The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

Chapter 136: The Snake Enters the Dungeon (1)

The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices – 136

EP.136 The Snake Enters the Dungeon (1)

As the sun set and darkness began to envelop the city, the guards atop the fortress walls huddled together, eagerly awaiting the break of dawn. Among them was Tony, who stifled a yawn as he leaned against his spear.

“Why can’t we just take a break? There aren’t any monsters around anyway.”

Grumbling, Tony gazed out into the darkened wilderness. The city where he served as a guard was small, but its fortress was robust. Located on the outskirts of the Kaln Empire, adjacent to the Silent Mountains, the city boasted a well-established defense system. However, despite the sturdy fortress, there hadn’t been any threats for years—not even wild animals, let alone monsters.

Tony yawned again, feeling the weight of boredom. He was on the verge of dozing off.

‘If I get caught sleeping again, I’m done for.’

Just yesterday, he had been caught napping during his shift. He had gotten off lightly since it was his first offense, but another incident could lead to disciplinary action. Determined to stay awake, Tony twisted his body this way and that.

‘I need to splash some cold water on my face.’

He turned to his fellow guard, Bill.

“Hey, Bill. Can you cover for me for a bit? I need to wash my face.”

A splash of cold water would surely wake him up. However, Bill didn’t respond.

“Bill?”

Tony called out again, but there was no answer. He nudged Bill’s shoulder, causing him to startle and turn his head.

“Huh? What?”

“What’s got you so spaced out?”

Tony asked again, and Bill pointed beyond the fortress walls.

“I thought I saw something over there…”

Tony turned to look in the direction Bill was pointing, but there was nothing. The night was silent, save for the sound of the wind.

“There’s nothing there. Were you dozing off?”

Tony dismissed it, thinking Bill was just tired.

“Ridiculous.”

Tony chuckled, gripping his spear. He patted Bill’s shoulder.

“I’m going to wash my face. You should do the same later. Don’t fall asleep.”

With that, Tony descended the stairs of the fortress wall. After a brief moment, he returned, feeling much more refreshed.

“Ah, that feels better.”

The cold water had indeed woken him up. He felt he could endure the remaining hours of his shift and then enjoy a well-deserved rest. Tony climbed the stairs back to his post, intending to tell Bill to wash his face as well.

When he returned, he found Bill slumped against the wall, fast asleep.

“Damn, he finally gave in.”

Tony clicked his tongue at the sight of Bill sleeping in such an uncomfortable position.

“Hey, Bill! Wake up!”

As Tony tried to shake Bill awake, he noticed a faint, crimson glow on his fingertips. His heart skipped a beat.

“Aaahh!”

Tony let out a scream as he stumbled backward.

“What the…?”

Bill’s eyes, ears, and mouth were bleeding profusely. Blood began to spurt out of his body.

“Bi, Bill! What’s going on? Bill!”

Tony shook Bill violently, but there was no response. Despite his efforts, Bill remained silent.

In desperation, Tony checked Bill’s pulse.

“…No.”

There was no heartbeat. Bill was already dead.

What had happened while Tony was away for a brief moment?

Tony’s grip on his spear tightened.

The situation felt increasingly strange. The fortress walls were eerily quiet.

“…….”

Suddenly, a woman’s scream echoed from the direction of the city.

“Help! Save me!”

As soon as Tony heard the cry, he swiftly turned around.

Something was definitely amiss.

When Tony looked down from the fortress walls, he witnessed a horrific scene unfolding.

“What in the world…?”

The entire city had turned into chaos.

Buildings were engulfed in flames, and people were running wildly, screaming in terror.

Among them, monsters were moving swiftly, attacking and devouring people.

“Monsters! Aaahh!”

The sounds of terror, screams, and bones breaking filled the air.

Tony was paralyzed with fear, unable to move.

“……!”

But he soon regained his composure and began to move along the fortress walls.

‘Why is it so quiet here?’

Tony realized the source of the unease. The city was chaotic, yet the place where Tony stood was eerily silent. Normally, the guard captain would have been shouting orders, rallying the soldiers.

“……”

Tony’s intuition had not been wrong. He heard a low growl behind him.

Slowly, Tony turned around, gripped by fear. He came face to face with a massive monster.

“……”

Words failed him. The creature had the body of a snake and the upper torso of a human, a grotesque amalgamation. Tony felt as if his breath had been stolen. The monster’s hideous mouth flicked a red tongue, licking Tony’s face. It felt unreal, but the scene before him was undeniably real. Only then did he recognize what the monster held in its hand.

‘The guard captain…!’

Blood streamed from the body of the guard captain, painting the entire city in crimson hues.

‘No, this can’t be happening.’

Barely regaining his senses, Tony thrust his spear with all his might. But it was futile. The spearhead shattered against the monster’s scales. There was nothing more he could do.

“P-please, spare me…”

Tony pleaded desperately, but the monster only grinned hideously, wrapping its massive tail around his body.

“Gah!”

Tony struggled to breathe, the pressure crushing his throat. The pain was so intense he couldn’t even scream. He kicked and squirmed, but the monster’s strength was overwhelming. Soon, his head drooped lifelessly.

“Ugh…”

Tears streamed down his cheeks as his eyes glazed over. The monster lifted the dying Tony and slowly opened its mouth. Its jaws stretched back to its ears, revealing rows of hundreds of teeth. Tony watched in a daze, unable to resist, knowing he was about to be devoured.

“Ah…”

With the sensation of his neck being crushed, Tony disappeared into the monster’s maw. The creature, still smiling, surveyed the city. The once chaotic city had fallen silent. Death’s silence enveloped the city, with only the flames dancing and reaching for the sky.

“Lady Arcane, it’s time to depart.”

The monster, or rather Arcane, the master of the Lamia Dungeon, was approached by her lieutenant, Stia.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

Arcane rose with a cruel smile. This massacre was merely a prelude to her true assault. Her real target lay elsewhere—the Arch Lich’s dungeon. Arcane, accompanied by her followers, slowly vanished into the darkness, leaving behind only corpses and ashes. The once small and peaceful city was swallowed by a nightmare, forever.

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In the deep, dark night, the forest was shrouded in pitch-black darkness. The sky was overcast, obscuring even the starlight. Only the occasional moonbeam pierced through the clouds, faintly illuminating the forest.

Arcane’s eyes glinted in the darkness, cold and sharp like a snake’s. The moonlight faintly reflected in her eyes as she scanned her surroundings. The rustling of leaves and the swishing of branches as Arcane and her followers moved through the forest broke the silence. The ancient trees cast eerie shadows, and the swaying branches seemed to dance in the wind.

Arcane flicked her tongue, which glowed red even in the darkness.

“Hmm.”

Arcane inhaled deeply, savoring the forest’s scent—the damp, eerie smell of the earth and the decaying leaves. Amidst it all, she sensed a thick aura of hostility.

“I can feel it. The presence of enemies.”

At her words, Stia’s eyes narrowed, and she immediately propelled herself forward, her body gliding smoothly over the ground. She ruthlessly snapped the branches that obstructed her path, moving swiftly. Raising her tail, she struck a tree.

“Gah!”

As the tree fell, a hidden figure behind it coughed up blood.

“Lady Arcane, it’s a goblin.”

The fallen figure was indeed a goblin. Arcane smiled as she looked at it.

“Ho, just as the Association said.”

She then shoved the goblin into her mouth. Before coming here, she had been briefed on the situation, including the presence of goblin hordes around the Arch Lich. This prior knowledge allowed her to be prepared.

“Impressive.”

With Stia’s recent attack, the hostile aura around them vanished, as if it had never been there. The forest returned to its eerie silence. The Association had mentioned wandering goblin hordes, but Arcane saw otherwise. The goblins’ equipment alone suggested they were not just a wandering group. Their ability to conceal themselves indicated they were a well-trained force under someone’s command.

“Be cautious. According to the Association, there’s also a succubus besides the Arch Lich.”

Arcane scoffed at Stia’s warning. In many ways, the Lamia and Succubus races were similar. While not as potent as a succubus’s charm, Lamias could use a similar skill. This gave Lamias a natural resistance to charm.

Unless the Succubus Queen herself appeared, a mere succubus couldn’t stop her army. Even if the Succubus Queen did appear, Arcane was now a 5-star. Though her power was forcibly enhanced with the Association’s help, she was confident she could hold her own against other 5-star beings. In fact, she believed her poison would bring her opponents to their knees first.

Arcane gestured for her followers to move forward. Shortly after, one of the leading Lamias fell into a pit.

“Tsk, such troublesome creatures.”

The pit was filled with stakes, and the fallen Lamia was instantly killed. It was a trap set by the goblins. Despite the loss, none of the others paid it any mind. Their numbers were vast, and such minor setbacks wouldn’t deter them. If they were easily shaken, they wouldn’t have started this mission in the first place.

Arcane led her followers towards the Arch Lich’s dungeon. Soon, the entrance to a cave came into view.

“This should be the place, based on its location.”

However, Stia hesitated. According to the map provided by the Association, this cave was indeed the Arch Lich’s dungeon. Yet, she felt uncertain because she couldn’t sense the distinctive aura of a dungeon. If not for the Association’s information, she would have dismissed it as just another cave.

“Truly impressive.”

Arcane marveled. Perhaps it was this very quality that made the Association wary of the Arch Lich. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to support her and orchestrate this dungeon war. On the surface, it might seem like she was merely a puppet of the Association, but she didn’t mind. In fact, she was grateful to them for giving her the opportunity to deal with the Arch Lich directly.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Arcane knew it was time to conclude this.

“Stia.”

“Yes, Lady Arcane.”

Stia bowed her head immediately, awaiting orders.

“I like this dungeon. It’s close to the kingdom, providing ample prey, and the air is unique, being so near the Demon World.”

Arcane had once envied dungeons close to the Demon World. She recalled attending a social event where this envy had surfaced. Stia, remembering this, nodded.

“Do not worry. By tonight, this dungeon will be yours, Lady Arcane.”

Arcane grinned wickedly at Stia’s words.

“Let’s go in.”

She intended to bring death to everyone within.