There was something that was traveling at high speed in the far-off sky, but it wasn’t a creature. Instead, Seong-Il discovered that it was a drone conducting mapping operations[1], and it was hovering from the other side of the hill. Right when he was debating whether to destroy it or leave it alone, it disappeared from his line of sight. Therefore, he forgot about it, but it appeared that the drone had revealed the situation in the tower.
Later on, Seong-Il was pouring some piping hot water into the cup noodles as he was hungry. He pressed the lid of the container down with wooden chopsticks, then looked at the group who approached him. The leader was someone familiar to him.
He raised a hand in greeting. “Yo, long time no see. Kim Ji-Hoon!”
“Hi, how have you been?” the other man responded genially.
Kim Ji-Hoon was accompanied by mercenaries along with some other foreign Awakened. Then, they looked around. After seeing that Seong-Il was not equipped with any weapons, they relaxed perceptibly.
“Did you do that?” Seong-Il asked, glancing at the smoke rising from beyond the hill. Kim Ji-Hoon was looking at Seong-Il and the boundary around the tower behind him.
Kim Ji-Hoon nodded. “We struggled a bit. The magic trap was tricky to get rid of.”
Seong-Il grinned. “Haha. Mary is taking care of all the strong ones around here, so you only had to deal with the weak ones. You shouldn’t have had a hard time with them, buddy.”
“There are ones stronger than them?” Kim Ji-Hoon asked.
Seong-Il pointed. “Look at all these. They make things like this.”
Even from Kim Ji-Hoon’s point of view, the boundary seemed as solid as the one in Act Two, Stage One.
“Is Ms. Mary here?” he finally asked.
Seong-Il commented, “It has been a while.”
Seong-Il’s environment was filled with disposable waste, and there was a secluded area behind some bushes where he relieved himself. Based on that, Kim Ji-Hoon could infer that Seong-Il had been residing in that location and consuming meals there for quite some time.
Kim Ji-Hoon stared at the boundary. It was impossible to check inside due to the blue curtain, but considering that Mary had to step up for herself, there would have been ‘him,’ too. Holy Knight Ronsius.
[Class: D
Location: Ronsius Holy Knight (Franklin Dukedom, Greenwood Continent)]
Kim Ji-Hoon recalled the passage that he had entered from earlier. The information pertained to a series of passages that functioned as exits on the outskirts of the city.
The association provided private companies with details on multiple levels of passageways that were in the same vicinity as Holy Knight Ronsius, ranging from F to B. The B passageway, the highest level among them, was believed to lead to the area that was protected by the boundary that directly connected to the existence of the Holy Knight.
That was the difference from the dungeons in the Stage of Advent, so it was more accurate to call it ‘passageway’ instead of ‘dungeon.’ If Kim Ji-Hoon were to enter the D-class passageway and eliminate any immediate threats, then he would still be accountable for dealing with potential dangers in higher level passageways if they were not resolved beforehand.
If Mary hadn’t held on to Holy Knight Ronsius, then he would have come to help his city.
Seong-Il suddenly asked, “But why didn’t you head directly to the duchy? They must have more to eat there since they are the capital city.”
Kim Ji-Hoon became speechless as if Seong-Il had grasped his intention. Although he received many offers from major companies, he decided to join the Ilsung Group based on his trust in the CEO, Lee Tae-Han. However, it turned out that the Ilsung Group had limited influence in the association due to the president’s complete withdrawal from the company and transfer of authority to his sister.
Kim Ji-Hoon responded, “RMC (Rothschild Military Company) is there.”
“Did they take over the capital city?” Seong-Il asked, eyebrow quirking.
He nodded. “Yes.”
Seong-Il guffawed. “Haha.”
“Who knew this would happen?” Kim Ji-Hoon sighed.
Seong-Il shook his head. “Ah, you made a mistake by going the wrong place, bro.”
Kim Ji-Hoon introduced Seong-Il to his team using fluent English, but they were already aware of the other person’s status. The mercenaries paid tribute from a distance, and his squad members saluted at a distance closer to him.
Seong-Il casually waved a hand at them and opened the lid. The noodles were as mushy as he liked.
“Do you want a bite?” he offered.
Even when skilled shooters wielded automatic rifles, the bullets would inevitably fire in two or three bursts, as if being abruptly cut off. The source of the sound wasn’t from the city, but rather from the western hill where the drone had previously flown.
Seong-Il placed another container on the pile and directed his eyes toward the source of the sound as he asked, “Don’t you need to go? We don’t need any support here.”
Kim Ji-Hoon said, “The other groups are probably wrapping up. You know, those soldiers. The city is huge and the population is large, so we have to make sure that we clean up the mess.”
“How much do you earn from this?” Seong-Il asked.
Kim Ji-Hoon shrugged. “I don’t know yet because there is a stake issue with the groups that have entered later. But our team’s stake is much more, so I will get a lot.”
“Hm, then how much roughly?”
“Six percent of the spoils are mine.”
Seong-Il’s eyebrows went up. “Six percent?”
Kim Ji-Hoon explained. “There are a lot of groups that joined after me. But I have the highest percentage. Haha. To be exact, our group gets thirty percent, then I take twenty percent from it. That’s how it works. In addition, I get an annual salary separately from Ilsung Group.”
Seong-Il commented. “I don’t know if it’s a lot or not.”
“It’s enough that I don’t need to be worried about money throughout my entire life. I just consider it as a pension. I’m responsible for six percent of the revenue generated in the city. Well, it’s just the beginning.”
No movement had been detected, but Seong-Il still widened his eyes as he checked the boundaries of the tower. It was a habit of his.
A quick look at .com will leave you more fulfilled.
“Are you okay?” Ji-Hoon asked.
Seong-Il nodded absently. “Yeah. So, they keep distributing you the profits? That’s another story, then. It’s a jackpot!”
Kim Ji-Hoon grinned. “That’s why everyone jumps in, risking their lives. Mr. Caliber, you should take part.”
Seong-Il shrugged. “I am planning to do that after I complete this operation. Well, I don’t know if there will be anything left at that time.”
“The Franklin Duchy is considered a tiny place in this continent, and the whole area will be under you and Ms. Mary.”
“This is in the heart of mountains rising one above another.”
“It’s a B-class entry point. Wouldn’t there be something left?” Ji-Hoon asked.
Seong-Il pointed. “There is also a tower of wizards. Over there.”
“Oh my gosh.”
“Huh?”
Kim Ji-Hoon explained, “What do you think is in there? You and Ms. Mary will be able to earn the same amount that I will be getting throughout my entire life all at once. The association said they will soon create an item trading system. When you conquer the passageway, retrieve everything you can and leave out those you are going to use.”
Kim Ji-Hoon then continued, “Mr. Caliber. You might not face much danger, but many people have died, not just mercenaries but also some Awakened. Unless you gain experience, the Awakened will keep fighting a stronger armed force. Don’t you think it’s remarkable? I should join a higher class next time. Please let me know if there is an association operation. We only get one chance at life.”
Seong-Il guffawed. “Hahaha. You are so funny. You only say the things that sound nice to other people. Yes, that’s your talent.”
On the Stage of Advent, Ji-Hoon wasn’t someone who would have said such a thing. He only used the excuse of being in Ilsung as a reason to enter the low-class passageway, even though he was capable of targeting much higher levels.
However, Seong-Il didn’t hate him as Ji-Hoon was one of the few comrades he was familiar with who was still alive.
Seong-Il smiled. “Anyway, you don’t need to help me here.”
Ji-Hoon smiled back. “I just wanted to chat with you. As I said, I’m done with my work.”
“Ah, good for you. Do you just have to wait for the distribution?”
The other man nodded. “Yes.”
“Then, why don’t you head home?” Seong-Il suggested.
Ji-Hoon’s eyes flickered. “I have something to tell you.”
Seong-Il couldn’t understand as Ji-Hoon spoke in fluent English again to his men.
When Seong-Il was smacking his lips with envy, a foreign Awakened handed a military laptop to Ji-Hoon. Then, Ji-Hoon took out an SD card from his pocket and said while plugging it into the laptop, “This is an image mapped by another group, and three forces were found here. It is copied from the drone that we could only recover, so as you can see…”
“Mapped?” Seong-Il asked.
Ji-Hoon explained, “It’s how a drone flies around and makes a map of the area.”
“Wow, it’s a hell of a nice world.”
Seong-Il was amazed by the 3D topographical features on the laptop monitor.
When Ji-Hoon clicked on the keypad a few times, the military force he talked about began to overlap on the map. It was quite detailed as if they were watching the march of a large army from above.
In fact, the front and rear perspectives were shifting according to Ji-Hoon’s manipulation. The troops were so huge that they filled the ridge.
“Are you saying all of them are coming here?” Seong-Il asked.
“We haven’t touched them yet.”
Seong-Il narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
Ji-Hoon confessed, “I don’t think they are heading here.”
“Can you enlarge it more? I want to see the leader’s face.”
Ji-Hoon continued, “At least one of the drones may have approached him closely, but it must have been destroyed immediately. However, none of them seem to have the ability to shoot down high-flying drones.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“We are keeping an eye on them because they might change direction out of nowhere. If they make a turn, then they will pour in here.”
Seong-Il grumbled, “That will be so annoying, but I’m tied up here, so I can’t help you with anything.”
“No, it’s all good. I just wanted to let you know because a few of them appeared to be strong.”
“They don’t care about this place even though they are under our attack? I guess they are only taking care of themselves.”
“Yes.”
“Who do you think they are?” Seong-Il asked.
Ji-Hoon responded, “We are guessing that they are a group of mercenaries.”
“But there are so many of them.”
“There are over one million, but it’s not the numbers that matter…”
Seong-Il interrupted, “The only important thing is their leader, right?”
“That’s right.”
Seong-Il complimented, “Good thing that you didn’t touch them. This is Mary’s operation area.”
“Ah, yes. But only we are taking steps back.”
“What do you mean by ‘we?”
Ji-Hoon clarified, “Those who are in solidarity with the Ilsung Group, so the city’s ruling groups. However, the other groups’ occupied territories are in their direction. So I don’t know what they will do.”
Seong-Il shrugged. “It can’t be helped. I’d like to check who they are, but…this area is more important for me to protect. Watch carefully and let me know if something comes up. For example, report when they turn towards me…”
Seong-Il abruptly stopped and turned his head quickly. The boundary was finally disappearing.
“Noona?” he called out.
Yeon-Hee said with an exhausted face, “Wizards are annoying. Are there any others around that I should deal with?”
“Pardon me?” Seong-Il asked.
She clarified, “Like the strong ones. Well, except for wizards.”
***
The Demon Corps were split into two distinct groups. One consisted of knights who were skilled in the use of Mana, while the other comprised individuals who lacked such abilities but possessed potent explosive weapons.
Onir was standing on top of a Demon Corps soldier who was barely alive. Onir was surprised to see that the soldier possessed the ability to use Mana equivalent to that of a mid-level Sword Expert, despite not being a warrior. Although the soldier used magic, he didn’t exhibit any movement of Mana, leading Onir to believe that he might be a type of wizard.
He was displaying an ability that didn't make logical sense, and he also had outstanding swordsmanship. In addition, he was armed with five-star artifacts that were equivalent to ancient relics, but it was hard to say if they were sacred objects of Lord Lacryma.
“Are you going to stay like that?” he asked tauntingly.
Onir increased the pressure on the knight’s body under his foot, causing the knight’s eyes to bulge and his ribs to crack. Suddenly, a thread vein in the knight’s eye burst, resulting in a scream that pierced the air.
“Good thing that you feel pain.”
Onir nodded towards one of the men who was laughing with him, using his chin as a gesture. The guy grasped Onir’s intention and poured a high-level healing potion on the knight.
The knight’s eyes were quickly recovered, but he looked like he was shedding bloody tears as the veins had burst already.
At that point Onir took his foot off the body of the knight, and the men who were laughing at the knight stepped back while creating a circular formation. Onir looked around them and pointed at a man.
He was the one who would compete with the knight with a sword.
He commanded, “Don’t use too much power on him.”
Onir sat on the chair after giving orders, then signaled to start the battle.
The result was as Onir expected. The physical abilities of the knight weren’t greatly influenced by Mana, and it was to such an extent that he suspected that he was born with it. However, it was clear that he was restricted in using magic and forming a barrier.
He struggled to connect the same type of magic, and the attributes of the magic he used didn’t match, causing him to have difficulty focusing. Additionally, some of the magics were of a high level while others were lower, making it difficult for Onir to determine his level. The Demon Corps were literally born out of chaos.
The only thing worth watching was the knight’s swordsmanship. It appeared that he was experienced, but it was no use when he was faced with a traditional swordsman in Onir’s group.
As Onir’s subordinate fought, he kept glancing at Onir’s face. When Onir lowered his thumb, the subordinate’s blade moved so quickly that the knight couldn’t even react in time. The knight failed to anticipate the traditional swordsmanship techniques used by the subordinate and was decapitated instantly.
Shing-!
Then, a small cheer burst out as the fight was being held where the villagers had gathered. More than a thousand households were under the rule of the Demon Corps.
Onir’s subordinate asked while looking at the residence, “What should we do?”
His soldiers were waiting for his order.
He casually responded, “Kill all of them.”
As the soldiers charged towards the villagers with loud cries, the villagers finally recognized that they were not there to defeat the Demon Corps, but were actually more vicious than the demons themselves.
The brutal slaughter, rape, and plunder began. Onir put his hand on his jaw as he observed his soldiers wielding swords against the village men and snatching at the hair of the village women.
He wondered if it would be better to stay here and engulf the Franklin Duchy instead of rushing towards the Demon’s Incarnation. Ronsius, who acted like the guardian of the duchy, was clearly stranded as he had confronted the Demon Corps.
I might be able to take Ronsius’s tower too.
It was easy to make a decision. There was no need to take care of King Lymax and the nobles of the Xyliver Kingdom. He opted to delay their arrival by touring the surroundings, providing meals to his men, and resting on Ronsius’s bed.
Onir felt that this world was ideal for him when he witnessed the flames rising from the village. As long as there were no survivors, the Demon Corps would be blamed for everything, regardless of how much his group looted and killed. He could avoid getting involved in the politics of the Holy Knights.
Sheek-!
Right then, he sensed something. Onir turned reflexively, but the one that flew in was one beat faster than him. It was the body of his subordinate. He didn’t know if the body was torn under the pressure while flying, or if it had been ripped apart from the very beginning.
Onir’s vision was obscured by the blood coming out from the corpse.
However, he clearly felt the sense that something was sprinting towards him with heavy footsteps.
A Sword Master?
When he widened his eyes, he saw a giant holding a subordinate in each hand. Then, he saw a small woman standing with her arms crossed behind the giant. The woman was standing among her soldiers, but for some reason, her subordinates weren’t aware of her.
Then, Onir realized that these two were commanders of the Demon Corps.
There was only one name that crossed his mind, Ronsius. Onir had originally planned to kill him and loot his tower, but now he was in dire need of that man’s help.
A thunderstorm then broke out in the near sky. A distinct flash of light and a gigantic thunderbolt overwhelmed the sky. It was definitely a powerful blitz magic, not a natural phenomenon. There was only one person in the neighborhood who could exert such power.
Onir screamed, “I am here, Ronsius!!!”
1. Using a drone to create a detailed and accurate map of an area. ☜