Chapter 102: Guild War — Dawn (3)
Chapter 102: Guild War — Dawn (3)
The leading favorite to win the guild war was undoubtedly the Ashen Wolf Guild.
The second-ranked contender was the Fire Turtle Guild led by the “Impenetrable” Lupfrite.
However, experts of the labyrinth could never agree on which guild deserved third place.
“Anyway, I told you we should never associate with those cowardly bastards.”
The Great Warrior Guild.
Most of its members were warrior classes, so their expedition compositions lacked flexibility. But in a direct confrontation, they were explorers who would never fall behind even against the Ashen Wolf Guild.
“We weren’t thrilled about an alliance with you either. Idiots whose brains are made of muscle.”
The Snow-Bear-Love Guild.
None of their members were exceptionally powerful, but overall their explorers possessed outstanding survivability.
Because the two guilds had completely different tendencies, their relationship had never been particularly good even under normal circumstances.
“This works out well, Vice Guild Master.”
A bull beastman swordsman of the Great Warrior Guild, holding a greatsword, spoke with irritation.
“Let’s take this chance to wipe out those cowards too!”
“That’s right!”
The pink-haired berserker holding tonfa also strongly agreed.
Born, the martial artist who served as the vice guild master of the Great Warrior Guild, first calmed the two guild members.
“Not yet. If we fight each other, only Yallen benefits.”
“Oh my.”
Yallen clasped both hands behind his head and smiled.
“Don’t worry about me and keep fighting. Honestly, your hands are itching to eliminate each other anyway, right?”
“……”
Fwip.
Lael, the grass-elf ranger of the Snow-Bear-Love Guild, suddenly fired an arrow.
Yallen bent his waist and dodged, and the arrow curved through the air and flew toward the pink-haired berserker.
Boom!
The berserker of the Great Warrior Guild knocked it aside with her tonfa and gritted her teeth.
“Did your hand slip again?”
“My apologies. I injured my hand a little.”
“Just forgive me after seeing my adorable charm!”
Here we go again.
“Seriously, what the hell!”
“I can’t tolerate this anymore…!”
The members of the Great Warrior Guild looked at Vice Guild Master Born as if they were about to charge out immediately.
This is driving me insane.
For a martial artist who relied on his body more than his head, this situation was extremely troublesome.
The Snow-Bear-Love Guild showed no intention of cooperating at all, while Yallen constantly searched for a chance to escape.
Just as Born was stuck in indecision—
Rustle.
The tall grass shifted, and four explorers suddenly revealed themselves.
An Eastern Continent dwarf holding a hammer, a withered lizardman, an owl beastman wielding a crescent blade, and a calm-looking human druid.
“Vice Guild Master, we found Yallen.”
The lizardman holding a strange chunk of flesh with arrows embedded in it frowned.
“But explorers from other guilds are here as well.”
“Oh ho, everyone has already gathered.”
The dwarf holding the hammer stroked his beard and laughed.
“So even that guy came…”
“…Ah.”
Martial artist Born and ranger Lael both grimaced at the same time.
“Excellent! Let us all join forces and eliminate Yallen!”
Mordan Emberhammer, the vice guild master of the White Jade Touch Guild.
His nickname was “Crushing Hammer.”
Despite being a blacksmith rather than a combat class, he was a famous Eastern Continent dwarf known for combat strength surpassing most warriors and for his long years of experience.
And besides his formidable combat ability, there was one particular point everyone had to keep in mind.
“Or shall I smash all of you with my hammer right here?”
Mordan possessed an aggressive personality that found greater satisfaction in smashing the heads of people and monsters than in hammering minerals.
Rumors even circulated that his violence rivaled that of Brunelda, the “Rhinoceros of the Northern Continent.”
“Why is no one answering?”
The human druid of the White Jade Touch Guild spoke coldly.
“Our vice guild master asked you a question.”
“……”
Born, the vice guild master of the Great Warrior Guild, replied calmly.
“Of course we were planning to cooperate. Didn’t we form an alliance until the Ashen Wolf Guild is completely eliminated?”
“Crushing Hammer” Mordan himself was already troublesome enough, and there were three additional White Jade Touch Guild members present. There was no reason to provoke them unnecessarily.
Lael of the Snow-Bear-Love Guild and the human explorer beside him reached the same conclusion and nodded vigorously.
“…We think the same.”
“We were originally sitting on that tree branch to support you from the rear!”
“Hm! I see!”
Apparently satisfied, Mordan lifted the corner of his mouth and gripped the handle of his heavy war hammer with both hands.
“Good. I like that everyone understands each other.”
Then he assumed a stance while looking at Yallen.
“Well then, shall we begin? ‘Little Fox’ Yallen.”
“Haha. Me, against you, Mordan?”
Yallen answered with a bright smile.
“Of course not. I don’t want to be eliminated yet.”
“Well, what explorer would willingly lose to a competitor?”
The explorers of the White Jade Touch Guild lined up behind the dwarf vice guild master.
A potion bottle, a crescent blade, and a branch.
Each holding different attack methods.
“…Hm?”
Lael, who had been drawing his bowstring, narrowed his eyes.
The druid of the White Jade Touch Guild was subtly moving sideways where the others wouldn’t notice.
Tap.
Lael lightly nudged the explorer beside him and whispered quietly.
“I don’t know what it is, but this is an opportunity.”
“Huh?”
He was about to explain further when Mordan suddenly shouted loudly.
“The Great Warrior Guild will help us surround him from all directions! The Snow-Bear-Love Guild should interfere if Yallen tries to take out tools or use Mysteries!”
After giving orders to everyone, the dwarf tightened his grip on the hammer and rushed forward without hesitation.
Boom!
The ground dented beneath his feet.
“Hahaha!”
Mordan shot forward like a cannonball and swung his hammer violently.
At the same time, the bull beastman swordsman of the Great Warrior Guild charged forward and slashed down with his greatsword.
Clang!
Blocking both the hammer and the greatsword with daggers held in both hands, Yallen split into two and ran in opposite directions.
The thief-class Mystery, [Rabbit Split].
Yallen’s signature Mystery, already widely known to everyone through leaked information.
“There you are!”
The pink-haired berserker of the Great Warrior Guild struck the Western Continent dwarf running to the right with her tonfa.
That one was the real body.
Boom!
The tonfa exploded, sending Yallen flying backward.
At the landing point, martial artist Born was already waiting.
“A fist thrown thousands of times shall reach the heavens.”
A straight punch wrapped in blue wind shot forward.
[Myeongcheon Strike].
Crash!
With the sound of shattering glass, Yallen rolled across the ground.
An artifact that blocked a single fatal blow had activated, saving his life, but blood burst from his mouth.
Even so, he immediately tried to use the ranged dagger technique [Leaping Rabbit].
Piuung!
However, arrows and throwing daggers fired from the trees knocked the daggers from his hands.
“It’s a bit disappointing that all the information about my Mysteries is already known….”
Yallen staggered in place before suddenly trying to flee again—
Splash!
Sticky liquid suddenly rained down over his head.
A paralysis potion created by the lizardman alchemist of the White Jade Touch Guild.
Yallen’s swift movement stiffened instantly.
“[Rabbit Shadow Leap]. An excellent and powerful Mystery, but once you understand the principle, it’s not difficult to counter.”
“Hahaha! Well done, Zurtal!”
Mordan laughed heartily and approached his Western Continent kinsman.
“The dignity of the Little Fox has been ruined! This is why high-level explorers hide their Mystery information so carefully.”
“I never planned to reveal it either.”
“That’s the fault of poor guild management.”
“……”
Mordan raised his hammer high and brought it down toward Yallen’s defenseless head.
Thud!
“…Huh?”
At that moment, an arrow suddenly flew in and lodged into Mordan’s shoulder, twisting the hammer’s trajectory.
Boom!
The hammer struck the ground instead, throwing Mordan off balance.
Immediately afterward, ten throwing daggers rained down toward the staggered dwarf.
“…Vice Guild Master!”
The owl beastman of the White Jade Touch Guild rushed forward and swung his crescent blade, deflecting all the daggers.
Then he glared with wide eyes.
“Pointy-ears, what do you think you’re doing!”
“You really need to ask?”
Lael the grass elf calmly nocked another arrow.
“We were never on the same team. I’m simply eliminating enemies.”
Whoosh!
A storm of arrows shot out like wind.
At the same time, Lael’s Fresh Companion, the Demonic Thorn Lotus, bloomed and fired thorns.
“…Don’t deflect them—take cover!”
At Born’s shout, the members of the Great Warrior Guild and White Jade Touch Guild all took cover behind trees.
The rain of arrows and thorns continued for quite some time before finally stopping.
“…Fine! I’ll crush you first!”
Unable to hold back any longer, the pink-haired berserker of the Great Warrior Guild leapt toward the branch where the Snow-Bear-Love Guild members had been sitting.
Boom!
The tree struck by the tonfa exploded.
But the Snow-Bear-Love Guild members had already moved to another tree.
“Ah, whatever! You die too!”
The bull beastman swordsman of the Great Warrior Guild suddenly swung his greatsword toward the owl beastman of the White Jade Touch Guild.
The arrowheads were poisoned, and Mordan behind him had not yet regained his senses.
“…Damn.”
Martial artist Born sighed briefly and then rushed toward the lizardman alchemist of the White Jade Touch Guild.
Fighting allied explorers was clearly not a good decision, but there was no other option now.
“…How dare you.”
The lizardman alchemist gulped down several potions.
A red aura immediately began flowing across his body.
[Body Enhancement Potion].
A potion with an effect exactly as its name suggested.
Born thrust his fist forward to subdue him instantly, then widened his eyes.
“An alchemist… blocked this?”
“Human, you underestimated our White Jade Touch Guild.”
Smiling coldly, the lizardman grabbed Born and slammed him onto the ground.
Of course, the martial artist’s tough body was not shaken by something like that, and he immediately got back up to continue fighting.
Crash.
Crack.
Boom.
Battles erupted simultaneously in every direction.
“Ack!”
A human explorer from the Snow-Bear-Love Guild was launched into the distance after being struck by a tonfa.
“…Urgh.”
After a desperate fight, the lizardman alchemist of the White Jade Touch Guild collapsed with a fist punching straight through his abdomen.
The owl beastman knight and the bull beastman swordsman were fighting evenly, but when Born joined the fight, the outcome was decided quickly.
The heavily wounded owl beastman fell to the ground.
Now’s my chance….
Yallen, still unable to move due to the paralysis potion, struggled desperately.
Then—
Fwoooosh!
An enormous blaze suddenly erupted.
The forest was engulfed in flames instantly.
“…Huh?”
“What?”
The explorers who had been fiercely attacking each other quickly distanced themselves.
“Greetings.”
Then—
One explorer calmly walked out from the flames.
Kar, the “Golden Crow.”
A promising cultist explorer recently rising in District Six.
“Anyone who has always wanted to experience the sensation of burning alive at least once in their life may step forward.”
Fire was a major weakness of vampires, so the explorers could not approach recklessly.
Meanwhile, Kar slowly walked toward Yallen.
“Are you alright, Mr. Yallen? I came to rescue you.”
“…My body hurts a little.”
“I’ll give you a vitality recovery potion. Please endure a little longer.”
Kar sat down with his back toward the Western Continent dwarf vice guild master.
“Climb on.”
“I still can’t move yet…”
Yallen stopped speaking abruptly.
Whoosh!
A bull beastman swordsman of the Great Warrior Guild had approached silently and swung his greatsword at Kar.
“Oh my!”
The wide blade of the greatsword cut through Kar’s chest as he raised his arms dramatically in surprise.
“…Huh?”
More precisely, it simply passed through his body.
Crunch!
A small hammer suddenly flew in and crushed the large head of the stunned bull beastman.
“As I suspected.”
The explorer who had launched the surprise attack—Mordan—snorted.
“Kar, cultist of the Twisted Truth. You were an illusion. The one who’s been traveling with our guild all this time.”
“……”
Kar remained silent for a moment before smiling and shrugging.
“Hehe. How did you know?”
“To be honest, it was quite a refined illusion. If Teiron hadn’t been my longtime companion, I wouldn’t have noticed that you failed to imitate even the smallest habits.”
The Eye That Whispers Falsehoods did not possess the vast knowledge of its master.
Therefore, it could not perfectly replicate every tiny detail of the original.
Of course, it was more than enough to deceive ordinary explorers.
“Wow, famous explorers really are different!”
The illusionary Kar grinned and struck a seductive pose.
“But you only know one thing and miss two others, you know?”
“…What?”
Fwoooosh!
Suddenly, crimson flames burst from the earlier blaze and spread rapidly outward.
Fire racing across the ground.
Heat filling the surroundings.
The wounded owl beastman of the White Jade Touch Guild, lying on the ground, was swallowed by the flames.
“I’m not the arsonist who started the fire, you know?”
“That’s correct.”
Another explorer casually walked over and stood beside the illusionary Kar.
Mordan’s beard trembled violently.
“…Zurtal?”
The lizardman alchemist.
The explorer of the White Jade Touch Guild who had earlier fallen after fighting Born looked directly at Mordan.
Then—
His appearance suddenly changed.
Into the exact same form as the illusion beside him.
Cultist Kar.
“Greetings. I’m sorry, but Mr. Zurtal has already become firewood.”
With an eerily expressionless face, Kar extended his left hand forward.
“Now it’s your turn, Mr. Mordan. I’ll cook your head first as a special service.”