Chapter 232: Episode 232

[S-rank Named Guardian, Assassin Krodin, has cast Block Retreat.]

[Moves to Senmus’s rear.]

[A-rank Named Guardian, Ruler of Speed Senmus, has died.]

Senmus, who had been in hot pursuit, was slain in a single, devastating blow. A critical strike from behind dealt double damage, and not even an A-rank Named Guardian could survive it. In the Master Room, Junhyun and Narae stared, utterly stunned.

“He died in one hit?” Narae breathed.

“Incredible,” Junhyun remarked, his voice tight with surprise. “So that is the power of an S-rank Named Guardian. There was a reason he sent so few.”

His initial worry about sending only thirty soldiers into the gorge had been entirely misplaced. The Secret Faction, still conserving their radar network, had only used a Vision Expansion Scroll. Against such a small, elite force targeting their scouts, they were just racking up casualties.

“Kukuk’. I’m magnificent,” Krodin preened. “Truly, I am the greatest of assassins. None can stand in my way!”

Despite his rampant narcissism, Krodin’s skill was undeniable. Taehyun, pleased with the result, turned his attention to another screen.

[Pargal Tribe Polgva has cast Poison Arrow.]

[Pargal Tribe Mandrisa has cast Firegazing.]

[Pargal Tribe Jolboru has cast Vision Block.]

The invisible Pargal Tribe warriors were systematically dismantling the enemy forces swarming toward them. Each warrior possessed Mercenary Mastery, making them proficient with a wide array of weapons. Against such versatile fighters, the enemy’s rogue soldiers were utterly powerless.

“Gah!’ I was stealthed! How did they—?!”

“There are only thirty of them! Stay calm and fight back!”

“Dammit, I’m hit! Poison arrow! I need a priest! Priest!”

The thirty Pargal warriors unleashed a storm of skills, tormenting their foes. The main units mixed in with the rogues had managed to see through their stealth, but it was a futile effort. The warriors’ bloodlust had been fully awakened. Attacking them without priests was a suicide mission, especially in the dense forest. For the Pargal Tribe, born of the wild, this terrain was their playground.

[The Ganeisha reconnaissance unit has been annihilated.]

[The Ronzel reconnaissance unit has been annihilated.]

[The Targonin reconnaissance unit has been annihilated.]

One by one, the scattered scout teams were being wiped off the map, the work of just thirty-one elite soldiers. The Secret Faction’s failure to deploy their radar network sooner was proving to be a catastrophic miscalculation.

[A-rank High-tier Raider Zeter has cast Vision Domination.]

[The vision of the entire gorge area is now shared.]

[Vision Domination Use Limit 1/1]

A pale blue moon suddenly appeared in the sky, casting the gorge into an eerie twilight as its light dominated their vision. They had finally decided to burn a single-use skill rather than their radar network. But now, the S-rank units would be exposed. Taehyun acted instantly, ordering Raviz to perform a Mass Summon.

[A-rank Hero Guardian, Pioneer of Space Raviz, has cast Mass Summon.]

[The Pargal Tribe soldiers and Krodin have been summoned from Kant Gorge to Balak.]

His elite force, after inflicting over a thousand casualties, vanished from the battlefield.

“Amazing,” Narae whispered, her eyes wide. “Just thirty-one of them took out over a thousand. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it myself.”

“They wasted a one-use skill just for our forces to escape,” Junhyun noted, a hint of admiration in his voice. “Their scouts and rogues must be decimated by now.”

“Indeed,” Taehyun confirmed. “A scout’s primary purpose is to secure vision. They won’t be getting a clear picture of anything now.”

First in the Collad Mountains, now in Kant Gorge, he had crippled his enemy with only a fraction of his strength. The final battleground would be the Benteno Hills. On that rolling terrain, a mixture of mountains and plains, vision would be paramount.

[Assassin Krodin’s narcissism has worsened.]

[Pargal Tribe Komelu has entered a frenzy.]

[The Pargal Tribe soldiers are praising Taehyun-nim with even greater fervor.]

Of course, Balak now had its own internal chaos to manage, but that hardly mattered.

“Kuhahaha!’ I embrace the darkness!” a warrior roared.

“Balak! Balak! Balak!” the tribe chanted.

“So noisy I could die,” Krodin muttered. “Kuma!”

’…Or maybe it does matter,’ Taehyun thought with a sigh.

—

[The morale of all soldiers has decreased.]

[The number of scouts has been reduced by more than half.]

[The Secret Faction’s vision capabilities have been severely diminished.]

Their losses in Kant Gorge had been staggering. They had lost 1,432 scouts, five guardians, and over five hundred rogue soldiers. Factoring in the limited-use skills wasted by their surviving main forces, the damage was far greater than they had anticipated.

“What the hell happened?” one faction member demanded. “How did thirty soldiers inflict this much damage? We sent in plenty of our own main forces!”

“Those weren’t normal A-rank units. They must have been loaded with every buff and piece of equipment imaginable.”

“Even so, this is absurd! Even with top-tier gear, this kind of power shouldn’t be possible!”

Confusion rippled through the Secret Faction’s command. They had secured vision, yet their troops had been slaughtered. The regret of not using their radar network earlier was a bitter pill to swallow.

’If only I had used the radar,’ Seokwoo lamented internally. He seethed with resentment for Sohee but dared not show it. She looked just as flustered as everyone else, her prediction having been proven disastrously wrong. Now was not the time to point fingers.

“Faction Leader, I think we should make camp,” he suggested.

“I feel like… this is my fault. The losses are greater because of me,” Sohee said, her voice trembling. “I was wrong. I’m so sorry, Seokwoo.”

“N-no, not at all! It’s not your fault, Faction Leader. They were just stronger than we expected. And we haven’t lost yet! Just trust me.”

“Okay,” she whispered, her voice fragile. “I’ll trust you, Seokwoo.”

She suddenly took his hand. The woman he had always admired from a distance was now leaning on him, seeking his strength. No man would let such a moment pass. Seokwoo wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

“Faction Leader—no, Sohee. I will prove it to you. I will prove that I am superior to Balak’s Taehyun Yoo.”

“But things are so difficult now because of me.”

“It’s fine. This is nothing,” he declared, his confidence swelling. “As long as I’m here, neither the Resistance nor the Tarantula Faction is a threat. For you, and you alone, I will raise the Secret Faction to the pinnacle of power.”

“Really?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Of course!”

“Okay. Then I’ll put all my trust in you, Seokwoo.”

She melted into his embrace. He had proven his strength to her once more. As he held her slender form, a triumphant cheer echoed in his mind.

—

Day six. The Secret Faction forces, tracked by Ragna, finally entered the Benteno Hills. Sohee was walking with her arm linked through Seokwoo’s, practically clinging to him. In the Master Room, Narae’s face contorted in disgust.

“What a pathetic display.”

“What is it?” Taehyun asked.

“Look at them. That vixen is all over Seokwoo. Look at how she’s pressing her chest against him. Unbelievable. The woman who was supposedly the quietest one at the meetings is just like all the rest.”

“Hmm.”

Taehyun had to admit, the leader of the Secret Faction had never been one to draw attention. He glanced from Sohee on the screen to Narae beside him. An involuntary comparison was made. In terms of size, Sohee was the clear victor.

“Are you jealous?”

“What are you talking about? I couldn’t care less about Seokwoo.”

“I wasn’t talking about him.”

“Then what—’Aaah!’ Watch your eyes, you pervert!”

Having accidentally seen her in the bath during the succession ceremony, his eyes had naturally drifted. Taehyun turned away, shielding his head from the barrage of objects Narae began to hurl at him.

“What is your plan this time?” Geonsun asked, ignoring the commotion.

“Hmph. Taehyun Yoo, you seem to have a plan already. Why bother asking me?” Junhyun grunted from his seat.

“I’m asking because I’m willing to consider your input.”

“Fine,” Junhyun conceded. “But I have no opinion. The outcome is already decided. Let’s just go and end this.”

Junhyun demanded a conclusion. Narae, her fury spent, finally calmed down and nodded in agreement. They all wanted this over. He would give them the final battle they craved. Taehyun picked up his communication device, a faint smile on his lips.

“I’ll contact Seonghwi. It’s time to end this.”

“You know, you’re bleeding from your head, Taehyun Yoo,” Junhyun pointed out dryly.

“S-sorry,” Narae stammered. “I didn’t mean to.”

And so, Taehyun, bleeding but smiling, began to deploy his forces for the final engagement.

—

[You have entered the Benteno Hills.]

A landscape of rolling hills and gentle valleys unfolded before them, nestled near the shores of Crescent Moon Lake. Before his army descended to the plains, Seokwoo placed a Position Shift marker in the mountains nearby.

“Is it wise to place the marker so soon?” Sohee asked.

“This is hilly terrain,” Seokwoo explained. “They’ll most likely attack from the mountains overlooking the slopes. By placing a marker here, we can counter-ambush their rear and seize control of the battle.”

The Vision Expansion Scroll had worn off, and his scout numbers were depleted. While he still had Vision Priority, so did Balak. He was at a disadvantage in the battle for intel. To compensate, he planned to use Position Shift to strike at their flank.

’Taehyun Yoo must have placed a marker in the mountains as well. He’s outnumbered, so he’ll be banking on a Position Shift to turn the tide.’

The Secret Faction’s marker was positioned in the mountains bordering the slope. Taehyun, he reasoned, would have placed his in the central hills. The moment his forces were pushed back, he would try to teleport troops behind them.

’But the moment you use that Position Shift, you’ve already lost. I’ll make you understand that this time.’

Despite his losses, he still felt confident he could overpower Balak. He had even activated a radar detection network to counter any stealthed units. The only thing left to decide the battle was a clash of neutralization items.

[Unix Dungeon soldiers have appeared.]

[Katarniak Dungeon soldiers have appeared.]

[Balak Dungeon soldiers have appeared.]

At last, the Resistance army emerged on the plains across from them. The Benteno Hills had been chosen as the final battleground.

“They’re finally here! Siege units, prepare to fire!”

“Priests, shields up!”

“Archers, ready your volleys! Main forces, take command of your units and advance!”

The Catapult Drakes and Giant Crossbow Drakes began to load. A-rank soldiers drew their weapons, and priests chanted, raising shimmering barriers.

[Priest soldiers have cast shields.]

[Slave raiders have cast shields.]

[Priest guardians and keepers have cast shields.]

Hundreds of shields layered over one another, encasing the army in a protective shell. Their ranged units stood ready, skills primed. All they awaited was the command.

“Charge!”

“Kate, use your one-time skill at the vanguard!”

“Cavalry, flank left and right! Use your speed to break their formation!”

The order was given. The two armies surged forward, crashing into each other in a brutal contest of strength. Just then, a group of soldiers began to teleport toward the central mountains.

[Balak’s Dungeon Master has used a Position Shift item.]

[The positions of the designated soldiers are being warped to the saved location.]

The Position Shift came far earlier than Seokwoo had anticipated. He was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure and activated Vision Priority.

[Vision Priority has been used.]

[Balak’s Dungeon Master has used Item Neutralization.]

[The effect of Vision Priority has been nullified.]

’What?! He neutralized my Vision Priority?’

Taehyun had to know that the Secret Faction still had a Position Shift ready. Yet he had burned a neutralization item just to secure vision. It made no sense, but Seokwoo saw it as a golden opportunity.

“You fool,” he sneered. “Wasting a neutralization item on something as trivial as vision. This is your limit!”

[Position Shift has been used.]

[The positions of the designated soldiers are being warped to the saved location.]

His main forces materialized in the mountains at the enemy’s rear. Balak’s troops, descending from the central hills, were now caught in a pincer. The battle was as good as won. Seokwoo smirked as he watched Balak’s soldiers.

“What can they possibly do with a force like that… ’Gah?!”

“A-a Hydra! That’s an S-rank Hydra!”

“There are Gryphons, too! And Giant Ballista Drakes! What the hell is going on? Seonghwi was supposed to be in the north!”

Hundreds of S-rank soldiers materialized, a terrifying force that had merged with Balak’s main army. Seokwoo shot a panicked look at Sohee. She had already let go of his arm and was backing away.

“S-Seokwoo, do something! Those are S-rank soldiers! We’ll be annihilated!”

“I-it’s fine,” he stammered, trying to force a smile. “We still have our main forces. I don’t know what’s happening, but if we use the slave raiders, we can handle S-rank soldiers…”

As he tried to reassure her, a black mist began to coalesce before them.

[A-rank Hero Soldier, Lich Big Dream’s special ability ‘Black Mist’ has been activated.]

[The black mist envelops the main force soldiers.]

[The Black Mist will be canceled when all mana is depleted or if Big Dream takes damage.]

It was the special ability that heralded utter despair.

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