"I've lived long enough to see it all," a raider remarked, shaking his head. "Dungeon soldiers making way for us. Isn't this basically an invitation to conquer the place?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," his companion retorted. "None of Balak's dungeons have ever been conquered."

That day, another party of raiders had arrived at Balak's Labyrinth. As they descended the stairs, they recalled the strangely peaceful territory they had just passed through. Inside, they saw other raiders returning from the maze, sighing in frustration.

"Huh? What's this? Raiders are coming back?"

"What happened? I thought you couldn't leave the maze until you found the exit."

Bewildered, the pair approached the returning party. "D-did you come out through the exit to the final room?"

"Hah. You still don't know?" the other raider scoffed. "There's no real exit in this Labyrinth. Just a fake one so you can try again."

"What does that mean?"

"Jeez, just go in and see for yourself," the man grumbled before leading his comrades out of the dungeon.

The two raiders stared at the maze entrance, dumbfounded. More parties were emerging from the maze, returning from paths on either side.

"L-let's just go in and see for ourselves."

"Yeah, let's." Still unable to grasp the situation, they decided to enter the maze.

[You have entered the maze within the Labyrinth.]

[You cannot return to the entrance until you find the exit.]

[A restriction is placed on the entire Labyrinth.]

[Some raider-exclusive items will become unusable.]

[Some skills and special abilities will become unusable.]

They stepped through the entrance. The system messages were standard for any labyrinth.

"Seems the same so far, right?"

"Yeah. Let's start exploring."

The two began their search in earnest. Both were experienced maze-runners and confidently sought the exit.

"There's a trap up ahead. Let's turn back."

"Yikes! A monster. Run!"

"We saw this path a moment ago. Let's mark it."

As expected, Balak's Labyrinth was similar to other C-rank mazes, and they navigated its corridors smoothly.

"Whoa! It's a chest full of Zen!"

"Is it a trap? Let's touch it anyway."

"Ooh! No penalty. It's real!"

The chests of Zen they found in dead-end corridors provided a decent income. They wandered for hours, searching for the exit, but it was nowhere to be found, and exhaustion began to set in.

"Is this a maze with no real exit? Then how did those other people get out?"

"Wait. Look over there!"

Just as they were about to give up, a section of the maze wall began to slide open before them.

A deep, resonant voice echoed throughout the Labyrinth. "Ahem. The maze exploration time has ended. All raiders, please exit through the gate."

The two raiders stared at each other, blinking in confusion. In other corridors, raiders who were already accustomed to the routine were calmly filing out through the new opening.

"Ah! So busy, so busy. Another mountain of corpses today."

"Who left these items behind? If you're the owner, please come and get them!"

"Ugh! Who threw up here? It's disgusting!"

Suddenly, women they had never seen before emerged from between the maze walls and began cleaning. The two raiders immediately realized they were villagers captured by the dungeon.

"E-excuse me," one of the raiders said, stepping forward. "If you're trapped here, I can help you."

"Who? You?" a woman asked, leaning on her broom.

"Aren't you suffering at the hands of these demons every day? Here, come out this way, quickly."

"What are you talking about?" she scoffed. "We're eating well and living comfortably. Now stop interrupting our cleaning and get out of here!" She brandished her broom, shooing the two raiders away.

Forced out of the maze, the pair looked back with aggrieved expressions.

"What the hell kind of dungeon is this?! Where in the world is there a labyrinth like this?!"

"...By the way," the other said thoughtfully, "that woman was pretty charming. Exactly my type."

---

"Master Taehyun, it's a success," Edchan reported. "The raiders seem to have completely adapted and are visiting the Labyrinth every day."

The maze, restructured according to Taehyun's instructions, was a resounding success. Once the fear of being trapped vanished, raiders began visiting daily. The structure's success hinged on four factors. First, you couldn't get trapped. Second, while there was no true exit, the walls opened at regular intervals. Third, conquest was impossible, but you could consistently earn Zen. Fourth, the villagers living in the Labyrinth were clearly living comfortable lives.

The raiders must have struggled to adapt at first. But the periodic opening of the walls allowed for escape, giving them a chance to challenge the Labyrinth again without risking their lives. Furthermore, the Zen they earned during exploration was enough to sustain their livelihood. There was no downside for them. While some raiders inevitably died in the maze, the advantage of a steady income was more than enough to justify the risk. Some would surely frequent the Labyrinth more diligently to earn even more. It was a symbiotic relationship: the dungeon and the raiders both consistently earned Zen.

Moreover, Taehyun had not harmed any of the captured villagers. Thanks to that, the maze's residents didn't side with the raiders, content to continue their lives in the dungeon they had already adapted to.

'I provide the raiders with a means to earn Zen—the dungeon—and in return, they die one by one, offering me their Zen,' he mused. Although he wouldn't get the raid party annihilation bonus, this alone brought in a considerable income.

"Keep it up," Taehyun instructed Edchan. "New raiders will eventually adapt. Just keep a close eye on the villagers and make sure they don't try to escape."

"You don't need to worry. We've allowed them to live as comfortably as possible, just as you ordered. They won't try to escape."

"Good. Keep them well-educated until the city of Myol is completed."

"Understood. By the way, what are your plans for Lady Angelina?"

The image of Angelina running rampant in Pelcidium's armor flashed in his mind. The time he had promised her was fast approaching.

"Uhehehe. Soon. Soon the Dungeon Master will come to trample all over me. I'm so excited. So, no, extremely, no, absolutely!"

Angelina's voice, filtering through the communication device, sent a shiver down his spine.

"Edchan. I'm counting on you."

"W-what do you mean…!"

Taehyun sighed and put down the device. The restructured Labyrinth was operating successfully; he didn't need to worry about it anymore. Just then, he noticed Rabiz dozing off on the sofa.

"Hey. Are you sleeping?"

"Uh…"

"Rabiz?"

"Hah."

Rabiz jolted awake. Without wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth, she stared at him. "Not at all! I was not engaging in slumber."

"...Right." She had been running around casting transfer magic circles and summons lately; it was no wonder she was exhausted. He left her alone and called for Meldon, the former chief of Dallas Village.

"What is it, Dungeon Master," Meldon said, his expression far brighter than when he was first captured. It was understandable, given that the villagers were living comfortably and without fear.

"We've discovered two mines," Taehyun began. "I'll lend you some soldiers. I need you to take charge as the general manager. I'll assign other villagers to you as well, so handle it. I'll provide all the necessary equipment and tools."

"Understood."

"Ah, and once the city is completed, all the dungeon residents will live there. Let them know in advance."

"Is that so?" Meldon asked, a puzzled look on his face. "But why are you treating us so well? The villagers say it's more comfortable here than in the village. We're glad to live without fear, but I'm still confused."

Taehyun hadn't exploited them or forced them into hard labor. Their only combat duty had been defending the fortress. It was good that he wasn't harming the captured humans, but it was bound to raise questions. The young man before him was a demon, a wicked Dungeon Master. Rumor had it that Dungeon Masters tortured their captives and worked them to the bone. But Taehyun hadn't touched the women or given them any strenuous tasks. Their initial terror had slowly been replaced by a shattered prejudice. Meldon couldn't make sense of it.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Taehyun said coldly. "It's only because a situation hasn't arisen that calls for it. If necessary, I could sacrifice every last one of you. And once you settle in Myol, you'll be used as soldiers or worked to the bone to earn Zen. Be prepared."

"You've said that before. Looking at you, Master Taehyun, you seem…"

"Ah, get lost," Taehyun cut him off. "It was just because you were all completely useless!"

"Haha. Understood," Meldon said, his face brightening as he turned to leave.

Riel, sitting before the monitor, watched Taehyun cautiously. 'Don't tell me he's still bound by human sentiment.' Taehyun had hardened his heart after the village invasion. He had transformed completely after dealing with Sebastian's raid party, becoming the ideal Dungeon Master. If any trivial emotions remained, it would be a huge problem.

Just then, a wicked smile spread across Taehyun's face.

"Master Taehyun?" Riel asked.

"Humans, you see," he began, his voice low and chilling. "When someone extends a hand, they're suspicious at first. They don't believe it and try to keep their distance. But if that continues…"

"They fall into the illusion of trust. After that, they devote themselves to the person who extended that hand. If they happen to go down the wrong path, they delude themselves into thinking it's for their own good. Aren't they foolish?" A cruel smile was now etched on his lips. "Starting with them, it will spread like a disease. The idea that the Dungeon Master of Balak is merciful to his captives. That the same man who mercilessly killed people while invading their homes is incredibly kind to those he captures."

In their delusion, they would devote themselves to Balak. They would adapt to any task he gave them, satisfied with a life more comfortable than before. They would feel the change in their quality of life and serve Balak without prejudice. That's what Taehyun predicted. No, he was certain of it.

'I was dragged here and forced to risk my life to defend a dungeon, and you expect me to care about others? Cut the crap. To survive, and to get out of here, I'll do whatever it takes.'

The predator had awakened. There was no one left who could stop him.

---

At that moment, Criras, the branch manager of Partren, couldn't contain his rage at the news pouring in.

"Damn demon bastard!" he roared, slamming his fist on his desk. "How dare he form a symbiotic relationship with raiders?! What kind of ridiculous bullshit is this?!"

Raiders conquered dungeons. Dungeon Masters defended them. That was the natural order. It was a simple relationship of attack and defense, yet Balak was doing business with them. It was an unprecedented event in the history of the Astral Continent.

"Ugh. This can't go on," Criras seethed. "At this rate, the West will fall into Balak's hands. I have to do something."

He wracked his brain for a solution, but there was nothing. The Royal Family wouldn't move, and the Raider Association had all but given up. There was nothing a mere branch manager could do. Just then, an employee entered, followed by another man.

"Branch Manager, this person has requested to see you."

"What are you talking about? I told you to have them contact me first— Y-you are?!" Criras, who had been shouting, froze, his eyes widening in shock.

"I plan to stay here for a month. Is that alright?" the man asked coolly. "Oh, and my comrades will be with me, of course."

The man standing beside the employee was none other than the top B-rank raider, Sebastian.

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