NOVGO.NET Chapter 438 - 437: Dungeon Conquered
Chapter 438: Chapter 437: Dungeon Conquered
Finding such a treasure would be enough to drive entire continents into war.
Countless Tier 7 experts would willingly risk their lives for even the smallest chance of obtaining it.
Yet, Alix merely shook his head.
"I’ll leave it here."
He didn’t reach for the sword. Nor did he even step closer.
He already possessed more Tier 7 weapons and artifacts than he currently needed.
More importantly...
Although, this dungeon continuously regenerated its treasures over time.
There was no guarantee another Tier 7 weapon would appear again.
Perhaps it would.
Perhaps it wouldn’t.
There was no need to gamble.
For Alix, the long-term value of the dungeon far exceeded the value of a single weapon.
He continued exploring the enormous chamber.
Several Tier 6 artifacts rested upon nearby shelves.
Rare ores that no longer existed outside the dungeon had been neatly stored inside crystal boxes.
Ancient skills and spells written in an unfamiliar demonic language filled entire bookcases.
There were also countless precious materials that would fetch astonishing prices if sold outside.
This, was the true reward. Not a single treasure.
But an endless source of wealth.
Eventually, Alix arrived at the very end of the treasury.
There, inside an enormous circular chamber, floated a crystal nearly ten meters tall.
It shimmered with countless colors.
Streams of pure mana continuously flowed through its surface like rivers.
The surrounding space gently rippled with every pulse it emitted.
This time, the System immediately identified it.
[Dungeon Core]
The heart of the dungeon.
The source responsible for maintaining the entire demonic city.
Every Lesser Demon.
Every Tempter.
Every Minor Lord.
Even the fallen Lord itself.
As long as this crystal remained intact. The dungeon would continue restoring itself over time.
Monsters would revive.
Treasures would gradually reappear.
The entire dungeon would endlessly regenerate.
Destroying it would immediately collapse the dungeon forever.
Alix quietly looked at the crystal.
He slowly walked around it once.
There was absolutely no reason to destroy it.
Some cultivators would shatter the Dungeon Core to permanently eliminate the threat.
Others would do so to obtain the enormous amount of energy contained within it.
Alix had no interest in either option.
In his eyes, this wasn’t merely a dungeon.
It was an inexhaustible source of income.
A perfect training ground, and endless supplier of valuable materials.
A place where rare treasures could continuously appear.
Destroying it would be the equivalent of burning down one’s own treasury.
That would be foolish.
After memorizing the chamber’s layout, Alix turned around and calmly left.
The treasury doors slowly closed behind him.
The hidden staircase gradually disappeared beneath the ground once more.
By the time he returned to the surface...
The devastated battlefield had already begun repairing itself.
The Dungeon Core had started restoring the environment.
---
Several days later.
At the northern border of the Alnera Kingdom.
The once heavily fortified frontier had changed beyond recognition.
The massive stone walls still stood proudly against the horizon, but the banners flying above them no longer belonged to the Alnera Kingdom.
Instead, unfamiliar flags fluttered in the wind.
Each banner displayed the emblem of a monstrous race, announcing to everyone who approached that this land had long since changed rulers.
Rows of heavily armed monster soldiers patrolled the walls with remarkable discipline.
Orcs wearing full plate armor marched alongside towering beastmen carrying massive halberds.
Lizardmen archers stood atop watchtowers, their sharp reptilian eyes scanning the surrounding forests without pause.
Groups of hobgoblins transported supplies between the fortress and nearby settlements with surprising efficiency.
There was no chaos.
No disorder.
Everything moved with military precision.
Several kilometers away, concealed within the dense forest overlooking the border fortress, three figures remained hidden among the thick branches of ancient trees.
Each of them wore dark clothing specifically designed for concealment.
Their leather armor absorbed the surrounding light, making them almost invisible beneath the shadows of the forest canopy.
Even their breathing had been suppressed to an extraordinary degree.
These were professionals.
Assassins.
Scouts who specialized in infiltration rather than direct combat.
The man crouching at the front lowered the small observation lens in his hand.
His face was rugged, bearing several old scars that spoke of countless dangerous missions.
His sharp eyes remained fixed upon the monster-controlled fortress for several more seconds before he finally spoke.
"So..."
"It really wasn’t an exaggeration."
His voice was calm.
"The monsters truly conquered the entire kingdom."
Even after hearing the reports beforehand...
Seeing it with his own eyes was an entirely different experience.
Not a single human soldier remained upon the walls.
Every guard.
Every patrol.
Every officer.
All of them belonged to various monster races.
Beside him, a young woman slowly lowered herself behind a thick tree trunk.
Unlike the leader, her expression was filled with unease.
She possessed long silver hair tied into a practical ponytail, while two daggers rested quietly at her waist.
Despite years of experience as an assassin...
The sight before her caused her heartbeat to quicken.
She swallowed nervously.
"Boss..."
She glanced toward the distant fortress once more.
"Isn’t this... too dangerous?"
"That’s an entire kingdom occupied by monsters."
"If we’re discovered..."
She didn’t finish her sentence.
She didn’t need to.
Everyone present understood the consequences.
There would be no escape.
The final member of the group remained silent.
A young man carrying a compact crossbow observed the surroundings instead of the fortress itself, ensuring no patrols had approached their hiding place.
Only after confirming they remained alone did he quietly nod toward their leader.
The scarred man released a slow sigh.
"I know."
"This mission is far more dangerous than our usual assignments."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"But this time..."
"We don’t have the luxury of refusing."
He reached inside his cloak and withdrew a rolled parchment sealed with an ornate crest.
Even after days of travel, the royal wax seal remained completely intact.
He looked at it for a brief moment before putting it away again.
"The commission came directly from the royal family."
"They personally contacted me."
The woman blinked in surprise.
"The royal family themselves?"
The leader nodded.
"They’re desperate."
"The fall of Alnera Kingdom has shaken every neighboring nation."
"No one knows what the monsters are planning next."
"Every kingdom wants information."
He looked toward the distant fortress once more.
"And information..."
"...is exactly what we’re here to gather."
The young man with the crossbow quietly asked,
"The payment must be incredible."
A faint smile finally appeared on the leader’s face.
"It is."
"Honestly..."
"It’s the largest commission I’ve accepted in my entire career."
"There was no reason to decline."
His expression soon became serious again.
"I’ve already gathered as much intelligence as possible before coming here."
He unfolded a second parchment filled with handwritten notes.
According to the reports...
Although the monsters now ruled the kingdom.
The majority of the human population was still alive.
There had been no large-scale massacres.
No widespread destruction of cities.
Most towns continued functioning as normal.
Markets remained open.
Trade still existed.
Farmers continued tending their fields.
The only significant difference... Was that the kingdom was now governed by monsters instead of humans.
The leader tapped the map with one finger.
"Our objective is simple."
"We cross the border."
"We avoid unnecessary attention."
"And once we’re inside..."
He looked toward his two companions.
"We blend in with the civilians."
"We gather information."