Meanwhile, Seunghoon, having returned to his room, was in communication with someone else.

—"How was Taehyun Yoo?" a voice asked from his communication device.

"Just as you predicted, he didn't accept immediately," Seunghoon reported. "Are you sure about him? He just reached C-rank. Can he really be of any help to us?"

—"If he took down Sebastian as a D-rank, then his talent is undeniable. We must recruit him."

Taehyun Yoo, the rookie who had claimed the top C-rank spot at his very first gathering. Subduing a raider like Sebastian with a mere D-rank dungeon was all the proof they needed of his capabilities.

"Well, if you say so," Seunghoon conceded. "I'll get the information tomorrow and return immediately."

—"Good. Until then, keep a close eye on him."

"I'll do my best."

The communication ended. Seunghoon threw himself onto the bed and was asleep in a blink.

---

On the second day of the gathering, Taehyun sat at the same table, but Duke Nikunbel was nowhere to be seen.

"My, my. Why do you look so exhausted?" Mihye purred, sidling up to him. "Did you stay up all night playing with your Supporter?"

"…Mind your own business," he growled. The dark circles under his eyes were impossible to hide.

'Why did they have to put me in the same room as Riel?'

The room had been spacious, but it only had one bed. He had been forced to share it with her, and sleep had been impossible. Taehyun fought off a wave of drowsiness and tried to focus. Just then, a man approached their table.

"May I join you?" It was Seunghoon Han, the man from yesterday.

"Of course."

"What are you doing here?" Mihye snapped, glaring at Seunghoon. "Don't tell me you're interested in Taehyun, too."

Seunghoon ignored her completely and sat down opposite them. The sight drew the attention of everyone in the hall. It was a rare occurrence for the C-rank #1, B-rank #1, and A-rank #5 to sit at the same table.

'A-rank 5th place,' Taehyun noted, mildly surprised. He hadn't trusted the man's proposal on the terrace, but his rank proved he had considerable power. 'So he's not foolish enough to make an empty promise.' An A-rank Dungeon Master wouldn't bother lying to a C-rank. The fact that even Mihye was wary of him spoke volumes about the massive gap in their strength.

"Tsk."

As an awkward silence settled over the table, Duke Nikunbel finally descended from the second floor. He immediately commanded the room's attention.

"As I mentioned, I have a grave announcement," he began. "In approximately four months, we will invade the Ainkart Holy Kingdom. All Dungeon Masters, without exception, are required to participate. Rewards will be distributed according to your contributions."

The Ainkart Holy Kingdom. A theocratic nation located in the center of the continent. They were fanatically hostile toward demons, with an army composed primarily of Holy Knights and Priests. Their Inquisitors were even known to join raiders in attacking dungeons. They were, without a doubt, the enemy.

"I heard the Ainkart military is quite formidable."

"If every Dungeon Master is participating, it should be quite a spectacle."

"It's war!"

The hall erupted into chaos. A war involving every Dungeon Master would be on an unimaginable scale.

'First they drag us to this world, and now they're forcing us into a war. I'd love to meet the person pulling the strings,' Taehyun thought grimly. According to other players, Duke Nikunbel wasn't the true mastermind, merely a high-ranking noble following orders. The one who had summoned them was undoubtedly tied to the Demon World.

"War, huh? Sounds fun," Mihye chirped.

Seunghoon remained silent.

Caught between their different reactions, Taehyun simply scowled. 'An invasion. This feels like a pointless waste of soldiers.' Rewards were mentioned, but the war held no interest for him. It had nothing to do with the competition, and he had just reached C-rank. He couldn't afford any unnecessary losses.

'I need to focus on strengthening my dungeon as much as possible in the next four months.'

With the announcement made, he had no more reason to stay. He was about to leave with Riel when Mihye stopped him.

"You'd better be careful," she said, her voice low. "That guy, Hyuntae Jeong, the one who was C-rank number one before you—he'll be targeting you."

"Hyuntae Jeong?"

"The one who threw a tantrum yesterday. You should get yourself a Guardian or a Keeper, and soon."

Guardians and Keepers. Powerful beings that became available for summoning at C-rank. They were far stronger than regular soldiers or even Supporters and could single-handedly turn the tide of a raid. Their value was immense.

'Until now, I've avoided clashing with other Dungeon Masters. But she's right. I need to be prepared.' There were no other dungeons near the Arid Plains, but the area around the city of Partren was a different story. Junhyun had told him there were dozens of dungeons there. He had to be cautious.

"I appreciate the advice," he said.

"And when you have time, come visit my dungeon," she added, her smile turning seductive. "I'll play with you 'real' good. I might even help you out." She handed him a dungeon teleport scroll.

It was a blatant invitation. But Taehyun simply took the scroll without a word and walked out of the mansion.

---

[You have returned to Dungeon Balak.]

The moment they were back, Taehyun tore the scroll to shreds. No matter how dire the situation, he would never ask Mihye for help. He had no interest in being her plaything.

"You did well, Master," Riel said, her voice filled with approval.

"Of course. I'll survive on my own terms."

"Yes. Of course you will," she replied, beaming. Her reaction was surprisingly enthusiastic. Taehyun entered the Master Room, feeling a bit bewildered.

'Riel seems… different.' He wasn't so dense that he hadn't noticed the change in his Supporter. He pulled up her status window.

[Riel of Healing]

[Rank: B (Named)]

[Level: 30]

[Class: Priest]

[Title: Hand of Healing]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 77]

[Favorability: 61]

[Obedience: 30]

[Skills: Battle Heal, Sublime Will, Healing Boost, Party Heal]

[Special Ability: Light of Healing (Active)]

[Strength: 1] [Endurance: 1] [Agility: 2] [Stamina: 3]

[Mana: 8] [Divinity: 11] [Affinity: 6] [Luck: 5]

Her stats had certainly improved. More importantly, her Favorability was over 60. It was the result of stopping Sebastian's raid and clearing the Ice Palace multiple times.

'Is this something I need to worry about right now?' Outwardly, nothing had changed. Whatever feelings she was developing, as a Supporter, she wouldn't interfere with his plans. She had always wanted a ruthless master, and after the battle with Sebastian, Taehyun's hesitation had vanished. He was becoming the master she desired.

'I'll set this aside for now.'

He began to organize the information he'd gathered at the mansion. The intel from the other Dungeon Masters fell into two categories: reliable and useful, or baseless and worthless. It covered everything from dungeon management to combat efficiency.

'It's somewhat helpful, but nothing groundbreaking.' In a competition like this, no one would give away their best secrets. Most of it was just plausible-sounding misinformation, the kind of half-truths scammers use. If anyone knew something truly valuable, they wouldn't share it.

'Next, the Ainkart Holy Kingdom invasion.' Participation was mandatory. Rewards would be based on performance, which meant the high-ranking Dungeon Masters would get the lion's share. 'If Nikunbel has any sense, he'll distribute rewards based on results.' As a C-rank, Taehyun would likely be assigned to the fringes of the battle. It was better to take a passive role.

'My approach might change depending on how much I can develop in the next four months, but for now, I have no intention of taking this seriously.' Rushing headlong into a war would only get his soldiers killed. Divine power was lethal to monsters, and the Holy Kingdom's army of Knights and Priests would annihilate his C-rank troops.

'And then there's Hyuntae Jeong.'

Taehyun's gaze sharpened. The former C-rank number one. Being knocked from his perch so suddenly must have been a crushing blow to his pride. And while Taehyun's rank was based on a single, spectacular achievement, Hyuntae's dungeon was likely far more developed in terms of raw power.

'I got lucky with Junhyun, but everyone else thinks it was pure skill.' Hyuntae had looked ready to tear him apart at the gathering. It wouldn't be surprising if he tried something. First, he needed to locate Hyuntae's dungeon.

'Fortunately, those foolish C-ranks told me its name.' Lastein. An established C-rank dungeon that was preparing to rank up. It was probably one of the strongest in its class.

Taehyun pulled the communication stone from his pocket. "Hey. Answer me."

"Answer me, Junhyun Cha."

—"Ah, yeah. I hear you, I hear you," a voice crackled back.

It was none other than Junhyun Cha, the player known as Sebastian.

"The contract requires you to respond immediately. Don't make me repeat myself."

—"Hehehe. You damn bastard."

"I have a question. Do you know a dungeon called Lastein?"

—"Ah, Lastein. I know it. Why? Planning on a little cannibalism? Hehehe."

"Shut up and give me the information."

The contract only stipulated real-time information, but this was a new request. Junhyun, however, complied.

—"Lastein is a C-rank dungeon located between the waterfalls south of Partren. I heard the master uses fairy-type soldiers."

"Fairy-type, huh." Fairies were a race with exceptionally high Mana and Affinity, specializing in spirit arts. They would be far superior to his Imps.

—"The dungeon's interior is designed like a fairy realm, and the traps are a real pain in the ass."

"Does that mean you gave up on raiding it?"

—"Ah, no, I just couldn't be bothered. If I wanted to, I could clear it easily. Anyway…"

Junhyun provided a few more details, including information about Lastein's Guardian.

—"Their Guardian is a Named fairy, I think. The Mana Bullet Marksman. It's B-rank, and its magic arrows are nasty."

"…A Guardian."

Just as Mihye had warned, Hyuntae already possessed a Guardian. Taehyun needed one too, but since his rank-up, everything in the shop had become prohibitively expensive. He couldn't afford a summoning card yet. He had to save up Zen.

"That's enough. I'm hanging up."

—"Hey. You know what?"

"What?"

—"Viscount Crowley has raised his army to come for you. The private soldiers and knights from his estate will be at your door soon."

Taehyun's eyes widened. Viscount Crowley. The man who had hired Junhyun. The father of Riden, the boy who had died at the hands of Balak's soldiers.

—"How about it? Isn't this a golden opportunity?"

A slow smile spread across Taehyun's face. He knew precisely what Junhyun meant. Crowley's forces weren't raiders; they were just regular NPCs. They didn't know the first thing about dungeon strategy.

"For the first time," Taehyun said, his voice low and pleased, "I think I actually like you."

—"I was going to tell you later anyway, because of the contract. Eat well and grow strong. You're my prey, after all. Hehehe."

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