also reinforce it.
‘Monsters like Necros…’
I don’t know why she specifically mentioned Necros.
‘Or perhaps the operation of the dungeon requires Lich-type monsters?’
My eyes turned to the 4-star Lich on the screen.
***
The conversation between Baalcherit and Jeong Yerin ended soon.
Jeong Yerin also had things to prepare to proceed with the trade.
First and foremost was the death of Yoon Taekyoung.
Although he was from the Vice Guild Leader’s faction, he was now her team member.
However, since he died in the dungeon, the Vice Guild Leader would undoubtedly put pressure on her in some way.
She had to resolve those issues before she could properly trade with Baalcherit.
“Then, I will visit again.”
Jeong Yerin bowed politely to Baalcherit.
“Yes, I will be waiting!”
Baalcherit smiled and waved her hand. A moment later, Jeong Yerin and her team members left, carrying a Minotaurus corpse. Now, only Baalcherit and the Minotaurs remained in the center of the dungeon.
“…”
Baalcherit was still smiling.
“Moooor…?”
At that sight, the Minotaurus Chieftain shuddered.
Just as they worried about what would happen this time, Baalcherit immediately commanded.
“Now, we will begin to develop the dungeon in earnest!”
“Meeeeh?”
Baalcherit had officially become the manager of the Minotaurus Dungeon.
Since there was no one like Celia to nag her, she planned to create and operate her own dungeon.
“Bring me something worthy of recording! I will show you the dungeon I wish to pursue!”
At her command, a Minotaurus brought paper and a pen.
It was the writing materials received from Jeong Yerin’s team members earlier.
Baalcherit took the paper and held the pen, lost in thought for a moment.
Soon, her red eyes glittered, and the pen began to move rapidly across the paper. The scratching sound echoed in the dungeon.
“Meeeeeeh…”
The Minotaurs flinched and watched the scene.
Sweat beaded on Baalcherit’s forehead, but she seemed to have no intention of stopping.
Rather, a faint smile flickered across her lips.
After a considerable amount of time, when the pen stopped, Baalcherit held up the paper high.
A bright smile graced her face.
“It’s done!”
The paper depicted the structure of the dungeon.
And that structure closely resembled the dungeon managed by Celia.
There were some exaggerated aspects, but she didn’t care.
Baalcherit was also originally a dungeon owner.
However, she lost her dungeon due to frequent invasions by the White Church and betrayal by the Underworld Merchant Guild.
To ensure such pain was never repeated, Baalcherit thought and thought.
How can I create a perfect dungeon?
The answer lay in Celia’s dungeon.
“Now, Chieftain, look at this!”
Baalcherit said, waving the paper with the dungeon structure drawn on it.
“This dungeon has a path that splits into three at the beginning. We can also rebuild the maze to create a more complex and perfect dungeon!”
“Mmm, mmmeh?”
At Baalcherit’s words, the Chieftain’s eyes wavered.
The Chieftain already knew.
The vampire before him was just giving orders, but they were the ones who had to do the work.
Even if they had complaints, they couldn’t say anything. It was the law of the dungeon that the weak obey the strong.
“Mmmmeh…”
(Understood…)
“Good! I will make a suggestion to the Master of the Voice!”
A little while ago, Baalcherit sacrificed the Minotaurus corpses.
It was a kind of bribe to gain favor with the Master of the Voice, and the corpses had vanished without a trace.
This alone made her realize that she was connected to the Master of the Voice in some way. This time, she intended to suggest what she needed in return.
‘A grand dungeon isn’t enough.’
She learned that the hard way when she lost her dungeon once.
And while living with Celia, she had also given considerable thought to dungeon operations.
The most important thing was the harmony of the monsters that would protect the dungeon.
And the best combination that Baalcherit thought of was…
‘Death Knight and Necros!’
She had seen.
How their camaraderie changed the atmosphere of the dungeon.
‘If the dungeon is filled with monsters like Necros, it will surely be a perfect dungeon!’
***
– Dispatching Necros to the dungeon ‘Fortress of Silence’.
Since Baalcherit had made a suggestion, it felt rude to refuse.
So, I decided to dispatch Necros to ‘Fortress of Silence’, a dungeon whose master was a 4-star Lich.
It would be easy using Celia’s Charm, but Baalcherit wanted monsters like Necros, not charmed monsters.
Necros is a 5-star Arch Lich.
And the master of this dungeon is a 4-star Lich, so I plan to appoint Necros as a temporary manager after conquering the dungeon.
‘Technically, he’s an undead senior, so he’ll teach him well.’
No matter how you look at it, Necros can be considered a senior to the Lich.
Once the Lich learns a lot from his senior, I plan to send him to Baalcherit.
