Chapter 81

Level Up Heresy Judge – Chapter 81 (81/227)

Chapter 81: Madness Within Madness (4)

It’s common knowledge in Warode that a dungeon untouched by players is packed with all sorts of items and rewards.

That’s why adventurers who make exploration their livelihood go to great lengths for first discovery, and everyone scrambles to explore new dungeons despite the risks due to lack of intel.

But right now, Ail was crouching down, staring at an empty box.

“Hmph, nothing here either.”

This red chest, which should’ve been full of goodies, showed clear signs of forced lockpicking.

Meaning it wasn’t empty from the start.

Someone had already come through and taken all the loot.

Not just here – every room was the same, with plenty of evidence of other players passing through.

‘This isn’t just one or two teams. I’d say at least ten teams have been through here. Other players aren’t stupid, but even though this area’s been around for a week… This could be dangerous.’

With a sigh of regret, Ail stood up.

He wasn’t uninterested in the dungeon’s treasures, but it seemed wiser to focus on investigating the magic circle first.

This was a quest involving not just the Church and Heretical Interrogation Office, but his relationship with the Executive as well – one he absolutely had to succeed in.

Creak!

Ail carefully opened the door and stepped out.

Though generally dark and creepy, the dungeon wasn’t so dim as to hinder movement, which actually helped in avoiding the fanatics’ notice.

Even someone as skilled as Ail couldn’t take on all those zealots alone.

His mission was to investigate the mysterious magic circle, so he planned to avoid any unnecessary or reckless battles.

Crash!

“Ugh…”

The longsword embedded deep into the waist of the guard at the entrance twisted as Ail clamped his hand over the fanatic’s mouth.

As the blade turned, the fanatic writhed violently but it didn’t last long.

Dumping the limp corpse into a hidden corner, Ail began moving further inside.

During his exploration, he hadn’t just been searching for items.

He’d figured out that this underground dungeon had a circular structure surrounding the center, with increasing numbers of zealots the closer he got to the core.

It wasn’t hard to guess something significant awaited at the center.

Probably the dungeon boss or important treasure.

And there was a high possibility the magic circle Ail sought was also located there.

“If I’d wandered in randomly, I’d be in for a tough time… But that’s not my problem.”

Given the dungeon’s large and complex structure, along with the high number of monsters, it would be difficult to explore.

However, since Ail had received this quest from Church Executive Arileen, and thanks to prior reconnaissance reports from the Heretical Interrogation Office’s informants, he knew some shortcuts and paths.

While the detailed geography still required his own investigation, he had no reason to complain.

Compared to other players who came here first, he had quite the advantage.

Ail possessed more than enough skill to navigate the dungeon with just this much information.

“Let’s pick up the pace.”

* * *

“Please…”

“AAAARGH!”

In the middle of the grand hall, cries of terror echoed.

People shedding tears and begging were forced to their knees by the zealots, while those who resisted were mercilessly skewered.

Those chosen as sacrifices were lined up directly on a black magic circle.

WHOOSH!

As the zealot wearing a black mask began chanting, a sinister red light erupted from the magic circle, filling the entire hall.

The villagers writhed in agony as their souls were sucked into the circle.

Once they fell lifeless to the floor, their bodies were dragged away by the zealots of the Dusk Conference, who then went to fetch the next batch of sacrifices.

Meanwhile, someone was watching all this unfold.

“Whoa, intense…”

“These zealots are really off their rockers.”

Hidden behind the balcony railing, the party members shook their heads at the scene below.

They were the first to discover this hidden dungeon and lead the charge into its depths after completing their external recon.

“Looks like that magic circle is key somehow.”

“Yeah, seems pretty clear.”

The party members exchanged glances at the blood-soaked magic circle.

There were four such suspicious magic circles within the dungeon, each hidden deep inside and difficult to find.

Even when not actively conducting sacrifices, about thirty zealots guarded each circle.

While normally it’d be wise to avoid such numbers, conversely, the heavy guarding made them seem particularly suspicious.

More importantly, despite thoroughly investigating nearly the entire dungeon, including other areas, the party had yet to find anything significant.

And there were no signs that anyone else had already cleared the dungeon.

Leaving them with no choice but to investigate these magic circles.

Ever since starting with the second-generation game Armenia, they’d built up considerable experience together, so they didn’t hesitate to act.

“Ron, start casting. Let’s hit ’em hard out of the gate.”

“Got it.”

At the party leader’s command, the mage player named Ron immediately assumed his stance.

Mages typically require lengthy casting times for their initial attacks, but in exchange can unleash devastating power.

Given sufficient time, they can launch highly efficient area-of-effect attacks unmatched by other classes, and during surprise assaults, they become one of the strongest classes.

WHOOSH!

As the mage focused his concentration, intense heat radiated from the tip of his staff.

Soon, a massive fiery orb materialized in midair and plummeted onto the zealots surrounding the magic circle.

BOOOOM!

The effort and mana cost of the prolonged casting paid off with impressive results.

Several zealots caught directly by the fireball perished instantly, while others caught in the aftermath burned and rolled on the ground.

Caught completely off guard, the zealots inevitably fell into chaos.

CRASH!

At that moment, the party members leaped down from the balcony and charged the zealots en masse.

The knight-class tank led the way, using his charge skill to break their formation, creating openings for the other party members to slice through their ranks.

“It’s… It’s an ambush!”

“AAAAHHH!”

The zealots tried to respond by drawing their weapons, but it was futile.

Their ability to reach the dungeon’s deepest levels first wasn’t mere luck.

Due to unavoidable circumstances, they’d transitioned to Warode later than expected, but all current party members were skilled veterans who would’ve reached much higher levels if they’d started playing Warode from launch.

Despite being only five in number, they displayed excellent teamwork and efficiency, capitalizing on the element of surprise to systematically eliminate their foes.

WHOOSH!

The mage completed his second casting, engulfing the remaining zealots in flames.

With that final spell, the chaotic battle came to an abrupt end.

In just one minute, they’d wiped out over thirty monsters.

Click!

Breathing heavily, the party leader removed his thick helmet and approached the center of the hall first.

A large black magic circle that had consumed human souls lay before them.

“Ron, you can come down now!”

“Alright!”

The mage who’d remained on the balcony throughout the fight gracefully leapt down.

The other team members busy looting the zealot corpses soon joined him.

“See anything? Anything unusual?”

“Nah, can’t tell just by looking.”

The party leader shrugged.

Without any relevant quests or clues, and with only the knight’s perspective, it was difficult to discern anything.

Naturally, the party members’ gazes turned toward Ron, the sole mage in their group.

“It’s demonic black magic. Even I can’t figure it out just by inspecting it. But I might be able to activate it.”

“You’re going to activate this?”

“That seems risky…”

The party members eyed the magic circle warily.

After all, it was a device that absorbed living souls – clearly dangerous.

Messing with it without proper information could easily lead to trouble.

But they had no other options.

“Might feel uneasy, but we can’t just turn back after coming this far. Let’s take the risk.”

“Ron’s right. Besides these four magic circles, we don’t have any other leads. This dungeon’s first clear is on the line too. The risk is worth taking.”

The party leader agreed with Ron’s reasoning.

After some deliberation, the party members gradually accepted the decision, reaching a consensus.

“Then let’s do it.”

Stepping forward, the mage infused mana into the magic circle to activate it.

KOOOOM!

With a loud rumble, the entire underground dungeon shook violently.

Startled by the sudden tremor, the party members stumbled backward as a black hole opened where the massive magic circle had been.

“What’s coming out…?”

“Everyone, get ready!”

Sensing the ominous atmosphere, the party members raised their weapons.

Before their words even finished echoing, undead monsters poured out from the black hole.

KEEEEEEE!

“Is this a wave defense?”

“Everyone, hold your ground!”

The dark creatures charged at the party members, initiating a fierce battle.

Monsters continued to emerge from the black hole, forcing them to face overwhelming numbers.

Though not typical in Warode dungeons, monster waves were a common mechanic in most games.

The usual patterns involved either surviving for a set period without falling, or defeating all monsters emerging from a passage.

But this situation was different.

Despite continuously cutting down the monsters pouring from the black passage, there was no sign of it ending.

“AAAAARRGH!”

“Damn it, Ron’s down!”

Defending against so many enemies left limits to protecting the rear, and the vulnerable mage fell first.

No matter how skilled and coordinated they were, stamina and focus had their limits.

“How long is this supposed to last?”

“Just… Just a little longer…”

CRASH!

With their numbers dwindling against ever-growing hordes, the balance quickly shifted against them.

One by one, the party members fell, trampled under the monsters’ feet.

“Guh…”

“This is insane. How are we supposed to beat this…”

KRAK!

The knight blocking the frontlines’ helmet was severely dented.

With his health depleted, the party leader collapsed to his knees, and with him, the entire party was wiped out.

But that wasn’t the end.

The endless wave of monsters kept emerging from the black tunnel, continuing to fill the dungeon.

SWISH SWISH.

The black mist flowing from the passage seeped into the corpses of the fallen party members.

The pale, decaying bodies of the users twitched unnaturally and slowly rose from their positions.

“Uuuuugh…”

The hollow eyes of the user corpses stared blankly into space.