[A C-rank raid party has appeared from the edge of the barren plains.]

The day had come. A raid party emerged from the edge of the plains, just as predicted. But contrary to his expectations, the system announced them as C-rank. Rexner was a B-rank Raider. As the leader, the party's rank should have reflected his own.

"Have they not arrived yet?" Taehyun muttered to himself.

"Perhaps it is just another C-rank party from a different region," Riel suggested. "According to your information, Master, Rexner's party is B-rank."

"Hmm, that could be it. Oof. All that tension for noth—"

Suddenly, the feed from his summoned familiar cut out. It happened before the party had even come into view. A red system message flared to life before his eyes.

[A sacred light spreads throughout the barren plains.]

[All familiar-type summons within the barren plains have been annihilated.]

Dozens of his scouts, gone in an instant. The cause was a sacred light, clearly an effect of holy power.

"…So they were trying to put me on edge," Taehyun said, his voice grim. "It's definitely Rexner's party."

"Then why did the message identify them as C-rank?" Riel asked.

"Allow me to explain!" Kinjo interjected proudly. "That raider named Rexner has surely manipulated his identity to alter his rank. There is no other explanation!"

Kinjo was right. Among the raider-exclusive items were those that could disguise or manipulate information. A simple disguise item would have shown their rank as a question mark. But Rexner had anticipated that, using an information manipulation item instead. The fake rank was C.

"Stop trying to act so smart, Mr. Goblin," Riel sniffed.

"I'm not trying to act smart, I 'am' smart!"

"I find that hard to believe."

Taehyun ignored their bickering, his mind focused entirely on the enemy. 'Kinjo is right. But what's the endgame here? What reaction is he trying to provoke?'

Using an information manipulation item like this had to have a purpose. A B-rank Raider posing as C-rank… It meant he was concealing his own identity by blending in with his comrades. If everyone was listed as C-rank, it would be impossible to identify the true leader. Taehyun finally understood the tactic.

'That bastard. He never intended to reveal himself. He's going to wear the same robes as everyone else and fight from within their ranks.'

By hiding the raid leader, he sowed confusion. He could issue commands from the safety of the group, making it impossible to target him. But one thing still bothered Taehyun.

'Won't his identity be revealed the moment the fighting starts? Even if he hangs back, once my two Guardians engage, he'll have no choice but to show his hand.'

Something felt off. For now, all he could do was watch. He directed the scout goblins he had dispatched earlier to move in.

'And what kind of overpowered ability is that? Wiping out all my familiars across the entire plain… The Holy Kingdom's forces are on another level.'

These were Holy Knights and Priests, specialized in fighting demons and monsters. They possessed not only holy power but also the skills of veteran raiders. It was an overwhelming combination. With that single move, they had seized the initiative, blinding him completely. Now, he had to risk his actual soldiers to regain his vision.

[The scout goblin unit has discovered Rexner's raid party.]

A group clad in white robes appeared on his monitor. Taehyun readied an item to counter a vision battle, but nothing happened.

'He didn't use a Vision Expansion Ticket?'

Most raid parties used them as a matter of course. But for some reason, the scout goblins' vision didn't clash with Rexner's. They hadn't used one.

'Keep them under surveillance until they find the fortress.'

Since there was no vision battle, he didn't need to pull the scouts back. He ordered them to maintain a safe distance, shadowing the party's advance. Then, he pulled up the detailed information on the raiders.

[Rexner]

[Rank: C]

[Level: ?]

[Class: ?]

[Title: ?]

[Affiliation: ?]

[Stress: ?]

[Status: ?]

[Relationship with Comrades: ?]

[Description: ?]

'He's hidden everything but the fake rank.' The information window was useless. Taehyun moved on, checking the next raider.

[Rexner]

[Rank: C]

[Level: ?]

[Class: ?]

[Title: ?]

[Affiliation: ?]

[Stress: ?]

[Status: ?]

[Relationship with Comrades: ?]

[Description: ?]

As luck would have it, he'd found him on the second try. 'That was surprisingly fast.'

Satisfied, Taehyun moved to the next raider.

[Rexner]

[Rank: C]

[Level: ?]

[Class: ?]

[Title: ?]

[Affiliation: ?]

[Stress: ?]

[Status: ?]

[Relationship with Comrades: ?]

[Description: ?]

The name was Rexner again. Taehyun blinked, checking once more. 'What? Did I misread that?' He was certain he had been checking them in order. He quickly scanned the rest of the party.

[Rexner]

[Rexner]

[Rexner]

No matter who he checked, the name was always the same.

'These bastards. The entire party is covering for him.'

Every single one of them had manipulated their information to display the name "Rexner." The real one had likely only changed his rank, concealing the rest with a disguise. With everyone else doing the same, and all of them hidden beneath identical white robes, finding the true Rexner was impossible.

'Why go to such lengths? What is he trying to achieve by hiding his identity?'

As he'd thought before, the moment he used a powerful skill, he would be exposed. Taehyun couldn't make any sense of it.

---

"He must have checked our information by now," a heavy voice rumbled from within the white-robed procession. "He must be quite flustered."

It was impossible to tell who had spoken, but the identity of the speaker was obvious.

"Sir Rexner. The fortress is ahead."

"I see."

It was the true raid leader. He and his comrades raised their heads in unison, their hidden gazes fixed on the structure.

"Who's inside?"

"The power of the crosses reveals monsters within."

"Hmm. And the goblins that were following us?"

"They have fallen back behind the fortress."

They had already mapped the location of every enemy soldier on the plains. The sacred light from the fifty crosses didn't just annihilate familiars; it granted them complete vision of the entire area. The Dungeon Master likely believed he was the only one with eyes on the field.

'He would never imagine that we've taken the vision of the entire plain for ourselves,' Rexner thought with satisfaction.

While his opponent was focused on the raid party, the raid party could see everything. It was no exaggeration to say they were two steps ahead.

"We'll bypass the fortress."

"Are you sure, sir? The soldiers inside will pursue us."

"It might be easier to lure them into a chase."

"Understood."

And so, Rexner's raid party marched past the fortress, ignoring it completely.

---

[Rexner's raid party has passed Balak's fortress.]

The raiders on the screen moved past the fortress without engaging. It was a calculated decision to conserve stamina. Unlike Sebastian, this leader was cautious.

'Well, Junhyun was a special case. He was playing mind games from the very beginning.'

Since they were heading straight for the forest, Taehyun had to use the forces stationed in the fortress. He immediately deployed Grai and the ambush unit to probe their combat style. The soldiers shadowed the party, maintaining their distance as the raiders prepared to enter the forest.

'The standard approach. I'll hit them when they make camp inside the woods.'

The raid party entered the forest, with Grai and his unit following close behind. Just as they were about to enter the tree line, a magic circle flared to life directly in front of the ambush unit.

[Rexner has used the raider-exclusive item 'Position Shift'.]

[Rexner's raid party's position will be changed to the previously saved location.]

The Position Shift item got activated. In a flash of light, the entire raid party teleported, appearing directly in front of the ambush unit in perfect combat formation.

'No, how did they know?!'

They hadn't used a Vision Expansion Ticket; he was certain of it. His scout goblins had spotted them first, meaning vision was exclusively on his side. Yet, it was as if Rexner's party had known the ambush unit was there all along. Using an item that required a pre-saved location made it clear: this was a trap.

[The battle begins.]

[C-rank Holy Knight raider Rexner has cast Divine Protection.]

[C-rank Priest raider Rexner has cast Song of Praise.]

[C-rank Holy Knight raider Rexner has cast Divine Mace.]

As Taehyun reeled in shock, a wave of buffs washed over the raiders. Grai and his unit charged, but it was useless.

'No! The ambush unit is useless on open ground like this! And they're buffed! I have to retreat, now!'

The ambush unit's strength lay in surprise attacks in confined spaces, not head-on clashes in a clearing. Their effectiveness plummeted. His soldiers were already crumbling under the raiders' enhanced firepower. Taehyun immediately issued a retreat order to Grai.

"Retreat, soldiers!" Grai roared, raising his sword.

The shout drew the attention of every fighter on the field. The raiders, who had been focused on the rank-and-file monsters, finally spotted the hulking Guardian in their midst. Instantly, a small group of them broke off and charged directly at Grai.

Taehyun watched in disbelief. 'Is the real Rexner among them? No, that can't be it. Even if he is, charging Grai and his soldiers with only seven men is a suicide mission!'

Grai braced himself to meet the charge. Just as they closed the distance, a surge of magic erupted from the center of the charging group.

[C-rank Holy Knight raider Rexner is casting Time Freeze.]

Grai frantically searched for the caster, but the skill had no visible motion. It was impossible to tell who was responsible.

[C-rank Holy Knight raider Rexner has cast Time Freeze.]

The magic solidified, and the very space around Grai seemed to shatter like glass. The image on Taehyun's monitor froze for a split second before resuming.

"What! What just happened?!" Taehyun shot up from his chair, his eyes glued to the screen. The raiders were in the same position as before, but Grai was now on his knees, a grievous wound punched through his abdomen.

"Who is it?! Who's the real Rexner?!" he yelled at the screen. "To wound Grai like that, it has to be the B-rank Rexner!"

"M-Master Taehyun, this is no time for that!" Kinjo shrieked. "You must use the Return item! We cannot lose Sir Grai!"

"Damn it!"

Kinjo was right. He had already lost most of the ambush unit; losing a Guardian would be a fatal blow. Swallowing his rage, Taehyun activated the Return item.

---

'Phew, I somehow avoided a fatal wound.'

The mysterious skill had stopped time itself. In the split second before it fully took hold, Grai had managed to twist his body, turning a lethal blow into a serious injury. But his unit was gone, annihilated.

'We came to set an ambush and were ambushed ourselves.'

The result of the head-on clash was a catastrophe. A return magic circle began to glow at his feet, but he felt no relief.

'They were monsters, but they were my subordinates. And I am the only one leaving alive.'

As the magic enveloped him, Grai locked eyes with the silent, white-robed figures watching him.

"I don't know which one of you it is," he rasped, with blood flecking his lips, "but you are a coward. You must have been terrified to cross swords with me properly."

Silence.

"Hmph. You won't even grant me the sound of your voice?"

They were relentlessly protecting Rexner's identity. With no clues and no victory, Grai vanished, returning to Balak.

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