Chapter 271: Episode 271

[The Hyacinth Raid Party has entered the Revived Plains.]

[The Control Stele is operating.]

[Synchronization Rate: 49%]

The raid party was advancing again, while the steles, hidden elsewhere, continued to synchronize. His attention and his forces were now split. Hyacinth, using her Thousand-Mile Eye, seemed to have decided to ignore the second threat entirely as she pressed forward.

’The key here is the simultaneous entry penalty. They’re both receiving exclusive items, which means the intruders can’t use the same items as Hyacinth’s party. I have to find those steles.’

He didn’t know the Control Stele’s effect, but leaving it unchecked would undoubtedly bring ruin to his territory. First, he needed a dedicated force to handle the raid party.

“Thanks to you, I was able to avoid the Frost Queen’s army,” Katarniak’s master said through the communication channel. “I… I’ll say thank you, for now.”

“If you’re thankful, lend me Randus,” Taehyun replied, cutting to the chase. “The situation is urgent.”

“Ah, I heard. A commissioned raid party came for the World Tree’s branch. Understood. I’ll send him right away.”

Currently, Katarniak was under the protection of Balak’s S-rank exclusive skill.

[S-Rank Dungeon Master exclusive skill, Dungeon Protection, is active.]

[Target Dungeon: Katarniak]

[Katarniak’s existence will temporarily disappear from the continent.]

[Uses remaining: 1/1 (recharges every 30 days)]

The monthly skill could be applied to allied dungeons. For Balak, a constant target for raiders, it was a useless ability. The Dungeon Masters during the Holy Kingdom invasion must have used similar skills, along with refusal items, to avoid participation.

[S-Rank Guardian Randus from the S-Rank Dungeon Katarniak has come to provide support.]

[Support will be maintained for 2 hours.]

First to arrive was Randus, now an S-rank guardian. He must have recently evolved naturally, as his rank had climbed.

“Taehyun, can I come visit again later?” Antelos’s master asked cheerfully.

“You’re always welcome. Now, can you lend me your guardian? I’m in a hurry.”

“Okay, I’ll send him right over.” Antelos was still A-rank, but a new guardian had joined after Badon’s departure.

[S-Rank Guardian Lost Arthur from the A-Rank Dungeon Antelos has come to provide support.]

[Support will be maintained for 2 hours.]

In some ways, this guardian was even stronger than Badon. Lost Arthur was the second to arrive.

“Huuuh’. Let me sleep for five more minutes,” Livixiun’s master groaned.

“Send Pluton,” Taehyun ordered flatly.

“Huuuuuh’. Okay.” Livixiun was also A-rank, but Pluton was incredibly useful despite his rank.

[A-Rank Named Guardian Pluton from the A-Rank Dungeon Livixiun has come to provide support.]

[Support will be maintained for 2 hours.]

Finally, Pluton arrived. With that, all his allied dungeons had sent aid. Taehyun immediately sent the three of them to the Revived Plains to bolster his forces. He then dispatched Kadum, Krodin, Roquin, the beastmen chiefs, and the High Elves to hunt for the steles.

“Master, wouldn’t it be more efficient to send low-level soldiers to search?” Riel suggested.

“No. The fact that they’re invisible to the watchtowers suggests an invisibility skill is at play. Besides, anyone who attacks at a time like this is no ordinary foe.” He had already tasked Roquin with deploying her Radar Detection Network. Combined with Kadum’s Wolf’s Eye, they should be able to find the hidden steles quickly. Taehyun bit his lip as the map slowly cleared.

’Talk about adding insult to injury. They’re really coming at me with everything they’ve got. I don’t know who you are, but I’ll find you and I’ll kill you.’

It was utter chaos. His entire territory was a whirlwind of activity. Taehyun watched the clashes between his soldiers and the raiders, a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach. Then, another message appeared.

[The Control Stele is operating.]

[Synchronization Rate: 51%]

[The synchronization rate has exceeded 50%.]

[When the synchronization rate reaches 100%, ownership of the dungeon will be transferred to Dinen Fradio, who activated the steles.]

The true effect was revealed. Taehyun ground his teeth at the name. “That son of a bitch. So this was his plan.”

A Control Stele that granted ownership of a dungeon. If it reached full synchronization, Balak would fall into Dinen Fradio’s hands. He must have been biding his time ever since fleeing Haven, and the appearance of a suitable raid party had been the perfect opportunity.

“So that means five S-rank raiders have come here.”

“M-Master, the raid party!” Riel cried, pointing at the screen.

Just as he was reassessing the situation, the raiders made their move.

[The Hyacinth Raid Party has used Location Switch.]

[The positions of the soldiers in the rear and the raid party will be switched.]

It was an unexpected S-rank item. In an instant, the raid party swapped places with the fairies at the rear of his forces, teleporting directly to the Silent Forest. With Hasla and Hamolton gone, only the elves remained to defend it. They stood no chance.

“Raviz!” Taehyun commanded.

“Understood,” came the immediate reply.

He quickly moved his soldiers via Raviz’s Mass Summon, but the skill had a target limit. He couldn’t move everyone from the plains. In the end, only a contingent of his main forces could be redeployed to prepare a defense. His face a mask of cold fury, Taehyun thought of his old enemy.

“Let’s end this today, Dinen Fradio.”

—

[Wolf’s Eye has been used.]

[Surrounding tracks are marked in blue.]

Kadum moved like a blur through the Toos region, the High Elves struggling to keep pace. ’If the synchronization hits one hundred percent, the dungeon ownership will be transferred! That means Calisia and Vera are in danger, too!’

Like Taehyun, the main soldiers had also received the system message. As a warrior fighting to protect his wife and daughter, Kadum found this utterly unacceptable. He kicked off the ground, launching himself to the top of a watchtower.

’There!’

In the distance, he spotted a large stele, shrouded in a faint mist that had hidden it from the High Elves. But it could not deceive the Wolf’s Eye.

“Hey, Taehyun, I think I found the first stele,” he reported through the communication link.

“Destroy it,” Taehyun’s voice came back, sharp and urgent. “There are still fourteen left. Smash it and find the others, now!”

“Damn it, fourteen more? Understood!” Kadum cut the connection and signaled his troops. Every second they wasted, the synchronization rate climbed higher. He led the High Elves in a rapid approach. As they neared, the ground around the stele began to glow with a pale white light.

[S-Rank Raider Gester has used Hilderin Form 64.]

[The domain of Hilderin is declared in the field around the caster.]

[The range of Gester’s special ability, ’Sword-Drawing Arts,’ has been increased to its limit.]

[Hilderin Form 64 uses remaining: 1/1]

A masked man had appeared before the stele. He calmly assumed a sword-drawing stance and stared them down. “Unfortunate for you,” he said, his voice laced with condescending pity. “You happened to find the one I was guarding. You will all die here.”

—

[The fourth stele has been destroyed.]

[The fifth stele has been destroyed.]

Roquin’s dolls, guided by her Radar Detection Network, took down two more steles in quick succession. It was a small victory, but the synchronization rate had noticeably slowed. Hope rekindled, the main forces scoured the other regions.

“It’s over there! I found it!”

“Doll-making bitch, it’s here! I, the great Krodin, found it myself! You may be moved to tears!”

“Here’s another one! That’s five now!”

Slowly but surely, the hidden steles were being revealed and destroyed.

[The Control Stele is operating.]

[Synchronization Rate: 67%]

[Number of remaining steles: 10]

Five steles were gone in an instant, but Taehyun’s expression remained grim. ’It’s too slow. The rate is decreasing with each one we destroy, but it hasn’t stopped. The problem is having only one Radar Detection Network.’

The network was active through Roquin’s doll. None of his other main forces had a comparable detection skill, save for Kadum’s Wolf’s Eye. As a result, his troops were forced to follow Roquin, unable to split up and search efficiently.

[A-Rank Named Soldier, High Elf Daphne, has sustained a minor injury.]

[A-Rank Named Soldier, High Elf Saphaella, has sustained a minor injury.]

[A-Rank Named Soldier, High Elf Liaen, has sustained a minor injury.]

To make matters worse, the one person with a detection skill, Kadum, had run into an S-rank raider. He and the High Elves were fighting back, but they were hopelessly outmatched. Taehyun stared at the Domain of Hilderin on his screen and fiddled with an item.

’Inside that field, Gester’s sword-drawing attacks can reach anywhere. He’s made it impossible for them to even escape.’

Gester remained in his stance, relying solely on his sword-drawing arts. The melee-specialist High Elves tried to close the distance, but they were cut down before they could get near. They held their ground and fired arrows, but it was useless. Gester, looking amused, simply deflected their shots while launching his own attacks in every direction.

[A-Rank Top-Tier Raider Kadum has used Destructive Instinct.]

[All physical stats are tripled.]

[Destructive Instinct uses remaining: 1/1]

Finally, Kadum charged, a blur of savage intent. Destructive Instinct, an evolution of his Wild Instinct, temporarily boosted his physical stats to a level comparable to an S-ranker.

“You damn bastard! I’ll make you move!” he roared.

“Amusing,” Gester replied calmly. “Go on, try.”

“Get out of the wayyyy!” Kadum’s movements became erratic. Using his Danger Sense ability, he anticipated the paths of the sword strikes, weaving left and right. As he closed the distance, he lunged with his scimitar. But in that instant, a blade erupted from the space in front of him, thwarting his attack.

[The special ability of S-Rank Raider Gester, ’Subspace Blade,’ has been activated.]

[When approaching Gester, a blade automatically emerges from a subspace to protect him.]

As if the sword-drawing arts weren’t enough, he now had an automatic defense. This was their limit. Taehyun called for Raviz. “Summon Kadum and the High Elves there, now.”

“Understood.” He couldn’t destroy the stele, but he had to save his people.

[A-Rank Hero Guardian, Pioneer of Space Raviz, has used Mass Summon.]

[Kadum and the High Elves in the Toos region will be moved to the Silent Forest.]

’It’s a shame we can’t destroy it, but it can’t be helped. I need to check on the other steles.’ Dinen Fradio had five S-rank raiders. If Gester was guarding one stele, the others were likely doing the same. Taehyun let out a sigh of relief and was about to switch screens when a new message appeared.

[S-Rank Raider Gester’s Grand Welcome has been used.]

[Forcibly reverses the movement and summoning of designated targets.]

[Grand Welcome uses remaining: 1/1]

“What?!” Taehyun exclaimed. It was another one of Gester’s single-use skills. He frantically checked on Kadum and the High Elves.

“Aaaah!”

“Kugh!”

“Kyahk!”

They had been pulled back to their original positions, where they were once again being ravaged by Gester’s attacks.

“M-Master, at this rate, they’ll all be annihilated!” Riel cried out.

“Damn it! Every single one of these bastards has a movement-related skill!”

“O-Oh! That card, could it be?”

“Since it’s come to this,” Taehyun said, his voice tight, “I’ll bet on luck.”

He had used most of his S-rank items, but one remained that just might save them. He activated the card in his hand and stared at the screen.

[Effect Confusion Card has been used.]

[The effect of Hilderin Form 64 is transformed.]

[The proficiency of Gester’s special ability, ’Sword-Drawing Arts,’ has been reset.]

The result appeared. Gester, apparently not having seen the message, attempted another attack.

A metallic clink echoed as his longsword went flying. He was left holding an empty scabbard, staring blankly at the weapon now lying on the ground.

Taehyun didn’t miss the opportunity. “What are you all doing?” he roared. “Stomp him!”

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