Chapter 259: Episode 259

The Kingdom of Steel, Ayant, sat on the western frontier. It was a small nation, home to a high concentration of knight raiders and freelance knights. In the past, its master blacksmiths had crafted legendary equipment and managed thriving merchant guilds, but now it was a shadow of its former self. Alstein, the greatest blacksmith in the West, had departed, and dozens of master smiths had followed him—all of them now in Balak. As a result, Ayant faced a severe labor shortage in its forges and was desperately searching for a new path forward. Then one day, a strange rumor began to spread through the capital, Vilmot.

“Hey, did you hear? They say spirits appear every night in Conrid Forest.”

“I heard most of the raiders who go in there either die or come out missing a limb. You think monsters have shown up?”

“A lumberjack said he saw lights flashing near Leaf Lake. Could Aquanteil be up to something?!”

The rumors originated from Conrid Forest, on the outskirts of Millight City, near the very same Leaf Lake where the A-rank dungeon Aquanteil lay submerged. The kingdom dispatched soldiers to investigate, but the results were disastrous.

-The Blue Steel Unit dispatched to Leaf Lake. 478 deaths. The 22 survivors returned to the capital, Ironheart.

A full five hundred soldiers had been deployed, yielding no information, only casualties. In response, King Jevert forbade all passage through Conrid Forest and heavily reinforced Millight’s security.

—

[A-rank Top-tier Raider Cheder has cast Wave Sword of Lightning.]

[S-rank Keeper Spiritist Riashu has cast Aura of Lightning.]

[A-rank Top-tier Raider Hera has cast Electric Current Trap.]

Intruders had disturbed the once-peaceful forest. Standing before the placid lake, they unleashed their skills in unison. Dozens of high-level lightning spirits materialized, a relentless barrage of arrows flew, and a pulsating wave of energy seeped into the water at regular intervals. They had been at this for nearly two days. Sihan, swinging his sword on the far left, grimaced as he recalled Taehyun’s orders.

“You’ll stay there until the things in the lake come out. If you run out of magic, rest and replenish it. Once you’re full, just keep casting. I won’t let a single person into the forest, so work without distractions.”

The Dungeon Master had appeared out of nowhere, given his commands, and vanished, leaving them to pump electricity into a lake without even telling them why.

“Ah, I can’t take this anymore!” Sihan snarled. “What the hell is the point of this? Are we trying to electrocute all the fish for some kind of new fishing business? Damn it. If it weren’t for this contract!”

“It’s a punishment from the Master, so you’d better obey,” Hera chirped. “Hey! No slacking. Keep casting your skills. You still have magic left.”

“Listen, kid, I didn’t do anything to deserve this! And I’m out of magic, you wanna check?!” Sihan shot back.

His title of ‘Drake Slayer’ felt like a cruel joke now that he’d been reduced to this pathetic state. While the two of them bickered, Riashu remained focused on the lake. Before long, it wasn’t just fish floating to the surface, but the corpses of what were clearly dungeon soldiers—Fishmen.

’So there is a dungeon in the lake,’ she mused.

A massive electrical current was now coursing through Leaf Lake, and even creatures in its deepest trenches were not safe from electrocution. This was undoubtedly part of Taehyun’s plan. Riashu calmly continued her work, steadily increasing the number of spirits under her command.

’Those two are insufferable, but it’s still better than the forge.’

She had already been supplied with spirit stone fragments, so unlike the two raiders, her spirit power was more than sufficient.

“Excuse me, Cheder, was it?” she called out, her voice sharp. “Could you please be quiet? I can’t concentrate!”

“What?!” Sihan retorted.

Of course, her misandry was as potent as ever.

—

“Who do you think you’re talking to, just sitting there comfortably summoning spirits!”

“Ugh. Could you please not come any closer? You’re making me want to vomit.”

“Damn it, I can’t take it anymore! I’m going to lose all my hair from stress if I stay here!”

One of the diligent workers was attempting to flee. Taehyun, watching on a monitor, issued an order through his communication device.

“Work, slave.”

“Kuaaaak! Just kill me, Taehyun Yoo!”

“You are not a free man.”

The situation was resolved with just two sentences. The command was bound by contract; escape was impossible.

[Fishman Soldier Papania has died.]

[Rough Shark Tribe Warrior Sharkus has died.]

[Javelin Master Fishman Gomanian has died.]

Meanwhile, a steady stream of corpses floated to the lake’s surface. The scene had grown so grotesque that even sharks were appearing, making the term ‘lake’ feel utterly inadequate. Taehyun grinned as even named soldiers began to perish.

“Wow, this is a big catch. At this rate, I won’t even need to get my hands dirty.”

“Oh, Master Taehyun,” Rabiz’s voice came through. “Another intruder has appeared in Conrid Forest.”

“Tsk. So many pests.”

With Ayant, the kingdom of knights, so close, there were bound to be constant interruptions. The royal family had already sent a large force to investigate once before. On the screen, Taehyun saw dozens of knight raiders approaching.

“As expected. The lake lies on the path to another dungeon, making it difficult to control access.”

“Are you just going to leave them be?” Rabiz asked.

“No. I’ll kill them. No mercy for anyone who enters the forest.”

Soldiers were already stationed throughout Conrid Forest. With his familiars providing surveillance from every angle, visibility wouldn’t be an issue.

[Pargal Tribe Kuntels has cast Begin Hunt.]

[Pargal Tribe Bobonte has cast Poison Arrow.]

[Pargal Tribe Koromuer has cast Binding Rope.]

The mercenaries’ hunt began. Though their numbers had dwindled slightly thanks to Hassan the Mercenary King, their utility remained exceptional.

“Keuk! It’s an ambush! Everyone, on your guard!”

“There they are! Attack!”

“Th-these bastards are using the terrain! Everyone, be careful!”

For a raid party composed solely of knights, a broken formation meant total collapse, especially in a dense forest. Having come without shield bearers, they now faced only death. Watching the raiders fall, Taehyun fell into thought.

’The Pargal tribe soldiers have Mercenary Mastery, allowing them to use any weapon freely. They have their own unique strengths, which is good, but they also have significant weaknesses.’

That weakness had been laid bare during the Tartan raid. In a battle between fellow mercenaries, the Pargal soldiers had struggled to break through a fortified formation. Without clearly defined roles, they excelled at ambushes but were at a disadvantage in a frontal assault. Thinking of his Remake ability, Taehyun made a decision.

“I’ll need to reorganize the Pargal soldiers into proper units. It will reduce their effectiveness in ambushes, but assigning them specific roles will allow them to fight effectively on multiple fronts.”

“Yes, Master. I will summon them as soon as this is over,” Rabiz replied.

“Hmm. By the way, seeing that poison arrow gives me an idea,” Taehyun mused aloud. “Wouldn’t it be effective to release poison into the water?”

“…Are you trying to completely contaminate Leaf Lake?”

“With the electric current, adding poison would be the perfect combination, wouldn’t it? I can’t just sit here. I need to go summon the Poison Ghouls right away.”

Though they were only B-rank, Poison Ghouls were incredibly useful in situations like this. Taehyun purchased a stack of summon cards from the shop and headed for the final room.

—

The assault on Leaf Lake continued. For the first two days, the three main raiders had channeled electricity into the water, but on the third day, new workers arrived.

[Intense Poison Ghoul self-destructs.]

[Vengeful Poison Ghoul has cast Poison Breath.]

[Poison Ghouls self-destruct in the lake.]

They were undead soldiers, their entire bodies composed of pure poison. Following Taehyun’s orders, they plunged into the lake and detonated, spreading their toxins like disposable bombs. The creatures within the lake met a gruesome end, their bodies floating to the surface in droves.

[The strongest Fishman martial artist, Mirax, has died.]

[A-rank Named Guardian Mermaid Queen Bellanie has been poisoned.]

[Fishman Soldier Kururus has died.]

Fishmen twitched from the electrical shocks, fish floated belly-up in the now-putrid water, and soldiers writhed in agony from the poison. By the fifth day, Leaf Lake was unrecognizable.

“Um, isn’t this environmental destruction?” Hera asked hesitantly. “I know there’s a dungeon in the lake, but this seems a bit extreme.”

“Not my problem,” Sihan grumbled. “Nature never did anything for me. And even if it did, this lake certainly hasn’t. Keep going.”

“Still, I feel a little guilty,” Hera admitted.

“Your spirits probably don’t,” Riashu commented dryly. “Look. Even the lightning spirits are enjoying themselves.”

They were true ecosystem destroyers. As the surrounding forest began to rot from the contaminated water, Aquanteil remained silent.

“This isn’t working,” Taehyun muttered. “They’re definitely watching with familiars, but there’s no response. Rabiz, move the dungeon residents over there.”

“Understood, Master.”

After the Poison Ghouls, Taehyun prepared one final, powerful weapon: the mountains of manure overflowing in his territory. The dungeon residents, relocated to the shores of Leaf Lake, began hurling sacks of dung into the water, committing an atrocity of historic proportions.

“Goodness, I don’t know if we should be doing this,” one resident fretted. “Aren’t we going to be punished by the heavens?”

“Bah! We’re dungeon residents,” another scoffed. “What’s there to hesitate about? Besides, Master Taehyun said it himself.”

“Said what?”

“That we’re all accomplices now. There’s no turning back.”

The Guide who had been acknowledged by the God of Nature was gone. All that remained was a demon who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. And so, Leaf Lake, having suffered the worst disaster imaginable, was reborn with the most unique water quality on the continent.

—

[Aquanteil Dungeon Master Jiyeon Kim has visited.]

Finally, his target appeared. Leaf Lake was already beyond recovery. Including the rotting forest nearby, it was no longer a viable habitat for any living thing.

“Kyaaaaak!” she shrieked, her voice cracking. “I’m sick of it! I’m so sick of it! Why are you doing this to me?! First, you electrocute my lake, then you poison my soldiers, and now you’re dumping manure… ’Uwaaah!’ I didn’t do anything wrong! What in the world do you want?!”

As if the memory of her polluted home was too much to bear, Jiyeon collapsed onto the table, sobbing uncontrollably. Taehyun patted her shoulder consolingly and opened the world map.

“Now, now. Look at this. See this here?” he said softly.

“Sniffle’. What is this?!”

“I’m trying to get into the sea, and I need a way. Since you were in Leaf Lake, you must know something, right? I’ll restore the lake for you. All you have to do is sign this contract.”

The devil offered a slave contract. And of all places, it was the S-rank dungeon, Balak. It was a classic case of creating a problem and then selling the solution. Jiyeon stared at the contract and burst into tears again.

“Aaagh! You evil bastard!”

—

[You have entered the Plains of Pain.]

He had reached the western edge of the continent. The Magic Jade in his hand still pointed toward the middle of the sea. All that was left was to go in. Taehyun used a Companion Summon Coin.

[Companion Summon Coin has been used.]

[Dungeon Masters who were marked beforehand are summoned.]

It was none other than Jiyeon, the Dungeon Master of Aquanteil. She peered over the cliff at the vast ocean below.

“You’re really going to restore the lake, right?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

“Of course. We signed a contract. You don’t think I’d lie, do you?”

“But what on earth are you planning to do in the sea? I’ve only ever heard of my Aquanteil as an underwater dungeon.”

It was true; the only known underwater dungeon on the continent was Aquanteil. But the Magic Jade was undeniably pointing to a source of immense power. Taehyun recalled the meeting at the mansion and let out a dark smirk.

“I’m about to do a little thieving. Dear God, please allow me to be a righteous thief today as well.”

—

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