Chapter 115: Guild War — Glory (4)
The guild war was not over yet.
“Let’s finish this.”
Targon, who seemed slightly tired as he rubbed his shoulder, picked up the object retrieved from the wyvern.
A cube where light and darkness were intertwined.
It was the final hidden piece of the [Battlefield of Sun and Moon], strengthened by labyrinth amplification.
《??? — Shining Bridge》
《When broken, it releases the light protecting the [Orb of Lumerlan] and creates a ladder leading to the sky.》
Crack!
Without hesitation, Targon crushed the cube with one hand.
Whooooosh—!
Fragments scattered, and radiant light illuminated the world.
A brilliance resembling the sun, bright enough that even vampires could face it without discomfort.
The light was so dazzling that I instinctively closed my eyes.
When I opened them again, a curved bridge had formed, stretching upward into the sky.
Its destination was naturally the center of the heavens.
The location of the [Orb of Lumerlan], where the eclipse-like phenomenon had faded.
“Let’s go.”
Carrying the Schemer over his shoulder, Targon began walking toward the bridge of light.
“…Where are you taking me?”
Kairas, limp like a corpse, spoke weakly.
“Either smash my head quickly, or vent your anger a bit more and eliminate me.”
“I refuse.”
I grabbed the Schemer’s head and lifted it so our eyes met.
“You intend to escape immediately once you’re eliminated, don’t you? You’re in terrible shape now, but once you leave the labyrinth your body will be restored anyway.”
The labyrinth did not favor explorers.
Pain remained, and mental fatigue was not relieved at all.
Still, the body returned to perfect condition.
A ninja of Kairas’s level could easily evade every other explorer and escape.
“……”
The half-elf ninja invoked his right to remain silent.
A meaningless resistance.
I had already confirmed through dozens of experiments that if he survived, he would pretend to repent and then flee.
“You’re leaving with me.”
Targon struck Kairas’s back.
Even that light impact made the battered ninja tremble violently.
“Watch as we win like this.”
Targon walked briskly for a while before stopping.
“…You actually defeated a strengthened wyvern.”
From the only eastern section of the cavern that had not been completely devastated, a middle-aged warrior approached slowly.
Rufrite, Guild Master of the Fire Turtle Guild.
He appeared to have just eliminated Burnelda and Dran.
True to his nickname “Unbreakable,” he looked remarkably intact.
Though the tracker explorer from his guild was nowhere in sight.
“That was a first.”
From the opposite direction, a dragon-blood explorer wearing glasses flew in with the aid of an artifact.
Eradra, Guild Master of the White Jade Hand.
He seemed to have eliminated Rai, one of our guild members, though he looked quite exhausted since he wasn’t a combat specialist.
“You strengthen the wyvern to eliminate other explorers, then exploit its weakness and defeat it yourselves. I admit the boldness and decisiveness of forming such a reckless strategy. But the guild war isn’t over yet.”
Eradra pushed up his glasses and gestured toward Rufrite.
“You handle Targon. I’ll deal with that cunning half-elf in the meantime.”
“Hm….”
The middle-aged warrior alternated his gaze between us and the dragon-blood explorer before stroking his chin.
“It’s true that I have the ability to withstand Targon’s relentless assault. I couldn’t counterattack, but if I focus solely on defense, I can block him easily.”
“I agree.”
A supreme warrior never exaggerated his strength.
Targon nodded calmly.
“Then quickly—”
“However.”
Rufrite interrupted Eradra and shrugged.
“Why should I do that?”
“…What?”
“If I keep Targon occupied, you’ll just defeat Golden Crow and claim the [Orb of Lumerlan], won’t you? I see no reason to cooperate in something that benefits only you.”
“I agree with Rufrite.”
I quickly joined in.
If we followed Eradra’s plan, I would have to force my exhausted body into another fight.
I welcomed hardships that came during the pursuit of victory.
But I had no patience for someone trying to trip me right before the finish line.
“Then how about both of us fighting Targon and Golden Crow together?”
“That’s more reasonable than before.”
“In that case—”
“No.”
Rufrite shook his head firmly.
“You already deceived me when creating that mirror artifact. Obviously you’d abandon me mid-fight and fly to the sky alone. Among the explorers here, your mobility is the best.”
When participants realize victory is slipping away before the match ends, their behavior usually falls into two patterns.
First.
They give up.
And second.
“Why should I do something that benefits only you? I decline.”
They cling desperately to another participant and drag them down together.
“If I’m going down, you’re coming with me.”
It was a beautiful tradition shared across cultures and races.
“Work hard on your own. I’ll aim for the next guild war.”
Rufrite sat down heavily on the spot, leaving only the dragon-blood guild master standing.
“……”
Eradra glanced briefly at the open sky before turning back toward Targon.
“Go ahead. Try flying up there quickly.”
The massive gray orc was already holding a rope to catch the incoming dragon-blood explorer.
“…Fine. I surrender too.”
Eradra finally raised both hands and tossed aside the flying artifact.
Though somewhat reluctantly, the spirit of sportsmanship prevailed.
“…But Targon, who is that explorer on your shoulder?”
It was time to put the final brilliant mark on this guild war.
I carefully took out the hand mirror I had stored inside my spatial inventory.
《7th-Tier Artifact — Ritual Usurper》
《Commands can be given to anyone whose face is reflected in the mirror, and they must obey. Normally only one command is possible, but the dragon-blood craftsman Eradra enhanced it, increasing it to two uses.》
An artifact with an absurdly powerful effect.
And one of the very few artifacts that possessed a tier.
Proof of its rarity.
“Explorers and citizens of District Three.”
I bowed politely toward the air before continuing.
“You must have been wondering since earlier. Who exactly is this half-elf? Now I will ask him directly.”
“……!”
As I slowly raised the mirror, the Schemer struggled desperately.
Targon gripped the half-elf’s small face with a hand larger than most bucklers, holding him still.
“…Put that away! I said put it away!”
Those were the wrong words of resistance.
If he had begged to be reflected in the mirror, I might have refused out of spite.
“Put—”
The moment his face appeared in the mirror, the Schemer’s violent struggle stopped.
His eyes became unfocused.
“…Hm.”
As a side effect, my head suddenly grew heavy.
A sensation entirely different from losing mental power.
It felt as if stones had filled my skull, dulling my thoughts.
‘If I overuse this, I’ll become an idiot.’
Even foolish beauties were the type Sue’je preferred.
Unfortunately, the artifact would break after a few uses, so it wasn’t easy to reach that state.
“Kairas.”
Looking at the ninja who had caused so much trouble, I quietly gave an order.
“State who you are and what you’ve been doing.”
“…I am Kairas Selun, a ninja from the Eastern Continent ninja organization ‘Muyeong.’ My race is half-elf, of Crescent Elf blood. After entering Pletika, I have deceived others by pretending to be different people using the mystery [Human Skin Garment].”
The truth poured out easily.
“My most notable victims are Rigobert, vice-guild master of the Ashen Wolf Guild, and Laenis, vice-guild master of the Fire Turtle Guild. I participated in this guild war by impersonating Laenis.”
“…My god.”
Rufrite widened his eyes.
He had never imagined that his vice-guild master had been replaced.
Even Targon, whose senses were sharper than most monsters, had not noticed.
“And… I, I….”
As the confession continued, Kairas’s face twisted.
“The… Great Demon Beast… orders… execution….”
“Stop.”
I halted him.
His body had endured brutal ninja training.
Information related to the Six Apostles and the Great Demon Beast of the [Nightmare Dungeon] was protected by extraordinary willpower.
I had waited just in case, but as expected, nothing related to the Great Demon Beast came out.
“Did everyone hear that? The Laenis who showed such outstanding performance in this guild war was actually a fake.”
“……”
Rufrite and Eradra fell silent.
Within five minutes, once the broadcast delay ended, the spectators watching the guild war would likely react the same way.
‘There will definitely be chaos.’
The labyrinth management authority itself hosted this event.
And one participant had been murdered and replaced?
Even the royal family, who usually ignored incidents within the city, would be furious.
“Kairas.”
I placed a hand on the Schemer’s back.
One command remained.
“Listen carefully.”
Leaning close to my fellow half-elf’s ear, I whispered softly.
“As soon as you leave the labyrinth, abandon your faith in Ernysiv.”
“……”
The Schemer slowly lifted his head.
His pupils trembled, unfocused.
“…Ha, ha, hahaha.”
The quiet laugh soon blossomed into frantic, twisted movements.
“Ah… AAAAAAA—!!”
He twisted violently.
He screamed madly.
He cursed me endlessly.
But the future had already been decided.
Once he left the labyrinth, Kairas would abandon the divine authority that had once been a ray of light in his miserable life.
I watched the Schemer scratch his face with his remaining hand until blood poured out.
Then I spoke to Targon.
“Shall we go?”
“Let’s.”
Leaving behind the two guild masters who had accepted defeat, we crossed the bridge toward the sky.
“AAAAAA! AAAAAAGH!”
Kairas’s screams became our work song as we climbed.
Finally, it came into view.
The noble radiance of the [Orb of Lumerlan].
“You take it.”
“Are you sure?”
“You’ve earned it.”
There was no reason to refuse.
I walked straight forward and gently grasped the [Orb of Lumerlan].
Whiiiiing!
The moment I touched the sacred artifact, a gate of light and darkness appeared.
My mind and body were at their limit.
I stepped through the gate toward the outside.
My vision spun briefly.
And then—
WAAAAAA—!!
Thunderous cheers welcomed me.
— The guild war has concluded!
The circular arena had returned.
The excitable host Dilmo shouted loudly while the audience poured out applause and cheers.
The passionate acclaim stimulated my rusted mind.
“Thank you.”
As I bowed, my legs gave out.
Unable to withstand the exhaustion from the long battle and the side effects of the [Ritual Usurper], I collapsed forward.
My forehead struck the ground.
But I barely felt the pain.
‘Let’s rest for a while….’
Guild War.
Conquest of the [Battlefield of Sun and Moon].
Completed amid roaring cheers.