Salvos

Chapter 526: Netherworld Dungeon

526. Netherworld Dungeon

Now Entering [Dungeon: Remnants of the First Demon Kingdom]

I was in a Dungeon. I had been in plenty of Dungeons before it wasnt unfamiliar territory to me. I knew what to expect whenever I entered one. According to the Adventurers Guild back in the Mortal Realm, Dungeons formed when multiple monster Lairs were clustered close together.

It was a simple enough definition. So there was no reason for me to be gaping in shock at what I saw. But this was the Netherworld. There werent monsters here. There werent Dungeons here.

At least, that was what I thought. But evidently enough, I was wrong.

I swept my gaze over my surroundings. I stood in a vast circular chamber with black brick flooring. The ceiling was made of the same white rock that blanketed the Netherworld, but it was carved into a dome overhead. Chandeliers hung overhead, carrying these inert crystals that seemed like they would have glinted with light long ago.

But this place was completely abandoned. A relic of the ancient past. Rusted weapons lay at my feet, and broken armor was scattered around the floor. It looked like a battle had taken place here long ago. Bits of rubble and debris were clumped together around the corners of the room. If there had been furniture here once before, there was none now.

Four different doorways led out of the room, but two of them had collapsed, leaving only the exits just ahead of me and to the right. I frowned as I took in this scene.

The Remnants of the First Demon Kingdom, huh?

I wondered if that meant there was a Demon King before Regnorex came about. Or maybe it meant that this was Regnorexs first attempt at creating a kingdom? I wasnt sure. I was curious about what it meant. I wanted to delve down into one of those corridors leading further down this strange structure.

But first, I needed to [Rest]. So I did.

--

Defeated [Archarachne - Lvl. 169]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels above you!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I marched forward as I dragged a Divine Nebular Scythe behind me. I had created it during the free time I had while resting. It took a while considering it was a rather powerful weapon. But I was glad I didnt need to activate my [Divine Essence of the Angelic Devil Princess] to even use Divine Essence like I had to before my evolution.

I started down the dark corridor as my footfalls echoed around me. I created a ball of glowing gray flames, shining light ahead so I could see where I was going. I swept my gaze around as I began to descend down a winding path.

This corridor was clearly artificial, but it was designed like a cave tunnel. As if the architects who built this place didnt know how a regular corridor worked. There were markings on the walls etchings that had once contained magic within them, although the power had now faded, and these scratch marks were all that remained.

I narrowed my eyes. I couldnt read these words. Even with [Universal Language Comprehension] at Level 2, the symbols on the walls were gibberish to me. And maybe they were.

I searched for anything that could give me a clue about what this place was any hints as to why this place was built, or how it had fallen. The corridor continued winding until it led me to a small room. It was about ten feet across still relatively large, but tiny compared to that vast chamber I had previously been in.

There was an altar in the center of the room. A stone tablet lay horizontally on the altar, and a jagged knife was left at its side. Another doorway continued on to a descending corridor with a statue waiting to its right, but I glanced down to see an inert spell circle carved into the ground.

This is a summoning ritual?

I poked the ground a few times with a frown. I closed my eyes, focusing on my spatial senses I tried to reach for any remnants of mana strands left behind. But I found nothing. This place must have been abandoned such an incredibly long time ago, there was no residual mana left from even this ritual circle.

I tapped a finger on my chin as I walked up to the altar. I inspected the tablet, but it was just a blank slate. If it had words written on it before, it had faded long ago.

Why is everything here made out of stone, anyway? Cant the Demon King just bring over paper from the Mortal Realm?

I wondered aloud as I shook my head, before picking up the jagged dagger. Its metal surface immediately collapsed and turned to dust. I blinked. I stared at the hilt of the blade as my brows snapped together. I sensed motes of mana dissipating into the air with the broken blade, before shrugging.

Weird.

I tossed the hilt aside and continued down to the next hallway. I passed by the statue, but barely paid it a glance. I would have entered the hallway, if the statue didnt move.

Wait, what

I backed away as [Angelic Premonition] blared in my head just in time. I leapt back as the statute swung down with a clawed hand, narrowly missing my face. I flipped in the air and landed on the inert ritual circle as I frowned.

Who are you?

The statue drew back as its entire body creaked. It had the body of a [Hellhound], but it stood on two legs. It reached out two clawed hands, hissing as it bared its fangs. I stared at it as it eyed me with a pair of crimson eyes.

[Gargoyle - Lvl. 161]

A Primeval Demon?

I blinked. And the [Gargoyle] lashed out.