'Mirina's death was a bit of a surprise, but it's that bastard Sheet's fault for not scouting the fortress in the Arid Plains beforehand,' Roman mused. 'Alright. After I clear this place, which raid party should I join next?'

Roman was a man who had moved between raid parties wearing hundreds of false fronts. Thanks to his decent track record, he was already slated to be a candidate for C-rank, so there was no need to be impatient. All he had to do was slowly, carefully, reap the rewards until he came out on top.

"There are no monsters here, either," Gorden said, looking around the second room. "It's good for us, I guess, but isn't this a little strange?"

He was right. This dungeon, Balak, was bizarre. A naturally formed dungeon should have monsters in every room. Yet here, there were only fixtures and no real obstacles.

"It is strange," Roman agreed, his eyes drifting to a bookshelf against the wall. "No monsters, only traps and furniture."

Such fixtures were often man-made, but they could also have been formed with the dungeon itself.

"Wait here a moment."

"Hey! Sir Roman, be careful!"

"It's fine."

Bookshelves like this often concealed useful scrolls for mages. Roman wasn't about to miss such an opportunity.

'Why is this oaf so timid?' Even if he triggered a trap, it was unlikely to be a life-threatening curse. With practiced hands, he searched the bookshelf and, tucked between two tomes, discovered a single scroll.

'Ooh. A 2nd-circle magic scroll!' The scroll, covered in glowing runes on pristine white paper, was a high-grade item in both price and power. Just like the one he already had, it contained a 2nd-circle spell.

"Ahem. Nothing here," he announced, pocketing his prize.

"Is that so? Well, that's a relief."

"Come on. Let's hurry."

Hiding the truth from Gorden, Roman urged him onward. 'Excellent! What a windfall! The raid reward and the price of this scroll will net me almost seven thousand Zen!' He fought to suppress a grin. If he eliminated Gorden later, all the treasure in the dungeon would be his.

The two passed through another corridor and entered the fourth room.

"Oh, the monsters have finally appeared!"

"Looks like goblins and imps," Roman said. "Gorden, take the front! We'll buy time until Kane and Sheet arrive!"

"Understood!"

A ball of lightning crackled to life in Roman's hand. Gorden charged forward, shield raised. As he watched the big man take his position, Roman's lips curled into a cruel smirk.

'Of course, I have no idea if Kane and Sheet are coming at all.' So much time had passed; something must have happened to them. With his free hand, Roman carefully drew out a magic scroll and prepared for battle.

"Kieeeek!"

"Kyak! Kyaaak!"

The goblins brandished daggers while the imps conjured fireballs. He could sense a faint spiritual aura from a few of them, but it didn't matter. 'A 2nd-circle magic scroll will be more than enough to wipe them out.' If he could take care of Gorden at the same time, it would be perfect.

Chuckling to himself, Roman launched the ball of lightning.

"Keeeeek!"

The goblin struck by the lightning convulsed, paralyzed for a moment. The remaining monsters surged forward, and Gorden struggled to hold them back with his shield.

"Ugh! Sir Roman, I think these are the only monsters left in this dungeon!" he grunted.

"It seems so," Roman replied coolly. "Which means it's time for you to die."

"What?"

The moment Gorden turned his head, the next ball of lightning shot not at a monster, but straight at him.

"Aargh!"

Gorden collapsed, convulsing from the shock. Roman raised the magic scroll and sneered down at him.

"Wh-What does this mean!"

"Oh, I've been feeling this party has reached its limit. I believe it's time to say our goodbyes."

"Grrr… Do you really think you can get away with this!"

"Don't you worry. This is a mighty 2nd-circle magic scroll. Once I use it to take care of you and these monsters…"

'THUMP!'

Just as Roman was about to tear the scroll, a massive figure emerged from the darkness behind him.

"Uh… ugh…" Gorden, looking past Roman, stared in horror at the newcomer.

A cold sweat broke out on Roman's back as he slowly, reluctantly, turned his head.

"Moo!"

Locking eyes with the Minotaur, Roman shrieked and scrambled backward, falling to the floor. "N-No! Why is a Minotaur in a new D-rank dungeon like this!"

The creature, wielding a massive shield and a battle-axe, was far too powerful for a fledgling dungeon. Perhaps in a D-rank dungeon that had claimed a few raid parties, but for a monster like this to be inside the newly formed Balak… it was unbelievable.

As Roman, who had dropped his precious scroll, was being crushed by the immense pressure, a woman appeared from the opposite corridor. It was Taehyun's supporter, Riel.

"Judging by that scroll, it must be 2nd-circle magic," she said, her voice calm. "It would have been quite effective against these soldiers. But unfortunately for you, you were unaware of the Minotaur. An Intermediate Minotaur, at that."

A Shield Bearer Minotaur could easily withstand a 2nd-circle spell. At her appearance, Roman's face turned deathly pale, and he began to tremble.

"A-A Supporter! Then… there's a Dungeon Master?!"

"That's right. The fortress also belongs to Balak. And I do apologize for the priest's death."

"Shut your mouth, you damn bitch!" Gorden roared, his anger boiling over as the truth was revealed. "How dare you! Mirina!"

"She isn't the only one," Riel continued, her voice devoid of emotion. "Kane and Sheet have already been dealt with."

"Y-You… I'll kill you all! I'll kill you!"

Hearing the fate of his other comrades, Gorden lost what little sanity he had left and lunged forward. But at that moment, another Minotaur appeared from the shadows behind Riel.

"T-Two Minotaurs?!" Roman stammered. "How can a new D-rank dungeon possess a fortress 'and' two Minotaurs?!"

"There are ways," Riel said with a serene smile. "Now, what will you do? Resist to the end? Or surrender peacefully?"

Roman couldn't answer. Even Gorden had frozen mid-charge, intimidated by the presence of two hulking beasts.

"Silence is your answer, I see. What should we do, Master?" Riel asked, closing her eyes gently as she addressed Taehyun, who was now emerging from the corridor.

Taehyun cleared his throat, a flicker of nervousness betraying him, but his voice was firm when he gave the command. "Strip them of their equipment and items, then lock them in the underground prison."

"Grrr… You evil bastard!" Gorden snarled.

Taehyun ignored him, turning to leave the room.

Thus, the Sheet party's raid was thwarted. All but the fallen Mirina were now prisoners of Balak.

---

[You have captured D-rank Raider, Mage Roman.]

[You have captured D-rank Raider, Warrior Kane.]

[You have captured D-rank Raider, Rogue Sheet.]

The raiders' items had caught him off guard, but he had managed to stop the raid once again.

[You have thwarted the D-rank raid party's raid.]

[Raid Thwart Rank: B]

[You have acquired 3,000 Zen as a B-rank Raid Thwart Bonus.]

[Balak soldiers' experience has increased by 50.]

[The Goblins' combat experience has increased slightly.]

[The Imps' combat experience has increased slightly.]

[The Minotaurs' combat experience has increased slightly.]

[Thwarting the second raid has increased the Balak soldiers' loyalty by 1.]

[You have acquired an additional 300 Zen from the corpse of D-rank Raider Mirina.]

[You have acquired an additional 1,000 Zen from the D-rank raiders.]

[You have seized all equipment and items from D-rank Raider Sheet.]

[You have seized all equipment and items from D-rank Raider Roman.]

[You have seized all equipment and items from D-rank Raider Kane.]

[You have seized all equipment and items from D-rank Raider Gorden.]

The Zen and equipment from his second successful defense were a welcome reward for his efforts. 'I'll leave the interrogation of the prisoners to Riel. For now, I need to focus on developing the dungeon.' Not only did he need to strengthen his defenses, but he also had to replace the soldiers and familiars lost in the battle.

Taehyun started by replenishing his familiars, then summoned new hounds and goblins to fill his ranks. Using the Zen from the raid reward and the confiscated funds, he re-equipped his entire force, restoring his army to its full combat potential.

---

A month passed. Several more D-rank parties challenged Balak, but all were annihilated. One group of rookies was wiped out before they even left the fortress. Another, much like Sheet's party, made it to the fourth room only to be crushed by the unexpected appearance of the Minotaurs.

Every failure could be traced back to three key factors: the fortress, the two Intermediate Minotaurs, and Taehyun's brilliant command. As a result, Balak was officially upgraded from a "new" to a proper D-rank dungeon in the Raider Association's registry. Taehyun used the steady stream of Zen from his victories to rapidly develop his domain.

[Dungeon Name: Balak]

[Master: Taehyun Yoo]

[Rank: D (Stage 2)]

[Location: A cave deep within the Valley of Silence, on the western frontier of the Astral Continent.]

[Supporter: Riel of Healing (B)]

[Boss: Intermediate Minotaur (2)]

[Mercenaries: None]

[Guardians and Keepers: None]

[Soldiers: Low-Rank Goblin (30), Low-Rank Imp (28), Low-Rank Hound (10), Intermediate Minotaur (2)]

[Monsters: Low-Rank Goblin (30), Low-Rank Imp (28), Low-Rank Hound (10), Intermediate Minotaur (2)]

[Servants and Maids: Dallas Village Residents (20)]

[Traps: Sticky Trap, Hunting Trap x2, Arrow Trap, Deep Pit, Mana Suppression Trap]

[Installed Features: Flower of the Abyss Landrozel, Madria's Bookshelf, Ghastly Spider Eggs, Glittering Sack]

[Modifications & Changes: Corridor Change Between Rooms (Stage 1), Room Position Change (Stage 2), Corridor Length Change Between Rooms (Stage 2)]

[Rooms: 6]

[Dungeon Status: The Crystal Sphere's mana has been increased by a mana stone. Possesses two Intermediate Minotaurs, an unusual strength for a D-rank dungeon. Traps in each room have increased raider casualties, while the Mana Suppression Trap effectively neutralizes mages. The shifting room positions are sufficient to disorient invaders. The B-rank Named Supporter, Riel, increases the vitality recovery rate of all troops.]

By using a mana stone on the Crystal Sphere, he had increased Balak's population cap to seventy. He filled the ranks and equipped every soldier with basic gear. He also invested heavily in new traps and installations, including the Mana Suppression Trap.

He increased the number of rooms to six and upgraded the layout, making every corridor a forked path, save for the single passage leading to the final chamber. He had also threatened the captured Dallas villagers, forcing the women to work as servants and maids. Constantly monitored by goblins and his system screen, they had no chance to escape or betray him.

[Fortress Name: Balak Fortress]

[Master: Taehyun Yoo]

[Rank: D]

[Location: Center of the Arid Plains, on the western frontier of the Astral Continent.]

[Soldiers: Low-Rank Goblin (10), Low-Rank Imp (10), Low-Rank Hound (10)]

[Modifications & Changes: Watchtower x3 (Stage 1), Barricade x2 (Stage 2), Mounted Crossbow x3 (Stage 1), Double Fortress Gate (Stage 1)]

Although the fortress hadn't advanced as much as the dungeon, it was more than sufficient as an outpost.

---

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