The Resistance faction consisted of ninety-two Dungeon Masters. Only those with exceptional talent and a proven track record received an invitation, and every member possessed a dungeon of B-rank or higher. They had been lying low, awaiting Seonghwi's command, but the time had finally come to gather.

"A meeting, huh? It's been months. Well, the scroll's here, so I guess I have to go."

"Is the faction finally making a move? Seonghwi wouldn't call us for no reason."

"What a pain. Do we really have to go every time? Can't I just skip it?"

This was a rare event, happening only once or twice a year. Across the continent, the Dungeon Masters of the Resistance made their preparations, shoring up their defenses against raiders before, one by one, using the scrolls to travel to the meeting place.

---

"Master Taehyun, please, throw those clothes away," Riel pleaded. "You wear them every single day. Are you not sick of them?"

"They're comfortable," Taehyun replied simply.

Riel let out a deep sigh. "Surely you aren't planning to attend the meeting dressed like that, are you?" This was the same Dungeon Master who had tried to attend a formal gathering at a mansion in his casual attire. She had barely managed to wrestle him into a suit back then, but within the dungeon, he was untouchable. He always insisted on his plain white robes, and now he was about to leave for a crucial meeting wearing them again.

"What is it?" he asked, unnerved by her stare. "You're scaring me."

"No. Absolutely not," she insisted. "You must wear a suit this time as well."

"Who am I trying to impress? It's a faction I've barely got one foot in. It doesn't… well, it might matter," he conceded as her glare intensified. He quickly changed his tune and put on the suit.

Only then did Riel's expression soften, her dimples appearing as she smiled. "See? It looks wonderful on you. You need to dress the part so you aren't intimidated by the other Dungeon Masters from the start."

"…You're getting scarier by the day," Taehyun muttered.

"Am I?" she asked sweetly. "I am merely fulfilling my duties as your Supporter, Master."

"Hah, well, I guess it can't be helped," he sighed. "I'll be back. Keep the dungeon safe." He was leaving again, but with Riel, Grai, and the newly summoned Raviz on duty, he wasn't overly concerned. Realizing it was time, he tore the movement scroll.

[You are being transported to the Fun Meeting Place.]

'Fun Meeting Place? Seriously?' It was exactly the kind of name Seonghwi would come up with. A brilliant light enveloped him, and he was gone.

Left alone, Riel lifted her head, her expression hardening. With Taehyun away, Balak's defense rested on her shoulders. Her eyes fixed on the raiders displayed on the monitor, her resolve burning. 'Master Taehyun will become the Demon King. I know it. To make that happen, I must support him with everything I have. While he is away, I will stop every last raider.'

When they first met, he was a frustratingly naive Dungeon Master. But when it came to defending his dungeon, he revealed a brilliant, focused mind. His sentimentality had been a weakness, but even that had been forged into ruthlessness. He had let his guard down a few times, but the battle against Sebastian's raid party had been a crucible, forcing him to grow. If he continued on this path, he could very well emerge victorious from the Demon King Candidate Competition. He possessed monstrous talent, a masterful grasp of psychological warfare, and, most importantly, the instinct to devour before being devoured. He was the ideal Dungeon Master she had always hoped for.

Riel was prepared to die for him. She drew several items from her inventory, her face a grim mask of determination.

"Since I am taking the Master's place, I will execute his will perfectly!"

Just then, the raiders on the screen stumbled into a series of traps. Riel immediately contacted Grai.

"What is it, My Lord?" Grai's voice rumbled through the connection.

"It is not 'My Lord.' It is Riel," she corrected sharply. "Proceed to the eighth room with your soldiers. Immediately."

"I do not take orders from anyone but My Lord—"

"Proceed to the eighth room with your soldiers 'immediately'!" she repeated, her voice ringing with authority.

"…Understood."

Intimidated by her tone, Grai deployed without another word. The raiders in the eighth room, caught off guard by Grai and his ambush squad, scrambled to use their buff items. At that precise moment, Riel's eyes flashed as she activated an Effect Reversal Card.

"N-No! It's a debuff!"

"What happened to the Reversal Card?"

"We already used it—Ah!"

The debuffed raiders were brutally cut down, annihilated by the fiery arc of Grai's Fire Dragon Sword. A slow, satisfied smile spread across Riel's face. Just then, Larkan entered the Master Room. He must have had prior clearance, as he approached without hesitation.

"Hey, Taehyun, one of the ingredients was missing. I told you to make sure you had these things ready…"

"What did you just say?" Riel asked, her voice dangerously quiet.

Cold sweat trickled down Larkan's scowling face. He clamped a hand over his mouth and stumbled backward.

"Ah, nothing. I'll be on my way." And just like that, Larkan fled the room as quickly as he had entered.

---

Meanwhile, Taehyun arrived at the "Fun Meeting Place." 'So this is it,' he thought wryly. 'A mansion.' Before him stood a large estate overlooking the coast. A distant lighthouse confirmed they were at the edge of the continent. He glanced at the sign posted at the entrance.

-Those Not of the Resistance, Do Not Enter!-

He felt his energy drain away. 'As if that would stop anyone,' he sighed, steadying himself. This was so typical of Seonghwi, treating his entire faction like a playground. Shaking his head, Taehyun stepped inside to escape the chilly wind. The interior was surprisingly cozy, the hallways lined with glowing magic orbs. A great deal of care had clearly gone into the decor. He walked down the hall, idly examining the paintings on the walls.

'Where did he get all this junk? Just a bunch of useless clutter.' Each canvas bore an artist's signature, suggesting they were popular works on the continent. Suddenly, he felt a pair of eyes on him from the side of the corridor.

"…Taehyun, why didn't you call?"

It was Songyi, standing perfectly still, clutching a doll. Her eyes held a hint of disappointment.

"Ah, about that," Taehyun began, forcing a polite tone. "I've been incredibly busy since the Holy Kingdom invasion. I'm sorry, I just didn't have the time."

"You can speak informally with me," she said, her voice flat.

"…Are you sure?" She was an A-rank Dungeon Master. That was the only reason he'd been so formal with a girl who looked like a child. But she simply nodded, her expression unreadable. He had no idea what she wanted from him.

'This little brat,' he thought, irritation flaring. 'She's been a nuisance since the moment we met. Why does she keep bothering me?' She had stared at him with those wide, gleaming eyes during the invasion, insisting they exchange names. She had approached him with a purpose, that much was clear.

Forcing a smile, he said, "Alright, then. Can I call you Songyi?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Well, I'm sorry about not calling. I got so busy I completely forgot."

"…It's okay," she replied. "Just do it from now on."

"R-Right." Her expression brightened, and she seemed genuinely pleased. A cold sweat broke out on Taehyun's neck as he walked deeper into the mansion with her at his side.

"Yo, newbie!"

"Welcome."

"Long time no see."

He soon saw them: dozens of Dungeon Masters gathered around a massive table. He recognized a few faces from the Holy Kingdom campaign. Taehyun bowed deeply in greeting before finding an empty seat. Songyi immediately sat down next to him.

'I'll deal with the brat later. First, let's see who's in the Resistance.'

His eyes swept the room. There were about eighty people present, all of them clearly high-ranking Dungeon Masters. 'So the lowest rank here is B-rank.' He even spotted a few faces he recognized from Duke Nikunbel's mansion. It seemed he was the first to have joined the faction as a mere C-rank.

Just then, a young man with vibrant red hair took the empty seat at the head of the table.

"It's been a while," Hyeon Seonghwi said with a grin. "Everyone been well?"

The room erupted.

"Why do you keep calling us here? You got a death wish?"

"I was having a blast messing with raiders, and you call a meeting out of nowhere!"

"Let's get this over with. I've got a date with a noble bitch tonight."

Seonghwi just laughed, scratching his head at the barrage of insults. "Ahahaha, it's good to see everyone so energetic. Now, settle down, take a seat. I called you all here today because of another faction."

The hall fell instantly silent. Seonghwi's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp, serious gaze as he leaned forward, placing his arms on the table.

"I'm sure you all know our newest member brought us some valuable intel on a rival faction."

"You mean Taehyun Yoo, the former C-rank number one."

"Isn't he a spy? Something feels off."

"Ah, there he is. What's his dungeon's name again?"

At the mention of the "newbie," all eyes turned to Taehyun. He forced a smile and gave a slight nod. They were clearly wary of a new addition to their ranks. However, their suspicious stares quickly faltered under the murderous glare of Songyi, who sat beside him. Everyone knew of her interest in the newcomer, and no one was stupid enough to get on the bad side of an A-rank Dungeon Master.

"Alright, alright, eyes up here," Seonghwi called, clapping his hands. "Stop the chatter. The truth is, during the Holy Kingdom invasion, some of our members were taken out by another faction."

"Come to think of it, a few people are missing."

"Weren't they killed by raiders?"

"Damn it! Which bastards were they?!"

The atmosphere crackled with hostility. At the center of it all, Seonghwi made his declaration.

"So this time, we're going to pay them back. We've already identified some of their members. All that's left is to wipe them out. Seunghun."

The man standing beside him nodded and unrolled a large map across the table. It was marked with the locations of the enemy dungeons. The Resistance members crowded around, grinding their teeth as they studied the targets. Taehyun, caught in the middle, looked down at the map. The intelligence was meticulous; even hidden dungeons in the West were marked.

'That crazy bastard,' he thought. 'He's dead serious. There are nearly a hundred of them.' He'd sensed their desire for revenge before, but he'd never imagined it ran this deep.

"The hunt begins now," Seonghwi announced. "Starting with the members closest to the marked locations, you will each be assigned a target. I don't want to hear any complaints. This is for the good of our faction."

He began assigning members based on their proximity to the targets on the map. Taehyun was among them, partnered with one other person to take down two B-rank dungeons in the West.

"I look forward to working with you, newbie," his partner, a woman named Min Gyeonghui, said, offering a handshake.

"Ah, you as well," Taehyun replied, standing to take her hand. Songyi's glare was a palpable weight on his shoulder, but he had to be cordial with his new comrade.

Just then, Seonghwi pointed directly at him and shouted, "Oh, I almost forgot! Our new member's dungeon has been promoted to B-rank! Everyone, congratulate him. I'm sure you've heard the name… Balak."

"What? Balak of the West?!"

"A brat like that is running Balak?"

"I was always pissed that it kept stealing raiders in the West, and it turns out it was one of ours?!"

Once again, every eye in the room was on him. They stared in disbelief, and some of the Dungeon Masters from the West were now glaring at him with open hostility.

"What?" Gyeonghui's friendly demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp, calculating look. "You're the Master of Balak? Well, this is an honor. I'll be looking forward to working with you, 'Taehyun'."

Her tone was anything but honorable. Taehyun inwardly ground his teeth, his gaze locking with Seonghwi's at the head of the table. The man just grinned and gave him a thumbs-up, his expression one of pure innocence, as if he had no idea what chaos he had just unleashed.

---

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