"It seems Balak has made no moves yet. They remain in the small city of Myol."

The report came from the raider dispatched to Behetel and Lemagal. He'd been sent to keep an eye on Myol, but Balak remained stubbornly inert. The recent construction of watchtowers around the city, coupled with strange new rumors, was causing him no end of anxiety.

"Understood. Continue to observe," Kirilas replied, putting down the communication device and rubbing his temples. He was the new manager of the Raider Association branch in Partren, having taken over after Gelix's promotion to headquarters. The moment he'd arrived, the region had exploded with problems. The most significant was Balak's sudden ascension to B-rank and its immediate conquest of Myol. He hadn't even had time to settle in, and this upstart dungeon was already expanding its influence across the West.

'The rumor is, if you touch the watchtowers, rocks come flying. But if you leave them alone and head for Balak, nothing happens.'

Even after Balak had thwarted several top-tier B-rank raid parties and been deemed unconquerable, raiders still flocked to it. He couldn't forcibly stop them, but the rumors were acting as a strange deterrent. If you disturbed the watchtowers, massive boulders would launch from Myol. But if you ignored them, you were left alone. It seemed Balak was deliberately paving a path for raiders to walk right into its maw.

'They'll devour the raiders and kill any other intruders. Filthy demons.'

The threat of the boulders prevented him from sending his own forces into Myol. Kirilas sighed and lit a cigarette. Just then, the device on his table buzzed again.

"What is it?"

—"B-Branch Manager! We have a serious problem! Monsters are attacking Partren!"

"What?! Balak's forces haven't moved!"

—"It doesn't seem to be Balak's army! It's another dungeon's! Their numbers are overwhelming; the raiders currently in Partren can't hold them off! Sir!"

There were few raiders left in Partren. Most had been dispatched to Lemagal and Behetel. After a moment's thought, Kirilas made a decision.

"Recall the raiders from Lemagal and Behetel immediately!"

"Understood!"

That day, the raiders stationed in the two territories began a hasty return to Partren.

---

News of the attack on Partren spread through the West like wildfire. Balak was known to be stationary in Myol, which made the sudden appearance of a monster army deeply suspicious.

"Balak hasn't shown up near Lemagal or Behetel."

"Must be another dungeon nearby. There's no other route."

"I was just in Myol yesterday. Their soldiers are still there. It's not Balak."

Most raiders concluded that a different dungeon was responsible. Meanwhile, Kirilas recalled his dispatched forces to defend Partren. Alarmed by this strange turn of events, Viscount Vedon and Viscount Perna both contacted Claim.

"Is everything alright on your end?" one of them asked nervously. "I hear monsters have descended on Partren."

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Claim's voice sounded carefree. "It's perfectly peaceful here. Must be some other dungeon's army, not Balak's."

"That's a relief. In any case, contact me immediately if any problems arise."

"Don't worry about it. Besides, it looks like the raiders in Partren are handling it. I'll make sure you get the territory. Speaking of which, it looks like I'll be inheriting my title soon."

Claim's words soothed their fears and simultaneously dangled the prize before them. Sensing their opportunity, the two viscounts made their move.

"My boy, do you happen to need more Zen?"

"Claim, my boy, I have a favor to ask. I'll make sure you're well compensated."

The pieces were in place. Their plans to eliminate each other had begun.

---

[C-rank Warrior Raider Traul's Wind Slash cleaves a Warhound's torso.]

[C-rank Mage Raider Lumenkul's Thunder Bolt strikes an Orc.]

[C-rank Scout Raider Comon's Rapid Shot hits an Imp.]

System messages flashed before Taehyun's eyes. His forces in Partren were being cut down. 'They're putting up a good fight.' The army he'd sent was a sacrificial gambit, a diversion. As he'd predicted, Kirilas had recalled his raiders from the other two territories. Behetel and Lemagal were now defenseless.

Taehyun surveyed the thousands of soldiers summoned within the vast basement and raised his communication device.

"So, is it done?" Viscount Vedon's voice crackled through.

"Yes," Taehyun replied smoothly. "Just as you wished, Viscount Perna's forces will attack via the road below the hill. The rest is up to you."

"Thank you. I'll send a man over today." The viscount's voice was filled with genuine delight.

Taehyun smirked, ended the call, and immediately dialed Viscount Perna.

"Did that bastard agree to it?" Perna asked eagerly.

"He did. I made him take the road below the hill, just as you ordered. You can surround him from above or from both sides; do as you please. Just don't forget the Zen you promised."

"Of course not! I'll send someone right away. You can look forward to it!" Perna hung up, cackling with glee.

The two viscounts were ecstatic, completely unaware they were marching toward the exact same trap.

"Is it time to move?" Grai asked, flexing his shoulders. He stood before the silent army, itching for battle.

"No. We move tomorrow," Taehyun said. "The raiders in Partren will be occupied until then. We have plenty of time."

"I see. So we wait here in this basement."

"That's the plan. No one ever comes down here, so don't worry."

The basement of Viscount Crowley's mansion was off-limits to all staff. Even with nearly two thousand soldiers hidden within, they wouldn't be discovered. There was even a secret tunnel leading outside the fortress walls.

Just then, Roquin descended the stairs, her expression troubled. "Swallowing the territories is one thing, but won't this draw the focused attention of the royal family?"

She was right. If territories within the kingdom fell to a demon, the crown would be forced to act. Conquering anything beyond Myol would guarantee a royal response. But Taehyun had already planned for that. He took out the dungeon's crystal sphere and held it up.

"If the royal family makes a move, I'll turn the territories into dungeons so they can never be reclaimed. If I can't manage them, I'll hand the problem over to the Raider Association. That will keep the crown from getting directly involved."

His plan was to leave Myol as a city and convert the other territories into dungeons. He would need more crystal spheres, but the Zen he was about to receive from the two viscounts, combined with the spoils from his future conquests, would be more than enough.

"I-Is that a Dungeonization Crystal Sphere?" Roquin asked, her eyes wide.

"It is. As a raider, you've probably never seen one. A C-rank sphere like this costs nearly ten million Zen."

"But Balak has no Zen right now. How did you get it?" she asked, tilting her head. She was right; after equipping his new army, his funds were nearly depleted.

A slow smile spread across Taehyun's face as he thought of Junhyun. "They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend. A certain someone gave me this as a gift."

During his joint raid with Junhyun on another Dungeon Master's territory, Taehyun had unlocked an achievement.

[You have joined hands and formed a party with a raider.]

[You have completed the Dungeon Master achievement: 'The Enemy is My Friend'.]

[Reward: C-rank Random Reward Box.]

The reward had been a C-rank Random Reward Box. It had seemed useless at the time, so he'd simply stored it in his inventory. But after building his labyrinth, an idea had struck him. 'Could I get a Dungeonization Crystal Sphere from this?' What began as a long shot became a reality when the box produced the very item he needed. He had been waiting for the perfect moment to use it.

'My original plan was to simply occupy the territories and build another dungeon elsewhere. But the royal family makes managing them impossible. In that case, it's better to convert them into dungeons and expand my domain.'

More dungeons meant a greater need for Zen, but he had no intention of developing the new ones immediately. Until his income stabilized, he would station troops outside to repel all raiders. First, he would swallow the land itself, bringing it under Balak's sphere of influence.

'I'll make Myol a new home for the captured villagers. The other territories will be fortified with structures and installations, solidifying my control.'

Once he consumed these lands, Balak's influence would extend to the very heart of the West. The other B-rank Dungeon Masters would be furious as he encroached upon their domains. The members of the Resistance, the rival factions—a reaction was inevitable.

'They're so annoyed. What can I do? I'll just have to swallow the entire West.'

Seonghwi had already lit the fuse. He wanted a monster? Taehyun would give him one—a monster that would devour everything. He was taking his first steps toward becoming the undisputed ruler of the West.

---

The next day, the two viscounts marched their armies out as planned. Each commanded a force of over five thousand men as they entered the Naparen Hills.

'This is where it ends, you bastard Vedon!'

'This road below the hill will be your grave, Perna!'

Both men believed they had lured their rival into a trap set by Claim. Sharing the same triumphant thought, they led their forces up the hill.

"N-No! How are you here?!"

"You're supposed to be down there!"

At the crest of the hill, the two viscounts locked eyes. It was an incomprehensible situation, but with their armies facing each other, battle was unavoidable.

"Charge!"

"Trample them!"

The two forces crashed together in a bloody melee.

"Die!"

"Gack! Help me!"

"Fight to the end!"

The battle raged, a brutal stalemate where soldiers on both sides died for nothing.

'Damn it! I don't know what's happening, but at this rate, our losses will be catastrophic. We must retreat.'

'That bastard must be thinking the same thing. It's time to pull back.'

Once again, the two viscounts shared the same thought and prepared to sound the retreat. Just then, a horde of monsters swarmed up from the valley below.

"Kuaaaah!"

"Kiiiiiit!"

"Chwik. Chwik!"

The monsters tore through the exhausted armies, slaughtering soldiers indiscriminately. The viscounts panicked, trying to form a defensive line with their knights, but the ground before them split open, swallowing their best troops.

"Ugh! Why are there werewolves here?!"

"These monsters are wearing equipment!"

"The ground is splitting! Everyone, fall back!"

The two armies, already weakened by their pointless battle, were annihilated. The viscounts realized their folly far too late.

Having lost everything, the two nobles were captured by a massive orc and dragged away.

"Yo," a familiar voice called out. "How's everyone doing?"

"Y-You're Claim!"

"How are you here? No, more importantly, you deceived me!"

It was the scoundrel heir, Claim, sitting casually on a rock. He stood and approached the two captured men.

"You've all worked so hard, just to pour Zen into my pockets."

The Viscount ground his teeth. "You damn scoundrel heir!"

"Scoundrel heir?" The figure chuckled. "No. Dungeon Master."

In an instant, Claim's disguise dissolved, revealing Taehyun. The two viscounts stared, their faces masks of disbelief.

"N-No way… you're…?!"

"You probably don't know my face," Taehyun said, a cold smile playing on his lips. "But you're getting the picture, aren't you?"

"The Dungeon Master of Balak. You… you baaaastaaaard!"

"Ding, ding, ding. Correct. But there's one more question. Come on, take a guess. What do you think is happening to your empty territories right now?"

"N-No. It can't be…!"

"It's always the 'it can't be' that gets you," Taehyun mocked. "Today, all four of your territories, excluding Partren, will go up in flames. You can look forward to it."

As the cruel smile spread across Taehyun's face, Grai raised his sword.

"From the afterlife, of course."

With a single, fluid motion, the heads of the two viscounts rolled across the ground. And that day, just as Taehyun had foretold, four territories went up in flames.

---

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