Chapter 290: Episode 290

[You have annihilated Walter’s raid party.]

[You have captured S-rank Mid-tier Raider Walter.]

[You have captured the Supreme Dark Spirit, Dakenbaus.]

No matter how sharp one’s judgment, there were always limits. In the high-stakes mind games of item usage, a well-timed counter could turn the tide. But more important was creating the opportunity for that counter in the first place.

’Walter…’ Taehyun mused, ’he hesitated because he was too busy trying to calculate the perfect move. He forgot the cardinal rule: items are support; your forces are the main event. He should have used his troops to set the stage for his item-based psychological warfare, but he missed his chance.’

One couldn’t just throw items around blindly. A commander had to create an advantageous board state with their forces and then use items to capitalize on it. In that regard, Walter had failed spectacularly. He’d made a strong opening in Hylon’s Forest, but that was as far as his talent went.

“Wow, you were so smart, Brother,” Hyena said, her eyes wide. “I’ve only ever been on the raiding side. Seeing you defend against one… I never realized how incredibly difficult it is.”

“If I couldn’t manage this much, I’d have to hand in my Dungeon Master license,” Taehyun scoffed, a hint of pride in his voice. “Who do you think built Balak into what it is today? None other than yours truly.”

“Wow, listen to you brag…”

“Well, the help from my core forces was significant, too,” he admitted. “Now, shall we go have a look at our guest?”

The spiritmancer had come here brazenly, his intentions seemingly on full display. The system description confirmed his target was the Silent Forest, but the appearance of a Supreme Dark Spirit was an unexpected variable. Taehyun knew he had to force an explanation from the man himself. He ruffled Hyena’s hair and instructed Raviz to use a summoning skill.

—

’Clank. Clank!’

The monochrome, bear-like spirit thrashed violently, straining against the chains binding it to the floor.

—”I hate you! I hate the elves who abandoned me, and I hate you, the Dungeon Master of Balak, who drove them away!”

Dakenbaus, the Supreme Dark Spirit. Once a resident of the Spirit Forest, it had been corrupted by a profound darkness after being forsaken by the elves and its fellow spirits. Now, it seethed with a singular rage, vowing to destroy Taehyun and the elves—the twin sources of its hatred. It was almost certainly Dakenbaus who had manipulated Walter into attacking Balak.

Taehyun looked down at the captured raider with pity. “You invaded my territory just to get your hands on… that?”

“…You saw it, didn’t you?” Walter muttered. “It resets cooldowns.”

“Sure, the ability is useful, but how do you plan on controlling a creature throwing a tantrum like that? Think about it. Let’s say you grant its wish and wipe out the elves and all of Balak. You think it’ll be satisfied? Not a chance. It’ll just move on to the next grudge, screaming ’the spirits are next!’ and demanding you invade the spirit realm.”

The other spirits were just as much to blame for Dakenbaus’s state. A dark spirit, tainted by evil, could never be truly accepted by its peers. Walter, now in shackles, remained silent, having nothing to say in his defense.

Taehyun clicked his tongue and summoned Hamolton.

“Hmph. What is it now?” the elder elf grumbled.

“How do we deal with this thing?”

“Hoh, isn’t that Dakenbaus?”

“Sounds like you know him.”

“Of course. I could never forget. He was always the most frivolous of the spirits.”

So he was a troublemaker even before his fall from grace. Hamolton approached the bound spirit with a sorrowful expression.

—”Elder! You abandoned me, too! I will never forgive you! I’ll tear you limb from limb!”

“You poor thing,” Hamolton sighed. “How did it come to this? It seems we elves have committed a great wrong.”

—”It’s too late for apologies! My anger and hatred will never be appeased!”

“How pitiful, how truly pitiful.”

Elves and spirits were lifelong companions. Having known each other since their time in the Spirit Forest, the elder’s sadness was palpable. Hyena, watching from the side, looked at Dakenbaus with sympathy.

“Brother, it’s so tragic.”

“Hmm. So, Hamolton, what’s the plan?”

“In a case like this, there’s only one way.” Hamolton heaved another deep sigh. There was only one method for dealing with a Supreme Spirit so thoroughly corrupted by darkness. He raised the Branch of the World Tree in his hand.

Hyena squeezed her eyes shut and turned away. Dakenbaus, sensing its own demise, sneered at the old elf.

—”Khuhuhu. Even if you extinguish me… ’Gak!”

“Who gave you permission to become a dark spirit?” Hamolton scolded, whacking the spirit with the branch. “I fed you all those spirit stone fragments, and this is how you repay me? Utterly willful!”

—”Gak!’ Hatred… ’Gak!’ Please, Elder, stop hitting the same spot!”

“Show some respect! Respect! I’m going to beat that insolent habit you couldn’t fix in the Spirit Forest right out of you today!”

A shocking scene of violence unfolded. Despite his age, the elven elder struck with vicious precision, targeting the same bruised spots again and again. Soon, Hamolton seemed to enter a trance, his movements blurring into a dance of surprising agility as he began to pummel Dakenbaus with incredible footwork.

“H-He’s insane.”

That day, the Supreme Dark Spirit was forcibly rehabilitated, its nature violently restored to its original element.

—

In the eastern Ashlan Kingdom, the only nation that revered the druids and embraced the ways of nature, tensions were high. The failed raid on the World Tree had been a setback, but the druids hadn’t given up. If anything, their ambition had grown, and they were now pressuring the royal family for another attempt. King Gunrad had been on the verge of commissioning a second raid party to target Balak, but another crisis erupted first.

’You claim to serve the earth? To see you prattling on about channeling the earth’s energy through these crude totems, the druids of the East must be utter fools.’

The Enais Kingdom had openly provoked them by destroying the totems, the sacred symbols of the druids. This was a grave insult, especially after the previous friction over obstructing the raid party’s passage. With communication between the East and West already severed, the eastern nations that served the Cult of Abundance would not stand for it. The Ashlan Kingdom and its allies declared war, escalating the situation toward an all-out conflict with Enais. In response, several western nations, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire, quickly began to distance themselves.

Meanwhile, the southern Peshant Empire attempted to side with Enais, but the move was thwarted by a coalition of opposing nobles. Even the neutral factions, who had initially ignored the opposition, hastily reversed their stance under orders from the royal family. Having failed to draw the empire into his schemes, King Leon launched a separate investigation through his Golden Fish intelligence network, but it yielded no results.

—

“Kuaaaaargh!”

An Ice Troll roared as it stormed the capital. This was the same monster that had slaughtered over fifty knights of the Peyton Order. It was a favored beast among the Frost Queen’s forces, and the formidable equipment it wore made it clear it was not an opponent to be underestimated.

The man confronting it, Duke Peyton, exhaled lightly and darted to the left.

His sword rang out against a wall of frost crystals, the powerful strike stopped cold. The flawless swordsmanship of House Peyton was on full display. The duke clicked his tongue and pressed his attack, weaving left and right. When facing a monster, one had to establish dominance immediately. As his blade found the gaps in its armor, carving one wound after another, his form became a blur, like a phantom on the battlefield.

“You beast!”

“Kuaaaaargh!”

“What?!”

In the middle of his assault, the duke’s body suddenly froze. He was powerless to block the troll’s fist as it slammed into him, sending him flying.

A building crumbled under the impact with a deafening crash. Duke Peyton scrambled out from under the falling debris.

“Hmph. It refuses to go down. What in the world are you?”

“Kurrrrrr.”

“Heh. I see. A beast cannot be reasoned with. It seems I must kill you to avenge my knights.”

Just over a decade ago, he had been a candidate for the title of superhuman but had failed to receive the oracle’s call. The existing superhumans were simply on another level, but that wasn’t the only reason.

’I forcibly suppressed my own growth because I didn’t want to waste ten years of my life,’ he lamented. ’To think I would come to regret not training more.’

If he hadn’t stopped then, he would now be standing shoulder to shoulder with the fourteen superhumans. A wave of regret washed over Duke Peyton as he drew his true sword.

[Activating Magic Sword Aselantz.]

[The energy gathered in your body is converted into mana.]

’Tsk. I didn’t want to rely on a raider’s equipment, but I have no choice.’

It was a magic sword considered to be among the finest of S-rank gear. Duke Peyton adjusted his stance and unleashed a torrent of mana. The Ice Troll facing him flinched, startled by the overwhelming power.

“It’s useless to run now. I postponed the subjugation of Balak because of you lot. You will take responsibility.”

“Ku, kuaaargh.”

“A foolish move!”

The tide of battle turned instantly. Wielding the magic sword, the duke effortlessly dismantled the beast, severing its limbs one by one. He was toying with a main-force unit of the Frost Queen’s army.

“Ku, kuaaargh!”

The troll counterattacked, trying to fight through its fear, but it was useless. Duke Peyton was already behind it, his sword plunged deep into its heart.

“Kueeeeeeek—!”

“So you can manage a human-like scream after all. Now, die.”

“Kueee…”

’Thud.’

The beast collapsed, its life extinguished. He had been forced to use the magic sword he so disliked, but the threat was eliminated. For now, it was a satisfactory result. Duke Peyton flicked the blue blood from his blade and caught his breath as his knights finished driving the remaining frost warriors from the city.

“…Have we held them off for today?”

The frost army swarmed the capital without end. He had slain their commander, but he knew the onslaught would continue. As Ludin rushed toward him, Duke Peyton sheathed his magic sword.

—

A pair of white wings fluttered.

“…Hmm.”

They fluttered again.

“Hmmm.”

The white wings twitched, reacting at precise three-second intervals. After observing her for some time, Taehyun concluded that the movement was tied to his own emotions. He clenched his fist, fighting the overwhelming urge to reach out and touch them.

“S-Sir Taehyun, what are you doing?” Eclat asked, her voice soft.

“Oh, nothing. Just finish your cake.”

“Okaaaay.”

Eclat, the A-rank mercenary known as the Crybaby. An angel exiled from the Celestial Realm, she was now a permanent resident of Balak. Her buffs had been invaluable, but lately, he felt she was falling behind. It was time to evolve her, just like his other core units.

’If she evolves from a crybaby, will she become a glutton?’ he wondered, watching her devour the cake. ’You’d think she’d gain some weight.’ His gaze drifted to her chest. Her figure was slender, but her bust was full enough to seem almost out of proportion with her slender frame. ’I’ve been hesitant because she’s an angel, but an evolution is necessary.’

He had no idea what changes it would bring, but with war on the horizon, he needed her at her strongest. He wiped a smudge of cream from the corner of her mouth and sat beside her.

“You’re so clumsy, getting it all over your face.”

“S-Sir Taehyun?!”

“Why are you blushing? Put your fork down for a moment and stay still.”

Her heart began to hammer against her ribs. The Dungeon Master was looking at her with such a serious expression. Eclat tried to calm herself, but a fierce blush crept up her neck, and she couldn’t meet his gaze. Just then, Taehyun began placing mana stones on the table.

“This should be enough to evolve you.”

They were the materials for Evolution.

—

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