The realization wasn't instant. While there were other nobles and raiders Baron Coris could have turned to, Taehyun knew from his intelligence gathering that the baron had no such connections and had always stayed out of politics. And yet, Myol's forces hadn't moved. That was the first red flag. They should have marched out to stop Balak's advance. Coris had to know that a small city, cut off from supplies during a siege, couldn't survive a prolonged war. Furthermore, the villages in Hylon Forest were a steady source of income; it was only logical to protect what was left of them.

Instead, Myol's army remained idle while the last village was used as bait. That wasn't a strategy born from desperation; it was cold and calculated. That's when Taehyun's thoughts turned to Partren, the city closest to Myol. With Partren's lord dead, the only person with any real power was the branch manager of the Raider Association.

'That old fox must have offered Coris a deal,' Taehyun concluded. 'So that uneasy feeling I had… it was you, Gelix.' He was certain of it. The strategy of sacrificing a village to lure in his soldiers was chillingly reminiscent of the tactics used by the Sebastian raid party.

"Master Taehyun," Riel interjected, "would a B-rank Hero Guardian like Grai not be sufficient for this task? No matter who this branch manager is, it will be difficult for him to find a raider who can stand against Grai."

"No, he might be able to," Taehyun countered, shaking his head. "The fact that Junhyun didn't kill Gelix means he's likely been expanding his influence with the help of the Peyton Ducal Family. Besides, even if he can't find a single raider to match Grai, we're up against an entire branch. There could be dozens of C-rank raiders. No matter how strong Grai is, he can't win if he's outnumbered."

"Could we not send Balak's main force as reinforcements?" Riel suggested. "No other raid parties are coming. We could leave a minimal defense and send Mederia with the main army. If they join Grai, we will have a much better chance of winning."

She was right. Balak still had a main force of 350 soldiers, not to mention Mederia, a B-rank Named Guardian. Their combined strength would be formidable. But Taehyun dismissed the idea.

"That man is too much like me," he said grimly. "He eliminates every possible variable before it can become a threat. Raid parties are probably already on their way here."

"Surely he is not on your level…" Riel began, but she was cut off by a series of system alerts.

[A C-rank raid party has appeared from the edge of the Barren Plains.]

[A C-rank raid party has appeared from the edge of the Barren Plains.]

[A C-rank raid party has appeared from the edge of the Barren Plains.]

[A C-rank raid party has appeared from the edge of the Barren Plains.]

As if on cue, seven raid parties materialized at the edge of the plains. They didn't attack. They didn't even kill the familiar summons scouting the area. They just stood there, a silent, menacing declaration of their presence.

"If our reinforcements leave, Balak will be practically empty," Taehyun explained, his voice tight. "Gelix plans to conquer it the moment we move. By showing themselves like this, he's taunting us, daring us to send them."

If he abandoned Myol and recalled Grai now, those raiders would simply vanish using return scrolls. 'He's probably got a communication device ready to alert them the second he confirms Grai's retreat. It's a loss for him if I wipe them all out.'

Everything had been going so smoothly, but Gelix had thrown a wrench in his plans, halting his advance just shy of Myol.

'Should I pull back for now?' he wondered. 'I've gathered a decent amount of Zen from the villages, and I've captured plenty of villagers. Balak's influence should at least extend to Hylon Forest now.' A war of attrition would benefit no one—or rather, it would only hurt Taehyun. Gelix was a man of considerable influence, backed by his branch and potentially the Peyton Ducal Family. In a prolonged conflict, only Balak's soldiers would be lost.

'The terrain is also against me,' he analyzed. 'With the mountains and forest, Gelix has undoubtedly deployed his forces and secured the high ground. He's planning to annihilate my troops if I don't recall them.' The situation was too disadvantageous to turn around, even with his best items.

"Would it not be prudent to content ourselves with the villages we have taken and retreat for now?" Riel asked softly. "We still have the second Balak to worry about."

"You're right. If things go wrong, Gelix might even make a move on our second dungeon." Gelix had surely anticipated that Balak's influence would eventually reach Partren. He'd factored in the possibility that Taehyun might target the surrounding territories now that Viscount Crowley's army was gone.

'He's helping Coris not just for a reward, but to keep Balak in check.' The man was a cunning old fox. With a sigh, Taehyun sent the order to Grai.

"Are you ordering a retreat?" Grai's disappointed voice came through the link.

"The terrain is disadvantageous, and their raiders have already secured the area," Taehyun explained. "We also have hostilities at the Barren Plains. Return immediately."

"Understood." Grai, recognizing the gravity of the situation, didn't argue.

As he watched the raid parties on the screen vanish one by one, Taehyun ground his teeth. "I won't forget this, Gelix."

---

"Confirming the enemy soldiers are returning. Should we pursue?" a raider reported, monitoring the retreat via radar.

Gelix, perched leisurely on a nearby rock, shook his head. "This is enough. I can see their Guardian leading the retreat. Unnecessary sacrifices are a waste."

"Understood."

After ending the communication, Gelix leaned back and laughed heartily. "Well, well. I was hoping for a real fight, but he tucked his tail between his legs and ran. How anticlimactic."

This was the Dungeon Master of Balak, the one who had crushed the Sebastian raid party and possibly even devoured the fortress of Lasten. He had been looking forward to a true battle of wits, but it had ended before it even began. Still, he wasn't disappointed. In fact, he had a newfound respect for his opponent's judgment.

'Retreating was the right call,' he mused. 'This isn't a situation where you can call him a coward. With this, I've managed to keep Balak in check and get what I wanted.'

With a single move, he had secured a meeting with Count Dinen. It was no small feat to get an audience with the man who was the linchpin of the raider world. To have obtained it so easily was incredible luck.

'He must not know the truth about Count Dinen since he stays out of politics. Or more likely, he just doesn't care. I'm glad Baron Coris is such an idiot.'

The support from Sebastian and the Peyton Duchy was helpful, but it wasn't enough. His ultimate goal was the presidency of the Raider Association, and for that, he needed to lay much more groundwork. He took a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and gazed toward Myol.

'Dungeon Master of Balak. I'm sure you won't give up here. After Myol, you'll aim for Crowley's territories, Behetl and Lemagal. And finally, you'll come for Partren. I don't know how you plan to take those lands, but I'll be watching.'

Two other lords were still circling Crowley's former territory like vultures. He was very much looking forward to seeing how Taehyun would manage to squeeze his way in. With a final, satisfied puff of his cigarette, Gelix leisurely took his leave.

---

[Grai and the surprise attack unit have returned to Balak.]

The soldiers who had rampaged through Hylon Forest were back. Taehyun treated them to expensive rations, a small consolation for their thwarted campaign.

"A pity," Grai grumbled. "It was a chance to make Balak's name known throughout the continent."

"It can't be helped," Taehyun replied. "We have to be satisfied with this for now. We haven't given up completely. We'll just wait for a better opportunity."

"Understood. I will look forward to it." Grai was clearly disappointed, but he respected Taehyun's decision.

After letting the soldiers rest, Taehyun checked his Zen reserves.

[1,200,000 Zen]

It was less than he'd earned from conquering new dungeons. With the rising prices in the System Shop, it wasn't much to work with.

'First, I need to prepare for the Holy Kingdom invasion.' His strategy for the massive event hadn't changed: stay on the sidelines and avoid losing soldiers. But he couldn't be complacent. Under Duke Nikunbel's meticulous planning, anything could happen. He started by restoring the soldiers he'd lost in the ambush.

[Intermediate Wild Dog × 10]

[Intermediate Goblin × 20]

[Intermediate Orc × 20]

'I'll level up the new recruits while thoroughly training the rest.' With raid parties flocking from all over, he could steadily earn Zen from both of his dungeons. His soldiers' average level was rising, which meant it was time for new equipment. He decided to use the remaining time to challenge the next difficulty level of the Ice Palace.

'My army has grown, and I have two Guardians. It should be enough. While I'm at it, I need to manage the dungeon and figure out what to do with the captured raiders and villagers.'

The sheer number of villagers meant he had to build them a place to live. He also planned to try and persuade the captured raiders to join him, creating a secret weapon to use against other Dungeon Masters. After investing the remaining Zen into his two dungeons and the fortress, he took his main forces and headed for the Ice Palace.

---

[You have entered Yuslan's Ice Palace.]

Two Guardians, Riel, and about 300 soldiers were transported to the palace's highest floor.

"Ugh, where are we now?" Mandra complained.

"Shh. Be quiet," Mederia hissed.

The Named fairy scowled at the unfamiliar, frozen landscape. It seemed her attitude hadn't improved.

'It's a good thing Mederia is here to keep her in line,' Taehyun thought, 'but I'll have to find a day to beat some sense into her.' Pretty or not, a good thrashing was the only cure for a bad attitude. He reviewed his forces.

[Shieldbearer × 40]

[Archer × 60]

[Warrior × 100]

[Mage × 50]

[Spirit User × 30]

[Thief × 20]

His army was well-balanced and equipped. He'd left the scouts and infiltrators behind this time, as their skills were less useful inside the palace.

'With Riel as a healer and both ranged and melee Guardians, this is doable.' He placed his hand on the large Ice Jade.

[Will you challenge the Normal difficulty of Yuslan's Ice Palace?]

"Yes."

At his word, the jade pulsed with a frigid light. A teleportation circle flared to life, whisking him and his army to the entrance.

[A bitter chill seeps into your body.]

[Physical abilities are temporarily decreased.]

[Movement begins to slow.]

[A bitter chill seeps into your soldiers' bodies.]

[Your soldiers' physical abilities are temporarily decreased.]

[Your soldiers' movement begins to slow.]

[Your soldiers' vitality is decreasing.]

[The risk of disease for you and your soldiers is increasing.]

"Ugh, it's too cold! I don't want to be here!" Mandra whined.

"Are you really going to start now?" Mederia snapped.

"Hmph."

The sudden, biting cold had everyone shivering. It was just like his first attempt, but this time, the palace entrance was right in front of them. Taehyun ushered his forces inside, eager to escape the frost.

[You have entered Yuslan's Ice Palace.]

[The cold subsides.]

[All previously applied debuffs are being removed.]

As expected, the debuffs vanished with the cold. The first floor was identical to how he remembered it.

[The spirits guarding the 1st floor of the Ice Palace have been summoned.]

A summoning circle began to glow on the floor, signaling the start of the challenge.

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