The Druid Who Devoured the Great Nature

When I returned from Brahms and heard the news of the Brotherhood, I had suspected Hatig as the culprit of the commotion. However, the revealed truth was completely different. Surprisingly, he was on the side of trying to clean up the mess that Shadowfang had made.

“A reasonable suspicion.”

Hatig laughed heartily.

“If I had the time, I would have done it. After absorbing Taser Gale’s human and material resources, my branch has grown significantly. To go higher, I must fundamentally break the current organizational structure.”

…He wasn’t just a crazy character in the game. It meant that after absorbing the power of the underboss, he would have aimed for a higher position, that is, one of the three factions.

“So I’m very happy now. I can raid other branches as I please and squeeze into the power vacuum. I wish they would go for a life-or-death battle.”

Indeed, a master of division and conflict. His way of thinking was different from that of ordinary people.

Wasn’t Hatig treating the current situation as if he were just shopping? For a guy who had grown his power explosively by swallowing other branches, it was an opportunity to legally trample and swallow other branches.

He must be feeling like he was enjoying a festival that would never come again in his life.

“First of all, thank you. I heard that the neighborhood where I live was relatively safe thanks to you.”

“Don’t mention it. It is the law to help a comrade in difficulty.”

Hatig snorted and patted his chest. I didn’t know when I had become his ‘comrade’.

I probably didn’t need to put much meaning into it. To an orc, a comrade was the same as a brother or family, but since the person who had said the word was Hatig, I felt no emotion at all.

It was obvious that the choice of words stemmed from the dark intention that he would get a lot if he stuck with me.

“But this operation mobilized an underboss from the Blood Alliance, so the manpower should be sufficient. Was there a need to mobilize you as well?”

“I volunteered. I demanded it as a price for becoming a frontman and destroying several branches.”

Well, Hatig’s 102nd branch was not a branch under the Blood Alliance. On the contrary, the Blood Alliance must have disliked him for his usual behavior and the Taser Gale incident.

However, in a situation where the Blood Alliance could not mobilize a large force, Hatig was a sword with guaranteed sharpness. He was so good at politics, unlike his appearance, that he could negotiate for the Blood Alliance to make a reluctant request when he should have been begging to be included.

Anyway, a big shot is a big shot.

“Since you’re here, I can focus on looting with peace of mind. I’m counting on you.”

“……”

Since the main force of the operation was the underboss mobilized by the Blood Alliance, it meant that he would just suck honey from behind. Even so, he seemed to not care at all, even though he should have been self-conscious.

I shook my head.

“The operation will begin soon. Get ready.”

I left Hatig and went to the group of contractors, mixing in with them. After moving for a while, the destination began to appear in a not-so-distant place.

Some of the underboss’s subordinates, in groups of two, took out long cylindrical weapons. They were anti-tank rockets.

“We’ll strike first and then go in. Pour it on!”

The moment the order was given, an explosion and a flash of light burst out at the same time. I pressed down my hair, which was being scattered by the wind, and followed the trajectory with my eyes.

The warhead, which flew with a faint tail, fell exactly on the enemy camp.

It exploded. Screams and bewildered shouts were transmitted across the distance. They were just flustered, as if they had no idea that we would launch a bombardment.

Rockets continued to pour down on them.

But it was the hideout of an underboss. They wouldn’t just be beaten helplessly. Soon, a ray of light was shot out, intercepting and exploding the additional rockets that were pouring down.

Should I say, as expected of an underboss? It was also the case that we were using anti-tank rockets, and they were operating the latest military equipment.

It was a scene that could be described as a battle between warlords.

‘It’s spectacular.’

But in this world, the standard for measuring military power was not just the latest technology. The military power of a single superhuman could also turn the tide of a battle.

Due to the operation of the military interception system, the bombardment had a much smaller effect than the amount of materials poured in. I could fill in the missing part.

‘Torrent of Life.’

The enlarged plants tore through the enemy camp in a mess. They were so focused on the attacks pouring down from above that they didn’t pay any attention to the bottom.

Even if they had known, they wouldn’t have been able to block it. Although the casualties were small, the bizarre technique of handling plants would have completely taken the enemy’s mind off things.

All the gazes around me were focused on me. As my name had become known, the analysis of me had also progressed to a considerable extent.

At least everyone recognized that the technique of handling plants was my trademark. Although they probably didn’t know that I could use a technique that could strike such a wide area.

“I just helped out a little, so don’t be dazed and do your own thing, will you?”

Hiding my full power was also a good strategy, but I had already run wild in Brahms. It was an ability that would be known someday.

In that case, it was more efficient to help this operation finish successfully. After all, the gist of this operation was a warning to Shadowfang.

The Blood Alliance’s threat that if Shadowfang went wild, they would also run to the end. To make the threat work, it was best to show an overwhelming difference in power.

I was willing to go to this much trouble to finish the request early.

“Kaaak!”

“These bastards, when did they…!”

“Don’t leave a single one alive! Kill them all!”

“If I see a bastard running wild on his own, he’ll die at my hands after this is over! Act according to the plan!”

As expected, the underboss’s subordinates were elites who were sorry to be compared to ordinary Brotherhood members. The gang’s characteristic disorderliness could not be found, and they were controlled by a discipline close to that of a military organization.

However, if organizations of the same level clashed, the side that made a surprise attack was naturally at an advantage. And if there was a large difference in numbers, it was a meaningless resistance even if they fought hard.

Even the contractors helped out, so the enemy’s defense line was pierced like a piece of paper. Even though they had only joined in as much as they could while forming a siege, they were contractors with a reputation, so their hands were fierce.

After actually entering the battle, I wondered if the siege was really necessary.

“Khahaha!”

Hatig and the members of the 102nd branch were also killing every single one of them, as if they were looking for their parents’ enemies. The underboss and his subordinates chased Victor Laznik and headed inside.

Seeing their momentum as they ran in a trance, I thought it would be over soon if they just guarded the surroundings thoroughly.

“Can I have a moment?”

Was it because of that? A contractor left his position and came to talk to me.

“I’ve heard so much about the new star that has appeared in the contractor industry that my ears are ringing. As expected, you live up to your reputation.”

He didn’t seem to have any bad intentions. Although his eye level was the same, his sparkling eyes felt as if he were looking up at me in admiration.

“What’s your business?”

But a fan’s heart doesn’t feed you. And most importantly, we were still in the middle of an operation. Although the operation was going smoothly, I wasn’t unprofessional enough to be careless and engage in small talk.

As if he knew it was a mistake, the man said with a look of regret.

“I’ve heard that you’re still moving as an individual without belonging to any organization, even after building up such a position in the industry. Of course, with your track record, a broker would take care of you like a personal manager… but wouldn’t it be better to have a stable backer?”

The man took something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a business card with the name of the War Hammer Mercenary Corps written on it.

A sigh escaped me without me realizing it.

“What’s this… just a recruitment offer?”

“Ah, I’m not a member of this place! But I got an offer this time. So I thought it was a good opportunity and told you.”

He wasn’t even a member of the mercenary corps, but he was recommending it. Was it a proposal made with the intention of really helping me?

He probably had the dark intention that it would be a jackpot if he could drag me in, since he was leaning towards the War Hammer Mercenary Corps himself. It was a plausible organization.

If the Drexier Mercenary Corps had risen rapidly thanks to the benefits of the storyline I had twisted, the War Hammer Mercenary Corps was originally a mercenary corps with both foundation and track record in FP. The statement that it was a good opportunity was true in itself.

“I’ve received such offers dozens of times.”

“Ah.”

However, logically, if an offer had come to this man, it would have come to me first with better conditions. As I pointed out the blind spot, the man made a blank sound, as if his mind had gone blank because he was in a hurry.

“Th, that’s true. I was being nosy.”

“Wait.”

A thought came to mind, and I stopped the man who was about to leave, intimidated.

“Are you interested in mercenary corps?”

“I wasn’t always, but I did look into it while considering the offer from the War Hammer Mercenary Corps.”

“Then how has the Drexier Mercenary Corps been recently?”

The story I had heard while dealing with the Guardians of the Dawn suddenly came to mind. Drexier had stopped his external activities because he was busy responding to contacts.

Had he said that the contacts were his comrades who had participated in the war together? I was curious about what had happened now.

“Well, they were doing well for a while, but it seems they’re trying to close down their business because of some trouble.”

“……?”

“There’s no news. Recently, other mercenary corps have been aggressively recruiting members, but they’re the only ones who are quiet.”

Did things not go well? Even so, a question remained. Was there a reason to stop the mercenary corps’ activities just because of the contacts of his former comrades?

And at a time when they had just finished building up their internal strength and should be expanding their activities in earnest.

‘It also bothers me that other mercenary corps have started to aggressively recruit members recently.’

Was there a connection? It was difficult to infer with just these fragmented clues. Since I had a friendship with them, I had no choice but to ask them directly if I was curious.

For now, I had to finish the request from the Brotherhood.

“……It’s taking longer than I thought.”

A long time had passed since I had finished my conversation with the man. The enemies visible in the outskirts had all been cleaned up a long time ago. And yet, I had not received a contact that the operation was successful.

Even if the opponent was also an underboss, I had thought that they would not be beaten helplessly, but considering the momentum when the surprise attack was successful, it was taking quite a long time.

It wasn’t just me who felt a sense of foreboding, and the atmosphere stirred. By now, the news of the attack would have been delivered to the underboss’s subordinates in his other hideouts.

If we encountered them, it would just cause unnecessary damage.

‘Shall I take a look at how things are going?’

The hawk’s vision, synchronized, surveyed the battlefield. I jumped over the fallen corpses, passed through the gaps in the buildings, brushed past the rampaging Hatig, and went to the deepest place.

The scene, which would have been the most intense due to the battle between the underbosses, came into view.

“……”

After roughly checking how things were going, I loosened up my body. In fact, there was no need to check the situation of the battle.

A beast’s howling that shook the battlefield. That alone was enough to guess how things were going.

“I’m going inside, so cover my position.”

“Uh, huh?”

I asked the man who had spoken to me and quickly ran inside.

‘At this rate, we’ll fail.’

Victor Laznik. The underboss of Shadowfang was overwhelming the underboss of the Blood Alliance.