EP.184 - The Spark of Power (2)
"Want to take down the Vice Guild Master?"
For a mont, I doubted my ears.
’What kind of change of heart is this?’
Jung Ye-rin wasn’t the type to say such things. The Jung Ye-rin I knew preferred to avoid conflicts within the guild rather than confront them head-on. She even accepted Yoon Tae-kyung despite knowing he was a spy.
Regardless, she had effectively declared her intention to oppose her brother, the Vice Guild Master.
’A power struggle within the guild, huh.’
Such conflicts never end quietly. If the dispute escalates, either Jung Ye-rin or Jung Tae-young will have to leave the guild for it to conclude. I was curious about her plan. She wouldn’t have spoken without a strategy.
I stared at her face, pondering. There was only one reason she would confide in .
’She wants my support.’
Perhaps she was rely seeking my opinion as the team’s advisor, but it was hard to believe I wasn’t involved in her plan.
’Using the dungeon to take down the Vice Guild Master?’
Inside the dungeon, Baalzerith was the administrator. In other words, she intended to use Baalzerith’s power to eliminate Jung Tae-young. And since Baalzerith and the dungeon were under my control, I was already involved.
Of course, if I withdrew Baalzerith from the dungeon, I could claim no involvent, but I had no intention of doing so.
Conquering a dungeon and dispatching an administrator shortens the ti needed to absorb offerings. With Baalzerith managing the dungeon, the ti was already reduced by 10%, so there was no reason for to abandon it.
Moreover, the current situation could benefit . If she, who was favorable towards , took control of the Phoenix Guild?
’Not bad at all.’
However, I couldn’t support Jung Ye-rin blindly. After concluding my thoughts, I spoke.
"What made you decide this?"
I needed to understand her thoughts to decide my actions. Jung Ye-rin hesitated for a long ti before letting out a deep sigh and speaking.
"When Yoon Tae-kyung died, my first thought was, ’Thank goodness.’"
Her candid emotion made my eyebrows rise. As I remained silent, she continued.
"If Yoon Tae-kyung had returned alive, he would have reported Baalzerith’s existence to the Vice Guild Master."
Her voice trembled slightly. It was a side of her I had never seen before. Jung Ye-rin, who was always confident and composed in front of her team, now seed as if she was facing a deep fear.
"If that happened, the guild would have inevitably attempted to subjugate the dungeon. And from that mont... the Phoenix Guild’s fate would be sealed."
"What do you an...?"
What was she talking about? The end of the Phoenix Guild’s fate? It seed a bit exaggerated.
"You wouldn’t know, Kang-Hyun. How powerful Baalzerith truly is."
No, I knew Baalzerith’s capabilities far better than she did.
"If we were to confront such an entity, the Phoenix Guild’s influence could rapidly decline. No, it might even threaten the guild’s very existence."
Now I understood her true intentions. She seed to be worried about a direct confrontation between the Phoenix Guild and Baalzerith. Not knowing Baalzerith’s exact power must have been frightening. Moreover, the dungeon itself was a vast maze. With the presence of a Minotaur, if the Phoenix Guild made a wrong move, it could be their end.
"But no matter how much we try to hide it, the story will eventually spread. Right now, we’re just buying ti. So, I thought of sacrificing the Vice Guild Master to preserve the guild’s power."
I pondered her words. The Phoenix Guild wasn’t in a safe position. It was a top-tier guild, ranking within the top ten, but a slight shake could make it prey for other guilds.
Jung Ye-rin’s choice was cold and calculated. Sacrificing the Vice Guild Master to preserve the hunters’ strength.
Given the Vice Guild Master’s personality, it was inevitable he would use Yoon Tae-kyung’s death as a pretext to send a subjugation team into the dungeon. However, there was a world of difference between a team aware of Baalzerith’s existence and one that wasn’t.
Ultimately, Baalzerith was a ga-changer for Jung Ye-rin.
"...The deal is already done."
She even ntioned having made a deal. Soon, there would be intruders in the dungeon, and she had asked Baalzerith to spare everyone except the leader. Baalzerith had agreed.
"......"
Hearing this far, I couldn’t help but be impressed by Jung Ye-rin’s decisiveness. I hadn’t expected her to plan this much in the short ti she was in the dungeon.
’That’s a relief.’
If she hadn’t told anything, it could have been problematic.
’So the Vice Guild Master plans to form a subjugation team?’
Baalzerith is the administrator I sent to the dungeon. And Jung Tae-young plans to form a subjugation team to conquer that dungeon? If the team is assembled, it will consist of dozens of hunters, and they might have been caught unaware.
I slowly nodded and spoke.
"I understand. So..."
I paused deliberately before continuing.
"How can I assist you?"
Having revealed everything, the only thing she could ask of was help. As expected, Jung Ye-rin’s eyes sparkled. This was her main point.
"I really need your help, Kang-Hyun. And like the last dungeon raid... could you assign a summon to the team?"
"A summon..."
By summon, she ant Maru. I could easily accommodate such a request. But if I’m giving sothing, I should get sothing in return. If I agreed imdiately, I wouldn’t gain the upper hand in negotiations.
"......"
I didn’t give an imdiate answer, pretending to ponder. Jung Ye-rin spoke with determined eyes.
"I know it’s a difficult task."
Of course. The plan was to persuade the guild’s subjugation team while eliminating the Vice Guild Master.
"But if this succeeds, I’ll officially appoint you as the guild’s advisor."
"Hmm."
This changed things. An official guild advisor, not just a team advisor?
’I can’t resist this.’
In terms of position and treatnt, it was undoubtedly better than my current status. I barely suppressed a smile and extended my hand to her.
"Don’t worry, Team Leader. I’ll take all necessary asures."
Jung Ye-rin smiled at my words.
"Pfft, I didn’t expect you to be this amusing, Kang-Hyun."
I’m not sure what she found amusing, but I ant what I said. I would mobilize all the monster forces I could to the dungeon ’Wandering Maze.’
*
In the southernmost mountain range of the Orovis Empire, there was a dungeon. Just three days ago, it was covered in dust and cobwebs, but now it was completely transford. The corridors glead, and the carpet was spotless, without a single footprint. Expensive oil paintings adorned the walls on both sides of the corridor.
What was once a crumbling dungeon now felt like a noble’s mansion. This perfectly transford place was the ’Fortress of Silence’ dungeon. All these changes occurred after Necros arrived.
Originally, the ’Fortress of Silence’ was owned by a lich, not Necros. Necros was rely an administrator sent to conquer the place on behalf of his master. However, his first impression of the dungeon was that it was a complete ss.
The interior was neglected, filled with dust, and the lich, supposedly the dungeon’s owner, was being hounded by a rchant from the Demon Realm’s trade association for debts. So, Necros took matters into his own hands.
He paid off the lich’s debts, repaired the necessary facilities, and normalized all operations to ensure smooth managent. Amazingly, all these changes were accomplished in just three days.
The transformation wasn’t limited to the dungeon.
"Oh, Master... Your face shines today as well..."
A mummy respectfully bowed its head, diligently polishing Necros’s skull. This mummy had betrayed its original master, the lich, on Necros’s first day here and guided him through the dungeon. Once tattered, the mummy’s bandages were now replaced with high-quality materials, adorned with intricate gold embroidery. Its appearance had transford into that of a golden mummy.
"All of this... is thanks to you, Master..."
The mummy’s slow voice was filled with genuine respect. Necros nodded indifferently at the mummy’s flattery. Then he turned his gaze to the lich kneeling beside him.
"Click-click-?"
(Have you realized sothing-?)
At Necros’s words, the lich bowed its head respectfully.
"...Click-click-click-click"
(I have fully grasped the teachings of my master.)
The lich, once the dungeon’s owner, now faithfully followed Necros. It wasn’t rely following a new master but genuinely revered him as a teacher.
This was because Necros was an Arch Lich, a monster one tier above the lich. The lich was also captivated by Necros’s boldness. Necros accomplished things the lich could only dream of.
Especially impressive was how Necros turned the tables on the rchant from the Demon Realm’s trade association. The lich felt a sense of satisfaction seeing the rchant, who had previously berated him over debts, grovel before his master, Necros.
In just three days, the dungeon had been reborn, so to speak. The teachings of the higher being, the Arch Lich, had shown the lich a new world.
The lich aspired to beco a dungeon master like Necros one day. So, even in the short ti, he served Necros as a master, receiving extensive training. Now, he even felt a mysterious connection between himself and Necros.
The lich’s gaze shifted to the side. Unfortunately, he wasn’t Necros’s only disciple.
"Sword... Want...! Power!"
The undead who constantly muttered about the sword was Berter, a Dullahan with a detached head and torso, and the second disciple of his master.
The Dullahan’s sudden appearance was a mystery, but his master had said:
- Click-click-click. (It is the will of the One.)
The lich didn’t know who this ’One’ was, but he was determined to learn everything about Necros. At least he was confident he had learned more than that Dullahan.
"......"
Seeing the lich’s confident deanor, Necros nodded. He had taught everything he could as the One had instructed.
At that mont, an unknown voice echoed through the air.
【Enter the dungeon】
With the voice, a rift appeared in the air, opening a dinsional gate. The lich was startled by the unfamiliar sight, but Necros gestured.
"Click, click."
(Go, it is the will of the One.)
The will of the One? The lich hesitated briefly, but he believed it was right to follow his master’s words. He rose and headed towards the dinsional gate. With each step, his robe fluttered elegantly. Soon, the lich disappeared into the gate.
*
As soon as the lich passed through the dinsional gate, a vast dungeon unfolded before his eyes. The location didn’t matter. What was crucial was the group of humans in front of him.
"Everyone, halt! Monster sighted ahead!"
"Orders from the Vice Guild Master! Hold your positions and assess the situation!"
The lich’s gaze swept over the unfamiliar equipnt of the humans. It was different from the adventurers’ gear he usually saw. More surprising were the skeleton soldiers lined up in front of the humans.
Undead standing with humans! Could they be necromancers instead of adventurers?
The lich didn’t panic. As the first disciple of Master Necros, he analyzed the situation.
First, he dismissed the unfamiliar weapons and equipnt. They were different from what adventurers used, making proper analysis difficult. Next, he considered the number of humans. Even at a glance, their numbers were overwhelming.
What if a battle broke out here? Even if he used corpse explosion on the skeleton soldiers in front of the human group, a frontal assault was impossible.
How would his master handle such a situation? After a mont of contemplation, the lich elegantly swept his robe and stepped forward. He had made his decision.
"Click."
(Excuse .)
The lich approached the skeleton soldiers and spoke politely.
"Click-click?"
(May I join you?)
The skeleton soldiers hesitated at the lich’s unexpected action. They glanced at each other briefly before nodding and making space for the lich. Thanks to this, the lich seamlessly blended in with them.
"What... What’s going on?"
The hunters were equally bewildered by the sudden turn of events.
A strange skeleton monster had appeared in the dungeon. And instead of attacking, it calmly took its place among the skeleton soldiers!
Even the necromancer who had summoned the skeleton soldiers was baffled. He couldn’t comprehend the situation.
"Why did that thing co here?"
Even as a necromancer, the undead monster’s behavior was bizarre. Then a colleague asked.
"Did you summon it and forget about it?"
"...Could be?"
Judging by how the skeleton soldiers he summoned were standing still, it seed plausible. Ultimately, the necromancer accepted the lich.
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