What we experienced in the wild dungeon permanently changed my perception of the world I had been reborn into.
If that dungeon barely reached Rank C and was nowhere near Rank B, then the thought of how powerful Rank S disaster monsters — or even Rank Z —could be was downright terrifying. Just two wild dungeons of such power had been enough to drive civilization off the northern and southern continents.
"How often do wild dungeons appear?" I asked Valeria toward the end of our triumphant return to the former Hakku Stronghold. "Were they common where you come from? What determines their appearance?"
The vampiress was sitting on top of me. After resting for a day near the place where we sealed one of those cursed locations, we felt completely different — stronger, more confident. I knew I wanted to create a place with her where I could live comfortably and safely.
Beyond the wilderness and danger, I saw untamed potential here, just waiting for someone to awaken it.
The silver-haired woman laughed and, lounging comfortably with one leg crossed over the other, answered without ceremony.
"No one really understands the Catastrophe. Wild dungeons are places as if from another world — no one except the monsters within carries a similar aura." She paused, scratching her smooth chin thoughtfully. "In my lands they appear fairly often, sometimes even Rank A. Not to mention a Rank S dungeon whose sealing made famous the party gathered by my… by my father."
She hesitated, then flushed again, as if putting a mask back on to hide something.
"A Rank S?" I asked, unsettled by the thought of something like that appearing here. "When was that?"
Valeria didn't answer right away. She stared into the distance, beyond the twisted treetops, as if seeing something I couldn't. Her fingers tightened slightly around the fabric of her armored dress.
"Half a millennium ago. Two hundred and fifty years before my birth," She said quietly. "You could say an entire vampiric generation ago. We youngsters only know those stories from legends. And believe me, Artax — they are not optimistic tales… If not for the aid of great warriors from all three continents unconquered by the Catastrophe, nothing might have remained of the Misty Isles."
The goblins walking behind us listened intently. I could feel both excitement and fear flowing from them. Their auras flickered like flames whipped about by a storm.
"They say wild dungeons are a curse sent by the Accursed God — the Lord of Envy and The Great Deceiver. Wherever power rises and strong beings gather, these harbingers of the end begin to appear. Locals gather strength to repel them, but as a place grows stronger, even more powerful wild dungeons emerge. This plague has no end. Sooner or later, there will be a repeat of Varmtheim and the Golden City… Perhaps even soon. After all, thousands of years have passed since the last Rank Z Wild Dungeon appeared."
I thought that perhaps I was lucky to have been reborn here rather than on one of the lost continents. Lucky to be born on the untamed eastern edge of the world. The Eastern Continent — Montara, as the vampiress had told me — once it belonged to the God of the Sword and the demons of his, though those days were long gone.
"It will belong to me soon," she joked — though after watching her closely, I couldn't tell if she was entirely joking.
Night fell as we stopped to sleep in the middle of nowhere. I stared up at the clear stars, thinking about everything. Not long ago, I'd spent all my days in front of a screen, doing nothing meaningful with my life. Now some force had thrown me here. I had cheated death several times, met incredible— fascinating and terrifying — figures like Zod and Valeria.
I was living a weird dream, if you could call it that.
Memories of my past life slowly faded. I no longer remembered the faces of my murderers, nor the voices of my wonderful grandparents, nor the few friends who didn't see me as a loser.
Slowly, I was becoming like this hydra. I could feel this reptilian body becoming my own.
"Look! A shooting star!"
Valeria gazed cheerfully at the sky. At night she came alive — full of energy and enthusiasm. She slept rarely, and when she did, it was for long hours… sometimes days. Now she climbed a branch, stole eggs from some bird's nest, and glanced between me and the dark sky.
"What did you wish for?" she asked, giggling. "I'd like to fight the God of the Sword someday — and win!"
She laughed, adjusting the Nocturne blade on her back.
Shameless lunatic, I thought — but then realized that was exactly why I liked her. Like a close friend I'd never had. I lay down comfortably, my second head dozing, and wished to create a place where I could live happily until the end of my days. Hot springs, food from all over the world, the most comfortable beds, warmth in the hearth — and people I could share and protect it with.
Just dreams…
"I wished you'd lose some weight since you've clearly gotten chubbier from biting me so much," I said jokingly, with a hint of sarcasm — fully aware of how much she cared about her appearance.
I barely finished smiling before I felt a flying kick to the head. The crazy woman leapt at me from several meters up and nearly drove her heel into the ground with me! Then she wrestled me and mocked me relentlessly.
"Stolen blood doesn't make you fat!" She teased, biting my neck again.
Such is my fate I guess — as a portable blood bank for a vampiress!
Thankfully, she fell asleep afterward, sinking into a deep slumber. The goblins helped wrap her in cloth and tied her to my back with ropes. She looked like prey I'd hunted! If cameras existed in this world, I'd plaster photos of her with her tongue hanging out and hair all over her face throughout the entire forest.
She even snores and talks in her sleep.
"I don't like mushrooms… five more minutes… let me sleep…"
She muttered nonsense the entire way, until the goblins began joking about it. Luckily, she never heard herself — or she'd have wanted the ground to swallow her whole. The greenfolk treated it as a funny curiosity. To them, she was something like a goddess — a symbol of hope.
She only woke when something stunned not just her — but me as well.
I felt so many auras.
Weak ones. Greenish ones. Boiling ahead like an overfilled city.
We emerged from the wooden depths and saw the fortress surrounded by hundreds of burrows and tents! As if thousands of goblins had rushed here, waiting for us. I remembered ordering messengers sent to nearby villages — but I never expected results like this so quickly! Even makeshift wooden rafts floated on the river, spears whistling as they struck the water to catch fish.
Fires burned. Songs echoed. I saw countless paints and tattoos — an unbelievable gathering. Every tribe looked different from the next!
Before I realized it, Valeria freed herself from the ropes, jumped down, kicked my paw, and frowned.
Thankfully, there was no time to argue. A group of riders approached swiftly. I recognized Doirak, Mago, Godo with Gege — and several unfamiliar, intimidating faces.
"O great lizard Artax! Messenger of Zod! O mighty Valeria! All-powerful daughter of Varyn — Vampire King of the Misty Isles who passed away! I am Golden-Eyed Isma of the Yellow Grass Tribe — the eldest of shamans!"
The gray-haired goblin bore three painted lines resembling yellow grass across his face.
"The news of the Behemoth Trial and its successful completion has ignited our hearts. The great goblin alliance of the south awaits your command!"
His fists clenched as he grinned fiercely.
A terrifying group. Many were as strong as Doirak. Others rode massive wolves, bears, boars, even horned bison. One had a falcon perched on his arm. Another wielded a long spear and eyed the vampiress suspiciously. One looked more like an orc than a hobgoblin — huge, gray, and riding an actual brown bear.
[Level: 48
Threat: HIGH]
How was it even possible that such a beast obeyed him!? The bear was ten levels higher and at least five times his size!
"Envoy of Zod! Fifty-six tribes have arrived to pay homage to the Chosen of the Behemoths, patroned by the friend of the greatest monster! Twenty-one more are on their way. I followed your orders — there was room for everyone. In total, nine thousand goblins have arrived, including four thousand warriors."
He spoke like he was reporting — slightly terrified. I hoped he was just bad at math…
"Nine thousand goblins. Nearly half warriors."
Terrifying. A mass I could never escape.
"I also sent scouts east and west, but many refused to come. Orcish scouts have been sighted beyond the river. The northern goblins have been completely absorbed by the orcs — I did not send messengers there to die needlessly."
Some cursed him. Others nodded in understanding. I nearly had a heart attack. I had never seen a crowd like this. Not even when I once went to a ski jumping World Cup event with my father.
A green sea of tents, fires, and smoke.
Terrifying! What happens when this mob rebels? When they decide to get rid of us? Would anyone really be stupid enough to let themselves be killed after the first defeat — one they'd surely blame on me or Valeria?
"Impudence!" Valeria shouted. "All goblin villages to the south, east, and west will unite under my banner! Zod has decided! I am the Queen of Goblins and Hobgoblins! Queen of this forest and all who dwell within it! I slew the wild dungeon boss, and I shall carry out the will of the King of Monsters! All who resist shall taste our steel! Death shall fall upon them! Long live Zod!"
And yet — someone was that stupid.
Fuck! They're going to kill us!
"Long live Zod! Long live Valeria Nocturne! Long live the Queen of Goblins!"
Steel clashed. Wolves howled. These fools truly believed us. My lie had gone too far.
"Raise the banners! Hold your heads high! We march to war! Let the traitors to Zod's will taste our steel!"
She raised her sword high, gathering aura and engulfing both her blade and the surrounding area in dark flames.
I think she learned how to put on a spectacle for goblins… from me.
Some unification of tribes!
We're all going to die.