[Your dungeon will be assimilated into the real world in: 0:05:59]
Just like when Toy and the other goblins had attacked, Salome and Vale stood next to each other, facing the black translucent wall. This wall wasn't in the same place as the first; it was a little further beyond and was more opaque to the point where not a single feature beyond could be made out.
Vale was armed with his whip, while also storing one of the swords he got from the goblin in the pendant.
While he still wasn't adept at fighting, yet, now that he had a weapon that could kill, he felt a little safer.
As for the dungeon itself, they weren't able to do too much with the resources they had. The roof of the main room was at least 4 meters high, so they'd be unable to make a wall that went to the ceiling; they settled on making a 2.5 meter wall that blocked the entrance from viewing into the rest of the room and led straight in, from the entrance on the right side (looking in), all the way to the left before it opened to the larger room.
The wall was pretty thin, and this world probably had beings able to scale it easily, but they'd work on connecting it to the ceiling in time. In fact, the three builder workers had long been sent to aid in mining so they could continue progress on the wall later.
He'd kept Larry and the other imp he deemed an artisan, Sizzy, on their task since he figured that skill would definitely be helpful in the future. Even right now, they found a use…
It seemed that while he couldn't block the way to the core, he could at least cover it, in a sense. The path needed to be accessible, but he was able to fix the streamers Sizzy and Larry made from the loincloth above the entrance and let them drape down in front of it, at least hiding what was beyond it a little from direct view.
He accomplished that by mining out divots above the door, then holding the streamers while he placed the rock back using the blueprint and affixed them in place.
As for Toy, since she was pretty weak, even weaker than Vale, her only job at the moment was to defend the core. She was tucked away, standing in the corridor leading to the Core room, wielding a sword.
If things went as Vale hoped, she shouldn't see any enemies. He wished he didn't either.
Salome's face went pale as the wall began to grow transparent.
"Master, I sense… something strange."
Vale looked over at Salome, whom he'd eventually convinced to readopt her outfit.
"What? What do you mean?"
[Your dungeon will be assimilated into the real world in: 0:00:30]
"It… it feels like…"
Vale looked over at Salome and studied the odd expression on her face as her already alabaster skin grew paler and her eyes narrowed
Salome's voice grew quiet.
"N-no… here? Already?"
[Your dungeon will be assimilated into the real world in: 0:00:15]
Then she let out a feverish scream:
"Master! Hide in the Core with Toy! Now!"
'Huh? What?'
[Your dungeon will be assimilated into the real world in: 0:00:10]
"No time to explain, just go! Don't come out!"
"But—"
"Hurry!"
Vale slowly began backpedaling toward where the wall met the main room, deep in contemplation.
Was he going to take orders… from his supposed 'servant'?
It seemed like Salome had somehow sensed something dastardly and downright atrocious on the other side of the wall. She looked like she was sure of his death if he stayed.
Whatever was going to happen, he had no right to witness! To live, he should listen.
Vale began to turn around, then stopped…
'Why do I always run away from shit?'
'Have I ever faced… anything… after losing Fleur?'
Salome's voice cracked as she looked at Vale, who'd slowly started walking back to where he stood.
"What are you doing?!"
"I'm supposed to be your master, are I not? That's what you've been calling me at least… What kind of master hides while their followers risk their lives for them? What kind of master only stares at their followers' backs? Not one who's going to go very far…"
"You won't go very far if you're dead! Ru—"
Vale cut her off sternly and faced forward.
"It's simple… Then protect me. In turn, let me protect you. As a 'master' should."
[Your dungeon will be assimilated into the real world in: 0:00:03]
Salome opened her mouth to say something, but quickly decided against it. She clenched her jaw, faced the wall and grimaced before sighing.
"Fine…"
[Assimilation beginning…]
[The Dungeon of Lust has been assimilated!]
[Challenge different levels to grow your Core!]
[Explore the world outside and all the pleasures and resources it has to offer!]
[You have obtained a Vice-Rank item: Throne of Lust!]
[Good luck, Fifth!]
The onyx wall fell, and a sea of varying, disgusting abominations looked back at the two lone defenders.
Unlike the attractive goblins before… these creatures were vile and repugnant.
Black ooze dripped from every orifice. They had misshapen limbs, snouts that extended too far, and teeth arranged in ways where the only goal was to puncture and kill.
Some of the abominations were like malformed dogs with bony skin, their flesh looking like one rough step, and it would slide off. Some were missing skin on their cheeks, letting one see their entire mandible and teeth.
Others were beings with no likeness to anything Vale had seen back in his home world.
Some had twisted limbs that were much longer than their body and eyes that seemed permanently affixed open, bloodshot. Some had long, spiky tails and flailed around.
The only thing they all had in common seemed to be their desired prey…
Vale would have tried counting how many there were, if there were any merit in doing so. Not only could he not see the end of the vicious beasts, he couldn't see himself surviving this onslaught.
In an instant, the horde began bounding into the Dungeon.
"Don't let the black substance touch you!"
Salome's wings began to glow brighter than ever before, and fifteen quills separated from the leather canvas and floated around her.
Vale slowly let his arm holding the whip fall to his side.
'Oh… we're dead.'
Then… Vale felt it again. The same ancient darkness he felt when he'd first been transported into the dungeon.
In the next moment, a literal tide of shadows washed over the charging abominations and then consumed him and Salome.