[The third Faction War between the Secret Faction and the Resistance is preparing to begin.]

[Secret: Seokwoo Yoo]

[Resistance: Hyunjun Jo]

Not long after the third Faction War began, the Resistance’s match was announced. Their opponent was the fourth-ranked Secret Faction. The Resistance had selected Hyunjun, who had completed a mission with Taehyun as a raider. Secret, meanwhile, had chosen the rising star Seokwoo, the newly crowned number one B-rank.

“Who do you think will win?” Songyi asked.

“I’m not sure,” Taehyun admitted. “We’ll have to see what the mission is.”

“What’s your gut feeling?”

“Honestly, I’d like to bet on Hyunjun for his sharp judgment, but his opponent was the only one to capture a city during the invasion. He’s no pushover. Let’s call it fifty-fifty for now.”

During their mission, Hyunjun’s exceptional judgment and comprehension had been a great help. Normally, Taehyun would have sided with him, but Seokwoo’s feat during the Holy Kingdom invasion marked him as a formidable talent.

Seonghwi smiled faintly and sat down beside him. He feigned a relaxed air, but he too must have been desperate for faction points.

‘He lost the last Faction War, so he must be determined to win this one. I guess I’ll watch and see how it plays out.’

Taehyun leaned back in his chair and watched the screen.

—

[Victory for the Secret Faction!]

[The winner of this Faction War is the Secret Faction.]

The colosseum fell silent. The mission was a psychological battle: guess the number of cards the opponent held to win coins. But the game had ended with a staggering difference in skill. The winner was none other than Seokwoo Yoo of the Secret Faction, who had overwhelmingly dominated Hyunjun to claim victory.

[Third Faction War Final Rankings]

[1. Tarantula (6 points)]

[2. Blood Lion (6 points)]

[3. Foxy (6 points)]

[4. Secret (6 points)]

[5. Nider (4 points)]

[6. Rodria (4 points)]

[7. Handas (4 points)]

The final rankings appeared. With the last match concluded, the standings had shifted, and the Resistance had been knocked out of the top seven. Seonghwi, sitting beside Taehyun, narrowed his eyes and glared at Seokwoo as he returned to his seat.

“A rather annoying fellow has appeared in another faction,” Seonghwi muttered.

“I’ll be taking my leave now,” Taehyun said.

Having been pushed out of the running, Seonghwi must have realized how dangerous their position had become. Taehyun, however, paid it no mind and left the arena. Just then, Narae approached him at the entrance.

“Leaving already?”

“I have things to attend to. I’ll be going now, Narae.”

“Hey… about the formal speech. Can’t you… drop it?”

“I’m using it out of courtesy. Is it making you uncomfortable?” Within the faction, he was trying his best to be considerate of the other Dungeon Masters. Her request to change his way of speaking was puzzling.

“It’s not that I’m uncomfortable,” she stammered, “but you’re an A-rank now, an equal, not a newbie anymore, so…”

“Weren’t you the one who called me a newbie at the gathering earlier?”

“That was! That was… umm. F-fine! Then I’ll just call you Taehyun, so you can just call me Narae, okay?”

“…I’ll try.”

She was making a scene all by herself, but as long as they were allies, he had to cooperate. With that, Taehyun left the arena. Left alone, Narae let out a belated sigh and slapped her forehead.

“That’s not what I meant to say! Idiot! Idiot!”

—

[You have returned to Balak.]

[The dungeon protection period is lifted.]

The dungeon’s protective barrier vanished upon his return from the Faction War. A-rank raid parties would soon begin their scheduled assaults. Although some had withdrawn after the annihilation of the Eleonora Raid Party, he couldn’t let his guard down. Taehyun immediately began restoring Balak’s original rooms to prepare for the coming onslaught.

“Master, we’re starting to have financial problems,” Raviz reported. “At this rate, we won’t be able to manage the territory properly.”

“First, let’s finish cleaning up, then we’ll have to farm some Zen. For now, we have her.” Taehyun’s gaze shifted to Valona on the screen.

The Anslake Barony was located within the Koloteum Kingdom. With raiders hired by Momonte continuously probing Balak, his daughter was excellent leverage.

‘There’s no way he isn’t worried when his own daughter raided Balak and never came back.’

Given his connection to Count Dinen, there was a great deal to be gained from Momonte. He had to make the most of Valona, especially after the Zen he’d spent fending off Eleonora’s forces. First, however, he had to deal with the other two prisoners.

“Riel, how are those two?”

“The raider named Inhye keeps asking to see you, Master. The other one, Sihan, hasn’t said a single word.”

“I’ll have to take care of them first.”

Inhye had even mentioned a contract when he found her casting Mind Field. If he threatened her using Hendy, the person she cherished most, she would have no choice but to join Balak. Taehyun had already given Grai his instructions and was now making his way to the underground prison.

—

In the prison, Inhye and Sihan kept their distance, the air thick with animosity.

“Please! Just listen to me! I’m begging you!” Inhye pleaded to the empty corridor.

“Aren’t you tired of that yet? Just stop,” Sihan grumbled.

“You shut your mouth!” she snapped. “Whether I was captured or not, you should have run! You should have run for Hendy’s sake!”

“Damn it! You think I had a choice?!”

Their relationship had shattered. When the Mind Field was canceled, Inhye had prayed that Sihan, at least, would escape. But he had stubbornly pushed toward the final room, prioritizing his own rescue over Hendy’s. It was only natural they would grow apart.

Sihan let out a ragged breath, then sighed in defeat. “Fine. Do whatever you want.”

“I will, whether you tell me to or not. I will never give up on Hendy!”

She had accepted the Peyton Dukedom’s request solely to cure Hendy’s curse. Even captured by Balak, she couldn’t abandon her. Inhye began to call out for Taehyun until her throat was raw. Just then, footsteps echoed from the entrance.

“Been waiting long?”

It was Balak’s Dungeon Master, Taehyun. Inhye’s face lit up as she pressed herself against the iron bars.

“Taehyun, you’re finally here! Please, listen to my story. Please? I’m begging you.”

“Jeez. How can a woman who was so aggressive change so drastically? Enough. I already know everything. Isn’t that right, Sihan Ryu?”

“You’re just going to try and persuade us anyway,” Sihan sneered. “Go ahead and try. Inhye might fall for it, but I will never serve under you.”

Despite Inhye’s venomous glare, Sihan didn’t back down. No matter the threats or contracts, he had no intention of becoming a Dungeon Master’s subordinate. He glared at Taehyun, even considering taking his own life.

“Well, I expected you wouldn’t cooperate.”

“Then just take Inhye and get lost. I don’t care anymore.”

“Oh? Looks like your close bond soured while you were locked up. I suppose it makes sense, since you got greedy trying to save both Hendy and Inhye. But I need you, too. Grai.”

At his call, Grai appeared, holding Hendy in his arms. The two prisoners’ eyes widened. They had told him about Hendy inside the Mind Field, but neither had expected him to bring her here so quickly. Sihan lunged at the bars, his voice raw with rage.

“You bastard! You lay one hand on Hendy, and I’ll chase you to the depths of hell and rip your throat out!”

“I haven’t done anything yet. Calm down,” Taehyun said coolly. “As long as you two do as I say, nothing will happen to Hendy. Well, she is slowly dying from the curse, but still.”

Taehyun took two contracts from his coat and pushed them through the bars. Sihan moved to rip them to shreds, but Inhye snatched them up first.

“You stay quiet,” she hissed. “I’ll handle this.”

“What are you going to handle? It just means we have to obey him! You crazy bitch, get a grip! It’s obvious what that bastard is going to demand of you!”

“I don’t care what it is. Even if he wants my body, if it’s for Hendy, I’m willing to give… What is this?!” Inhye’s expression hardened as she read the contract.

Sensing something was wrong, Sihan glared at Taehyun. “You bastard. What the hell did you write in there? What do you want from us?!”

“Why have you both been so mistaken about me? And you, why don’t you read the contract properly before you jump to conclusions?”

“A contract from a Dungeon Master is always the same! It’s just full of conditions to satisfy your sick desires… Inhye?”

In the middle of his tirade, he noticed Inhye had gone silent. Her head was bowed, her body trembling. Alarmed, Sihan picked up the contract that had fallen to the floor.

“…No way.”

Now that he had seen the contents, his aggressive demeanor vanished. Taehyun shrugged and looked at Inhye.

“So? Do you like the terms?”

“Is this… real?”

“Are you crying?”

“Are you really offering a contract with these terms?” Inhye finally raised her head, her voice choked with tears. Even after reading it several times, she couldn’t believe it.

Taehyun smirked and handed her a quill. “It’s written right there. First time seeing a contract? Hurry up and sign.”

“But why? Why would you offer… these terms?”

“If you don’t want to, then don’t.”

“No! I’ll do it! I’ll definitely do it!” Inhye quickly signed the contract.

Beside her, Sihan stared at Taehyun with suspicion. “A Dungeon Master is offering us a contract like this?”

“Why? It’s good for you, good for me. Seems fair, doesn’t it? Or should I change the terms?”

“I just don’t understand you,” Sihan muttered. “Fine, I’ll do it. Just make sure you uphold your end of the deal.”

The moment a contract was made, its contents became a magically binding oath. To break it was to be struck down by Morpina, the God of Contracts. Sihan took the quill from Inhye and signed his name.

[The contract procedure has been completed.]

[The contract has been activated.]

[Morpina, the God of Contracts, now observes Player Taehyun Yoo and Player Inhye Cha.]

[Morpina, the God of Contracts, now observes Player Sihan Ryu and Player Taehyun Yoo.]

The two contracts activated. Inhye and Sihan were now, for all intents and purposes, raiders of Balak. Taehyun confirmed the system message and gestured to Grai, who opened the prison door and laid Hendy gently on the floor.

“Aah! Hendy! Hendy!” Inhye cried, immediately embracing her as tears streamed down her face.

And so, the three raiders were reunited in Balak.

—

“My lord, what on earth was in that contract? I have never seen raiders react like that before,” Grai asked as soon as they returned to the Master Room.

Their reaction was certainly a world away from others who had signed contracts with him. Taehyun re-checked Hendy’s information before replying.

“It was nothing special. I just promised to break Hendy’s curse.”

“But that raider’s curse is a high-level one, is it not? A curse from an S-rank dungeon… Is it truly possible to remove it?”

“Ah, originally, I was just going to threaten them into signing, curse or no curse. But the plan changed. Hendy is a top-tier A-rank raider. If I can break her curse and get her under contract, our military strength will increase enormously.”

The high-level curse afflicting Hendy was also persistent. Unless its medium was destroyed, it would continue to drain her life force. As of now, there was no immediate way to save her.

However, Taehyun had already learned an unexpected truth.

“What is it?” Seonghwi’s voice crackled through the communication device. “I’m in a very bad mood right now, so if you don’t have anything important to say…”

“I’ll need you to break one of your dungeon’s curses for me,” Taehyun said smoothly.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“The Faction War,” Taehyun said, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Do you really think the members will continue to be chosen at random, Seonghwi?”

—

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep