Episode 136

The Gwadomalla Dungeon, a creation of Duke Nikunbel, was a five-floored, palace-style labyrinth. Each floor, riddled with rooms, traps, and hidden secrets, was perfectly designed to corner a raid party and bleed them of their single-use skills. Naeul, knowing this, had expertly drained the raiders of their resources. While she hadn't managed to force Seonghwi's hand, it hadn't mattered. She had eliminated their priest and held the ultimate trump card: a secret, skill-restricting prison in the final room, courtesy of the Duke. No matter how carefully they preserved Seonghwi's skills, they were useless if he was caged.

Furthermore, the Resistance party had never once been seen placing a Location Shift mark. To Naeul, this meant they had no way to use the item, and victory was assured. She had mobilized her three strongest units and successfully annihilated the party, save for its leader. Danbi had fallen, but Taehyun Yoo, the Dungeon Master of Balak, was incapacitated. He was the raid leader who had toyed with her from start to finish, and she had deliberately left him for last to savor his despair.

But that was her mistake. In truth, even in the final room, she had been dancing in the palm of his hand.

[Location Shift has been used.]

[A-rank Raider Seonghwi Hyeon's location will be changed to the previously saved location.]

The sudden use of the item was a shock. Naeul was certain she had never seen him place a mark. Yet Seonghwi was gone from the prison, and Taehyun was sneering up at her. In that moment, Naeul understood. She hadn't caught her prey; she had been caught and devoured.

''The Safety Zone.''

It was the one detail she had overlooked while focusing on their skills. The Safety Zone on the first floor. In that completely secure area, the Dungeon Master's vision was severed. Taehyun had used that blindness to place his mark in advance. There was no other way Seonghwi could be climbing back up from the very beginning of the dungeon.

A heavy thud of realization settled in her stomach.

Defeat. A complete and utter defeat. From the start, Taehyun had read her strategy, anticipated her focus on their skills, and planned to turn the tables with a single, perfectly hidden Location Shift.

"...Just what in the world are you?" Naeul whispered, her voice trembling.

"You worked hard," Taehyun said, a sneer twisting his blood-stained face. "Let's do this again sometime." It was a look that mocked her foolish confidence.

[The crystal sphere of the A-rank Gwadomalla Dungeon has been destroyed.]

[Victory for the raiding side!]

[The victory of the 1st Faction War goes to the Resistance faction.]

Dozens of spectral sword blades converged, shattering the crystal sphere. As the room dissolved into white light, Naeul glared at Taehyun.

"I will never lose to you again."

"Do your best," he replied. "I'll be happy to play with you anytime."

"I will definitely...!"

And then, the Gwadomalla Dungeon vanished.

---

'"—It seems I've caught my prey. What a shame for you."'

'"—What kind of bullshit is this? A room that traps a raider? This is too unfair!"'

'"—Weren't raiders always at a disadvantage? If you have a complaint, take it up with Duke Nikunbel himself."'

'"—You damn bitch!"'

On the screen, Taehyun was dying, slamming his fist on the ground in a bloody rage. The battle had clearly turned in the dungeon's favor. Riel, watching from her seat in the arena, clasped her hands together anxiously.

"M-Master Taehyun," she murmured.

"What is it?" a familiar voice asked from beside her.

"Oh my!" Riel jumped.

Taehyun was sitting in the seat next to her. Or rather, he had been there the whole time.

"What are you so surprised about?" he asked. "It's not like you actually die when you're killed on a mission."

"S-Still, I'm so glad you're safe," she said, her relief palpable. "Did we... lose in the end?"

The scene on the screen showed a party on the verge of annihilation. The mission participants had returned early due to the time acceleration, but the outcome seemed decided. Riel tried to school her features, but her disappointment was obvious.

"See for yourself," Taehyun said curtly.

"...Yes."

He must be frustrated about losing. He wasn't even telling her the result. Riel belatedly realized her blunder and turned her attention back to the screen.

'"—Your name is Naeul, right? You have some nerve, sneering like that, you bitch."'

'"—Wh-What did you say?!"'

'"—You caught one of mine. Now I get to catch three of yours. Have fun struggling."'

Suddenly, the situation was taking a strange turn. The collapsed Taehyun was now sneering, activating a Location Shift item. Even on the screen, there was no indication he had ever placed a mark, yet Seonghwi's location was changing.

"H-How?" Riel gasped.

"That Nikunbel fellow will probably play a highlight reel later," Taehyun said, standing up. "Let's go. There's nothing more to see here today."

"Y-Yes!"

A bright smile bloomed on Riel's face as she followed him.

---

Meanwhile, the Resistance section of the arena was in an uproar.

[Victory for the Resistance Faction]

[The Resistance Faction has acquired 2 Victory Points.]

[The Resistance Faction now rises to sole 1st place.]

The mood had been funereal just moments before, but the thrilling, last-second reversal had the faction members roaring with excitement.

"Taehyun is incredible! He's the dark horse of this Faction War!"

"He put the Location Shift in the Safety Zone and was acting the whole time?!"

"Did you see Naeul's face? The rookie says a few words, and she just crumbles!"

The victory was immensely satisfying. Everyone had been furious at Naeul's mockery, and their rookie had delivered the perfect payback. The faction members celebrated, congratulating the mission participants. Amidst the chaos, Narae, the Bounty Hunter, scanned the crowd, her head turning this way and that. She couldn't find Taehyun, the architect of their victory, anywhere.

Seonghwi appeared beside her, clapping a hand on her shoulder with a grin. "He left a long time ago. You should visit Balak in person and confess."

"Wh-What are you talking about, you crazy faction leader!" she sputtered, her face turning crimson.

"Ahahaha! Seeing you blush like that, I must be right."

"Die! Die! Just dieeee!"

---

[Faction War in progress.]

[Hostile relations with other factions within the continent are prohibited.]

The monthly Faction Wars were becoming a hassle, but at least it meant he wouldn't be disturbed by other factions on the continent for a while.

[You have returned to Balak.]

[The dungeon protection period is lifted.]

In any case, he could now focus solely on Balak. Taehyun surveyed his Master Room and let out a sigh of relief. After days of struggle in the mission, he was finally home. It felt like a long-awaited return.

"Welcome back, Master," Rabiz greeted him with a respectful bow.

"Yes. I just got back."

"You have worked hard."

Her affinity had clearly improved; her welcome was now quite proper. Taehyun sat down and picked up his communication device. It had been buzzing nonstop since the Faction War ended. He didn't need to look to know who it was. Normally he would have ignored it, but with Faction Wars every month, he would have to face her again.

"...Yes, Songyi."

—"Keep your promise, Taehyun."

He said nothing.

—"If you don't, I'll come for you."

The line went dead.

With just two sentences, she hung up. The excuses he'd made during the mission to keep his team's morale up were now shackles on his ankles. An involuntary shiver ran down his spine, and he rubbed his arms. The thought of that one little girl was enough to make his hair stand on end.

"Is something the matter?" Rabiz asked.

"...It's nothing. Rabiz, what's the status of my orders for Larkan?"

"The passages you instructed Sir Larkan to build are nearly complete. They are scheduled to be finished within a few days."

A network of tunnels connecting the entire Balak territory was already on the verge of completion. It was a testament to the incredible power of Larkan's transmutation circles.

''His constant use of alchemy must have increased his proficiency even more. As expected, keeping Larkan busy with work is the answer.''

Larkan was now the most valuable asset in Balak. Taehyun nodded, reviewing the tunnel schematics on the screen. All that remained was to explore the undiscovered ruins as planned. With the dungeon's protection period lifted, raiders would soon start flocking to his gates again, but that wouldn't be a problem. He would simply leave a few monsters behind and stick to his schedule.

"I'm scheduling an expedition to the newly discovered ruins," Taehyun announced, his voice crisp and decisive. "The main force will consist of Raviz, Jighart, and the B-rank soldiers we just summoned."

"When you say newly summoned, Master, does that include the second Balak unit?" Riel inquired, her tone as precise as ever.

"That's right. The others will remain here to defend the dungeon. If the ruins turn out to be a higher rank than we anticipate, we shall pull back immediately."

"I understand," she replied with a nod. "I shall make the preparations at once."

With the plan set, Taehyun turned his attention to the uncharted territory nestled between the lands he'd designated Threes and Fours.

---

[You have personally discovered the entrance to the underground ruins.]

[You have achieved the Dungeon Master's accomplishment: 'Second Ruin Discovered'.]

A fissure in the rock, previously unnoticed, revealed a hidden cave. It was the second set of ruins he'd found since stumbling upon Yuslan's Ice Palace.

[Accomplishment: Second Ruin Discovered.]

[Description: You have discovered your second ruin since becoming a Dungeon Master. Its proximity to your dungeon allowed for a swift discovery.]

'Why even create an achievement with no reward?' he grumbled internally. He was reminded of the Ice Palace; that accomplishment had yielded absolutely nothing, either.

Shaking off the thought, Taehyun ordered Jighart and the shieldbearers to the front before proceeding into the cavern.

"It is an honor to accompany you, my Lord," Jighart boomed, puffing out his chest.

"Just shut up and watch what's in front of you," Taehyun muttered, waving him off.

"Understood!"

Taehyun ignored Jighart's fawning and scanned the cave's interior. A single torch cast flickering light on a series of lanterns that stretched deep into the darkness. They looked ancient, but it was clear they were crafted by intelligent hands.

'Ruins are supposed to be hundreds, if not thousands, of years old. How are these lanterns still functional?' he wondered. Aside from a thick layer of dust and grime, they seemed to be in perfect condition, as if they would light up with just a change of oil.

Pushing the mystery aside, he focused on the path ahead. The tunnel soon opened into a larger chamber, terminating at a massive iron door.

[You have discovered the underground ruin: 'Temple of the Subterranean Race'.]

[Rank: C]

[A ruin hidden beneath the Behetl and Lemagal territories. The temple of the subterranean race has been maintained for thousands of years and still stands.]

'Subterranean race?' The name jogged his memory of the Astral Continent's history—races that had fled to the far corners of the world to escape the endless wars with humanity. The elves had found sanctuary in a forest protected by a World Tree, while the dwarves were said to have vanished deep into the earth.

A slow smile spread across Taehyun's face as he gave the order to open the door. The massive iron portal groaned open under Jighart's strength, revealing the world within.

A chorus of panicked shouts erupted from inside. "It's the demon tribe! We're being invaded!"

"Dungeon soldiers! Everyone, fall back! We'll make our stand at the temple!"

"They found us! Damn those Dungeon Master bastards!"

The chaos confirmed they were already aware of the intrusion.

"Fascinating," Jighart remarked. "To think they carved out such a network of tunnels deep underground."

"The interior is quite spacious," Raviz added, her voice calm and analytical. "Based on the figures fleeing toward the temple, I presume they are dwarves."

"Dwarves, right after elves," Taehyun mused, his smile widening. "This is a jackpot."

A subterranean world unfolded before them. Stout, bearded figures—dwarves, just as he'd hoped—were abandoning a village at the entrance and scrambling toward a fortified temple deeper within the cavern. Taehyun quickly took stock of his forces: 80 Gargoyles, 200 Goblins, 50 Imps, 100 personal Fairies, 70 Orcs, 30 Trolls, 20 Minotaurs, 30 Harpies, and 4 Catapult Drakes. A formidable army of nearly six hundred. With Raviz and Jighart leading them, clearing a C-rank ruin would be trivial.

His eyes were drawn to the heavy crossbows mounted along the cavern walls. He noted with satisfaction that each was embedded with what looked like B-rank magic stones.

"This isn't just a jackpot," he murmured to himself. "It's a gold mine. Time to clean them out."

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