[Seira's Crystal Sword]

[Rank: B]

[Restriction: Level 40 or higher, Warrior and Knight-type classes]

[Description: A rare-grade item, Seira's Crystal Sword. The blade she personally wielded is exceptionally hard and does not break easily.]

"Isn't this an item from the Ice Palace?" Larkan asked, eyeing the sword Taehyun handed him. "You would get more Zen selling it in the shop. Why bother with synthesis?"

He had a point; selling the sword would be more profitable. But Taehyun had three of them gathering dust, and he needed to test the Synthesis skill itself.

"Call it a bold investment," Taehyun replied. "Speaking of which, if the synthesis fails, are the materials destroyed?"

"With my alchemy, failure is not an option," Larkan scoffed. "However, I cannot guarantee the result. There is no way of knowing what kind of item will be produced."

"That's fine. Go ahead."

Larkan nodded and placed two of the crystal swords on the floor. A crackle of energy filled the air as mana flared from his palm, and the two blades slowly began to merge.

[C-rank Named NPC Larkan is attempting the Synthesis skill.]

[Two Seira's Crystal Swords are being synthesized.]

A brilliant light flashed, and the two swords fused into one.

[C-rank Named NPC Larkan's Synthesis skill has succeeded.]

[Seira's Thorny Crystal Sword has been created.]

Their eyes met. The two elegant crystal swords had been reborn as a crude, spiked bludgeon.

"…Seriously? What in the world am I supposed to do with this?" Taehyun deadpanned.

The weapon, which now resembled a morning star, was utterly baffling. Larkan deliberately avoided his gaze as he handed it over.

"I-I believe I stated beforehand that I could not guarantee the outcome."

"Are you stuttering? Huh. Well, I'm the one who gave you the swords, so I suppose it can't be helped. I'll just sell this thing to the shop…"

Just then, Riel appeared in the corridor, escorting a visitor. Taehyun set the weapon down and turned to greet his guest.

"Keh heh. I trust you have been well?" the visitor rasped, rubbing his hands together. "It is I, Lugo of the Gronze Merchants. Surely you remember me?"

It was the demon merchant, Lugo Talos, apparently here for another transaction.

"What brings you here? Unfortunately, I don't have anything to sell right now."

"I-Is that so?" Lugo stammered. "Then perhaps you have need of any items or equipment? After you contacted me in such a hurry for those suicide bombs, I thought you might require something else."

"I'm short on Zen at the moment. Sorry, but you'll have to visit another time."

Taehyun waved him away dismissively. Lugo's shoulders slumped as he turned to leave, but then a strange weapon on the floor caught his eye.

"Oh, my! For such a beautiful sword to exist!" he exclaimed, his eyes gleaming. "Sir Taehyun, to think you possessed such a treasure and pretended otherwise! I am quite disappointed!"

Lugo snatched up the thorny crystal sword, examining it from every angle. Despite its obvious lack of practicality, he seemed utterly captivated, gazing at it as if it were a priceless work of art.

Taehyun and Larkan exchanged a bewildered glance. Larkan was the first to break the silence, forcing a smile.

"It seems everything has its use after all."

"…That's absurd. The man's just strange."

---

[The transaction with the Gronze Merchants has been successfully completed.]

[Lugo Talos has purchased Seira's Thorny Crystal Sword for 200,000 Zen.]

An entirely unexpected deal had been struck. Lugo had purchased the bizarre result of their synthesis for a staggering 200,000 Zen. A piece of junk destined for the shop had been sold on its artistic merit alone. Taehyun was dumbfounded, but he also recognized an opportunity.

"Should you acquire any more equipment like this, please contact me immediately!" Lugo chirped. "Hehe. It has been nearly twenty years since I have laid eyes on such an artistic weapon."

"I'd be happy to sell it to you."

'The only problem is my conscience,' Taehyun thought wryly.

If Lugo was willing to keep buying these… creations, then attempting synthesis would never be a loss. The failures could be offloaded to the Gronze Merchants, while the successes would become assets for Balak.

'I can use the Synthesis skill to both make money and acquire new gear.'

He no longer had to sell his loot to the System shop. He could funnel everything through synthesis and reap double the rewards. Taehyun saw Lugo off, cementing his new relationship with the merchant guild.

"To think I would ever feel sorry for a demon," Larkan muttered. "I have lived long enough to see it all."

"If he likes it, who are we to argue? From now on, we will use Synthesis to earn Zen and gather equipment."

"I will focus on the Transmutation Circle for now. Call me when you wish to synthesize something."

With that, Larkan returned to his work. Given the abundance of mana within Balak, the circle would likely be completed soon. Alone once more, Taehyun reviewed the 200,000 Zen he had just earned, a satisfied smile on his face.

'That concludes the experiment with the Synthesis skill. This sudden trade route with the merchants is an unexpected but welcome development.'

As a craftsman, Larkan was proving to be an invaluable asset. Between synthesis, the Transmutation Circle, and his potion-making abilities, he was an incredibly important NPC. His favorability and loyalty were still at rock bottom, but the lingering traces of intense cold from the Ice Palace were a sufficient leash.

"Now then," Taehyun murmured, pulling out a communication device. "Shall we gather some raiders?"

---

In the southern city of Jeir, the busiest hub in the Plington Kingdom, the streets were perpetually crowded. The tavern frequented by raiders was no exception.

A raider, his hood pulled low, stepped inside. The patrons glanced up for a moment before returning to their drinks. The stranger took a seat at a table by the window and placed a simple order.

"Here you are."

The tavern owner set a dark beer on the table. The hooded man took a sip, his eyes scanning the room. A moment later, a group of raiders from a nearby table approached him.

"You seem new to Jeir," the leader said with a practiced smile. "A pleasure. I am Wellington."

His furtive glances must have caught their attention. Wellington offered a handshake, and after a moment of hesitation, the hooded man accepted.

"What brings you here? Judging by that hood, you're from the West, aren't you?"

"I lost my comrades. I have been wandering since."

"Ah, my apologies."

"It is nothing. It is a risk every raider accepts. Are you planning on joining me?"

"If you'll have us."

"Please, sit."

Wellington's party took their seats. The hooded man, seemingly lost in thought, stared blankly at the table. Finally, Wellington broke the silence.

"It may not be my place to ask, but… could you tell me in which dungeon you lost your comrades?"

Since the Holy Kingdom's failed invasion, the number of Dungeon Masters had dwindled. While dungeons were still plentiful, those run by a Master had become rare—and lucrative. If his friends had died, a Dungeon Master was likely involved.

'A dungeon with a Master means a massive payout. Perhaps I can get some information out of him,' Wellington thought, greed flickering in his eyes. The rest of his party leaned in, and a dark glint appeared in the hooded man's eyes.

"Balak."

"B-Balak?" Wellington sputtered. "You mean the C-rank dungeon near Partren that was deemed unconquerable? I heard even B-rank parties are avoiding it. You went there?"

"Ah, I jumped ahead. My apologies. It was Balak, but not the original one. I am talking about the new labyrinth in the Arid Plains."

"A labyrinth?!"

Unlike standard dungeons, labyrinths were mazes. Radar and flight-based abilities were useless, forcing raiders to navigate the corridors themselves. Wellington's eyes lit up. Labyrinths offered far greater rewards than other dungeons of the same rank. And while navigation was tricky, the actual difficulty was usually manageable.

"Yes, that one. It seems Balak has expanded its territory and built a labyrinth. I went there with my comrades. It wasn't particularly difficult, but… a mistake on my part got them all killed."

"How unfortunate. What was your party's rank?"

"I was the leader. We were D-rank."

A corner of Wellington's mouth twitched. A D-rank party in a labyrinth… he didn't know the dungeon's rank, but it was a fool's errand regardless.

'Idiot. Most items are restricted in a labyrinth, and a D-rank party went in?'

While raiders were limited, so was the Dungeon Master. But even without a Master, a labyrinth was no place for amateurs. The man across from him was a complete fool. Wellington, a veteran of many labyrinths, knew that strength alone wasn't enough to conquer one.

'My party is C-rank, and we have plenty of experience with labyrinths. This idiot just handed me a golden opportunity. Yay.'

If the news hadn't reached the Raider Association yet, it meant the dungeon was unknown. His party could be the first to clear it.

"I see. So, that labyrinth in the Arid Plains is still…?"

"Yes, it's probably still there. We were the first to challenge it. When I returned alone, no one seemed to know about it. I suppose word will get out eventually."

"Ahem. Right. Well, we should be on our way."

"Leaving so soon? You just sat down."

"S-Something important just came up. Perhaps we'll meet again. Until then."

Wellington and his party scrambled out of the tavern. The lone raider watched them go through the window, a cruel smirk twisting his lips.

"Something important, indeed. Hehehe."

He drained his glass and left the tavern. He still had many places to visit. The request had been a hassle, but things were certainly getting interesting.

'I had other places to visit anyway, and this is starting to get fun, so I don't mind. Only four months left on the contract. Taehyun Yoo, you'd better grow into a monster that can truly entertain me. Hehehe!'

Rain began to fall from the sky. The raider—no, Junhyun—let the downpour soak him, a look of pure, malicious delight on his face.

---

A few days later, rumors of the labyrinth spread across the continent. The source was unknown. Raiders, each convinced they were the only ones with the information, rushed to the Arid Plains. The original Balak had already proven its influence by encroaching on Hylon Forest, but with the fortress in the plains now a labyrinth, they had a new target. They wouldn't challenge Balak itself—just the labyrinth.

"Damn it! It looks like every D-rank raider on the continent is here."

"Well, it's a place that doesn't require much skill. But the C-rank parties are no joke. Looks like some of them have experience with labyrinths."

"Hey, we're going in first! Don't cut in line!"

A flood of countless raiders began to pour in from the edge of the Arid Plains.

---

At that moment, Taehyun watched the scene unfold on a monitor and picked up his communication device.

"You reeled in quite a catch. Did you deliberately lure this many, you bastard?"

—"I have no idea what nonsense you are spouting," Junhyun's voice crackled back. "Hehehe. I just spread the story as you asked. The idiots who took the bait are the ones to blame."

"True. If you'd violated the contract, you would've died on the spot."

—"If you understand, then hang up. This body of mine has become rather busy."

"Get lost."

Taehyun ended the call and turned back to the screen. Beside him, Edchan watched with a nervous expression.

"I've reinforced the labyrinth as much as I could with the Zen you invested… but I'm still worried, Master."

"Don't worry. Just watch closely," Taehyun said, a cold smile touching his lips. "You are about to see just how stupid those goldfish are."

One by one, the raid parties began to file into the labyrinth. Taehyun's eyes drifted to the exit, placed directly beside the entrance, and his smile widened.

---

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