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

[The C-rank raid party is swiftly fleeing.]

Five days had passed since the labyrinthine Balak had opened. While raiders still flocked to it, a new trend had emerged: parties were turning back at the very entrance to the Arid Plains.

"Why are they fleeing from the edge?" Taehyun wondered aloud.

"Perhaps the labyrinth's terrifying reputation has finally sunk in, and they're having second thoughts?" Riel suggested.

"That's possible," Taehyun conceded, "but it's strange. They come all this way, fully prepared and on schedule, only to turn tail and run."

Riel had a point. Dozens of raid parties had already been annihilated within the labyrinth's walls, so fear was a natural response. But raiders were creatures of greed, often letting ambition override their caution. For them to retreat after completing all their preparations was suspicious.

"I need to take a look." Taehyun dispatched his scout units to the edge of the Arid Plains. Goblins, natural scouts, fanned out alongside wild dogs, whose C-rank evolution had given them an exceptional sense of smell.

'With the goblins' vision and the dogs' tracking ability, this unit is more than sufficient.'

On the world map, icons began to move. The scout unit, previously on standby, moved swiftly along the perimeter of the plains, their path carefully chosen to avoid detection. As they neared the edge, Taehyun readied a Vision Priority Pass, just in case.

[Monsters detected in the scout goblin's line of sight.]

The goblin acting as the unit's leader was the first to spot them. Hiding in the Forest of Silence, a necessary passage to the plains, were hundreds of monsters.

"What are those monsters?" Riel asked, frowning. "I thought we cleared out all the wild monsters in this area when we first began operations."

Taehyun remained silent, his eyes fixed on the screen. Just then, a die materialized above both the hidden monsters and his scout unit.

[The line of sight of Balak's scout unit and the Anti-Balak Alliance's unit have clashed.]

[A win/loss die is rolled.]

A Vision Battle. It seemed both sides had spotted each other at the same time. Taehyun calmly used his Vision Priority Pass. The die spinning in the air landed on a five.

[The number on the die is 5.]

[Victory for Balak's scout unit, which held the cards 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6!]

[Balak's scout unit gains the upper hand in the vision battle.]

With the pass securing five outcomes, victory was assured. Information about the hidden monsters immediately appeared.

[Anti-Balak Alliance]

[An alliance formed by the C-rank Dungeon Masters of the west. They have joined forces, unable to tolerate the one-sided acquisition of Zen.]

[Currently, soldiers from the Vilmark, Seondal, and Grizzle dungeons have been dispatched as a scout unit.]

So that was it. The labyrinth's success at attracting D and C-rank raiders had starved the other dungeons in the region. Their masters had banded together out of desperation. Taehyun recalled something Kinjo had said during the Holy Kingdom invasion.

''Of course. Many Dungeon Masters fight over sources of income like mines, cities, and ruins.''

A dungeon alone was not a reliable source of income. It made sense that they would fight over territory that was. These C-rank masters had clearly reached their breaking point.

'I had a feeling these flies would start buzzing around.'

On the screen, the alliance's scout unit was already in full retreat, aware their cover had been blown.

"Are you just going to let them go?" Riel asked.

"They probably think I'm intimidated," Taehyun scoffed. "This is just annoying. I was about to make a move on the city of Myol, but this will delay my plans." His face tightened with irritation. An alliance meant at least ten C-rank Dungeon Masters were arrayed against him. But he felt no fear, only annoyance. "Things were going so well, and now these pests are picking a fight."

"They will likely attack within a few days. Shouldn't we prepare?"

"Of course," Taehyun said, a cold smile touching his lips. "I'll prepare to chew them up and spit them out."

The alliance was surely confident of victory. After all, they were dozens, and he was one. But they were ignorant of a crucial fact.

"I've gathered a decent number of soldiers, so the timing is perfect. I was planning to reveal it soon anyway," he mused. "They'll be the first prey."

They had no idea that the original Balak was now a B-rank dungeon.

---

At that moment, the Dungeon Masters of the Anti-Balak Alliance were in communication.

-Tch. That bastard used a Vision Priority Pass. Our alliance has been discovered.

-It's fine. Revealing ourselves now is a good way to apply psychological pressure.

-I suppose so. Heh! In two days, Taehyun will be facing eighteen C-rank Dungeon Masters. It'll be more fun if he's sweating a little.

Under Kyunghoon Min's leadership, the alliance was finalizing its preparations. The loss of a scout unit was a trivial blow. They believed the revelation of their existence would be enough to make Taehyun surrender.

After ending the communication, Kyunghoon Min let out a long sigh. "Is this sufficient?"

"Of course," a woman's voice purred from across the reception table. She rose gracefully, a pleased smile on her lips. The alliance was now firmly set on its course. They would march on Balak without a shred of doubt. She glided over to Kyunghoon Min and caressed his cheek. "You're doing very well. Keep cornering him. I want to see exactly how Taehyun responds."

"…Balak will fall before he can even mount a proper defense," Kyunghoon Min stated confidently.

"Hmm, is that so? I like your confidence," she murmured. "I know I asked this of you, but I'm grateful for your enthusiasm." Her hand began to trail downwards. As if mesmerized, Kyunghoon Min didn't resist, accepting her touch. The air in the reception room grew thick with a palpable heat.

---

[The Anti-Balak Alliance's forces have appeared from the edge of the Arid Plains.]

The forewarned day had arrived. Thousands of soldiers materialized on the horizon. The few raiders on the plains scrambled into the labyrinth for safety, while others could only watch in terror.

"Heh, perfect weather for an annihilation," Taehyun whistled, laying out his items. Their open approach made their intentions clear: they planned to destroy Balak today. The presence of Guardians and Keepers among their ranks confirmed it was an all-out assault.

"Muahaha. Thank you for summoning me," Kinjo cackled.

"My apologies for the delay, Master," Edchan said with a bow.

Soon, all three of Balak's Supporters were gathered.

"I called you to watch the show," Taehyun explained, gesturing for them to sit. "The labyrinth is quiet, and the second Balak is empty. You must have been bored, so enjoy this before you head back."

It was true that both dungeons were experiencing a lull, but he hadn't summoned them merely for entertainment.

'I'll use this opportunity to show them the true extent of Balak's power.'

They knew Balak was now B-rank, but they had yet to witness its full might. This was a chance to prove his strength and boost their loyalty in the process.

Taehyun fiddled with an item, his eyes on the screen. "I really do like this world's game system. They can form an alliance, but the item limit is still applied to them as a single entity."

The System treated an alliance as one Dungeon Master. Unless they fought as separate armies, their item usage was restricted to a single use. Their numbers were their only advantage.

Taehyun commanded the soldiers he had positioned beforehand to reveal themselves. It was a small force of only four hundred C-rank soldiers, but they were well-leveled and equipped.

'Alright. Time to bait out their Effect Reversal Card.'

He began activating a series of buff items.

[Balak A-Unit's morale is boosted.]

[Balak A-Unit's stats are increased for a certain period.]

[Balak A-Unit's skill critical hit rate is increased for a certain period.]

Multiple buffs washed over A-Unit, empowering them instantly. Just as he expected, the message he was waiting for appeared.

[The Anti-Balak Alliance has used an Effect Reversal Card.]

[Balak A-Unit's buffs are converted into debuffs.]

[The morale of the entire Balak A-Unit decreases.]

[Balak A-Unit's stats are decreased for a certain period.]

[Balak A-Unit's skill critical hit rate is decreased for a certain period.]

'That's it. You idiots.'

The alliance was convinced of their victory, but they weren't fools. They knew he was the top-ranked C-rank Master who had defeated Sebastian while still D-rank. They wouldn't underestimate him. They would be cautious, which is precisely what Taehyun had counted on. They believed A-Unit was his entire army and that neutralizing its buffs would ensure a swift victory. Their use of the rare Effect Reversal Card was proof.

'Alright. Next up, nullification.'

Taehyun activated a recall item.

[Dungeon Master exclusive item 'Soldier Recall' has been activated.]

[The designated soldiers of Balak will be recalled.]

A recall circle enveloped A-Unit. A moment later, another message flashed.

[The Anti-Balak Alliance has activated 'Item Nullification'.]

[The magic of the recall circle disappears.]

[The recall of Balak's soldiers fails.]

'Perfect. I've drawn out both of their most important cards.'

They had spent two of the most crucial items available to a Dungeon Master, determined to annihilate his forces on the plains.

"M-Master Taehyun!" Kinjo stammered. "Even if Balak is B-rank, baiting them into using items like this is not wise!"

"I must agree," Edchan added gravely. "It would have been far better to save the recall item for a true emergency."

"I'm sorry, but I share their concerns, Master," Riel said, her brow furrowed.

All three Supporters looked at him with utter incomprehension. Taehyun simply propped his chin on his hand and held up another item.

"You see," he began calmly.

[Position Transfer has been used.]

[The position of Grai and the Ambush Unit will be changed to the previously saved location.]

"I don't let a single bastard who bares its fangs at me leave alive."

From the forest, an ambush unit led by Grai erupted, catching the alliance by surprise. They scrambled into a defensive formation, but it was too late. From the front, across the vast expanse of the Arid Plains, Balak's main army appeared.

"I told you," Taehyun said, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "Yuslan's Ice Palace isn't just for show."

It was the entire military might of Balak, hidden until this very moment.

"Over two hundred B-rank soldiers. Eight hundred C-rank soldiers. Stop me if you can."

This was the result of every last piece of Zen he had accumulated. A total force of one thousand soldiers, including siege units modified by Larkan's transmutation circle.

Taehyun's grin widened as he gave the order.

"Wipe them all out."

---

Taehyun gestured to the screen, motioning for his Supporters to take their seats. The labyrinth had grown quiet, and the number of raid parties visiting had dwindled. But he hadn't summoned them just to spectate.

'I'll use this opportunity to show them Balak's true power.' Balak had now ascended to B-rank. While his Supporters were aware of this, they had yet to grasp its true potential. He intended to use this chance to deepen their bonds and boost their stats by revealing the full scope of his strategy. Taehyun's gaze remained fixed on the screen, his fingers toying with the items in his inventory.

"I've got to admit, I love this world's game system," he mused. "Even when they form a massive alliance, the item limit is applied to the entire group just once."

The System treated an entire alliance as a single Dungeon Master. As long as it wasn't a series of individual skirmishes, the item limit was a one-time application. In other words, the anti-Balak alliance had nothing going for them but their numbers. Taehyun's pre-positioned soldiers revealed themselves. It was a meager force of about four hundred C-rank soldiers, but their levels and equipment were respectable.

'Alright. First things first, let's bait out their Effect Reversal Card.'

Taehyun activated a series of buff items.

[The morale of Balak's A-Unit has been boosted.]

[The stats of Balak's A-Unit have been increased for a set time.]

[The skill critical hit rate of Balak's A-Unit has been increased for a set time.]

Multiple buffs washed over the A-Unit soldiers in an instant, making the already capable force even stronger. Just as he planned, the message he was waiting for flashed into existence.

[The anti-Balak alliance has used an Effect Reversal Card.]

[The buffs on Balak's A-Unit will be converted into debuffs.]

[The morale of the entire Balak A-Unit will decrease.]

[The stats of Balak's A-Unit will decrease for a set time.]

[The skill critical hit rate of Balak's A-Unit will decrease for a set time.]

'That's it, you idiots.' The Dungeon Masters of the anti-Balak alliance were utterly convinced of their victory. But they were dealing with Taehyun, the man who had claimed the top C-rank spot from their very first gathering. He had crushed the infamous Sebastian back when Balak was a mere D-rank dungeon; they would never be foolish enough to underestimate him. On the contrary, he knew they would be cautious, planning to methodically dismantle his forces without dropping their guard. That was precisely the vulnerability he had targeted by burning all his buff items at once. They believed his A-Unit was the entirety of Balak's army. They were certain that neutralizing these buffs would guarantee an easy victory. Their immediate use of the Effect Reversal Card was proof. It was an item they should have held in reserve, but blinded by the perceived limits of a C-rank dungeon's population, they had played their hand far too early.

'Alright. Next up, nullification.'

Taehyun activated a recall item.

[Dungeon Master exclusive item 'Soldier Recall' has been activated.]

[The designated Balak soldiers will be recalled.]

A shimmering recall circle enveloped the A-Unit as the magic took hold. A moment later, another message appeared.

[The anti-Balak alliance has activated 'Item Nullification.']

[The magic of the recall circle has dissipated.]

[The recall of Balak's soldiers has failed.]

'Perfect. I've drawn out their two most important cards.' They had used the two most critical items exclusive to Dungeon Masters. Their intent was clear: annihilate his forces on the Desolate Plains, no matter the cost.

"M-Master Taehyun!" one of his Supporters exclaimed. "Even if Balak is B-rank, luring them into using their items like this is a poor strategy."

"Hmm. I must agree," another added. "It would have been far wiser to save the recall item for the end."

"My apologies, but I feel the same, Master Taehyun," the third chimed in.

All three of them wore expressions of utter confusion. Taehyun simply propped his chin on his hand and held up a single item.

"You see," he began, his voice calm.

[Position Transfer has been used.]

[The position of Grai and the Ambush Unit will be changed to the previously saved location.]

"I don't let a single bastard who bares their fangs at me leave alive."

In that instant, the Ambush Unit erupted from the forest. The anti-Balak alliance was thrown into momentary chaos but quickly scrambled into a defensive formation. Just then, from the far side of the Desolate Plains, Balak's main army emerged.

"I told you," Taehyun said, a smirk playing on his lips. "Yuslan's Ice Palace isn't just for show."

This was the full might of Balak's army, concealed until now within the Ice Palace.

"Over two hundred B-rank soldiers. Eight hundred C-rank soldiers," he declared, his eyes fixed on the unfolding scene on the screen. "Try and stop me if you can."

The result of pouring every last bit of Zen he'd accumulated was now on full display. A grand army, one thousand strong. Among them were siege units, heavily modified by Larkan's Transmutation Circle.

Taehyun's smirk widened into a predatory grin as he gave the order. "Wipe them all out."

---

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