Chapter 154: 154

Following Heimdall, Rikshasha and the Under-Elves awakened.

Rikshasha and the Under-Elves swiftly sprinted all the way to the master room out of concern for their king. The moment Rikshasha found him, her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the floor, exclaiming, “My King!”

“What’s going…” She was confused by the changed appearance of the labyrinth and the presence of Kim Jin-Woo, who seemed to have grown several times more powerful than before.

But the biggest cause for her confusion was the change she and her Under-Elves had undergone, not the Grand Labyrinth or Kim Jin-Woo.

“Congratulations, Rikshasha and the Under-Elves,” Kim Jin-Woo said. The moment he saw Rikshasha, he knew what had changed about her.

[The Under-Elves who were hated by the Usurper and were rejected by the Underworld system have finally escaped the curse. They are no longer slaves of the Underworld or cursed wanderers. Although the former glory of the Fairy Lord and their forest no longer exist in the Underworld, they have been able to reclaim some of their past thanks to their master’s ascension to Highlord.]

[They are finally able to return to the open arms of the Underworld, and will gradually reclaim their past. Their lost communion with the Underworld is restored, and they have awakened their true powers.]

[The Under-Elves’ unique ability, ‘Spirit Medium’, is activated. It is impossible to use the Spirit Medium ability right away, but soon, they will be able to locate ‘Underworld Spirits’ that are able to communicate with them and form ‘contracts’.]

The system messages had popped up to explain the situation in detail to Kim Jin-Woo.

“You are no longer lowly slaves or wanderers.” He explained the situation to the Under-Elves, who were bewildered by his sudden congratulations. They held their breath as they listened to his words, before eventually bursting into tears.

“How surprising. Knowing your personality, I thought you’d be quietly rejoicing instead,” Kim Jin-Woo remarked.

Even the poker-faced Rikshasha was surprised at her own outburst, as she smiled and replied, “I’m glad to be able to serve my King proudly by your side.”

While Rikshasha was coming to terms with her emotions, Kim Jin-Woo realized something as he looked around him: All those who had gathered around him were somehow related to the Ancient Underworld. “Are the others here yet?” he mused.

As if in response to his words, Hoya and the Catfolk appeared as well. They were also beings that had been enslaved in the Underworld from the beginning, and unlike their past selves, they now looked considerably stronger.

The changes in the Catfolk women stood out in particular. They were slender, yet they evoked a protective instinct, and every single move they made was different from before. Their silent footwork was even more secretive than before, and their elusive presence was clearly different.

[The Catfolk and the Tigerfolk were people ruled by the Beast King, one of the ten Lords of the past. They were hated by the Usurper and were rejected by the Underworld, just like the descendants of the Fairy Lord. However, with the birth of a new Highlord, they will gradually recover their power, just like the Under-Elves.]

[The ability of the Tigerfolk is ‘Toughness’, and despite their lack of any special abilities, they are warriors that are stronger and faster than anyone else.]

[The ability of the Catfolk is ‘Enchantment’. They possess the weakest combat abilities out of all the beast races, but their power to enchant their opponents is formidable. There is a reason why even the unruly Tiger Dragons choose to follow them. Their fatal charm makes it impossible for any being to hate them unless they harbor ill will. No, even if they raise their claws against the charmed beings, their opponents will not be able to break away from their charm until they are dead.]

As Kim Jin-Woo confirmed the abilities of the two Beastfolk, he found himself staring at the mute Catfolk woman before he even realized it. Come to think of it, it was indeed hard to take his eyes off her. Looking at her long, slender legs evoked a strange feeling within him. “Mm…”

[The enchanting ability of the Catfolk also applies to their master. Unlike its application against their opponents, the enchantment is not fatal to their master. However, it is sufficient to monopolize their master’s love.”

A message that read like a warning appeared, and Kim Jin-Woo quickly looked away. But he found himself constantly looking back at the Catfolk woman. It was truly an impressive ability.

“Ah…” A suppressed moan suddenly emerged. The looks of the Catfolk woman, who still couldn’t talk, were so fatal that anyone else would have wanted to run toward her and caress her right away. But, having already identified the existence of the enchanting ability, Kim Jin-Woo didn’t waver any more.

[Catfolk woman: Relief. Gratitude. Craving.]

Only through the ‘Eyes of Truth’ ability that he had inherited from the One-Eyed Lord did he finally understand just how happy the Catfolk woman was to finally be safe.

The Beastmen Tribe’s women were the last to find the master room, and no one appeared for a long time afterward. Just as Kim Jin-Woo was beginning to think that all but the descendents of the Ancient Underworld had been annihilated and became food for the Grand Labyrinth, the Nagas finally made their appearance.

“My King! I’m so relieved by your safety that I, Quantus, can now die in peace!” Quantus appeared noisily, leading several Nagas alongside Valicius. They all appeared and kneeled at once.

But the Nagas that appeared didn’t even number twenty. “Where are the others? Why don’t I see any others?” Kim Jin-Woo asked, finding the situation odd.

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Dominique, who had guided Quantus and the Nagas to the master room, carefully voiced her speculations. “My guess is that the lower the level of the summons, the longer it takes for them to wake up. All those gathered here are those that were summoned at Hero-Grade.”

Kim Jin-Woo thought about Dominique’s remark, and realized that indeed, there had only been Hero-Grade summons thus far.

“Urgh,” he groaned. In the end, it meant that he had no choice but to simply wait for the Nagas to wake up.

Most of the Hero-Grade summons gathered in the master room had abundant combat experience, but even though they had been raised from the bottom by feeding them summoning stones, Kim Jin-Woo was certain that they weren’t enough to face the incoming mobs.

He frowned at the thought that in the worst case scenario, he might have to spend all his remaining down gems on forming a brand new army.

But ultimately, his worries were for naught.The labyrinth masters of the labyrinths adjacent to the Fortress began to arrive one after another. Those who arrived were Okonutoshi, King of the Big-Tusk Wild Boars, and Espetos, King of the Mirror Wraiths.

“What exactly happened…?” Okonutoshi was freed from the Vassal’s Pledge, but he didn’t forget about his position.

In the first place, he had been the one who had escaped the 8th Floor out of fear, and sought shelter under the shadow of the Undefeated Commander. Thus, even though he was embarrassed and disappointed by the sudden devastation of his labyrinth, he didn’t show it so recklessly.

“As you can see, my labyrinth suddenly expanded rapidly and ended up swallowing its surrounding labyrinths whole. Even my own soldiers are nowhere to be found,” Kim Jin-Woo said. As bizarre as it may sound. It wasn’t uncommon for a larger labyrinth to consume another nearby labyrinth. Okonutoshi’s jaw dropped in disbelief, lost for words at Kim Jin-Woo’s seemingly flippant explanation.

“Unfortunately, I have no idea how to bring back your extinct labyrinth. If there’s a way to do so, I’ll do my best to help, but for now, it’s an impossible task.” With the situation already unfolding as it is, Kim Jin-Woo decided to be completely brazen about it.

“Urgh, this is crazy.” Okonutoshi’s attitude was rather calm for someone who had just lost his labyrinth, but unlike the other labyrinth masters, he valued his race more importantly, and thought of his labyrinth as just another house to reside in. After all, he was someone who had willingly sacrificed his own prestige and relocated from the 8th Floor to the 9th Floor for the sake of preserving his own race. In the end, he asked, “Will you be able to find a solution?”

“I can’t guarantee it. But I’ll try my best,” Kim Jin-Woo replied.

It was a lukewarm answer, but Okonutoshi was already satisfied. Without even realizing that the Vassal’s Pledge had been broken, he naturally pledged his loyalty and allegiance to Kim Jin-Woo once more. It was certainly something to do with the Highlord’s ability, but neither Kim Jin-Woo nor Okonutoshi were aware of that at the moment.

“Please allow me to dwell in the King’s shadow,” he said.

[Okonutoshi and the Big-Tusk Wild Boars wish to join the Grand Labyrinth. If you accept them, part of the Grand Labyrinth will be given to them.]

[The labyrinth is not the only thing that the Core controls. The energy of the Underworld is the driving force for the inhabitants of the Underworld, but it is also responsible for making them more violent and barbaric. The Labyrinth Core is an important entity that is the basis behind all summons, preventing them from being encroached on by the energy of the Underworld. A race that has lost its Core will be consumed by the Underworld and wander the depths like wild beasts.]

[The Big-Tusk Wild Boars are in great danger. You can offer them a new, albeit limited, future.]

[However, you have yet to fully develop the powers of the Highlord. Unfortunately, you are unable to promise a future for all refugees on the 9th Floor. Refugees who do not receive your help will soon be engulfed by the Underworld’s energy and will wander the Underworld like wild beasts as they are returned to their primeval status.]

[Your shoulders bear a heavy burden. The rise and fall of countless beings lies in your hands. Depending on your choices, some may even face extinction. Careful consideration and decision-making is required.]

[It is also possible to expel those who have already been accepted. In that case, the outcasts will also lose any hope for their future and wander the Underworld aimlessly before perishing miserably.]

“Oho…” Kim Jin-Woo exclaimed at the unexpected messages. It appeared that the Grand Labyrinth wasn’t just greedily absorbing the energy of other labyrinths. Seeing that there was still hope for those that had lost their labyrinths, he smirked and said, “I allow you to dwell in my labyrinth.”

[Okonutoshi and the Big-Tusk Wild Boars have been accepted into the Grand Labyrinth.]

They are guaranteed a life that is not much different from before, if they reside in the area allocated to them. Although they will have to rely on you to increase the size of their clan, they will no longer face the risk of extinction and will seize the opportunity to thrive once more.]

[Specify an area for the Big-Tusk Wild Boars to settle. If you do not designate their dwelling place, they may arbitrarily settle in the center of the labyrinth.]

Kim Jin-Woo was initially left confused and lost by the countless changes that had occurred during the Fortress’ transformation, but by now, he had already regained his composure. “This will be fun,” he remarked.

The image of the refugees fighting for a place in the Grand Labyrinth flashed through his mind.

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