Chapter 30: Becoming The Dungeon Master (1)
ㅡPuhuk!
Like a guillotine, the hatchet fell and shattered the kobold's skull!
With that, the creature fell. After all, it had been speared in the chest; it couldn't have survived for long. Confirming that, I quickly turned to the side.
"Kyusaaaat!"
A kobold's shriek.
"Keruk!"
"Kkuk!"
Buril, who was grounding the kobold, held it firmly while Imsoong delivered a powerful kick to its head. What a splendid combination! Witnessing their outstanding teamwork made me proud as a demon king!
But there was no time to be absorbed in admiration!
"Well done! Keep holding it!"
ㅡPaat!
I immediately raised my fist, ready to strike! Let's deal a blow and then attempt to control the monster!
"You beast! Die!"
I spread my palm wide and slapped the kobold!
ㅡPaak!
"Kyusaaaaat!"
A burst of screams! I didn't enjoy hurting like this, but there was no choice! I ruthlessly beat it, ignoring its pain.
ㅡPuhuk!
ㅡPuhuk!
ㅡPuhuk!
For a long bit of time.
I hit it fervently.
"Kkurukkuk!"
Imsoong hopped around beside me, seemingly moved by my display of power. Anyway, I immediately initiated the monster control technique.
"Bind!"
"Kyut…?!"
The kobold convulsed.
But.
"Kyusaaaaaaat!"
"Damn it!"
Another failure?!
"Kerkkerk!"
The kobold went berserk. Buril, who was restraining it, bit its head off. If I failed to control it, I had no choice but to kill it.
"Die!"
ㅡPuhuk!
I finished the kobold off with my hatchet. A feeling of regret stung through me.
Buril immediately released the kobold.
"Kerukeruk!"
"Kkurung!"
A massacre had taken place. But Buril and Imsoong were just ecstatic, jumping around joyously, even singing gleefully.
"Sigh… Are you that pleased?"
"Keruk!"
Honestly, I didn't feel great about brutally killing such creatures. But if my minions were happy, I had to show them I was also pleased.
"Alright, let's eat and replenish our energy!"
"Keruk!"
"Buril! Gather firewood, and Imsoong, prepare to start the fire!"
"Kkuk!"
I promptly issued the orders, then pulled out the spear tip from the kobold's corpse and repaired my spear. This… the tip was a bit damaged. But it still seemed usable.
"Good."
Now, let's eat and then attack the cave.
We killed two kobolds.
Even in epics like the Three Kingdoms, the appearance of armies in the hundreds of thousands made a mere hundred or thousand seem insignificant. But the reality here was different.
Just two.
Merely killing these two had undoubtedly weakened the kobold lair's forces significantly. And it proved that this wooden spear was quite effective.
"Stop."
"Keureuk."
After roasting and consuming the kobolds to regain our strength, we moved toward the lair. The entrance on the other side was eerily silent as if they couldn't even fathom that two of their own had been killed.
Now, it was time to invade that place.
The entrance was shorter than my height. I would have to bend my waist and crouch to advance. Entering such a space and suddenly getting ambushed would be damn dangerous, but after a few days of observation, there didn't seem to be any movement in and out.
That was why there was an attack plan. But, no matter how much I knew, I couldn't help but feel nervous.
"Imsoong, hand me the bag."
"Kkeureuk."
When I opened the bag that Imsoong handed me,
ㅡSasasat.
ㅡSasasat.
Fireflies that he had collected fluttered inside. As expected, they lit up as the surroundings darkened.
These will serve as a light source inside the lair.
"Alright, let's go. I'll lead. Imsoong, you'll be in the middle. Buril, you'll be at the end. Follow us slowly."
"Keureuk."
The interior of the lair was likely narrow. So, Imsoong's fire might be useful at least once.
"Let's go…!"
"Keurek!"
"Kkeureuk!"
Holding the spear, I slowly headed towards the entrance.
ㅡJeobeokjeobeok.
The tension was palpable.
If we won here, I could claim this valuable kobold lair! It would become my dungeon!
But it would require a lot of work. Once it was mine, I would need to expand it. That was going to take a damn long time.
I'd have to constantly put my minions to work. And since I'd have to feed them, I'd have to hunt frequently. There was so much to do.
"…"
I didn't think about defeat.
If it seemed like we might lose, we could just run.
ㅡCheoyeok.
Soon, we stood at the entrance.
ㅡSwish.
Bending over and slightly bending my legs, I entered. Initially, it looked like an ordinary burrow. I took a firefly from the bag and set it free.
ㅡParalak.
It spread its wings and clung to the cave wall, emitting a soft glow. Nice.
"Move forward."
"Kkeureuk."
"Keureuk."
Buril and Imsoong seemed very comfortable. Damn it, being tall had its downsides. But with this posture, I would get tired quickly.
ㅡJeobeokjeobeok.
The cave was quite long. The kobolds dug deep, considering their size… The kobolds had not appeared yet.
This was their territory.
It was impossible to be quiet when we invaded like this.
As expected, there was a small number of troops.
And then, at that moment.
"A fork in the road?"
A fork appeared. Wow, these bastards even made a splitting path?
"Buril, Imsoong, wait here."
I immediately commanded them to wait and first turned left. Holding a spear in one hand and a firefly in the other.
"Damn it."
But as I went further, there was a terrible stench. The path wasn't very long either.
Upon reaching the end…
"Oh shit!"
I couldn't help but swear and retreat immediately! It seemed to be the restroom used by the kobolds!
Trash and excrement were scattered everywhere!
"Saw some crappy place."
"Keurek?"
"Buril, let's go to the right."
"Kereureung."
Thus, we explored the cave.
The posture I had to hold was quite tiring. As we explored, I found a room that seemed to be a storage for food, and I couldn't help but admire it.
"They've got two rooms? They did a good job."
"Keurekkeurek."
When I claim this place… later on, I should expand and make separate sections for each species. It felt more like a barracks than a demon king's dungeon or lair.
Technically, I might be a demon king, but I felt more like a battalion commander + quartermaster. And Buril felt like a squad leader.
As I was thinking this…
"Kyuu, Kyusaaaaaaaah!"
Finally, a kobold appeared!
"Damn!"
Bright eyes appeared from the distance! A kobold was running towards me on all fours! Just one? Of course! That must be the end! He was probably one of the food trio!
"Come on!"
Chueok!
I aimed my spear straight ahead and stopped!
The narrow, low cave! The enemy that was rushing in a straight line! If I just prepared like this, there was nothing to fear! Such a simple-minded monster will run straight into my spear!
"Kyusaaaaaaah!"
"Wooooooo!"
And then.
Puljjeok!
The charging kobold jumped at me. I lifted my spear slightly.
Peueok!
With that,
"Kyu, Kyukyuk…"
The kobold was impaled on my spear.
"Hoo, Hoo! Yes! Perfect!"
In these narrow spaces, the kobolds could never overcome my spear! I pulled out the spear and moved the corpse aside.
"Keurek…!"
"Kkureuk…!"
The excited voices of Buril and Imsoong. I checked behind. Nothing yet. I encouraged them.
"We're almost there. This will soon be our home. Let's live here together."
"Keurek… Ke, Keurek! Kereureureuk!"
The urgent voice of Buril.
"This bastard!"
I quickly turned and assumed the same defensive posture as before!
And then!
"Kyeoooloolooloolsyaaaaaaah!!!"
The even louder cry of a Kobold.
─Toodoodoodoo!
And the even heavier sound of footsteps! A gleaming light from above!
It was distinctively clear.
"That one's the mother!"
The mother kobold that lived in this cave was charging at me!
"Kyeooolooloolool!!!"
The figure that emerged was larger than Buril. Of course, it was smaller than me, but its size was perfect for this cave, allowing it to move freely. And it was clearly furious. Understandably! Its offspring were dead, after all!
But I would never let it snatch my spear!
─Gulgulp.
I swallowed my saliva, gripping my spear tighter. If I stood still, I could kill this thing…!
With that thought, I stared at the charging mother kobold. I then…
─Peeeuk!
Thrust my spear forward!
"Kyeuk?!"
"Gotcha!"
My spear pierced through its body…! Yes! I did it! Victory was mine! Now, this cave was mine! But just as that feeling of triumph surged,
"No, no way?!"
"Kyeoooloolooloolsyaaaaaaah!"
The pierced kobold mother walked straight towards me, reaching out for me! This damn thing! It continued to approach even with a spear through it!
"Eeeugh!"
The strength in its arms was no joke. Even though I resisted, I was thrown back. That made me fall flat on my behind.
"Kyaahhh!"
"Aaaaah!"
I unwittingly allowed the creature to mount me!
"You damn… Aaah!"
"Kyaahhh!"
─Wassh!
─Wassh!
With its mouth wide open, the kobold on top of me tried to bite my head! I turned my head, dodging, and called for my subordinates!
"Bu, Buril! Imsoong! Take this creature down!"
"Kererrrrk!"
"Keerrng!"
Maybe it was because the space was too narrow for a good angle, but my reinforcements weren't coming quickly! ─Kwaaaack! I tried to push the mother off of me, but this damn thing was too strong to push off easily…!
─Wassh!
"Kraak!"
It kept trying to bite my face. It was possible to avoid it once or twice, but it would inevitably get a bite if this continued. Damn it, my handsome face would be ruined!
"That can't happen…!"
"Kyeooolooloolook! Kyeooolooloolooloolook!"
─Goooo.
I quickly mustered up my magical power, but I couldn't focus properly due to the dire situation.
"Buril, quickly!"
"Kererrrrk!"
At that very moment!
─Peeeuk!
"Kyeooosyaaaah!"
Buril stabbed the mother kobold's shoulder with his spear!
Following that!
─Whooosh!
Imsoong's demonic flames lit up the cave and rushed in! The mother, still on top of me, took the hit.
"Kyeooosyaaaah?!"
The moment the flames caught onto the mother, she jumped off me in surprise, and I seized the opportunity,
"Wooooaaaahhhhhhhh!!!"
I put all my strength into my upper body, pushing her off and shifting positions! And then…
"Demonic Breathhhhhhh!!!"
I blew fire from my mouth!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone