That day, every faction member signed a new contract. The terms were simple.

First: Always prioritize Balak as the center of the Resistance and defend it.

Second: Unconditionally follow the orders of Faction Leader Taehyun Yoo (though the right to refuse unreasonable orders may be asserted by majority vote).

Third: Proceed with both sanctioned paths, providing all continental intelligence to Taehyun Yoo.

Fourth: The aforementioned benefits will be distributed in an order determined by Taehyun Yoo.

Fifth: Any disobedient member will be automatically expelled from the faction.

Five clauses. It was an ideal contract, a perfect balance of carrot and stick. Taehyun reviewed the messages from his new subordinates with satisfaction. The faction had been neatly brought to heel.

Hyena, sitting on his lap, pointed at the screen. “Brother, who are these members, Songyi and Narae?”

“They’re Dungeon Masters allied with Balak. They helped me out a lot early on, so I’m returning the favor. Why?”

“They’re women, right?”

“You can tell by their names. Are you interested?” He had finally secured Narae as a firm ally. He could probably even introduce her to his sister. But he had completely misread the situation. Hyena’s cheeks puffed out as she glared at him.

“I’m not interested! It’s clear I need to take care of you, brother. You’re too reckless, not just in the dungeon but everywhere!”

“Hmm. I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you’re all I need, Hyena.”

“Haa. You really are an idiot. That’s not what I meant.”

“Anyway,” he said, changing the subject, “you seem to be behaving yourself lately. At first, you were causing trouble all over the place.”

Hyena’s mischief had started in the dungeon and spread throughout the entire territory, forcing Taehyun to weather a storm of criticism. But things were different now. She seemed to have finally adapted, and her days were quiet. She leaned back against his chest and answered.

“I was just feeling a little overwhelmed back then. I still have all my old memories, you know. Do you think I’m some kind of troublesome little sister?”

“You weren’t… ‘Ugh!” he grunted as her elbow dug into his side.

“Of course not! I’ve matured a lot. I have no intention of causing any more trouble in my little older brother’s dungeon.”

Based on what she’d told him about her life back home, it was clear the continent had changed her profoundly. Taehyun rubbed his sore ribs and contacted Momontae.

—”Anything new?”

—”It’s been quiet since the infighting ended. I’ve been focused on internal management. My aides say that bastard Leon is moving on some secret plan, but I have no way of knowing the details. He still doesn’t trust me completely.”

—”Still, you got a new territory out of it, didn’t you? Should I be calling you Viscount Momontae Anslake now?”

—”Ugh. Thanks to that, I’m busy as hell. On top of that, Leon is formally inviting Guild Raiders to the capital to build his power base. It’s driving me mad. Ah, I’ll call you back la—!”

Swamped with work from his promotion, Momontae cut the connection mid-sentence.

”He may not trust him,” Taehyun mused, ”but he has no intention of giving up the benefits he can squeeze from the Anslake family.”

While the plan had its questionable moments, it was not an immediate concern. With no movement from Leon’s forces, Taehyun could maintain his focus on the dungeon and his current objectives. He summoned Pinyas to get a status report on the Raiders held in the prison.

“As of yet, the Raider Yuda and the others remain unresponsive,” Pinyas reported. “Torture has proven ineffective, so I believe persuasion will be quite difficult. However…”

“However?” Taehyun prompted.

“We’ve observed the demon sword and Yuda conversing occasionally through the girl, Vera. What are your orders, M-M-Master Taehyun?”

“Hmm.”

Pinyas’s awkward fidgeting was irritating, but the demon sword was the far greater concern. Staring at the monitor displaying the underground prison, Taehyun mulled over the situation. ‘Come to think of it, I’ve just left an SS-rank demon sword locked away. So it’s talking with Yuda, is it? My guess is that it’s trying to tempt him into some kind of scheme. Should I let this play out for now?’

While it posed a future threat, the prospect of turning the situation to his advantage was an appealing one. Dismissing Pinyas, Taehyun opened the World Map. The Ain Kart Holy Kingdom lay at the continent’s center, while the Peshant Empire dominated the south. The two nations were currently locked in a brutal war.

“Alright,” Taehyun murmured to himself. “Let’s see how we can make use of Karen Deike.”

—

‘Clip-clop. Clip-clop.’

Knights clad in gleaming silver plate navigated a steep mountain path, their destination the entrance to the Behel Grand Bridge. The commander at their head raised a hand, signaling the column to a halt. Before them stretched the vast Naksen Plains, the chosen battlefield for their all-out war with the Holy Kingdom’s forces.

“Cowardly bastards,” the commander spat. “They drone on about the greatness of their god, yet they plan to cower behind the walls of their capital.”

“Sir, if we clash on the Naksen Plains, a siege of their capital will likely follow,” one of his knights noted.

“I’m aware,” the commander snapped. “That’s what’s so infuriating. To think they’d try to stop us on the open plains instead of at the bridge. They’ve lost their minds.” He clicked his tongue.

A drawn-out war would only hurt the Peshant Empire. As the invading force, they had to maintain a constant flow of supplies and provisions; the fatigue of simply establishing a camp was already setting in. The commander—no, Karen Deike—had intended to earn great distinction in this war. The Holy Kingdom’s passive strategy was a source of immense frustration. He clicked his tongue again and wheeled his warhorse around.

“Reconnaissance is complete. We are returning to Jebelin Fortress.”

“Yes, sir!” his knights chorused.

The personal guard of House Deike thundered in unison. Their warhorses galloped back across the mountain path, their neighs sharp and ragged. Long after they had gone, new figures appeared before the bridge. They were two of the continent’s Dungeon Masters: Taehyun and Chanhee.

“W-wait a second! This is insane,” Chanhee stammered, his voice trembling. “I know I didn’t recognize you, but to just shove me into a death trap like this? Please, cut me some slack.”

“Didn’t you beg me? Didn’t you say you’d do anything I asked?” Taehyun countered, his tone flat. “I’m not ordering you to commit suicide. I’m just telling you to stir up a little chaos. What is there to be afraid of?”

“C-couldn’t you give me something else? I’m actually capable of a lot, you know! Just give me another task. I’ll handle it to your complete satisfaction!”

“Hmm. Fine. I’ll give you something else,” Taehyun said.

Chanhee’s face brightened at the offer. Taehyun gave a faint, chilling smile and gestured toward Jebelin Fortress.

“In that case, you only have to harass the Peshant Empire’s forces. It wouldn’t be fair to make you take on the Holy Kingdom at the same time, now would it? How does that sound?”

“Aaaargh! My dungeon will still be in danger when this war is over! This is too much! It’s just too much!” Chanhee wailed.

“Quiet,” Taehyun commanded. “You saw him earlier. Your target is the Peshant Empire’s commander, Karen Deike. All you have to do is kill him.”

“Hold on, that Karen Deike fellow just reached the transcendent level! They say his swordsmanship rivals Duke Peyton’s!”

His skills were indeed comparable to those of an S-rank Raider. He had excelled not only with a blade but also in politics, territorial management, and strategy—a man worthy of commanding the Peshant Empire’s army. But Taehyun had no intention of relying solely on the Hollamont Dungeon. He had already assigned Krodin and the newly recruited Gelix to orchestrate Karen Deike’s assassination.

“With his help, you should be able to inflict considerable damage with just your A-rank soldiers,” Taehyun explained. “And we aren’t trying to take on the entire Empire. Just hit and run. The sole objective is Karen Deike’s death.”

“My, my,” Gelix drawled, stepping forward. “Forcing me into a contract and deploying me immediately. You’re a real piece of work, aren’t you?”

“Don’t worry, Gelix,” Taehyun said smoothly. “Balak may be a dungeon now, but its territory will one day span this entire continent. Stay by my side and serve me well, and I will see to it that you get the position you’ve always craved.”

“It sounds like you’re just stringing me along with false hope,” Gelix replied, though his expression wasn’t entirely displeased. He habitually put a cigarette to his lips and surveyed the Naksen Plains. “Not an ideal location for an assassination. We’ll have no choice but to reveal our soldiers and make the attempt in the open.”

“It doesn’t matter. Krodin will be deployed under stealth,” Taehyun said. “The real problem is figuring out how to utilize ‘this one’s’ soldiers.”

“That’s not all,” Gelix added. “We also have to time our strike for the precise moment the main armies clash.”

“Alright, alright,” Taehyun cut in. “Let’s head back for now and prepare a plan.”

There was no sign of an imminent battle. With his new pawns in tow, Taehyun returned to Balak.

—

‘Karen Deike has mastered troop management,’ Taehyun mused.

On the Naksen Plains, disciplined soldiers formed ranks according to their specialty: shield bearers, spearmen, archers, cavalry, siege engineers, a mage corps, and knight orders. Their precise deployment maximized their combat effectiveness.

‘He knows how to use the terrain, even on an open plain.’

The cavalry began to fan out to the left and right. Their greatest advantage was mobility, and on this terrain, they could easily divert the enemy’s focus.

‘His judgment is exceptional. That’s how he outmaneuvered everyone in the succession war.’

Holy Knights appeared on the opposing side, backed by thousands of priests. Their protective barriers would have to be factored in. Karen had already pulled his spearmen back, pushing the shield bearers forward. This meant he had no intention of shattering the barriers with a single, decisive blow. Instead, he would concentrate the firepower of his siege weapons to drain the priests’ divine energy first.

‘Finally, his martial prowess is famous in the south. They say he recently reached the transcendent level, so we must be cautious.’

At the head of the army, the commander drew his sword. It was a clear declaration: he would not simply command from the rear but would personally join the fray and claim enemy heads. The morale of the Imperial army surged, and their thunderous war cries echoed across the plains.

“So, what’s the plan?” Chanhee’s voice echoed in his mind.

“What do you think? We wait,” Taehyun replied. “The Peshant army is targeting the capital directly, which means they don’t want a protracted war. The Holy Kingdom knows this and has dug in, prepared to defend from the plains all the way back to the hills, but it won’t be easy for them.”

“

“And then?”

“Even if the Imperial army retreats, the Holy Kingdom won’t give chase. They’ll just thank their god for delivering them. I’ve left this in Gelix’s hands. Let’s go.”

The two figures hidden in the brush vanished. A moment later, a middle-aged man appeared, lighting a cigarette as he stared out at the plains.

“Assassinating him on the plains now would be impossible,” Gelix muttered. “First, let’s pinpoint the location of their main units.”

Just then, he spotted a soldier fetching water from a stream at the base of a valley. Gelix ground his cigarette under his heel and gave a subtle signal.

[S-rank Named Guardian Krodin, the King of Assassins, has cast Stealth.]

[Invisibility will be maintained for a set duration.]

[The effect of the Hethalion Dagger doubles the effectiveness of Stealth.]

The assassin hidden in the trees moved like a shadow. The soldier, blissfully unaware of the danger, whistled a careless tune. A cold blade pressed against his throat, and he instantly dropped his canteen, his hands shooting up in surrender.

“Well now,” Gelix noted with a smirk. “Quick to give up.”

—’Ugh. To think that I, the King of Assassins, must stoop to capturing such a worthless grunt. This is utterly demeaning!’—Krodin’s voice seethed in Gelix’s mind.

“It’s an order from Taehyun Yoo, so you’ll follow it,” Gelix sent back. “Bring him here. By the looks of him, he’ll spill everything he knows.”

—’Tch. Fine.’

He was just a low-ranking footsoldier, but he would know the basic layout of the camp. Gelix looked down at the trembling soldier Krodin dragged before him and lit another cigarette.

“Relax. I’m not a bad person,” he said, his voice deceptively calm. “I just have a few questions. If you’re thinking of lying, I’d forget about it. I have a knack for reading people’s eyes.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep