Chapter 99: One of Them
Chapter 99: One of Them
“This guy is impressive!”
Thump thump thump!
Brunelda laughed heartily and slapped my back.
It was clearly meant as a congratulatory gesture, yet my body flailed about as if I were being punched repeatedly.
“You knew I’ve always dreamed of sparring with the guild master, so you appeared in that form?”
“That’s right. If I had borrowed someone else’s appearance, you wouldn’t have been shaken at all.”
“You’re a complete trickster!”
Thump thump thump thump!
“Thank you. But it hurts a lot.”
“Kuahaha!”
“Ah, actually, you don’t need to hold back anymore. I think my waist is already broken.”
“You’re funny too!”
“I wasn’t joking, but thank you anyway.”
I had successfully passed Brunelda’s test.
[Thunder Dududung] + [Transformation].
One of the greatest combinations a multi-faith half-elf cultist like Kar could perform.
Naturally it was a one-time deception that wouldn’t work twice, but since we wouldn’t meet as enemies anyway, I could expose the tactic freely and fight completely naked of secrets.
“I saw that. It was an interesting strategy.”
“As expected of a rising star explorer. You really are different. When I tried the same sparring scenario, I got knocked out in ten seconds!”
The ordinary guild members participating in the guild war approached and spoke warmly.
《Spirit Archer Rai (Sea-Origin Elf, age 73). Specialty: spirit arts. Calm personality typical of a Sea-Origin Elf.》
《Monk Dran of Teramea (Sheep Beastman, age 25). Specialty: Rest. As a believer of the war-crazed goddess, he possesses combat power that surpasses the limits of his race.》
These two formed the strongest line among the Ashen Wolf Guild’s Level-7 explorers.
Veterans with abundant skill and experience.
Since the guild-war labyrinth equalized everyone to the same level, experience was a definite advantage.
“Congratulations, Kar!”
Vice Guild Master Yallen approached a step later than the others, hopping around me.
Anyone would think he looked like an innocent child.
“……”
“…Hmm.”
Rai and Dran quietly looked away from the hopping dwarf vice guild master.
“Since you won your spar with Brunelda, you should achieve great results in the guild war as well, right? I can start looking forward to it from today, correct?”
《True meaning: If you fail to show proper performance, prepare to be thoroughly embarrassed. Enjoy this pressure bomb!》
I looked down at Yallen and spoke confidently.
“Please hold the highest expectations possible. I’m a half-elf capable of accomplishing even more than that. You might even feel a level of emotion comparable to the descent of a god.”
“…Is that so?”
“Honestly, I’m a little afraid. What if Lord Targon grabs my pant leg and begs me to keep working as a guild member? My heart is weak, so I might be tempted.”
“…….”
The dwarf’s bright expression shattered instantly.
The guild members watching turned their heads and covered their mouths, barely holding back their laughter.
“Kuhaha! I told you he’s a funny one!”
Brunelda slapped my waist again.
Every strike made my body flutter like paper.
“Good! From today on you’re part of my tribe! I’ll call you ‘Tribesman Kar’ from now on!”
“Then please buy me something delicious, Chief.”
“You adapt quickly. Even better! Follow me. There’s a festival going on, and there’s excellent food everywhere!”
“…Wait. Brunelda!”
As the barbarian vice guild master wrapped an arm around my shoulder and tried to leave, Yallen hurriedly stopped him.
“Shouldn’t we eat later? We need to conduct joint training and a strategy meeting for the guild war.”
“Hmph! Training is useless no matter how much you do it. Real combat is what matters.”
“Wise words, Chief!”
I rubbed my hands together in full sycophantic cultist mode.
After all, anyone holding a title ending with “chief” naturally required a flattering subordinate beside them to complete the proper dignity.
“And the strategy can be made by you, Yallen. Isn’t scheming the field your class specializes in?”
“Every word you speak touches upon truth itself, Chief!”
“……”
The dwarf vice guild master stared at me with trembling eyes before awkwardly lifting the corners of his mouth.
“…All right! Now that I think about it, Brunelda is right…!”
“Yallen approved, so let’s all go out and enjoy the festival!”
“That sounds good.”
“Wow!”
The other guild members followed Brunelda out immediately.
“Lord Yallen.”
Just before leaving myself, I spoke quietly and placed a hand on his small shoulder.
“…What is it?”
“…….”
I held his gaze for a moment, then lowered my head and whispered in his ear.
“You’re one of the five greatest schemers in Pletika. I have no doubt you’ll achieve great things in the guild war.”
It wasn’t pressure delivered through indirect wording.
After all, I was someone who always tried to live politely and respectfully with honorific speech toward everyone.
I was a cultist whose outside and inside were the same.
“Please focus solely on the guild members’ survival. I’ll handle everything else.”
Yallen stared blankly at me before slowly turning his head.
“…Understood.”
Tap tap.
“I look forward to it.”
After politely greeting the vice guild master, I spent time getting closer with the guild members in preparation for the guild war.
I never realized festivals could be this enjoyable.
Having spent my life only working, gaming, or occasionally indulging in small acts of rebellion, I finally understood how boring my life had been.
“Goodbye!”
“Take care.”
After enjoying the atmosphere to my heart’s content, I returned at night to the inn where my companions had reserved rooms.
It was an expensive luxury inn—more like a hotel—with extremely clean and spacious rooms.
“Kar, you’re back?”
“Welcome.”
I ended up sharing a room with the ward siblings.
They must have enjoyed the festival too. The room was scattered with wolf masks, biscuits, toy claws, and dolls.
“Did you have fun?”
“I realized District 6 was a really boring place!”
“Well, it’s mostly priests living there, so it can’t be helped.”
After a quick wash, I came out wearing a robe and saw Rachel standing in front of the bathroom door with her head lowered.
“Cultist, I’ve completed the task you assigned.”
“Good work.”
I dried my wet hair with Sa · Yeom · Hwa and gestured.
Rachel immediately understood the signal and began reporting the results of her investigation.
“I visited taverns near the headquarters of the five guilds participating in this guild war, excluding the Ashen Wolf Guild, and taverns frequented by gossipers familiar with news from District 3. I wore a wolf mask, changed clothes each time, and used different stealth Mysteries, so no one should have noticed I was gathering information.”
“You handle tasks decisively. I’ll inform Lord Sergius.”
I hadn’t expected her to work this efficiently.
As expected of the head butler who trained intelligence agents for decades.
“According to the investigation, there were exactly three explorers who matched the conditions you mentioned. Here is the list.”
I quickly examined the note Rachel handed over.
[Fire Turtle Guild / Raenis (Gem Elf Pure Mana Sorcerer)]
[Great Warrior Guild / Heavyclaw (Bear Beastman Berserker)]
[White Jade Touch Guild / Mordan Emberhammer (Eastern Continent Dwarf Blacksmith)]
One of them.
Among them was the Schemer, one of the Six Apostles.
Which one was not predetermined.
The target the Schemer impersonated was randomly selected.
“Raenis, Heavyclaw, Mordan…”
A slender gem elf, a bear beastman almost as large as Targon, and a short eastern continent dwarf.
Each possessed completely different physical traits.
Considering the characteristics of the ninja-class Mystery Skin Garment used by the Schemer—
“…Heh.”
A laugh escaped my lips.
I understood the Schemer’s strategy.
“Cultist, why are you smiling?”
“Because it’s ridiculous.”
Nightmare Dungeon playtime: 20,800 hours.
Guild war experience: at least a thousand times.
The elaborate scheme devised by the Six Apostles blessed by the Arch-Monster was, to me, merely one of many standardized patterns.
The stage of the guild war was a labyrinth.
It was abandoned by expedition parties because the rewards were terrible, but it was perfect for competition.
The entrance consisted of two fragments.
Only when the two pieces were held together would the entrance open, so each fragment could be freely moved elsewhere.
As a result, they were currently displayed proudly at the center of the oval arena on the eastern lively promenade of District 3.
— Thank you for waiting, everyone!
The announcer’s voice rang loudly through a magical voice amplification device.
The spectators filling the stands erupted into cheers.
— I’m Dilmor, vice guild master of the Ashen Wolf Guild and host of this guild war!
《Vice Guild Master Dilmor (Underground Gnome, age 52). Though Level 7—lower than the other vice guild masters—he is the most intelligent earth-gnome, possessing the highest Wisdom.》
He was the very gnome who gathered the Schemer’s tiny clues and concluded that Rigobert had been the traitor leaking information outside.
His personality—never leaving a stain on anything he did—also made him the most impartial host possible.
— A competition between six guilds! Which guild will claim the honor of governing District 3?!
The audience erupted into thunderous applause.
— The guild war will include the current governing force of District 3, the Ashen Wolf Guild, along with the five guilds that achieved the best performance over the last two years! Will power finally change hands this time, or will the wolves’ territory remain intact?
Dilmor raised his head dramatically.
The motion was displayed perfectly on the broadcast screen floating in the air.
Similar magical devices across District 3 were likely transmitting the scene.
— Now, the participant introductions! First, the Fire Turtle Guild, famous for conquering the A-rank labyrinth Sea of Flames in just one month!
The explorers wearing expedition suits with red turtle shells simply stood silently instead of waving to the crowd.
At the front stood a middle-aged warrior.
‘Unbreakable’ Luphrite.
Among the participants, he was second only to Targon.
“I’d like to fight him someday.”
Brunelda stared at the Fire Turtle Guild leader with competitive fire in his eyes.
Meanwhile I was looking at a guild member standing directly behind him.
Raenis.
A gem elf like Targon’s secretary Elvira.
A person of interest.
— Next, the Snow-Bear-Love Guild, which successfully conquered the once-unexplored dungeon Great Pirate Hideout after four years!
“Yes, we’re that amazing guild!”
“Shout it out!”
The explorers wearing uniforms decorated with cute snow bears waved their arms and jumped energetically, completely different from the dull guild beside them.
After that, the remaining guilds were introduced one by one.
— The Great Warrior Guild, which has conquered 29 B-rank or higher labyrinths!
A warrior-focused guild led by Heavyclaw, a fiery bear beastman whose size rivaled Targon’s but whose temperament was the opposite.
— The White Jade Touch Guild, which discovered the Hidden Piece of Demon Realm Fortress after ten years!
A guild centered around artisan-class explorers led by Eradra, a dragon-blood craftsman.
— And a guild participating in the guild war for the first time! Please give a big round of applause to the Falling Star Guild, which discovered the key to conquering the A-rank labyrinth Tiger Slaughter Hell!
That one could be ignored.
Finally, it was our turn.
— There’s no need to list their achievements one by one anymore!
The crowd erupted louder than ever.
— The rulers of District 3! The undisputed greatest guild in Pletika—the Ashen Wolf Guild!
Cheers flooded the arena.
Countless shining gazes poured down upon the arena.
Attention that might overwhelm an introverted family.
There are a lot of people.
Though I was the most taciturn and shy person imaginable, I wasn’t afraid of attention.
My heart actually pounded.
If I became the cause of defeat in the guild war under this much attention, how embarrassing would that be?
Even when I once performed rapid-fire rap in a company singing contest and forgot the lyrics, my heart hadn’t moved at all.
But this time it surely would.
“I’m already looking forward to how a loser will feel.”
“Hahaha! Tribesman Kar, your taunting skills are top-tier!”
At Brunelda’s comment, a few explorers from the Falling Star Guild glared at me.
I waved cheerfully, and for some reason they all flinched and looked away.
What was the problem?
— Before we begin the guild war, I’ll briefly explain the rules and the labyrinth!
Host Dilmor leisurely enjoyed the crowd’s cheers before pointing at the fragments in the center.
Half a sun and half a moon.
《Entrance to the battlefield labyrinth “Battlefield of Sun and Moon.” One must touch both pieces together to enter.》
— The B-rank labyrinth Battlefield of Sun and Moon, the stage of the guild war, is an ancient ruin! Upon entering, explorers are randomly divided into the Sun Battlefield and the Moon Battlefield!
Dilmor pointed dramatically toward the sun in the sky.
— Collect six Primordial Fragments in your area and you can enter the tower leading to the depths! The victory condition is obtaining the sacred relic Orb of Lumerlan located in the deepest chamber! Simple, isn’t it?
It sounded easy at first glance, but it wasn’t.
That was why it was B-rank.
— Broadcasting crystal spheres installed by the Labyrinth Management Corps are placed throughout the labyrinth! All of District 3 will watch your actions in real time, so please compete fairly!
“Tribesman Kar, if you have any Mysteries or artifacts you’d rather keep secret, try not to use them. Our guild members have already exposed everything anyway.”
“You must have worked hard to obtain new Mystery books or tools for the guild war. What a pity.”
“No. It’s better if the enemies become stronger. That makes killing them more difficult.”
“!”
I gave Brunelda a thumbs-up.
A true northern barbarian who clearly understood what fun meant.
— Now for the most important point!
Dilmor raised one hand dramatically.
— In Battlefield of Sun and Moon, vampires and ghouls wage fierce war to claim the sacred relic sleeping in the depths! Explorers will become vampires loyal to the ancient Vampire Lord Haimatus Anteste!
Ghouls who worshiped Solmiran, creator of the blazing sun.
Vampires who worshiped Selvaran, judge of the lucid moon.
For ages the two factions had fought endless wars of conspiracy and strategy.
— The Soul Rank of all participants will be adjusted to Level 5, and physical abilities will also be equalized! If you die, you’ll immediately be expelled outside, so there’s no need to worry!
To me, that explanation was difficult to understand.
If one didn’t risk one’s life, didn’t that reduce the charm of exploration?
— Participants, are you ready?
Anyone who would turn back now wouldn’t have joined the guild war in the first place.
After observing the guild members stretching or chatting casually, Dilmor shouted loudly.
— Then let the guild war begin!
“Let’s go. To victory.”
With Targon’s calm encouragement, we entered the labyrinth.
At that moment, only one thought filled my mind.
What should I say in the victory speech?