Grai knelt on one knee, a gesture of formal respect. His disciplined posture alone set him apart from any orc Taehyun had ever seen. Momentarily flustered, Taehyun quickly composed himself and nodded.

This was a B-rank Hero. Riel was a B-rank Named, a powerful supporter in her own right, but this Guardian was on another level entirely.

[Orc Swordsman Grai]

[Rank: B (Hero)]

[Level: 1]

[Class: Swordsman]

[Title: Hero of the Tribe]

[Affiliation: Balak]

[Loyalty: 50]

[Favorability: 10]

[Obedience: 50]

[Skill: Storm Splitter]

[Special Ability: Swordsmanship Mastery]

[Strength: 5] [Endurance: 3] [Agility: 2] [Stamina: 3]

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

His stats were impressive. As expected of a Hero, his skills and abilities were perfectly specialized for a master swordsman.

'This is an unexpected result, but it's incredible luck for me.'

He had invested a staggering 50,000 Zen into that random summon card. The Orc Swordsman Grai was more than worth the price.

"First, I will inspect the soldiers of this place," Grai announced, rising to his feet.

"Right. Go ahead," Taehyun replied, still processing his good fortune.

Grai began a thorough tour of the dungeon. When he returned, his assessment was blunt.

"Their levels and equipment are adequate, but they lack even the most basic fundamentals," he stated, his expression critical. "The other orcs and melee soldiers, in particular, are completely untrained. It is a wonder you have managed to fend off raiders until now."

It was a scathing critique, but an accurate one. Taehyun's soldiers had received no systematic training; they fought on instinct alone. The dungeon's survival thus far was due almost entirely to his own strategies.

"From now on, I will take charge of their training," Grai declared. "I cannot properly instruct the ranged soldiers, but the rest are a different matter."

"Mmm. Go ahead," Taehyun agreed immediately. "I was planning on training them anyway. It's a good thing you were summoned at just the right time."

Just like that, one of his most pressing problems was solved.

A B-rank swordsman of Hero grade was more than qualified to lead. Just then, Riel returned, having finished disposing of the bodies. She must have overheard the discussion about training, for she shot Grai a sharp glare.

"Soldier training is of no concern to me," she began, her voice laced with ice. "What matters is that you correct your tone in the Master's presence. As his Supporter, I find it deeply offensive."

"So, you are the Supporter," Grai rumbled, unfazed. "How I speak is my own affair. I have not yet sworn my loyalty. I will obey his other commands, but I will not be ordered to change my demeanor. I shall observe the Master for a few days. I look forward to seeing if he is worthy of being my lord."

With that, Grai turned and vanished into the dungeon, likely on his way to meet the soldiers he was to train. A weary sigh escaped Riel's lips at his unyielding stubbornness.

"So that is the Guardian you just summoned."

"That's right," Taehyun confirmed. "Grai, a B-rank Hero Orc Swordsman. Don't worry about it. I can't exactly demand his fealty right out of the gate. Besides, he was perfectly polite when he greeted me before you arrived. In time, he will come to acknowledge me as his lord."

Taehyun had no intention of forcing the issue. Grai was an orc who had been a warrior and a hero to his tribe; his pride and stubbornness were to be expected. Besides, when it came to proving his qualities as a leader, Taehyun was confident. This was not arrogance—it was a fact backed by results. He had single-handedly raised a D-rank dungeon to C-rank and won every battle with a completely untrained force. The proof was in his victories.

Deciding to let the matter with Grai rest, Taehyun moved on to his other tasks.

[The mana of the C-rank Crystal Sphere has increased.]

[The sphere has been upgraded by one stage at C-rank.]

[The soldier population limit for Balak has increased by 20.]

He first used the remaining mana stones to upgrade the Crystal Sphere. The twenty new population slots were reserved for the residents of Dallas Village. With Grai now able to train them, it was time to turn the able-bodied men into soldiers.

[Balak's Crystal Sphere]

[Rank: C]

[Level: 2]

[Mana: 120/120]

[Upgrade Stage: 1]

The sphere's own mana reserves were linked to buffs and skills exclusive to him as the Dungeon Master. It influenced his traps and magical installations while also strengthening the dungeon's overall integrity. Now that Balak was C-rank, he had to start actively using this resource.

'The System said used mana can be replenished with mana stones,' he mused. 'I should buy some skill and buff items from the shop.'

After purchasing the necessary items, Taehyun turned his attention to the new C-rank installations and traps. But first, the dungeon's layout needed an overhaul.

'I'll keep a few corridors and redesign the rest.'

Taehyun modified several passages to complement his new traps. He redesigned the first into a steep, downward slope, installing a trigger that would send a massive boulder careening down on any descending raiders. Another corridor was made to grow progressively narrower until the walls slammed shut, crushing anything between them—and in the center of that deadly passage, he added a trap that would cause spikes to erupt from the walls. The third was a wide, unremarkable hallway, save for the C-rank Mana Turret installed in its center, programmed to automatically fire on any enemy that entered its range.

With the dungeon's defenses bolstered, he finalized his preparations for a fire-based attack.

'I'll invest some of the remaining Zen in the fortress and save the rest.'

After upgrading the fortress, Taehyun returned to his private chambers. Mary was already there, brewing tea.

'I'm going to need more people,' he thought, watching her. 'From now on, instead of just killing raiders and invading NPCs, maybe I should start capturing them. If I can persuade them, they could become a source of labor, or even soldiers.'

He recalled Riel's earlier explanation: with the right approach, even the continent's natives could be turned into assets. He sank into his chair, accepting the cup Mary offered.

"Um, excuse me, Dungeon Master," she began timidly.

"Yes?"

"I heard my father was selected to become a soldier."

"Ah, yes," Taehyun said, keeping his voice reassuring. "Do not worry. For now, it is only training. Even if a battle breaks out, my own soldiers will handle most of the fighting."

Relief washed over Mary's face. She bowed several times before quietly exiting the room, her fears for her father apparently assuaged.

'I said they'd handle' most 'of it,' he thought, a cold pragmatism settling over him. 'Not that the villagers won't participate at all.'

The guilt that might have once plagued him was gone, replaced by a certainty in his choices. This was the man he had become since being named a Dungeon Master, and he felt no shame. In fact, he felt he was doing what was necessary. He was becoming the ruthless master Riel had wanted—a creature that people from his old world would call a monster. But to survive in this one, he had to shed his humanity entirely.

'From now on, if I find any villages or cities, I'll raid them and capture the inhabitants. Everybody is a potential asset.'

With his dungeon relatively stable, Taehyun planned to drastically increase his manpower. He would expand his territory, add more soldiers, and build new dungeons along the way.

He was pulled from his strategic planning by an incoming communication from Junhyun.

—"Doing well, Taehyun Yoo?" Junhyun's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"I'm doing great, thanks to the meal you sent my way," Taehyun retorted smoothly.

—"Hey, now. Don't go blaming me. The contract makes it impossible for me to sic anyone on Balak. They went after you because they were angry."

"I know," Taehyun said, cutting to the chase. "So, what is the news?"

A call from Junhyun always meant new information. It was a mandatory part of their contract.

—"First, a B-rank raider named Rexner is showing interest in Balak."

"Just interest, or is he planning an attack?"

—"Oh, that bastard will definitely attack. I didn't push him, but let's just say he might have been… nudged."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Taehyun snapped. "Bottom line, he's coming to raid, right?"

—"Probably. He's busy right now, but he'll get around to it. Second, the Ainkart Holy Kingdom has started preparing for an invasion from you Dungeon Masters."

"What?!"

The second piece of information was a bombshell. The invasion of the Holy Kingdom had only been announced at the private assembly; only Dungeon Masters were supposed to know. This could only mean one thing.

There was a traitor.

—"Looks like one of you flipped, or maybe they're working together," Junhyun mused. "Any guesses who it is?"

"I have no idea," Taehyun admitted. "That is… shocking. Am I the only one who knows about this leak?"

—"Among the Dungeon Masters? Yeah, it's just you and the traitor. I heard it from my branch manager today. 'Hehehe.'"

The branch manager of the Raider Association, no doubt. Taehyun's mind raced, calculating how to leverage this.

'Telling anyone else is risky. The best move would be to inform Duke Nikunbel, but I doubt he'd intervene. Besides, I have no way to get to the Demon World or contact any demons.'

Even if he could, it was foolish to think the Duke would simply reward him.

'Then that leaves only one option.'

He thought of Seonghwi, the S-rank Master who had made that unbelievable offer. "This is a communication device linked to my faction. Contact me if you change your mind. We'll prove our strength to you, probably during the Holy Kingdom invasion."

He still had the device. Seonghwi's faction, the Resistance, was likely unknown because they were highly selective. Taehyun fit their profile.

'They're clearly interested in me, most likely because I defeated Sebastian. I'll give them this information to earn their trust, pretend to join, but keep one foot out the door. That way, I can reap the benefits and bail if things go south.'

He made a decision. 'I'll contact them about a month before the invasion.'

For now, he had more immediate problems. He refocused on the call. "Any other news?"

—"Just that it's not only Partren anymore. Raiders from all over are starting to head for Balak."

"I figured as much."

—"Hehehe. And it won't just be raiders. You've got a lot of enemies now. Try to stay alive. Later."

The line went dead. A predatory gleam entered Taehyun's eyes as he began to revise his plans.

---

Taehyun first took his new soldiers and Grai to 'Yuslan's Ice Palace'. For several days, he had them grind on the normal difficulty, gathering mana stones and leveling up his forces. It was the perfect opportunity to observe Grai in action. As his level and equipment improved, his power became truly formidable. He carved through the ice spirits with devastating efficiency, his skill as a swordsman undeniable.

Once his troops were sufficiently leveled, Taehyun expanded his reconnaissance.

"Which direction should we scout?" Riel asked.

"Toward the Crowley territory, of course."

"Understood."

He already knew from Junhyun that Viscount Crowley's lands were in turmoil. With their military forces annihilated at Balak, the neighboring territories of Perna and Beldon were now fighting over the scraps. Taehyun's reasons for probing the area were threefold.

First, a nearly defenseless territory was ripe for the picking.

Second, there was profit to be made from the conflict between the two rival lords.

And third, Viscount Crowley Lawrence was still alive.

'As long as Lawrence lives, they cannot easily claim his lands, even if he is from a neutral faction.'

There were two ways to acquire a territory. The first was if a lord died without an heir, rendering the land unmanageable. The rights would then revert to the crown, which would eventually grant them to a neighboring lord. In Crowley's case, one of the two vultures circling his lands would eventually win out.

The second method was to win it in a formal territory war. But Crowley's domain had always been far stronger than its neighbors, so such a war had never been necessary. Now, what would happen if Balak suddenly appeared on the scene, regardless of what the two lords decided? And what if he appeared with a very much alive Viscount Lawrence in tow?

The stage would be set for a perfect checkmate.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.