Conquest (1)
The death of the hobgoblin had fractured the monsters' forces, leaving them locked in mutual suspicion. That opening let Yoo Ji-sung's group slip in and eliminate the commander monsters one by one. Without leadership, the remaining creatures descended into blind frenzy, their suppressed savagery exploding as they tore, clawed, and trampled one another.
When the last monster fell, everyone—including Yoo Ji-sung—stood gasping for breath amid the carnage.
“Hah… That was no joke. Never wiped out this many monsters in a single day!” Ma Dong-cheol bellowed between heavy breaths. “Haha!”
“Ugh… My stamina’s completely gone. If we keep fighting like this, I’ll hit the grave before I level up,” Jeong A-reum groaned, collapsing where she stood.
“It’s been a while since I emptied my entire quiver,” Jang Su-ho added calmly, though his arms trembled from the strain. “Not a bad experience.”
Ma Dong-cheol and Jeong A-reum lay sprawled among the corpses, too exhausted to care about the blood and gore surrounding them. Jang Su-ho frowned at the sight but said nothing; his own hands were shaking too badly to steady his dagger.
Yoo Ji-sung masked his true thoughts behind a smile and clapped.
“Glad to see everyone’s still in one piece. Without you two, Dong-cheol and A-reum, this would’ve been a lot rougher.”
You lot still need more tempering. Especially you, Dong-cheol. You staggered after that last collision? We’ve been fighting nonstop, sure, but getting winded that fast is pathetic.
“If it weren’t for Su-ho hyung, the ranged attacks would’ve torn us apart. His covering fire gave Jin-ho and Dong-cheol the breathing room they needed.”
You too, Su-ho? If this is the best you can do, you’re all dead weight. I tried to be considerate, but if you keep disappointing me like this, what am I supposed to do? Look at Jin-ho. That guy’s actually impressive. As the senior, I’ve got my pride to maintain.
The others, oblivious to Yoo Ji-sung’s cold assessment, kept praising him.
“Ji-sung’s instructions were so clear. We could push our abilities to the limit thanks to him.”
Yoo Ji-sung found their satisfaction grating, but he only smiled.
Lee Jin-ho approached him.
“Ah, Jin-ho. You worked hard today.”
“Not at all. Thanks to you, I feel like I’ve awakened something new. Your breathing technique helped, but more than that, fighting alongside you felt… natural. I hope we get the chance to do it again.”
Oh, really? You don’t actually want to stick together until we die, do you, you bastard?
Yoo Ji-sung laughed inwardly while keeping his expression pleasant.
“I feel the same. Alone, I couldn’t have dominated the battlefield like that. If we ever form a proper party, having all five of us together wouldn’t be bad at all.”
“I’ll look forward to that day.”
Lee Jin-ho’s excitement was genuine, his emotions unguarded. Though Yoo Ji-sung wanted nothing more than to collapse and rest, the sight of that enthusiasm stirred his competitive spirit.
While the two men spoke, a disheveled woman hesitantly approached. Her clothes were filthy from days without washing, and her face was streaked with grime. The other Conquerors had already begun clearing corpses and collecting magic stones and arrows.
“You’re the mage, right? That archery display from the carriage was impressive.”
“Oh! Thank you! My name is Noah Christ. Please, just call me Noah.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Yoo Ji-sung. This is Lee Jin-ho, Ma Dong-cheol…”
Noah nodded along politely, but her gaze remained fixed on Lee Jin-ho. Even covered in blood and monster viscera, he looked exactly like the ideal man she had only ever dreamed of. The lingering killing intent in his eyes only made him more dangerously attractive.
I must be losing my mind…
Noah pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart pound.
“Noah?”
“Ah! Yes! Thank you so much for saving us. Honestly, without you all, we wouldn’t have survived. Meeting you was an incredible stroke of luck for us.”
“Luck? We’re all in the same boat. We have to help each other. Don’t you agree, Jin-ho?”
“Of course. Cooperation between Conquerors is only natural. There’s no need for thanks. I’ve been in similar situations myself.”
“Ah…”
Noah melted at the sound of Lee Jin-ho’s voice. She quickly composed herself, refusing to show any more weakness in front of him. After a small cough, she adopted a serious expression.
“If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“Where is the village you’re staying in?”
“Marin. You were looking for a safe shelter after leaving your own village, weren’t you?”
“That’s right! Marin! Oh, thank the heavens!”
Noah’s eyes sparkled with hope. A village that housed people like these must be safe. At last, they had found somewhere to rest.
Yet reality quickly dampened her joy. Even against a smaller horde than the one they had just faced, her group might not survive. She lowered her head, cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“Could you possibly guide us to Marin? We have many injured in the carriages, and we’ve run out of food and medicine…”
Her voice trailed off. Asking for shelter when they had nothing to offer felt shameless, but desperation left her no choice.
Yoo Ji-sung glanced at Lee Jin-ho, who merely shrugged as if to say, “Do as you like.”
Yoo Ji-sung smiled at Noah. Understanding the meaning behind that smile, she sank to the ground in relief.
“Noah!”
“Noah!”
“Thank you… Thank you so much…”
Her exhausted murmur faded into the air.
“The Yellow Dragon, you said?”
“Yes, the Yellow Dragon. That’s what those bastards kept calling themselves. It still makes my teeth grind just thinking about it!”
“How surprising. Hundreds of them banded together to seize a village? The number alone is shocking, but their actions are even worse. They’re nothing but thugs. Did you see any of the original villagers?”
“We didn’t see any villagers. That’s what worries me most. They seemed rough and violent…”
“The villagers will be fine,” Lee Jin-ho stated firmly.
The group walked at the head of the column alongside Noah’s people. Lee Jin-ho continued, recalling the feats of Marin’s vigilante corps.
“Ah, I see! But why…”
Yoo Ji-sung answered in his place. “I suspect the Tower’s restrictions are at play. Dong-cheol mentioned seeing monsters bound by certain rules. Since the villagers are also part of the Tower, they’re probably under similar constraints.”
Lee Jin-ho, whose focus had always been solely on climbing the Tower, lacked the social awareness to explain this himself. Noah let out a soft exclamation, impressed by Yoo Ji-sung’s insight.
“Y-You’re right! Why didn’t I think of that?”
Because you’re an idiot, that’s why.
Yoo Ji-sung clicked his tongue. Noah glanced at Lee Jin-ho, then quickly lowered her head, her ears turning red. She had failed to make an obvious deduction in front of him, and the shame was unbearable.
Yoo Ji-sung watched her with thinly veiled disdain before looking up at the sky, lips twisting into a smirk.
The Yellow Dragon… That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while.
The Yellow Dragon had been the largest guild in the Tower. In his previous life, they had appeared much later, yet here they were already making their move. The future was shifting, but Yoo Ji-sung merely chuckled. As the Tower’s master, such changes meant nothing to him.
Actually… maybe they do mean something. If those bastards are already causing trouble, I should keep an eye on them.
Yoo Ji-sung fell into thought. What bothered him more than their early appearance was the atrocities they had already committed. These were definitely the same Yellow Dragon he remembered.
“You said they referred to each other with Chinese names?”
“Yes. They were all East Asian, waving red flags with golden dragons on them.”
“So a group centered around Chinese players. Almost like they’ve formed a guild.”
“I think you’re right, hyung. A party’s usually under ten people, but hundreds? That’s not a party anymore. It’s a guild, plain and simple!” Ma Dong-cheol snapped his fingers, nodding vigorously.
Jang Su-ho’s expression grew grave. “The Tower changed, villages appeared, and we learned that floors up to the twentieth are connected through the eleventh-floor settlements. I expected groups to form, but not this quickly.”
“Su-ho oppa? Why do you look so serious?”
“Think about it. Guilds themselves aren’t inherently bad. But if multiple groups form along racial or national lines like the Yellow Dragon, what happens then?”
“Hmm…”
“Sometimes Su-ho hyung’s words are hard to follow,” Ma Dong-cheol muttered.
Lee Jin-ho’s face darkened. “There will be conflict. Instead of focusing on conquering the Tower, they’ll be busy chasing their own interests.”
“Exactly. The fact that they refused to shelter Noah’s group proves it. They threw fellow Conquerors to the wolves.”
Yoo Ji-sung nodded. The Yellow Dragon had always been the largest guild—and the most selfish and tyrannical. They cared nothing for other Conquerors if it served their goals. Plunder and murder had been their trademarks.
They had plenty of strong rankers. Once the passages open, they’ll have no choice but to cooperate with me. As long as they don’t bare their fangs at me first, there’s no need to eliminate them yet. I can deal with them later if they become unnecessary.
Yoo Ji-sung’s expression flickered as memories surfaced—plans he had painstakingly prepared, ruined by the Yellow Dragon’s cruelty.
Hah… That’s all in the past now. None of it will happen again. Let’s live coolly, Ji-sung. Roa, send some monsters as a welcome gift to the Yellow Dragon kids.
Understood.
Yoo Ji-sung shrugged at Roa’s reply. He recalled the resistance member who had begged for the authority to punish Conquerors on behalf of the eleventh-floor villagers. Even the man’s furious claim that his children were suffering hadn’t moved Yoo Ji-sung—after all, it wasn’t his pain or inconvenience.
So he had granted permission: if the villagers found it too difficult, they could abandon the village and leave the Conquerors behind. A quick investigation had revealed the true culprit—the Yellow Dragon.
The location was perfect. They really were rotten from the start. Sending monsters was both a greeting and a light punishment for tormenting the villagers.
“That’s horrible! How can people be like that?”
“They probably didn’t want to share contribution points,” Yoo Ji-sung replied indifferently to Jeong A-reum’s outraged cry.
She stared at him, unable to comprehend his nonchalance.