Oni Dungeon.
Right in the middle of the dungeon's vast subspace, there was a huge pyramid-like construction. It had various floors and four sides. Each of the sides featured aptly distanced steps that could be used to climb the pyramid to its top-most floor.
This top floor only featured a giant open hall. It was called sacred telesterion by all the monsters that had occupied this subspace.
The telesterion was about 500 meters long and 100 meters wide. It also had a sturdy ceiling that was supported by the equidistant giant pillars, which boasted glowing runic details.
There was a raised platform at the far end of the telesterion. It seemed to serve as a throne platform because it had a throne at the end of its steps.
There was a humanoid monster sitting on the throne atop this telesterion. He was looking at his audience with mild disinterest in his eyes.
This humanoid monster was different from his audience. There were not many like him present in this subspace. He and his daughter were the only two monsters of their races.
This monster had cruel facial expressions even when it didn't look like he was angry or displeased with someone. He had white hair, red skin, and golden eyes. Two prominent horns were jutting out of his forehead.
He didn't seem all that muscular. But nobody would question his strength because he was what humans used to call the Monster King. Someone who could compete with a B-Rank entity.
This was a fully grown Oni. A legendary monster that was rarely found in the Badlands. If Edinburgh knew about such a monster's existence so close to their borders, they would do everything in their power to hunt him down.
He was what could be called monster royalty. A dark crown was placed over his head to emphasize his status. But it was not just an eye-catching accessory. This was a genuine otherworldly artifact.
"How are the preparations for the festival?"
The Oni King asked his audience in a deep and authoritative voice that resonated through the telesterion simply because of the monster's control over his mana. This monster was effortlessly strong. Stronger than most B-Rank entities put together. Closer to becoming the Monster Emperor.
This monster's audience was made of various races of monsters. Each of these monsters was a tribe leader of their respective tribe located inside the subspace.
Orcs, ogres, goblins, gnolls, cyclops, and other kinds of monsters that adventurers seldom come across. There were multiple tribes in each of the races. So there were multiple tribe leaders, belonging to the same race.
The tribe leaders belonging to the same race were positioned together. And all of the tribe leaders were united in the fact that they were all kneeling in front of their king.
"My king, the preparations for the Oni festival are complete. The emissaries you had sent outside have all completed the task assigned to them."
The one who replied to his kind was an Ogre who seemed to be in charge of all the tribe leaders of all the races. He was kneeling closer to the throne platform than the rest.
This Ogre was named Ror. He was a muscular monster in human-like form. His prominent muscle details were intimidating to look at. He also had cruel expressions on his face. But somehow they managed to look pretty in the presence of an Oni.
Ror paused for a while before adding more.
"My king, all the emissaries have completed their tasks. But there's one thing I have to report to you among one of them. We have lost contact with Kilaba. Although he has sent his offerings for the Oni festival, I feel we should check up on him to know more."
Ror replied in the same language that Oni had used. The Oni language was treated as the primal language by all the monster races. So the monsters who had received their clarity could communicate with each other using royal language as the common tongue among all of them.
The Oni's King's golden eyes shined with curiosity as he listened to Ror's report. He adjusted his seating position over his throne and prodded his head over his folded arm's palm before finally responding.
"Let it be. Kilaba had been given a divine blessing before he was sent out at the last Oni festival. If he couldn't protect himself even with something of that caliber working for him, I don't see any point in heading out to check things out for him."
The monster King said and smiled before looking at his audience. His long red horns reflected the moonlight off their smooth surface as he made a popping sound out of his neck. Keeping his right-hand palm behind his neck, he spun his neck a few more times as if bored before making a domineering comment.
"The Oni festival is a sacred event for all of the children of Echidna who live outside it. The land of the faithless is no place for us. It's not our home. But this festival enables us to feel like we never left Echidna, if only for a short time."
The Oni King stood from his seat. His 12-foot stature towered over the tribe leaders. He started walking in front of him and walked down the steps with his hand behind his back.
The tribe leaders, who were already quiet and motionless on their knees, held their breaths as their king started walking through the path that divided the audience into two groups.
The Oni King was walking on the beast skin that was placed in the middle of the telesterion, serving as the regal carpet. He was looking in front of him into the void as he spoke further.
"Someday, we will have to conquer this continent to spread our faith. And we can't do that if we stay weak and docile.
Our clarity is a precious gift, which is given to us for a reason. We are sent here to open the closed doors from inside.
This sealed continent will one day be open to the gods' presence. And that will be the greatest moment for all of the children of the Echidna irrespective of where they are."
AN: Monster categories have been explained in chapter 434.
