Chapter 253: Episode 253

[You have entered the High-lon Forest.]

A dense forest materialized around them. In terms of territory, this was the first line of defense: the High-lon Forest, a terrain perfectly optimized for ambushes. The dense trees and thick undergrowth provided ample cover for a surprise attack.

“Of course, a surprise attack is useless against me, the Mercenary King,” Hassan boasted. “Alright, boys, just do what you do best. I’ll handle the rest.”

He had been taken aback by the unfamiliar territory at first, but a raid was a raid. Hassan drew his S-rank exclusive item and positioned his subordinates.

[Activating Wide-Area Radar Detection Network.]

[The wide-area detection network will be active for a certain period.]

[Any being entering the detection network’s range will be automatically detected.]

A detection field twice the normal size spread out, revealing dozens of silhouettes already positioned in the forest.

’About thirty of them, huh? Judging by their appearance, they’re humanoid soldiers. Good. Let’s see what they’ve got.’

During his mercenary days, he had fought in every kind of terrain imaginable, including forests like this one. The ambush from the waiting soldiers was fierce, but unlike ordinary Raiders, he was both a mercenary and a Raider.

[Pargal Tribe’s Valkuman has used Paralyzing Arrow.]

[Pargal Tribe’s Koromur has used Poison Arrow.]

[Pargal Tribe’s Palasin has used Concentrated Fire.]

Arrows rained down from all directions. His men, already in position, split to the left and right and began felling trees. The massive trunks crashed to the forest floor with a series of cracks and thuds, forcing the Pargal archers out of their perches.

“Shield bearers, move now!” Hassan commanded.

“Yes, sir!”

Their movements were like clockwork. The shield bearers charged, bodies low. The Pargal soldiers drew their melee weapons, but it was too late. Hassan’s melee fighters were already using the shield bearers’ backs as springboards, launching themselves into the fray.

[A-rank High Raider Vihart has used Shockwave.]

[Vibrations spread from the sword slammed into the ground.]

The earth trembled. Shockwave, an area-of-effect skill, rippled through the battlefield. It affected his own men, but they held their balance with practiced ease.

“Heh. You bastards,” one of his men taunted. “We’re Raiders who were once mercenaries. A forest like this is… huh?”

“Death. Death. Death!” a Pargal soldier chanted, meeting the charge.

“Hoho. These guys are pretty good.”

The Pargal soldiers, who should have been thrown off balance, moved with a fluid grace, seemingly enjoying the vibrations. Their movements were eerily similar to those of mercenaries, sparking a strange sense of kinship.

’Shing.’

Hassan drew the greatsword from his back, a grin spreading across his face as he prepared for battle.

“So you bastards are mercenaries, too? Good. As the Mercenary King, I’ll teach you a thing or two.”

“Intruder. Death. God’s wrath!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hassan chuckled. “Let’s have some fun!”

The Pargal Tribe soldiers, blessed with Mercenary Mastery, faced the Tartan Mercenary Squad, who had once reigned supreme on the continent. A battle between outlaws with no room for compromise was about to begin.

—

[Critical injury has been naturally healed.]

[Consciousness is being restored.]

The world snapped back into focus. His last memory was of exploring the jungle. A venomous snake appearing from the vines. Hyena tackling him to save him. Unfortunately, that was all he could recall.

Taehyun opened his eyes and tried to sit up.

’What? Why can’t I move?’

He saw a cave ceiling above him, ancient-looking shackles on his hands and feet, and Hyena curled up in his arms. In front of him were solid iron bars. The scene made no sense.

“Uung,” she mumbled in her sleep.

“Hyena. Wake up. What happened?”

“Gasp! Master!” she cried, her eyes flying open. “I’m so glad! I’m really so glad!”

“Gah! Are you trying to knock me out again?” he choked out as she threw her arms around him. “Explain first. Just explain!”

She must have been terrified. Taehyun gently pushed her away and surveyed their surroundings. Kadum, Grai, and Krodin were nowhere to be seen.

“Phew. Where are the others?”

“Everyone except Krodin is locked up in different cells,” she explained, her voice trembling. “I’m the only one here with you, Master.”

“Hmm. Something must have happened after I passed out. Start from the beginning.”

“Yes. Well…”

She recounted everything: his loss of consciousness, the main forces’ confusion, the arrival of Pinyas and the fox tribe, and the beastmen’s judgment of him as a demon. The explanation was painstakingly detailed.

Taehyun looked at Hyena, who was shackled just like him. “By the way, these shackles look different from the usual ability-sealing ones. Is the effect the same?”

“Yes, I think so. Krodin managed to escape just before they could shackle him, but we were overwhelmed by dozens of beastmen.”

“Ugh. This is annoying.”

“Sob. I was so worried, Master,” she whimpered, clinging to him again.

With her favorability over ninety, she was relentlessly affectionate. Taehyun let her be and tried to process the situation.

’So, the beastmen showed up right when I was unconscious. They treated me like a common demon instead of a Guide, brought up what happened to the Hobbits, and then dozens of them attacked at once. Is that the gist of it?’

He’d been captured without being able to lift a finger. Thankfully, Krodin had escaped, but that didn’t help them now. First, he needed to meet with the beastmen’s leader. Taehyun pushed Hyena aside and began to crawl toward the bars like a worm.

Just then, Pinyas appeared at the cell entrance.

“Hoh. A demon crawling on the floor,” she purred. “It’s quite a sight.”

“Ugh. It’s not like I want to be doing this,” Taehyun grumbled. “Instead of laughing, how about you help me out?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. If it were up to me, I’d tear you to shreds, but I’m holding back for the Great Chieftain’s sake. Don’t even think about trying anything.”

The fur on her swaying tail bristled. As chieftain of the fox tribe, she exuded a formidable aura. Taehyun, however, simply rolled onto his back and grinned.

“You know, you bear a strange resemblance to someone I know. Those gentle-looking eyes, and the way they narrow into slits when you get angry. You’re a dead ringer for him.”

“Hmph. Are you talking about another demon? It’s a disgrace to even be told I resemble one of your kind.”

“Take it however you want. Anyway, if you’re not going to kill me right away, could you let me out? Or at least bring that Great Chieftain of yours here.”

“The Great Chieftain is not someone you can speak of so lightly,” she snapped. “Just stay quietly in your cell!”

Pinyas turned and left as abruptly as she had arrived, having seemingly only come to mock him.

’It seems their Great Chieftain is interested in me, which is why I’m still alive. Should I just wait?’

This was the first time he’d been captured while running a dungeon. It was humiliating for an S-rank Dungeon Master, but it didn’t matter. Once he was out of this cell, everything would be resolved. He glanced at the shackles on his wrists, then at Hyena.

“Master. That woman, I will definitely…”

“Leave her be,” he cut in. “Her friends were all dragged away by the Secret Faction. She has a right to be angry. For now, come closer.”

“Ah, yes.”

He wiggled his fingers, and she crawled over. He noted that, unlike him, her wrists were shackled behind her back. Taehyun glanced outside, making sure they were alone.

“Get on top of me.”

—

[Pargal Tribe’s Jubako has died.]

Suddenly, Jubako, who was in the rear, collapsed. The third death. The battle, which had been evenly matched at the start, had been completely overturned by a single man.

[S-rank Raider Hassan has used Formless Slash.]

[Inflicts critical damage on the Pargal Tribe soldier in the rear.]

A formless sword cut through the air like a transparent blade. Hassan, the former Mercenary King, was systematically neutralizing the S-rank soldiers with his signature skill.

’Come on, come on! Bring it on! The real fun is just getting started!’

’Avenge comrade! Must avenge!’

’Yeah, that’s it! Come at me all at once!’

He used his shield bearers to draw their fire and his ranged attackers to restrict their movement. Yet the Pargal soldiers kept charging into an absolute blind spot where they couldn’t land a single blow. From that safe distance, the Mercenary King swung his greatsword with casual ease.

“What are you all doing? Get a grip!” Edchan’s voice commanded from afar. “Hassan isn’t the priority! You must—”

’Kill him! Kill him!’

“Hah.”

Another soldier ignored the command and charged to his death. In a battle between mercenaries, losing one’s cool was the same as forfeiting. The Pargal Tribe had the numerical advantage, but numbers meant nothing if their formation collapsed.

’These S-rank soldiers were summoned recently,’ Edchan thought, frustrated. ’They may be loyal to Master Taehyun, but not to me.’

At this rate, he was just sacrificing S-rank soldiers for nothing. Edchan used Raviz to recall the remaining Pargal Tribe soldiers.

’Avenge comrade! Must avenge comrade!’

’You cannot move until a proper order is given. Please wait patiently.’

’God’s wrath! God’s wrath will fall!’

’The Master is currently away. Please follow Edchan’s orders in the meantime.’

He even had to use Black Hole to quell their battle lust. Everything was falling apart just because one person was gone. Edchan reviewed the S-rank exclusive items and confirmed the next battleground.

’The Revived Plains next? First, I need to steal that bastard’s Formless Slash.’

The plains offered more open space, but Hassan’s skill was still a problem. Worse, Formless Slash had no usage limit. Since he had the ’Skill Steal’ item, neutralizing that signature skill was his top priority.

[S-rank Named Keeper Tyrant Kumakuma has entered the plains.]

[S-rank Keeper Riashu has entered the plains.]

[A-rank Top Raider Hendy has entered the plains.]

[A-rank Hero Soldier Lich Bigdream has entered the plains.]

[S-rank Named Soldier Knight of Nightmares Grizz has entered the plains.]

[A-rank Hero Soldier Death Knight Granz has entered the plains.]

The main forces were deployed in large numbers alongside S-rank and A-rank soldiers. The Revived Plains was a terrain where he could use the black mist to his advantage. Even without Eleanora, the twenty-odd Raiders stood no chance.

Edchan straightened his clothes and adjusted his posture.

“I, Edchan the butler, will protect Balak at all costs.”

—

Day three. The raid party, having camped in the High-lon Forest, entered the Revived Plains. Their morale had already been shattered by the S-rank soldiers. Contrary to the rumors, Balak was allowing them to advance far too easily.

“This is completely different from what I heard,” Hassan grumbled. “They called this the center of the West, but it’s nothing special. What was his name, Taehyun Yoo? His skills are worse than the last Dungeon Master I faced.”

He had come with high expectations, but now he was on the verge of yawning. Hassan casually checked his stress level and looked ahead.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

“Gurururuk!”

“Clatter. Clatter.”

Hydras, Griffons, Undead soldiers, and other main forces. A completely different level of military power was waiting for them.

The subordinate next to him shifted nervously. “Captain, there are too many of them. We might handle the A-rank soldiers, but there are Hydras and Griffons mixed in.”

“Heh. Now this is more like it,” Hassan grinned. “And it’s not just them. Over there, you see those guys who look like the main forces?”

A group of particularly conspicuous beings stood with the siege-type soldiers. They had to be the S-rank powerhouses Balak was so proud of. Siege units and elites in the rear; Hydras, Griffons, and Undead at the front. It was a clearly disadvantageous battle, but Hassan didn’t flinch. Instead, he snorted and activated his S-rank exclusive item.

[Omni-Vision Pass has been used.]

[For a certain period, all vision within the field will be secured.]

With that, he had secured his vision across the plains. There was nothing left to hold him back. Hassan ordered his men to cast their barriers and drew his greatsword.

“Let’s have some fun, my pretties!”

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