Chapter 286 - 286: Episode 286
Model had once been the Knight Commander of the Vihos Knights, a legendary order that had held sway over the entire Roman Continent. Though he had been corrupted by a demonic assault, his mind remained largely his own. He remembered the past with a detached clarity—the endless days spent slaughtering humans, drunk on the pleasure of the demonic energy that now saturated his being. Then, one day, a rift had appeared like a sliver of light in his endless darkness. He knew, instinctively, that it was his only escape. He had thrown himself into it without a second thought, only to find himself in a place that was bizarre beyond comprehension.
'Something is definitely wrong here,' he thought.
Fallen he may be, but his instincts were as sharp as ever. Before him, a dark elf was pressed to the floor, her body trembling, while a Dungeon Master looked down on her with an unreadable expression. This was no ordinary summoning. Model exchanged a look with the gloomy young man who had appeared beside him.
'What is happening?' his eyes asked.
'I have no idea,' the other man, Bellamici, conveyed back. 'But one thing is certain.'
'And that is…?'
'Yes. If you cross that Dungeon Master, you end up like her.'
They were in complete agreement. The two men carefully backed away, content to remain silent observers.
---
"Ugh. Y-you'll regret this," Lucien hissed through gritted teeth.
"Now," Taehyun said, his voice calm and even, "what exactly is the effect of 'Eyes of Enchantment'?"
"It's an ability that allows me to bewitch an opponent's mind and control them for a period of time… Aah! How did you—!"
"That's a good girl. You explain things well," Taehyun said, cutting her off. "You are a core soldier that I summoned. From this moment on, you will obey my every command without question. Do you understand? I am, quite literally, your master. And one does not try to bewitch one's master upon being summoned. Correct?"
His experience with the high elves had taught him everything he needed to know about the power of a forced contract. Suicide was impossible. Harboring hostile intent toward the Dungeon Master was impossible. A mental-type special ability stood no chance of working.
"Are you going to put your head down properly, or not?"
"Ngh! What kind of position is this? I didn't know such a painful posture even existed."
It was an advanced technique, requiring her to balance on the crown of her head with both hands held behind her back. The awkward angle caused her leather top to slip, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of skin, but Taehyun was completely unmoved.
[This appears to be a posture that requires immense endurance.]
"Exactly," Taehyun said, a thoughtful look on his face. "I should teach this to Grai and the beastmen. It would be an excellent addition to their training regimen."
It was a sentiment that would have sent a collective shiver down the spines of his residents. Taehyun glanced at the two new soldiers standing in the back before turning his attention to Lucien's status window.
[Lucien of the Blue Moon]
[Rank: S (Hero)]
[Level: 1]
[Race: Dark Elf]
[Class: Assassin]
[Title: Assassin of the Blue Moon]
[Affiliation: Balak]
[Loyalty: 0]
[Favorability: 0]
[Obedience: 100 (Forced Contract)]
[Skill: Moonlit Sword Dance]
[Special Ability: Eyes of Enchantment]
[Strength: 32] [Endurance: 14] [Agility: 74] [Stamina: 12]
[Mana: 36] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 1] [Luck: 2]
[Status: Confused]
She was his second assassin, following Crodin. Though the forced summoning had reset her level and skills, her base stats were exceptionally high. 'A dark elf,' Taehyun mused. 'She'll likely be hostile toward the others. I should train her to operate alongside Crodin.'
Lucien had been summoned with an increased sub-rank, a bonus granted by Balak's potent magic. With a special ability rooted in mental attacks, she promised to be a significant asset. Taehyun gestured with a flick of his finger, signaling for her to relax her tense posture.
"Hah... hah..." she panted, her eyes darting around the room. "What in the world are you going to do with me?"
"What do you think?" Taehyun replied coolly. "You are now bound to obey my every command. As you said yourself, I'll be the one leading you from now on. You seem to understand this was a forced summoning, so there's no need for further explanation. Correct?"
"...It seems I truly am bound to Balak, just as you say," she conceded, a strange glint in her eyes. "If it's my body you desire, I do hope you'll be rough. I would welcome the pleasure."
"Your quick submission is appreciated, but I haven't the slightest interest in your body," Taehyun stated flatly. "This little performance is a waste of your time. I only want your abilities."
The woman, who had been striking a seductive pose, clicked her tongue in annoyance. Just as he'd expected, she was a dark elf, far more attuned to her desires than her elven counterparts. Taehyun dismissed her with a wave and gestured to the two figures standing behind her.
"You two. What are you waiting for? Step forward."
"Moduel, the Knight of Corruption, at your command!" a voice boomed.
"Bellamich, the Tracker of the Shadows, reporting for duty!" another added quickly.
Both seemed sharp, hastening over without a moment's hesitation. One was a knight clad in plate armor so rusted it was riddled with holes. The other was a hunter dressed in rags, a pair of bizarre goggles perched on his head. Their appearances were decrepit, but Taehyun was quite satisfied; they were S-rank named soldiers. He addressed Moduel first.
"Your special ability?"
"Sir! I can declare a territory around myself for a set duration!"
"A strong voice. Next." A territory-declaration skill was exactly what he needed to shore up his defenses. Moduel stepped aside smartly, and Bellamich took his place.
"And yours?"
"Sir, I can see through the presence of enemies who are invisible or using stealth."
"Excellent," Taehyun said, a rare note of satisfaction in his voice. "I'm very pleased with you both."
They possessed the exact abilities he'd been hoping for. By providing details that the status window omitted, they had already made a strong first impression. Content, Taehyun immediately dispatched all three to the Ice Palace.
---
[The rank of the second Balak has increased.]
[You now possess an A-rank dungeon in addition to your S-rank dungeon.]
[The influence of Balak's territory spreads further across the continent.]
The second Balak, which had been on the verge of a rank-up for some time, had finally evolved into an A-rank dungeon.
"It's finally become an A-rank dungeon-imnidayo. 'Hihek-hek!" Kinjo's voice crackled through their connection.
"It feels like it's been a while since I've heard from you," Taehyun remarked. "Alright. I think I'll drop by for an inspection."
"You are most welcome!"
Reaching A-rank meant gaining a unique skill and the authority to summon a new main unit. It was also a chance to secure another mercenary, an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss. Taehyun teleported to the second Balak at once, where Kinjo was waiting.
"It is a great honor to have you visit in person, Master Taehyun!" the goblin exclaimed. "This Kinjo can now die with no regrets. 'Hihek-hek!"
"Do you want to test that theory?"
"O-of course, I just meant I was that moved-imnidayo."
"Hmm," Taehyun grunted, surveying the area. "It really has changed. The interior is much larger, and the rooms are neatly furnished."
The second Balak had developed steadily under the influence of its fairy-world environment, and now the entire dungeon had been transformed to match its new A-rank status. As Taehyun reviewed the dungeon's information, Mederia rushed into the Master Room.
"Master Taehyun!"
'Gah!'
Perhaps because he hadn't summoned her recently, she threw herself into his arms without warning.
"I missed you," she murmured into his chest.
"I think I'm about to meet the grim reaper," he wheezed. "Could you let go?"
"Ah! My apologies. I just couldn't help myself."
"Ahem," Taehyun cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "First, I need to summon the new main unit."
The shock seemed to have cleared his head. Taking Kinjo and Mederia with him, he proceeded to the final room.
[You have used a Random Guardian Summon Card.]
[A summoning circle is generating.]
[The summoning circle forms near the crystal sphere, stabilizing the mana.]
The second Balak currently revolved around Mederia, its guardian, and Tartas, its keeper. Adding another keeper to improve the efficiency of his shield-bearers wouldn't have been a bad choice, but his battles were no longer confined to the dungeon. When considering territorial warfare and troop deployment, another guardian was far more valuable.
[An incredible super success!]
[S-rank named guardian, Berad of Swiftness, has been summoned.]
A man with spiky, multicolored hair appeared in a flash of light. He wore a full-body suit that resembled a gaudy leotard, complete with wing-shaped ornaments on his shoes. From his very appearance, he was clearly no ordinary guardian.
"Hmm. It's too early to say for sure," Taehyun muttered, "but I have a feeling this one has a screw loose."
"I think so too," Mederia agreed.
"My prediction is the same," Kinjo chimed in.
The three of them were in perfect accord. Berad, who had been frozen for a moment, snapped to his senses and zipped over to Taehyun.
"Hah-hat! So you're my master? There's no man faster than me! You definitely won't regret this!"
"See? I was right."
"I don't know what you're talking about, but I can tell you're very pleased with me!" Berad puffed out his chest. "Well, well, I guess I'll have to work even harder, then!"
"First, shut your mouth," Taehyun ordered. "That's my first command."
Berad, lost in his own grandiose delusion, flinched. Taehyun sighed and pulled up his information.
[Berad of Swiftness]
[Rank: S (Named)]
[Level: 1]
[Class: None]
[Title: King of Speed]
[Affiliation: Balak]
[Loyalty: 50]
[Favorability: 30]
[Obedience: 30]
[Skill: Rainbow Dash]
[Special Ability: Rainbow Tunnel]
[Strength: 1] [Endurance: 1] [Agility: 93] [Stamina: 14]
[Mana: 1] [Divinity: 1] [Affinity: 1] [Luck: 3]
As his name suggested, he was a guardian of speed. His title was no exaggeration; every stat except Agility was at rock bottom. The only glimmer of hope was his special ability. Taehyun fixed Berad with a skeptical glare.
"Hey. Your special ability. What does it do?"
"Hmph-hmph! The Rainbow Tunnel, you ask? It's the very source of my speed!" Berad declared. "It allows me to dash anywhere in a flash, a true festival of rainbow colors! What do you think? Isn't it amazing?!"
He said nothing.
"Now, now, just watch! Activating Rainbow Tunnel!"
The King of Speed began to spin in place. Unprompted, he insisted on demonstrating his power.
[S-rank named guardian Berad of Swiftness has activated the special ability 'Rainbow Tunnel.']
[He moves swiftly by traversing the colors of the rainbow.]
A wave of prismatic light surged forth. Berad's form blurred, becoming one with the colors.
'Whoosh!'
He shot through the dungeon like a pinball, ricocheting off invisible surfaces. It was as if he had assimilated with light itself; his speed was impossible to track.
"Hahahaha! How about that? This should be enough to astonish everyone! It's okay to fall for me now!"
Taehyun remained silent.
"My, my. You're so impressed you've been struck speechless. That's my speed for you!"
It was, admittedly, an astonishing display. By merging with the colors, he passed through solid obstacles as if they weren't there. There was just one problem: he had no way to attack. Taehyun watched the streak of light and called out.
"Can you attack in that state?"
"Ahahaha! Attacking is impossible in this state! But with this speed alone..."
"Just stay like that and do two thousand laps around the dungeon."
"Alright! My first mission! I'll be back in a flash!" Berad cheered before vanishing like the wind.
"Let's go," Taehyun said, turning on his heel.
"Yes."
"Understood."
The three of them, who had been watching the bizarre spectacle in stunned silence, returned to the Master Room.
---
[Waiting Mercenary Candidates]
[Manuria, Great Spirit of the Lake]
[Solian, Demon of the Abyss]
[Raymond, the Black Mage]
The second Balak's new main unit was secured. He wasn't particularly useful, but it was too late to change anything. He might prove helpful later. All that remained was to select the A-rank dungeon's exclusive mercenary. Taehyun was tempted to re-sign his contract with Raymond, but he had to review the other candidates first.
[You have used a Random Mercenary Summon Card.]
[A summoning circle is generating.]
[The summoning circle forms near the crystal sphere, stabilizing the mana.]
He could summon mercenary candidates from any of his dungeons. Berad was probably still zipping gleefully through the tunnels. Taehyun felt a pang of pity for him but pushed it aside. There was no time to waste.
[Super Success!]
[S-rank named mercenary 'Bruder the Plague' has been summoned.]
A ghoul swathed in bandages materialized in the circle. Taehyun's expectations soared at the S-rank designation, and he moved to check its information. Just then, a putrid stench began to fill the room, emanating from the summoning circle.
"Ugh. What is that sewer smell?" Taehyun gagged.
"Oh my," Riel said, her hand flying to her nose. "It's truly awful. I-I'll wait in the Master Room."
Even Riel, who was always by his side, fled. Taehyun turned to Hyena, the only one left, but she too averted her face.
"I-I can't take this either. I'm sorry, little brother!"
In the end, the Dungeon Master was left alone. Bruder, having finally gathered his wits, spread his arms in a grand greeting, but the gesture only made Taehyun's stomach churn.
"Greetings," the ghoul rasped. "I am Bruder, the bringer of plague..."
"Hah! I can't stand this stench any longer!" Taehyun snapped. "How many years has it been since you bathed?!"
The ghoul was too shocked to respond.
And so, the ghoul was met with a tirade the very moment he was summoned.
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