Chapter 675- The Treaty
It was during the time his dungeon was breached by a coalition of adventurers led by the guild named Seven Swords Guild. Simon had just completed the fourth trial in the forbidden grounds and had arrived in his dungeon, only to get that news.
Of course, their attempt was met with a failure, as Simon did not spare anyone and wiped all of them out or took them as convicts to be questioned and later killed except for one, that guy managed to escape.
There was one person among the lot who had intruded his dungeon pretending to be under the coercion of the Sea God's Guild and observed the entire spectacle while hiding as Simon wiped out their entire party.
That guy who called himself Bryan or 007 a senior executive of some organisation called as Cerberus was able to hide from the surveillance of the dungeon. Assuming that it was a skill that was developed by the Adventurer's Association to tackle the dungeons as said by Davis Hall, that guy also possessed another peculiar ability.
He was able to transform into some monstrous being with furs all over his body and elongated arms. Not only that, but after he transformed into that form, his stats, energy, skills all seemed to have risen drastically.
Although he had managed to escape thanks to a powerful spatial artefact, he still left an impression on Simon who couldn't help but wonder if there was any connection with the monster Duke Beleth spoke about.
Cerberus huh?! Simon took out a badge from his space ring. It was a badge that depicted a three headed infernal hound called the Cerberus.
This badge was given to him by Bryan saying that there would come a time in the future when they would have to work together. The other party had also invited him into his ranks; however, he had rejected it.
Simon didn't know what the objective of this organisation was, but one thing was certain... this organisation always moved in the shadows. It would be too soon to discount the involvement of Cerberus in the fall of so many high ranking dungeons.
'Seems like I will have to fortify my dungeon and raise its rank as soon as possible' Simon came to a decision.
Being a demon Earl who had created his own dungeon, the fall of the high ranking dungeons also concerned him. It could be said that his dungeon was relatively safe and fortified right now. However, who could say about the future?
If even High ranking dungeon wasn't safe, much less needs to be said about a [C] rank intermediate tier dungeon. In his case, if not for his capable subordinates his dungeon, Laplace might have fallen years ago.
Be it private guilds or Adventurer's Associations that managed them, they cannot be underestimated. Not only had they created so many new skills and machines like the Floor Buster to tackle the dungeon, who knew what else they had in store?
If the demon nobles continued to underestimate the adventurers, it been diving inside the dungeons for thousands of years. Naturally, we have amassed some knowledge over the years and passed it wouldn't be too long before they get the rug pulled from under them.
"Haha, you shouldn't be that surprised demon. Us human race has been diving inside the dungeons for thousands of years. Naturally, we have amassed some knowledge over the years and passed it down from generation to generation. To counter the dangers of the dungeon, we have created many new skills and artefacts. The mask, that I used, the machine behind me and the skills Edgar used are just some of our latest inventions".
Simon recalled the words that Davis Hall, an officer of the Adventurer's Association had said to him once.
The humans have evolved and learned a whole lot since the ancient times. The knowledge that they inherited and passed from generation to generation became the strength of the ones of this era.
The current generations of humans were quite innovative in that they have come up with a new and different method of exploring dungeons. The Floor Buster for example was able to catch Simon who had made the mistake of underestimating the aventurers, by surprise.
It destroyed all of his plans and traps that he had set for them and ultimately forced him to come out and face them himself ahead of his plans.
If they can create something that goes unnoticed from the radars of the dungeon and havemachines that can breach through floors and many more, who is to say that they cannot isolate a dungeon and conquer it before the other demons even get an inkling?
The alliance and pacts that the demon nobles are creating under the façade of self interest, will not help them. This temporary unity will soon crumble away and collapse when more dungeons start falling and the selfishness of the demons are laid bare.
At that time, the alliance would hold no meaning and become an empty word.
"Hey, my best friend what are you thinking so intently? Are you that worried about your dungeon? You look quite stiff, relax a little. Don't be overly worried and push yourself to the edge. If you do, you won't find any solution" Oswell commented glancing at Simon who was lost in his own world.
Should I tell him about this? Simon deliberated. Oswell was someone who had a good relationship with him, the latter had also helped him out during the journey. As such, telling him about what he knew didn't seem a bad idea.
In fact, the other party might also be in possession of useful information. If they could share their information with each other, it would benefit them mutually.
And so, Simon told Oswell all that he knew about the Adventurer Associations and their new inventions. After hearing what Simon had to say, a rare seriousness descended onto Oswell's face.
"I see so your dungeon too has experienced those inventions of theirs huh? As a matter of fact, a few months ago my dungeon too was assaulted by a group of adventurers who used peculiar means and gadgets to dive deeper into the dungeon".
"In my case, they used a peculiar machine that could generate poisonous smoke that can kill or render most monsters unconscious. But this Floor Buster you say is something else. If they have really perfected that machine, then even the higher ranking dungeons are not safe. Be it this or that, it looks like the dungeon exploration has entered a new era"
He spoke with a grim voice. A machine that could render the monsters inside the dungeon unconscious and a machine that could breach through floors would scare any demon.
That said, now that they were aware of the new inventions and the way the dungeon exploration is going to change in the future, they could prepare their dungeon appropriately for it.
Simon and Oswell continued to share the information they knew about the adventurers and amidst their discussion, the topic of the treaty inadvertently arrived.
What was this treaty the demon nobles were talking about? Why were they so afraid of it? After becoming a Demon Earl, the memories of the world he inherited became a little more complete.
However, this knowledge was still beyond his rank. Although he had heard about some treaty from Cecilia once. However, how much could a ten to eleven year child who has never stepped foot away from her village, know?
"Right, let me tell you about this treaty that shackles us Demon nobles and many other clans likewise. In the annals of ancient history, there exists a treaty that stands as a testament to the resilience and wisdom of the races that inhabit the realms".
"This treaty, forged in the wake of the cataclysmic Second Apex War sought to restore balance and foster harmony between the clans that had been ravaged by conflict. It was around the time when the chaos led to unfettered ambition and ruthless exploitation of Many rare and extraordinary clans, whose very bodies held treasures beyond imagination".
"They became the targets of greed and desperation. These extraordinary clans possessed physical attributes and abilities that were the envy of all. There were those whose blood ran with ancient magic, granting them unimaginable powers, and those whose bodies could regenerate even the gravest of wounds and some whose orbs could allow one to purify their bloodline and help them reach new heights of power and level".
As Oswell spoke till here, Simon could more or less understand what happened next. In this lawless vacuum, those with power sought to dominate and control these rare clans. They were subjected to relentless pursuit, their freedom stripped away, and their lives reduced to mere commodities.
Captured and confined, they were traded like objects, their unique attributes harnessed for personal gain or sold to the highest bidder. Cecilia's clan, the Forest Spring Spirits was just one of them.
Oswell continued: "It was amidst this backdrop of desperation and despair that the Dragon Lords emerged as beacons of hope. These supreme and noble beings, revered for their wisdom, power, and unyielding sense of justice, recognized the dire need for stability and order".
"They sought to restore balance to all the continents and protect those who were vulnerable to exploitation. The treaty itself was a laborious endeavour, meticulously crafted over years of negotiations, concessions, and diplomatic manoeuvrings".
"It punished any and all clans who were playing a part of subjugators and imposed heavy sanctions and rules on them. And the race of Demon Nobles was one of them who played a proactive role in all of this. Many of our rights were ceased, our influence censored and we were confined to this land forever unable to step out".
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