It was a handwritten letter in a black envelope. Director Gelix's letter.

"Wh-Why do you have that?!"

"Where did you get it? He told me I was the only one…!"

"M-Me too!"

All three raiders reacted at once, pulling out identical letters and staring at each other in dawning horror. The existence of multiple copies could only mean one thing: Gelix had given one to each of them.

'It's an Instant Return Scroll. If they show any suspicious behavior, use this to return to Partren immediately. You, at least, must survive.'

He had fed them all the same line, handed them all the same secret way out.

'Argh. Director Gelix. That son of a bitch!' Fury surged through Zinus as the full scope of the deception became clear. He hadn't just deceived one of them; he had played them all for fools. He thought of Milisha and Coldron. 'That means they had letters and scrolls, too.' It was an unwritten rule among raiders not to loot the dead. Now, Zinus was filled with regret. 'If I had known, I would have searched their bodies before we burned them!'

Gelix must have expected them all to die. The scrolls were for any potential survivors, but using one was a terrible choice. What honor was there in abandoning your comrades to save your own skin? To think he had forced them all to wrestle with that same agonizing decision… it was a cruel test to see who would break first. A twisted form of insurance.

"So you two were thinking about it too?" Kelburn accused. "About running away?"

"Y-You were hesitating just as much! I saw you!" Isaac shot back.

"Dammit! I made it this far, didn't I?" Zinus yelled. "I thought about it, but I didn't abandon you!"

The three of them devolved into a bitter argument. Sebastian, who had been watching blankly, suddenly recalled Rudin's strange, lingering gaze on Zinus during their trek through the forest. This was why.

'Then the letter he's holding must have been Rudin's,' Sebastian deduced. Since Rudin had also been operating under a false identity, Gelix must have given him one as well. 'Rudin never acts without concrete proof. He was probably waiting for more information before telling me or dealing with it himself.'

The pieces were finally falling into place. Sebastian covered his face with his hand, a low, unhinged chuckle escaping his lips.

"This is insane. That Director Gelix is a damn snake in the grass. To think he'd screw up my plans like this."

"He probably intended for you to be eliminated here as well," Taehyun added calmly.

"Me? Don't be ridiculous. He knows who would come after him if I died."

"You see one piece of the puzzle, but not the whole board. Who hired you?"

Sebastian's laughter died in his throat. His client was Viscount Crowley. If he died here, the viscount's commission, brokered by Gelix, would vanish as if it never existed. He remembered the messenger, Beth.

'Beth, a low-level clerk of the Partren Raider Association. Do not forget me, even in death.'

'Gaaah!'

'If you killed Beth, who came to deliver the request, I hope you'll accept the commission as payment for her life.'

The hair on his arms stood on end. The messenger's death, his own act of tearing up the request—every move had been anticipated. They had all been dancing on the strings of a single puppet master.

"That son of a bitch… he played me?" Sebastian's face contorted into a mask of pure savagery.

Unable to take any more, the three raiders behind him finally made their move, reaching for their return scrolls. But in that instant, the ambush party surged from the corridor behind them.

"D-Damn it! We have to get out of—Argh!" Zinus cried out, but as he tried to tear the scroll, an arrow pierced his arm, causing him to drop it.

Trapped, with enemies to his front and back, Sebastian locked eyes with Taehyun.

"Looks like you've seized the upper hand, Mr. Dungeon Master," he snarled.

"You'd be wise not to fight any further," Taehyun advised. "No matter how powerful your Reaper class is, you can't win this alone."

"Yeah, I already figured that much," Sebastian retorted. "But you know…"

His gaze shifted, moving past Taehyun to the armor worn by the minotaurs.

'That's the hard leather armor Viscount Crowley's son was always wearing,' Sebastian thought, his eyes narrowing. 'The size is different, but the design is identical.' He vaguely recalled the Viscount showing him a replica.

While it was a useless detail for his current predicament, it was a piece of the puzzle nonetheless. 'Alright. What now? Use the instant return scroll? No, their archers would cut me down before I could activate it.' In the space of a heartbeat, his mind churned through the possibilities. 'Break through their lines? I'd lose a limb, at least. So, I use my last card just to survive?'

'The cost will be steep, but I'll walk away with my life.' Having made his decision, Sebastian lowered his scythe to the dungeon floor. Wary of a trick, Taehyun signaled his archers to keep their bows trained on him.

"What's your game?"

"Game?" Sebastian replied, a disarming smile spreading across his face. "I'm throwing down my weapon and begging for my life. What else could it be?"

"You and I both know that's not an option," Taehyun countered, his gaze unwavering. This man was a venomous snake, an expert at striking and retreating. A single moment of carelessness would be fatal.

"A deal," Sebastian proposed, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial tone. "Let's make a deal. You, the Dungeon Master… from South Korea."

Taehyun froze. "What did you say?"

"Oh, spare me the act," Sebastian scoffed. "You must have considered it, right? That Dungeon Masters weren't the only ones who came over. That there would be Player Raiders, too."

Taehyun fell silent.

"Well, now. Looks like I'm the first you've met. So what's the problem? You've had no trouble killing the natives of this continent, but you hesitate now that you're facing a fellow Player? Is that it?" Sebastian's words were a carefully crafted trap. Taehyun's shock was evident. 'A Player Raider—and it was Sebastian, of all people. That bastard came from Korea? Is a psychopath like him a Player?' Perhaps that explained why he was so much sharper than the others.

Taehyun swallowed hard. "Enough of your games. What kind of deal are you proposing?"

"It's simple. I walk out of here in one piece, and you get information you could never obtain otherwise. I can even sweeten the pot—I won't come near this place for a year, and I'll throw in some Zen, items, and equipment. How does that sound?" In his mind, Sebastian had already written off his three companions.

"Master," Riel whispered, her voice tight with concern. "You mustn't trust him."

"I know," Taehyun murmured back, his eyes locked on Sebastian. "But I think he's telling the truth about having information I need." A Player Raider, sponsored by the Peyton Ducal Family. He undoubtedly had access to superior intelligence and knew far more about Dungeon Masters than anyone Taehyun had met. Besides, killing him would surely provoke the wrath of a powerful noble house.

"And you don't really want to pick a fight with the Peyton Ducal Family right now, do you?" A corner of Sebastian's mouth curled into a smirk.

Taehyun let out a heavy sigh and gave the order. "Archers, fire."

'Swish!'

A volley of arrows flew past Sebastian, striking the three Raiders behind him and killing them instantly. Taehyun crossed his arms, his expression unreadable as he stared down the lone survivor.

"Alright," he said, his voice cold. "Now, why should I trust you? A word of warning—this raid has been a wake-up call for me. I no longer have any hesitation about killing someone, even a fellow Player. So choose your next words very carefully."

"Ahahaha! Now 'that', I like," Sebastian chuckled, glancing at the arrow-riddled corpses behind him before wiping a bead of cold sweat from his brow.

The raid had been thwarted. And Sebastian, now a captive, was forced to the negotiating table.

---

"Hey. Taking my gear is one thing—I can accept that. But this?" Sebastian glared from the chair he was bound to, his face a mask of indignation. "Why the hell am I tied up like a hog, you son of a bitch!"

Taehyun looked down at the man shouting from within the prison cell. 'Pathetic.' For a captive, he certainly had a long list of demands.

"It's because you're the first Raider to earn my respect," Taehyun stated flatly. "I can't rest easy unless you're tied up."

"Muahaha! Is that a compliment? Why, thank you."

"Your real name."

"Oh, it's Junhyun Cha. I assume you're smart enough to remember it."

"I am. Now, let's say I agree to this deal. How do I know the information you give me is true?" Taehyun leaned forward, his eyes sharp. The truth was everything. Even if he let Junhyun go, the deal would be worthless if it were all based on lies.

Junhyun seemed to have anticipated this, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "There's an item exclusive to both Raiders and Dungeon Masters—a Contract. It works just like that Effect Reversal Card you used to royally screw me over."

"A Contract item?"

"That's right. It's a way to make a deal under the laws of a contract, with the consent of both parties. If either side breaks the terms—by lying or failing to act—the contract is voided, and so is their life."

The item was said to have been created by Morpina, the God of Contracts. If Junhyun was telling the truth, it was the most secure way to make a deal. Following his instructions, Taehyun purchased a Contract from the System Shop. He stood, unfurled the scroll, and smiled.

"Now, don't forget who holds all the cards here. You are a Raider, captured in my dungeon. One wrong move, and you'll lose your head."

"Muahaha! This guy's even crazier than I am."

"And don't think the Peyton Ducal Family can save you if you push your luck too far."

"Fine, whatever. Just spit out the terms."

Junhyun was still smiling, but that confidence wouldn't last much longer.

---

[Contract]

Parties to the Agreement: Player Taehyun Yoo, Player Junhyun Cha.

1. Junhyun Cha shall disclose all known information to Taehyun Yoo.

2. Junhyun Cha shall surrender all current equipment and items to Taehyun Yoo.

3. For a period of one year, Junhyun Cha is forbidden from attempting to raid Balak or causing harm to Taehyun Yoo.

4. Junhyun Cha shall not disclose any information regarding this agreement, Taehyun Yoo, or Dungeon Balak to any third party.

5. Junhyun Cha shall not order, commission, or induce any third party to raid Balak or cause harm to Taehyun Yoo.

6. For a period of one year, Junhyun Cha shall relay new information to Taehyun Yoo in real-time via a communication item.

7. Taehyun Yoo shall allow Junhyun Cha to leave Balak alive and unharmed.

8. Taehyun Yoo shall give Riden's hard leather armor to Junhyun Cha.

9. Taehyun Yoo shall allow Ludin to leave Balak alive and unharmed.

10. Ludin shall also be subject to clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5.

There were ten articles in total, and every single one was skewed in Taehyun's favor.

"I can't accept this! I won't accept it!" Junhyun roared, straining against his ropes. "What kind of lunatic would sign a contract like this, you bastard!"

"You can whine all you want once you're outside. Just sign it."

"Muahaha… I'll kill you. I swear, I will fucking kill you!"

"Do whatever you want in a year." As long as he held the man's life in his hands, Taehyun dictated the terms. With a final, hateful glare, Junhyun snatched the quill and signed the contract with a vicious slash of ink.

[The contract procedure has been completed.]

[The contract has been activated.]

[Morpina, the God of Contracts, now watches over Player Taehyun Yoo and Player Junhyun Cha.]

"Alright. I'll untie you now. You're free to go."

"I will fucking kill you. I will."

"My, my," Taehyun said, turning to leave. "And who was it that proposed a deal in the first place?"

With the contract finalized, Taehyun left the prison with a victor's smile.

---

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