His son's empty room was silent.

The books on raiding strategy lay scattered on the floor where he'd left them. The Viscount had forbidden the maids from touching anything in this room, so it remained a perfect, painful shrine. Viscount Crowley Lawrence moved through the stillness, picking up the books one by one. With each one, a memory surfaced, tightening his throat. It felt like only yesterday his son had been boasting about the honor he would bring to their house. Now, he was gone.

The Viscount carefully hung the worn leather armor he'd brought with him on its stand. The leather was scuffed and frayed—proof of his son's hard work. He sank to the floor, his gaze sweeping over the room, taking in the lingering traces of Riden's life.

The door opened with creak, and his butler, Gildan, entered. "All preparations are complete, my Lord."

"…I see."

"My Lord, if you mobilize the troops, the other lords of the West will not stand idly by. Those who covet our lands have surely heard this news. I implore you, please reconsider."

The Crowley Viscounty was the sole neutral power in the West, a precarious position between the ever-warring Royal and Noble factions. They were a prize to be won, and since they could not be persuaded, they were a target to be devoured. The viscounty was walking a knife's edge. To mobilize their private army now would leave their three territories dangerously exposed. Gildan's concern was entirely justified.

"Gildan," the Viscount said, his voice rough with grief. "If you had lost your son, could you simply do nothing?"

"…I cannot presume to understand your position, my Lord, but this is a time for caution, not passion. You must not be swayed by emotion."

"Five years!" the Viscount roared, slamming his fist on the floor. "For five long years, I have refused their offers, protected my people, and held this domain steady against their meaningless ambitions! I wanted this land, the land I would pass to my son, to be a place of peace, untouched by their endless competition!"

He rose to his feet. Gildan could only bow his head as his master stormed past him.

"Leave a token force to guard the territories," the Viscount commanded. "We march in two days. See to it, Gildan."

---

That day, another message came from Junhyun. In two days, Viscount Crowley would descend upon Balak with 400 soldiers and 60 knights. It wasn't his entire army; even in his rage, the Viscount had left enough men to defend his lands.

'He's maintained neutrality for years, so his domain must be as precious to him as his son. However, this move is as good as abandoning it.' All things considered, the Viscount was showing remarkable restraint. But Taehyun knew that when the man arrived at his dungeon, he would be a beast blinded by rage.

Taehyun immediately recalled his troops from the fortress, along with the Dallas villagers. He also retrieved all installed devices and items.

'Defending the fortress is pointless. We wouldn't last long. An army with knights is devastating in a siege.' Remembering Rudin, he knew even the double gates wouldn't hold for long. It was far more efficient to lure them into the dungeon than to waste soldiers in a futile defense.

[Superior Minotaur (Elite Soldier)]

[Rank: C]

[Level: 34]

[Class: Berserk Shield Bearer]

[Title: None]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 70]

[Favorability: 50]

[Obedience: 66]

[Skills: Berserk, Shield Block, Shield Bash, Solid Shield]

[Special Ability: Taunt]

[Strength: 12] [Endurance: 10] [Agility: 2] [Stamina: 10]

[Mana: 1] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 1] [Luck: 2]

[Superior Troll (Elite Soldier)]

[Rank: B]

[Level: 31]

[Class: Shield Bearer]

[Title: None]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 57]

[Favorability: 43]

[Obedience: 59]

[Skills: Shield Block, Shield Bash, Solid Shield]

[Special Ability: None]

[Strength: 10] [Endurance: 12] [Agility: 2] [Stamina: 11]

[Mana: 1] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 2] [Luck: 1]

[Superior Goblin (Elite Soldier)]

[Rank: C]

[Level: 32]

[Class: Shield Bearer]

[Title: None]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 67]

[Favorability: 54]

[Obedience: 67]

[Skills: Shield Block, Shield Bash, Solid Shield]

[Special Ability: None]

[Strength: 8] [Endurance: 9] [Agility: 4] [Stamina: 10]

[Mana: 1] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 1] [Luck: 1]

His three types of shield bearers were fully leveled and equipped. With their new skill, Solid Shield, they could withstand wide-area attacks, blocking both arrows and magic. A direct confrontation with knights was no longer a guaranteed loss. Furthermore, his Fenrirs and Lizardmen were ideal for the dungeon's forest environment.

[Superior Lizardman (Elite Soldier)]

[Rank: C]

[Level: 32]

[Class: Warrior]

[Title: None]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 56]

[Favorability: 44]

[Obedience: 57]

[Skills: Strong Strike, Wind Splitter, Double Slash]

[Special Ability: None]

[Strength: 7] [Endurance: 4] [Agility: 8] [Stamina: 6]

[Mana: 1] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 3] [Luck: 3]

[Superior Fenrir (Elite Soldier)]

[Rank: C]

[Level: 33]

[Class: Infiltrator]

[Title: None]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 56]

[Favorability: 44]

[Obedience: 55]

[Skills: Ambush, Bite, Claw]

[Special Ability: None]

[Strength: 6] [Endurance: 3] [Agility: 9] [Stamina: 7]

[Mana: 1] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 4] [Luck: 2]

In a swampy environment, their effectiveness nearly doubled. The light-bodied Fenrirs were perfect infiltrators, while the Lizardmen's versatile classes allowed them to fully exploit the terrain. Coordinated with his other soldiers, they could overcome the enemy's superior numbers.

'I'll devour Crowley's forces and use the Zen to summon a Guardian or a Keeper. Then, I'll build up my strength by exploring more ruins. It's time to expand beyond the Arid Plains and venture into undiscovered territory.'

His plan was set. All that remained was to consume the Viscount's army, the first stepping stone to his larger ambitions.

'Once this is over, I'll make proper use of the soldier training function.' He would grow his army, establish new dungeons, and eventually claim the entire Forest of Silence and the Arid Plains as his own territory.

Taehyun was in no hurry. No raid parties would come from Partren for at least a year, and his contract with Junhyun guaranteed a steady stream of information. All he had to do was grow, one calculated step at a time.

---

Two days later, the foretold day arrived.

[Viscount Crowley's forces have appeared at the edge of the Arid Plains.]

The army numbered nearly five hundred, just as Taehyun had anticipated. Comprised of knights, foot soldiers, archers, spearmen, and shield bearers, it was a force fit for a small-scale war. Though it was his first time facing an army of this magnitude, Taehyun remained utterly unfazed.

"You three, scatter and scout for any other troops," he commanded his familiars mentally. "The rest of you, stick together."

He first secured a clear view of the battlefield, meticulously scanning the Arid Plains for any sign of reinforcements. Below, Viscount Crowley spotted the familiars circling in the sky and ordered his archers to shoot them down.

'So he's not an idiot,' Taehyun mused. 'But not bringing any raiders was your mistake. You're short-handed as it is.'

One by one, the feeds from his familiars went dark, but it hardly mattered. He sent the survivors to trail the army from behind. As long as they could shadow the enemy and monitor their movements, his advantage was secure.

[Viscount Crowley's forces have discovered Balak Fortress.]

And so, the enemy arrived. Instead of passing by, Viscount Crowley ordered his men to inspect the fortress. But Taehyun had already evacuated the soldiers and residents, even retrieving his traps and installations. There was nothing left for them to find or destroy.

"It seems they plan to rest inside the fortress," Riel observed.

"They've come all the way from their main territory," Taehyun replied. "They'll need a break."

"Wouldn't a surprise attack now inflict a fair amount of damage?" she wondered aloud.

Riel had a point. But with Crowley's forces occupying the fortress, the roles would be reversed, forcing Taehyun to lay siege to his own stronghold.

"The Viscount isn't a fool," Taehyun explained. "He might not know who owns the fortress, but he knows how to use one. Besides, as a lord who's managed his lands for years, he'll be an expert in both siege and defense."

"I see." As Riel nodded in understanding, the soldiers below began pitching their tents. They intended to spend the night.

'They'll probably reach the dungeon on the third day,' he calculated. Taehyun leisurely reviewed his own troop placements within the dungeon, meticulously preparing for their arrival.

---

On the second day of the march, a soldier called out.

"My Lord Viscount, we are now entering the forest."

"Remain vigilant at all times!" Crowley commanded, his voice sharp. "Not one man is to break away. As long as we maintain formation, we can respond to any ambush."

At his shout, the scattered soldiers reformed their ranks with perfect discipline. Shield bearers took the lead, followed by spearmen, foot soldiers, and archers. Crowley himself stood ahead of the shield wall, commanding the troops alongside his knights.

'They said Balak was recently upgraded to C-rank. I must not let my guard down for a moment.'

Dungeon Balak's rank had risen after the Sebastian raid party's defeat, and news of the new C-rank dungeon had spread from the small city of Partren across the entire continent. It was only a matter of time before other raiders came flocking to this new prize. Crowley intended to conquer it before they did.

He recalled the words of Branch Manager Gelix. 'The only thing I can tell you is that a Dungeon Master exists in Balak. It's only natural, considering it's the place where Sebastian failed.'

A Dungeon Master was almost certainly present. Actually, one 'had' to be. For the sake of his son's revenge, he had to behead the Dungeon Master with his own hands.

'Just wait a little longer, Riden.'

Lost in thought, Crowley realized they had reached the mountainside and halted his troops. According to the map, they had another day's march ahead. They needed to rest and restore the condition of his men.

"We will rest here," he announced. "Eat the rations you've brought. We move again in two hours."

A short rest here, then they would pitch their main camp just as they were leaving the forest. It was a perfect plan. The soldiers and knights of Crowley were well-trained; they could easily handle such a schedule.

"My Lord Viscount," a knight named Layton began, "I heard a Dungeon Master exists in Balak, but we haven't seen a single one of their soldiers. Could the information be wrong?"

"No," Crowley countered. "Sebastian, a rising star among rookie raiders, barely escaped a D-rank dungeon with his life. That would be impossible without a Dungeon Master. The bastard probably doesn't want to overextend himself."

"If he's one of those demonkin, he might be exceptionally clever in that regard," Layton mused, then pounded his armored chest with a confident fist. "But what kind of knight order are we? The moment we step into that dungeon, the enemy will fall helplessly to our swords!"

Normally, Crowley would have agreed, but not this time.

"Of course I trust you all," he said, his tone grim, "but we cannot afford to be careless with this dungeon. It subdued Sebastian when it was D-rank; it will be even stronger now that it's C-rank. The moment you underestimate it, you lose."

"I will keep that in mind!" Layton bowed his head deeply and returned to his position.

Crowley gazed toward the distant dungeon, his hand clenching into a fist. The fire of his anger refused to be quenched.

'After I take that bastard's head, will this rage finally subside? Once I have my revenge... will I be able to feel joy again?'

A bitter smile touched his lips as he lowered his head.

---

On the third day, Viscount Crowley's forces emerged from the forest and finally stood before Balak. Taehyun watched them from his command center, noting their hesitation to enter immediately.

'The Viscount will likely enter first with his knights, followed by his soldiers.'

He analyzed the man's thinking. 'He's wary of the first room, so he'll lead a cautious probe himself. A sound decision.'

The entrance was too narrow for the entire army to charge through at once, and sending the common soldiers in first was too risky. Entering with his elite knights was the best choice for a commander without a proper raid party.

But the first room of Balak was a dense forest. For Crowley's men, it would be like stepping from the Forest of Silence into another one just like it.

A cold smile spread across Taehyun's face.

"Well then, shall we have a feast?"

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