Cain Wanted to Cry, but He Held It Back
Cain wanted to cry, but he held it back. If he cried now, it was over! He was the only one left to take responsibility here!
Ugh, sob, sob...
Unaware of Cain's inner turmoil, the others were cheering, shouting, "Wow! Kim Tae-hyun!"
"Huh?!"
"What's wrong?"
When Baher's friend suddenly panicked, everyone turned to look at him.
"I-I'm streaming live right now..."
"..."
"...You absolute idiot! You did this last time too!"
Baha, losing his temper, grabbed his friend by the collar. What kind of situation did he think this was to be broadcasting it live?!
"Exactly! I wanted to stream this too—no, wait, that's not it. Do you have any idea how precarious our situation is right now? The Guild Alliance bastards are obviously going to look it up!"
"I-I'm sorry...! Just please don't tell Tae-hyun!"
"Mmm..."
Baha looked conflicted at his friend's desperate plea. After all, they were friends! Tae-hyun might be lenient with other things, but he was cold-blooded when it came to mistakes like this. Last time, this same friend had made a similar blunder and ended up forced to play as a tank despite being a mage.
But Baha didn't need to worry about making a decision.
"Huh? I already reported it."
"What?!"
One of the Power Warrior guild members had already swiftly reported it to Lee Da-bi!
"W-Why would you say that?!"
"Look at this guy, getting mad at me after trying to hog all the sweet stream views for himself. Hey, greed always leads to indigestion. Consider this a lesson learned. If you hadn't streamed it all by yourself, we might have hesitated... but since you tried to eat alone, you have to pay the price!"
"Exactly. And with so many eyes watching, how did you expect to hide it? If we got caught covering for you, we'd all be held collectively responsible!"
"N-No way...!"
The Power Warrior guild members were people who, at the very least, understood Tae-hyun's personality quite well.
They had already seen and heard of countless such cases! To avoid getting dragged down with him, they had immediately reported to Lee Da-bi.
Baher's friend cast a desperate look around, but it was already over.
"You know those new people who arrived? Baha, Baher, Bach..."
"I don't think there was anyone named Bach. Was there?"
"Anyway, apparently one of them was brainlessly streaming live. Thanks to that, the situation inside the castle has probably been leaked. What should we do?"
"Who cares? I'm already out. This is exactly why I didn't share my escape plan with them."
"Please don't say something so shameless with such a straight face..."
Tae-hyun delivered his trashy remarks with absolute confidence! Lee Da-bi stared at him, utterly dumbfounded.
"Then should I tell them it's fine?"
"Sure, do whatever you want. It's not like it matters if their situation is leaked... More importantly, are they still holding out well over there?"
"Yes, they're holding their ground surprisingly well."
"That's only because the rankers haven't stepped up yet. I wish they could buy us just a little more time..."
Tae-hyun smacked his lips. Even as he said it, he knew he was asking for the impossible.
Right now, it wouldn't be surprising if Odan Castle fell at any moment.
Their greatest asset, Tae-hyun, was gone (though from what he heard, Cain seemed to have handled things well on his own), and while the remaining players had miraculously high morale, the enemy simply outnumbered them too vastly.
The enemies were only hesitant because they were tense and slightly intimidated by the scale of the battle; the moment they realized they held the upper hand, they would charge in like a tempest.
Especially since the rankers of the Guild Alliance were reportedly waiting in the rear, observing the situation...
But Tae-hyun was unaware. He did not know the true potential of the people left behind in Odan Castle!
"They say it's fine."
"What?! Has that bastard lost his mind?!"
The most shocked person was Cain.
"...?"
As everyone stared at him, Cain cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Ah, ahem. No, that's not what I meant."
The Power Warrior guild members looked at Cain with warm, sympathetic eyes.
We understand completely.
Yeah, it's tough, we get it.
Ignoring their pity, Cain's mind raced.
Wait a minute...? The Power Warrior guild members said they reported to Lee Da-bi. How did Lee Da-bi ask Kim Tae-hyun? Where is Lee Da-bi right now? Ah. Ah...!!!
A realization struck his mind like a bolt of lightning!
They ran away together!!!!
Cain ground his teeth in sheer frustration.
Those dirty, underhanded cowards...!
He truly felt like crying. This filthy world of Pan-On, where only the good guys ended up suffering!!
Hey! Lee Da-bi!!
The player is currently unable to receive whispers.
XXXXXXXXXXX! Those two scammers, I swear to God!
Swallowing his rage, Cain asked the guild members.
"How did you contact Lee Da-bi?"
"Huh? Through guild chat."
"Oh! Don't tell me you want to join the Power Warrior Guild? If it's you, Cain, you're welcome anytime!"
"As expected of Cain! They said you weren't just any ordinary 'Cain,' but to think you'd actually want to join our guild!"
The Power Warrior guild members were already getting ahead of themselves. Cain shook his head, about to clarify the misunderstanding. Then he froze.
"No, that's not it... Wait a second, didn't you just use my name in a really weird way? What exactly did you mean by that?!"
"Haha. You must have misheard."
"There's no way we'd use the word 'Cain' as a synonym for 'pushover'!"
The Power Warrior guild members quickly denied it.
Cain seriously considered giving them a good smack, but managed to hold himself back.
"Can you pass a message to Lee Da-bi?"
"What is it?"
"Uh..."
Only then did Cain realize. He couldn't pass a message to her without letting everyone here know that Tae-hyun had run away.
Those... those cowardly, evil, wicked, atrocious bastards...!
Cain trembled with rage, realizing he had been completely played.
"Why are my ears itching?"
"Huh. Mine are itching too."
"Hmm, I thought someone was talking trash about me, but since yours are itching too, I guess that's not it."
"They could be talking trash about both of us."
"Who would do such a—actually, now that I think about it, probably a lot of people. You've really accumulated quite a few grudges yourself."
"Compared to you, Tae-hyun, mine are nothing!"
Listening to their friendly banter from behind, the Woodstock Guild Leader shook his head. How could they have such a carefree conversation in a situation like this!
"Hey, Kim Tae-hyun."
"What is it?"
"You do realize we're still in a dangerous area, right?"
The Woodstock Guild Leader was anxious. The massive army of the Guild Alliance was not that far from here. He wanted to move as far away as possible, as quickly as possible! That was his true desire.
"I know."
"Then shouldn't we hurry up and go?"
"Alright. If you're that eager to fight, I'll speed things up. I didn't realize you were so bloodthirsty. I guess becoming a demon really changes a person, huh?"
At Tae-hyun's words, the Woodstock Guild Leader realized something was off. He felt as if he had unwittingly stepped deep into a trap!
"U-Uh, Kim Tae-hyun. Where exactly are we going?"
"Ah, don't worry, I've got it covered. You don't trust me?"
"I do, I trust you, but..."
"Then just shut up and trust me."
"No, but still..."
"Shh!"
"..."
The Woodstock Guild Leader quietly shut his mouth.
"They say Kim Tae-hyun went into stealth and is going on an assassination run?!"
"What the f*ck?!"
The rankers waiting in the rear were shocked.
"Where did that info come from? Seriously? Are you sure?"
"It's guaranteed. One of the players in Odan Castle was streaming live and abruptly shut it off. It looks like some idiot was mindlessly broadcasting the situation, realized what he was doing, and cut the feed, but the info leaked right before that."
"Then it's one hundred percent solid."
"Tsk, tsk. What a fool. Even Kim Tae-hyun couldn't prevent a leak like that."
There was nothing more terrifying than an incompetent ally. The rankers all nodded in agreement.
"In that case..."
"...We need to be careful."
A shiver ran down their spines!
If Kim Tae-hyun was in stealth and hunting for targets, it was obvious who he would go after. It would be someone who looked strong, someone whose death would deal a massive blow to their side!
The dark, gloomy Odan Castle now looked like a demon king's fortress where Tae-hyun lay in wait.
"Ahem. Alcott, didn't you say you were about to head out? Since you're an assassin, why don't you go ahead and take out some of their guys?"
"No... my stomach is acting up... McPhil, what about you? Wait, where did he go?"
Cain tilted his head in confusion on top of the castle wall.
"That's weird. Why aren't they coming?"
The Guild Alliance's continuous onslaughts had been dizzying and terrifying for the defenders of Odan Castle. What was even more despairing was that the Guild Alliance still had a massive number of combatants who hadn't even joined the fray yet!
The undead summoned by the Magic Tower's black mages were powerful, but against a Guild Alliance that had specifically prepared to counter undead, they were bound to be pushed back as time went on.
The giant undead in front of the walls collapsed under the concentrated attacks of priests and paladins, and the elite undead soldiers were overwhelmed by the sheer physical pressure of the enemy guild members charging in.
The traps and bombs Tae-hyun had installed were almost entirely depleted, and several holes had already been blasted through the walls of Odan Castle.
Even in Cain's eyes, now was the perfect time for an all-out assault.
Yet, the final charge never came.
"???"
When an expected attack failed to materialize, it only made people more anxious.
Without support from their rear, the frontline members of the Guild Alliance actually began to slowly retreat. They, too, had suffered heavy casualties while battering the walls.
"What is going on...?"
Meanwhile, the black mages of the Erangs Kingdom Magic Tower were about to cause a massive incident.
"Master Chese-do! That is far too dangerous!"
"Indeed! To think you would attempt to use that forbidden secret art!"
"You are correct. This secret art is indeed perilous. However... there is nothing in this world worth obtaining that does not come with risk! Count Kim Tae-hyun is the future of our black magic faction! Tell me! Is that not so?!"
"...It is so!"
"You are absolutely right!"
"Ugh, sob! Master Chese-do! I am deeply moved by your devotion to the future of the Magic Tower!"
The black mages embraced each other in tears! It was a spectacle that would have left Tae-hyun utterly dumbfounded, wondering, What on earth are you guys doing?
"Count Kim Tae-hyun said he believes in us. Do you remember the look in his eyes?!"
"Yes! We remember!"
"We must show him results worthy of that trust!"
"Yes! Well said!"
Chese-do leapt to his feet. Complex, dizzying magic circles swirled all around him.
"Let us begin! Today, I shall embrace the power! Gather the essence of death to me!"
"Yes, Master Chese-do!"
Rumble!
A massive shroud of black clouds gathered over Odan Castle, and a dark, malevolent energy began to erupt explosively in the vicinity.
The Guild Alliance was horrified. Odan Castle, which had already been gloomy enough due to the black mages and undead, was now turning pitch black.
"What is that? What the hell is going on?!"
The priest and paladin NPCs mobilized by the Guild Alliance shrieked in terror.
"We must stop this evil ritual! We must attack immediately!"
"B-But... Kim Tae-hyun... the assassination..."
"What?!"
And Cain was equally shocked.
"What the hell is that?!"
Some bizarre ritual was unfolding right inside his own castle!
"What are you guys doing?! If you're going to do something, at least tell me first!"
"Shh! Please be quiet, this is a crucial ritual!"
"Hey, I'm the one in charge here, you bastards! I'm already stressed to death because Kim Tae-hyun isn't—I mean, because he left me in charge!"
"Once you see this, all your worries will vanish. Fufufu!"
Since these were high-level Magic Tower mage NPCs speaking with such confidence, Cain found himself wavering slightly. What on earth were they doing to act like this?
"What is it? What are you doing? Are you summoning some insanely overpowered undead?"
"It is... the ritual to become a Lich."
"..."