Watchtowers were erected throughout Balak’s territory. To prepare for Eleonora, all other raiders had been sent outside. Amidst this, a D-rank raider named Hendy had activated a Mind Field. She had to be hiding somewhere without a watchtower, having never left the territory.

Taehyun had realized this early and sent Kadum and the high elves to search. The fact that she hadn’t appeared on any monitor meant she was likely inside a building or using a skill to conceal her presence. Kadum, with his Hunter’s Eye, and the high elves, skilled trackers, were far better suited for this than any flying monster.

‘The Eleonora I saw on the status window must be a decoy. The real Eleonora is this bitch right here, who falsified her information to look like someone named Hendy.’

There couldn’t be two raiders named Eleonora. The one he’d seen when the party appeared had only partially disguised her information. The decoy must have deliberately revealed a falsified profile. That meant the real Eleonora had entered the territory beforehand under a different name. Now, the only problem was finding her. He couldn’t keep giving orders while trapped in this damn field.

“Then I’ll go first. First question: What do you see right now?”

If he couldn’t ask about her location directly, he could get close. Inhye smiled brightly at his question.

“I see trees. Bushes, too. And right in front of me, pretty flowers are growing.”

“…Second question. What skills are currently active?”

“Mind Field and Invisibility.”

As expected, a cloaking skill. She wouldn’t be casting such a powerful ability completely exposed. Now, all he had to do was find her with Kadum’s Hunter’s Eye. Yet, Taehyun’s expression was far from satisfied. He stared at her, his eyes filled with doubt.

‘If she’s in a forest, it’s either the Hylon Forest or the Silent Forest. But why there? And more importantly, are these answers even the truth?’

Inhye was the one who cast the spell. A system message had appeared, but he couldn’t be sure. After a moment’s thought, he asked his final question.

“Third question. Tell me the penalties of the Mind Field.”

In reality, a raid never failed when an ability like Mind Field was used. With shared screens, any strategy could be countered instantly. An ability like this, with no apparent range, duration, or mana cost, had to have a penalty.

Inhye slowly closed her eyes and began to answer. “First, the Mind Field is activated at the cost of my life force. Once cast, my vitality continuously drains until the raid is over. If the raid succeeds before I die, my life force returns, but a portion of it is lost forever. That’s why I try to avoid using it.”

“Keep talking.”

“Also, the skill restriction penalty on the raid party increases. The penalty on dedicated items is no exception. To explain in detail…”

She proceeded to describe the penalties imposed on her party. After hearing the full explanation, Taehyun was certain she was telling the truth.

‘With penalties like these, she’s not lying. But there are more than I expected. If it costs her life force, a skill restriction should be enough to balance it. Why are there other penalties? Is there some hidden disadvantage for me?’

The question gnawed at him. Across from him, Inhye smiled sweetly and pressed the button.

“Now it’s my turn. I’ll keep it simple and ask about Balak’s core forces and troops. Please answer comfortably.”

“You’ll ask about the territory, too, won’t you?”

“Hoo-hoo. That’s right. Then, let’s begin.”

And so, she began to pry information about Balak from him, one question at a time.

—

The time for questions was over. Taehyun and Inhye simultaneously contacted their partners to relay the new information.

—So, Master, you’re saying to prioritize searching the Silent Forest and the Hylon Forest?

“Right. Have them take the radar detection net. They haven’t found her yet, have they?”

—No. If she’s using Invisibility, it’s certainly possible we might have missed her. I’ll have them use the Hunter’s Eye and the radar net simultaneously.

“Got it… Ah, wait. Just in case, I’ll send a location transfer item. Have Kadum hold onto it. In an emergency, he can use it via Raviz’s summon.”

—Yes, Master.

The second communication ended. The raid party was slowly approaching the area known as Fours. Taehyun sent the item to Riel and sighed.

“Haa. What a pain in the ass. Why Balak? Why couldn’t you just stay holed up in the North? You came all the way to a brand-new A-rank dungeon for some damn Zen?”

“Everyone has their circumstances,” Inhye said softly. “We were in dire need of Zen, and the situation was critical. We had no choice. Please understand.”

“Like hell I’ll understand when my life is on the line, you damn bitch.”

“Hoo-hoo. By the way, we still have some time before they reach the Revived Plains. Would you listen to my story until the next question time?”

Her sorrowful expression caught his eye. She looked like someone with a deep past. There was plenty of time before the raiders reached the plains, and he had nothing else to do. Giving orders now would be pointless.

Taehyun smirked. “Do you always make Dungeon Masters listen to their life story before you kill them?”

“No. This is the first time. I feel sorry for you, and… I just wanted to talk.”

“Ha. Don’t make me laugh. Fine, go ahead. I’ll listen.”

“Thank you. I was…”

—

Inhye Cha. That was her real name. In her old life, she was a freelance web designer. Known for her calm demeanor and remarkable adaptability, she was always busy. When she was transported to the Astral Continent, she adapted to being a raider just as easily.

“Hold on. You’re not telling me a sad story, you’re just bragging.”

“Could you please just listen?”

“Hmm. Go on.”

As a recognized raid leader, Inhye gradually challenged higher-level dungeons, building her achievements. By the time she became a B-rank raider in the North, Hendy and Sihwan were already her steadfast companions. Under the alias Eleonora, she formed an elite party, and the three of them raided every day. Their goal was A-rank. They grew quickly, gathering better gear and more allies, establishing their presence in the North. Then, by chance, she acquired her special ability, and with the Mind Field, she began conquering dungeons with ease.

“Stop. That’s a total cheat. You’re telling me while I’ve been struggling like crazy, you’ve been waltzing through dungeons with a single special ability?”

“…Please be quiet.”

“Ahem. Why the long face? Keep going.”

Having achieved her goal, she and her companions took the North by storm, becoming idols among raiders. The fame of the Eleonora Raid Party grew, and her companions came to trust and rely on her completely. Her confidence soared, and she set her sights on A-rank dungeons. They were on a different level from B-rank, but with her Mind Field, she was confident against any dungeon with a Master. In just seven months, the Eleonora Raid Party conquered over fifty A-rank dungeons, stunning the entire continent. She was now a top-tier A-rank raider. As her companions rose through the ranks alongside her, there was nothing left for Inhye to fear. And then…

“Stop.”

—

The story halted. Inhye, her eyes slightly red, glared at him. “Why do you keep interrupting? What is it this time?”

“Isn’t it obvious? With nothing left to fear, you challenged an S-rank dungeon. You lost all your companions and barely made it back alive. It’s a classic story. The reason you retired was because of the Mind Field’s side effects, wasn’t it?”

“…Something like that. We were hit by a powerful curse in the S-rank dungeon. Most of them died. Only Hendy, Sihwan, and a few others survived. I was completely unharmed, but I belatedly realized the side effects of the Mind Field. That’s why I retired. But the most important reason was Hendy.”

Hendy. The name she was currently using. Taehyun clicked his tongue in pity.

“So this Hendy person was cursed, too. Your other companions were also cursed and left the party, right?”

“Y-You’re like a psychic. How do you know that?”

“You don’t need to know. Anyway, you took this request to cure the curse, I take it?”

“…That’s right. Fifty million Zen is enough to get an audience with the Pope of the Holy Kingdom. This request was an opportunity I absolutely could not miss. Hendy is…”

She continued to ramble on about Hendy in the Dragonic Mountains. After listening for a while, Taehyun slammed his hand on the table.

“That’s enough. I don’t give a damn what curse that Hendy bitch is under. Spouting this sob story, you must be looking for sympathy before you die, but don’t make me laugh, you fucking bitch.”

“…I just wanted to say it. I’m not asking for understanding. I just wanted to get it out. There. I’m done. What about you, Taehyun? How have you lived until now?”

“I don’t have a story like that.”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t have a past to look back on. I don’t remember, and I’m not in the mood to blabber to a bitch like you. Do what you came here to do. And stop looking for fucking pity.”

“…I will.”

Inhye’s expression returned to a cold neutrality. Taehyun calmly straightened his posture and checked the message that had appeared before him.

[The second effect of the Mind Field has been activated.]

[At regular intervals, you will be given a chance to ask each other questions.]

[The person asked must answer with the absolute truth.]

The second question time had arrived. Taehyun quickly pressed the button to take his turn.

“Alright. Let’s see this through to the end. The first question is…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep