Chapter 134
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 134
Chapter Title: Mercenary Corps (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph, the former team leader of Team 4 in the Uncharted Development Unit, tilted his glass at a checkpoint on the first layer.
It had already been several months since he'd gained his freedom.
In that time, he'd formed his own mercenary corps, carried out various missions, and gradually familiarized himself with the state of affairs in Blackout.
"Who is it?"
"A letter."
"Leave it and go."
"Got it."
Joseph had assumed that once he left that place, no one would remember him.
But unexpectedly, quite a few people had reached out to him.
After all, being a soldier who'd served in the Imperial Family wasn't a background you could find just anywhere.
Yet up until now, Joseph hadn't accepted a single one of their offers.
"Hmm."
Instead, he'd been waiting all along for contact from someone specific.
"Ah, Captain. What's the letter about?"
At that moment, someone approached Joseph.
It was Luke Markner, a man from the Jinrang Tribe who'd left the Uncharted Development Unit alongside him.
"Another recruitment offer?"
Standing beside Luke was his twin sister, Lucy Markner.
Both of them had earned their way out into the wider world through merits gained on the battlefields.
"The White Whale Mercenary Corps still hasn't reached out, right? We can't just keep waiting for them forever..."
"Lucy! Don't say that. The mage will definitely call us back."
"Sigh... Luke, when are you ever going to grow up? Considering that mage's reputation, there's no way he'd call us..."
"He's calling."
"...Pardon?"
A faint smile curved Joseph's lips as he read the letter.
"What did you just say?"
"The White Whale Mercenary Corps. The mage is finally summoning us."
"Oh..."
"See, Lucy? I told you!"
Lucy's hand rose unconsciously to her forehead at Luke's triumphant words.
"We should prepare to call the others too."
With that, Joseph stood up along with his comrades.
"Well, well! If it isn't you!"
Braden, the branch manager of the Black Forest Mercenary Guild, looked at the mage seated before him after a long while and spoke up.
"Leading the renowned White Whale Mercenary Corps!"
"Long time no see, Braden."
"Hahaha! Come on in! Maya, you look like you're doing well too—glad to see it!"
"You think I've been 'doing well' just because I heard that news? Normally, people would say they've been through hell. Braden, has your head gone funny?"
"If your limbs are all still attached, you're living well! You survived those trials, didn't you?"
"...?"
Maya stopped talking and leaned back on the sofa, her mood souring even more from the oddly convincing argument.
"So, what brings the mercenary captain all the way here?"
"I was thinking it's about time to promote the mercenary corps to a full mercenary band."
"Hm? I thought you were here to renew your mercenary tags."
Jun hadn't renewed his mercenary tags yet amid all the busyness.
As a result, despite their fame, their tags were still at silver rank.
"Not a big deal! I'll sort it out in no time."
Considering the White Whale Mercenary Corps' current reputation, they could easily aim for gold rank—or even platinum.
Diamond rank might be tough due to Jun and his comrades' level limitations, though.
"To upgrade to a mercenary band, you need gold-ranked tags, and at least two subordinate mercenary corps under you. You've got that covered too?"
"I've reached out to them about it. They should be here soon..."
"Hey, Braden! You around?"
"Even Black Tiger comes when I call."
Jun glanced at Colton shouting from the counter and remarked.
Colton looked much the same as ever after a few months, aside from a few changes in gear.
"Comparing that guy to a Black Tiger? Maybe a goblin at best..."
Jun ignored Braden's comment from the side.
"Colton. Over here."
"Oh...?"
But upon spotting Jun and the group, Colton's face twisted strangely, his hand drifting to his sword hilt.
"Ah."
Right—he'd been maintaining the illusion magic the whole way here.
As he dispelled it, Colton finally recognized them.
"Uwahaha! How'd you pick up a trick like that? Looks mighty useful!"
"Long time."
"Yeah, been a while. Can't tell you how surprised I was to get the summons."
"Looks like he can't even see his teacher right in front of him."
"Heh, good to see the old fogey's still kicking."
"Fancy a spar since it's been so long?"
"Whoa there. Wouldn't want to strain that bad back of yours."
Once the boisterous reunion settled down, the conversation turned to the main topic.
"So, you want to upgrade to a mercenary band and bring us in as part of it?"
"That's right. The contract details are here."
"Hm... The contract matters, sure. But I've got one question."
"What?"
Colton stroked his scruffy beard, his expression turning serious in contrast to his earlier levity.
"Just curious why you called us specifically. With your reputation, you could've gathered better talent without us."
It wasn't wrong.
This wasn't Jun's personal corps; it was a contractual relationship.
It wouldn't provide much in terms of trust.
If judging purely by reputation, fame, and skill, superior corps to Colton's were easy to find.
Still, Jun had chosen Colton for a different reason.
"At least you never treated your corps members like expendables."
"...So, you picked us because I seem like a nice guy?"
"Less that, and more because I have a specific direction in mind, Colton. From what I've seen, you prioritize teamwork over pure combat prowess."
"Mm. Fair point."
Colton's corps had roamed the lower layers for years, but few moved as strategically as they did.
There were stronger corps or larger ones by numbers, yet he'd chosen Colton because...
"It's to elevate our mercenary band's brand value."
"Brand? Value?"
"I'm planning to establish a basic combat academy under our mercenary band's name. Here in Black Forest Fortress."
"...You don't mean put me there?"
"Exactly. You have a knack for teaching."
Jun hadn't called Colton just to grind dungeons in circles.
'If that was the goal, plenty of others would've sufficed.'
What Jun wanted now was an elite force of sorts.
Securing ownership of various dungeons from layer 1 to 2, then deploying subordinate corps each season for steady revenue.
That was the future Jun envisioned.
Naturally, it required talent to match.
And Colton fit the bill.
"You'll teach your comrades' teamwork skills, and send your students to the dungeons I take over."
"Heh..."
Colton, who hadn't expected things to scale this big, was left speechless.
"Of course, as an instructor, you won't be shortchanged. You'll get a cut of the pure profits from those you train."
"...Meaning income grows over time?"
"Precisely."
"Conditions like that?"
Even Braden perked up at the offer.
"I'd take it myself if I could."
"If a brute like you taught, the students would all run away."
"What? Then how about the arena..."
Braden glared, but Colton cut in with his answer.
"Sounds good! I'll run it by my idiots."
"Take your time convincing them. We'll roll it out gradually starting this season."
As Colton stepped out, Braden turned to Jun.
"Didn't peg you for the ambitious type."
"Not sure what you mean."
Jun replied that way, but he thought Braden was sharper than expected.
In truth, Jun was looking far ahead.
"Big money usually flows through the upper layers. But that's because they have noble or mega-guild backing."
"..."
"They grow fast but hit ceilings eventually. Gotta watch their sponsors' moods."
Jun, however, was different.
He had solid backing from the Gilenoi Merchant Guild, but they were more partners than patrons.
"You're building from the lower layers up, using that foundation to climb. Clever."
"Think what you like."
"Haha! Mages are scary for a reason."
Jun had no intention of spelling out his full plan to Braden.
That would require explaining the reasons too.
'It's changed a lot, but ultimately, the Church of the Celestial Heavens will shake the surface world.'
No matter how much Jun disrupted their plans, the main thread remained unaltered.
It might be delayed or less refined, but Jun foresaw their bomb detonating regardless.
'The surface powers will crumble first.'
Thus, Jun aimed to wean off surface economic dependence and root firmly in Blackout.
Colton's basic combat academy would be the first step.
"But focusing solely on that will slow you down. It won't wrap up overnight. With your growth rate, why not aim higher?"
"I was planning to address that too."
"Hm?"
Jun's gaze had shifted to the guild counter.
There stood...
"You're here, Joseph."
"Alive and well, as the rumors say, mage."
"Hello, mage."
"Ah! You're really safe, mage!"
The retired soldier Joseph and his Jinrang Tribe twins had arrived.
If layers 1 and 2 would base around Colton's basic combat academy...
Then layers 3, 4, and even 5 would collaborate with the retired soldier Joseph.
"Impressive. So that's your vision."
Joseph nodded after hearing a brief rundown of Colton's academy and future plans.
"Not bad at all. Rooting in the lowers and climbing slowly. Stable approach."
"So, you'll contract with our mercenary band?"
"We will. But one thing to note."
Jun handed over the contract and asked.
"What?"
"Some of the people I wanted to call had issues. Might take time for them to join fully."
"Makes sense, given your military background. And we can't absorb everyone at once anyway. Take your time."
Joseph nodded in relief.
"That works then."
After reading and signing, Jun passed the copy to Braden.
"Alright! You're officially the White Whale Mercenary Band now. Congratulations on the promotion."
"Thank you."
With the major tasks done, Jun suggested a meal to celebrate the mergers.
"Some of the folks for layers 1 and 2 are around. How about calling them too and getting faces familiar?"
"Sounds good."
"I'm in!"
"Familiarity will help down the line."
Jun gathered Colton's corps as well.
A lively meal ensued after so long, with everyone swapping stories of their times with Jun.
As the raucous little party wound down, Jun, a bit tipsy for once, stepped out to the terrace.
"Whew..."
The tavern's second-floor terrace.
Jun closed his eyes, gazing at the distant Black Forest landscape.
"Hard to believe it's only been a year to get here."
The same time last year.
The same view stirred different emotions now.
No Colton balancing a glass on his nose with lower-layer tricks back then.
No Luke roaring with laughter alongside the Blade Eagle Mercenary Corps watching him.
No Lucy barely stifling her amusement.
Joseph, arm-wrestling Blade Eagle mercenaries, had been a criminal.
No Eleanor chugging with Maya arm-in-arm, no Maya eyeing her in dismay.
No Aiden quietly approaching with a glass.
"Senior. What're you doing out here?"
"Just... moon-gazing."
"Haha... It's been so lively after so long. Feels strange."
"Yeah."
Aiden stared into his glass, perhaps recalling the same operation time, at his reflection.
"I hope every day could be like this."
"Heh, me too."
"But it won't be easy."
"In this world, you need strength to protect even the everyday."
Like the difference between last year's frail self and now.
Ironically, to attain peace here meant staking your life forward.
"How strong can our mercenary band get?"
"...As strong as it takes to reach the future we want."
As their brief talk ended, an owl sliced through the night sky and perched on the terrace railing, letter in beak.
"Whoa, senior. The owl's brought a letter."
"..."
As Aiden said, Jun took the letter from the owl's beak, his eyes sharpening.
Premium stationery stamped with an eagle crest.
A letter from Count Mordenaen.