Chapter 6
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Mercenary Captain Jun
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Aiden paced back and forth in front of the Starving Wolf for quite a while.
"I wonder when he'll show up..."
He wouldn't stand me up, would he?
Such ominous thoughts flitted through his mind for only a moment.
Before long, Jun's voice rang out.
"Kept you waiting?"
"Ah, no, sir!"
"Good. Let's head in."
Once inside the tavern, they found it unusually quiet compared to normal.
The failed subjugation of the Black Forest had thinned the ranks of mercenaries in a big way.
Of course, it would soon be bustling with noise again.
They ordered a few dishes and took their seats, naturally slipping into talk of the recent operation.
"Did you foresee that this mission would fail, sir?"
"I wasn't certain, but I had a feeling it might."
"How could you tell?"
"First off, there were the rumors floating around lately."
"Rumors? Ah... I did hear that the goblin numbers had swelled quite a bit."
"Exactly. And the mercenaries' survival rates had dropped sharply too. Something unusual was clearly brewing in the Black Forest."
"Whoa."
"The second reason? I heard from the captain who the commander was."
"The commander... You mean the fresh graduate from the academy? Even so, I figured someone from the Imperial Military Academy would be reliable enough."
"Still a greenhorn."
Jun wasn't dismissing the academy or anything.
They were prodigies who had clawed through insane competition to enroll, nurtured with support beyond what Jun could even imagine these days—true elites.
In fact, word was that the main force under the commander's direct lead had returned to the fortress with minimal losses.
"I'm not talking about a rookie's lack of experience. A commander fresh out of the Imperial Military Academy wouldn't show up in Blackout without some smarts. What I saw was his track record."
"His track record?"
Blackout.
The abyss nestled beneath the empire that had unified humanity.
Upon discovering Blackout deep underground, the Imperial Family had poured efforts into conquering it for quite some time.
In the game's lore, it was something like centuries?
An truly immense span.
Which meant an elite academy graduate surely knew all about it.
If anything, for his debut operation, he would've poured his heart into it.
"The commander probably gathered intel from the rumors too. Did his own scouting, even. But allocating the budget? That's a whole different story."
To put it simply, it was like office politics.
No matter how stellar a new hire's training scores, their pet project wouldn't get flooded with resources.
No matter how brilliant the plan, without the funding to back it up, it was dead in the water.
"A rookie commander has no track record to lean on. You think he could've demanded a hefty budget from the higher-ups just to mop up some goblins?"
"Ah..."
"That's why the op was doomed from the start. The commander didn't underestimate Blackout—the pencil-pushers up top did, staring at reports and numbers."
Of course, the commander's leadership had its flaws too.
A more organized push might've avoided such a humiliating wipe.
"A perfect storm of bad luck all around."
"Impressive... You saw that far ahead."
"Anyone could've pieced it together by listening closely."
Jun waved it off like it was nothing, but Aiden knew just how sharp the man's insight was.
That's why I stuck with him.
Back when he was just a porter.
Aiden had the physical gifts of imperial blood, brimming with confidence that he'd soon join the main party.
Yet he treated Jun with utmost respect, because he recognized the man's true worth.
True to his imperial training, Aiden understood the value of talent.
Magic aside, he didn't belong slumming it as a low-rank mercenary.
A frail guy who flinched at stray branches and panted after a short walk.
Yet he was encyclopedic, wise enough to apply that knowledge practically.
"My turn to ask. Why follow me?"
That's why Aiden answered without hesitation.
"I think I'll survive longer sticking with you, sir."
"Straight to the point, huh."
Aiden didn't buy that the strong always survived, or that survivors got strong.
But he knew survival was the path to strength.
At least with this guy I've watched...
Maybe he could make it in Blackout, the empire's abyss.
That was why Aiden chose to follow Jun.
The talk with Aiden wrapped up sooner than expected.
Jun had hit his physical limit.
I really pushed it.
As a mage, stamina penalties were unavoidable.
That's why the other mercs mocked his exhausted state after every job—but Jun was the one still standing.
"Haa... I'm beat."
Back at the lodging, Jun eyed the mercenary tag in his hand, etched with a copper ring.
It had belonged to the Mercenary Captain.
"Still can't believe the old man went out like that."
Sure, the guy sneered at him as a "junior mage" and only crawled back when he needed help.
But he wasn't total trash.
Decent skills too—he seemed like he'd last a good while.
Too bad he chased bigger dreams right into Blackout.
"Which got me here, I guess..."
Death had lost its sting.
Even as he shrugged off traumas that'd haunt soldiers for life, Jun's face stayed serene.
Thanks to the [Steadfast Heart] skill.
"What a dutiful skill."
It had guzzled a whopping 7 points.
He'd picked it to boost mental fortitude, but it shone in unexpected ways.
This skill deserved much of the credit for his survival so far.
"Anyway, Captain. I'll put this to good use."
A brief prayer for the departed.
"Aiden... Aiden, huh."
At first, just a solid warrior.
But imperial blood? Beyond solid.
Trouble would follow him, sure—but Aiden was still prime party material.
Reliable allies were essential to surviving Blackout.
"...Now, how to play these cards."
His body screamed exhaustion, but his mind raced.
"Yeah... Time to get serious."
A whole year scraping by as a junior mage, despite his legendary [Demon God Body] skill.
Jun reflected on that year, just for a second.
Mention "mage," and folks picture some famous novel adaptation: pristine white robes, long staff, standing alone against a demon horde.
Dishing sage advice to the heroes.
But Blackout's mages? Miles from that noble image.
Sure, maybe one exists somewhere...
But not my master.
When Jun first awoke here, he already had a master.
A guy he ended up apprenticed to by chance, who taught him plenty about this world.
"One truth for you: No one's perfectly trustworthy."
Said the master, eyeing his [Demon God Body]-possessing disciple's heart.
After twists and turns, Jun escaped his clutches... but the world was just as ruthless.
Game knowledge barely kept him afloat.
It took a full year to adapt.
"Still, it bought me time to prepare."
Conditions met now. No more hiding.
Three days later.
"Yaaawn."
He woke to the sun high overhead.
"Whew. Been ages since I slept in like this."
The past few months? Nonstop grind.
Joining the corps as a junior mage meant packed schedules, no days off.
"Kinda empty without 'em, though."
His mocking comrades. Hate the player, love the game?
Their faces popped up.
Especially Popkin's, defenseless in [Sleep].
"...Surviving by ditching everyone, and here I am feeling sentimental. Luxury I don't deserve."
But unavoidable.
Corps rules were brutal.
In just a year, loose lips nearly got him killed more than once.
Jun had learned the hard way: pick your moments.
"Enough reminiscing."
Three days of eating and sleeping had mended his battered body from the ordeal and overheat.
Jun checked the time as he rose.
"Time to go. Hope Aiden hasn't changed his mind."
Snagging a frontline fighter that skilled early-game? Tough.
Not aura-level, but mana-body enhancement was mid-tier at best.
Finding one reliable? Near impossible.
In that sense, Aiden's a cheat code.
Jun didn't trust him to the bone, but a month's observation pegged him as trustworthy enough.
He'd shown integrity in the game too.
Right on time at the Starving Wolf, there leaned Aiden against a pillar.
Like a retriever waiting for its owner.
His ragged look evoked an abandoned pet.
"Ah, sir!"
Aiden lit up and approached.
Inside, the place thrummed with more patrons than three days prior.
They ordered food and drinks, chatted idly till it arrived, then Jun got down to business.
"I'm starting a mercenary corps."
"You leading it yourself, sir?"
"Yeah."
"Sounds solid."
"..."
"Something wrong?"
"Nah, bit weird to ask, but... I've always sensed this huge trust from you."
"Ah..."
Faith like that? Unheard of, even back on Earth.
Appreciated, but blind devotion felt off.
Yet Aiden gave a wry smile.
"After leaving the palace, I saw the world ain't kind."
Fair enough.
Even a plain salaryman like Jun had faced nonstop threats adapting here.
"You were the first, sir. Showing me consistent kindness out here, no strings."
"Not entirely no-strings."
Jun wasn't a philanthropist handing out favors gratis.
Cultivating friendly contacts aids survival.
But Aiden shook his head.
"I know you had reasons to treat me well. But what've I done for you in return?"
"Saying it like that... Thanks, but... ngh."
Memories of debating whether to mercy-kill the fainted Aiden in the forest stirred guilt.
He'd escaped thanks to Aiden too.
Solo? Dicey.
"Gilding the lily here. Got nothing to say."
Clearing his throat, Jun shifted to plans.
"First, absorb a corps. Register the White Whale Mercenary Corps under my name."
"Can you switch ownership that easy?"
"Good question. Normally? No. But..."
He pulled out the tag, copper-ringed centerpiece marking the owner.
"With a few boxes checked, it's doable."
"Boxes?"
"Yep. Three, specifically."
Popping the last bites, Jun grinned.
"Money, a dash of skill. And a touch of circumstance."
"Transferring corps ownership? Eh, not too tough."
The guild counter clerk fondled the gold alongside the tag.
"But conditions apply."
"Skill?"
"And headcount. Minimum three."
"Skill, huh."
Jun quietly channeled mana.
"This enough?"
Whoosh!
Flames erupted over his hand, lighting the guild bright in a blink.
"A mage? And that cast speed, output..."
The clerk nodded briskly.
"Plenty. Mage Tower affiliate?"
He jangled some gold temptingly, but Jun declined.
Looked like info brokers, but Jun wasn't risking exposure to save a few coins.
"Pass."
"Pity. Headcount? One short for registration."
Jun slid more gold over.
"He's out. Register the name first: Cheolsu."
"Charles? Done. Keeping the White Whale name?"
"Yep."
"Alright. White Whale Mercenary Corps is yours now."
Jun pocketed the new tag and left with Aiden.
Aiden whistled.
"That easy?"
"Money talks in this world. Stings losing 600K gold, though."
Savings vaporized.
Gut punch, but earning more? Simple enough ahead.
"That's how it spins. Not as complicated as you think. Blackout's always short-staffed—no nitpicking like topside. That's my third condition: circumstance."
"Got it..."
"Now we're officially running a corps."
"Sir... That Charles guy?"
Originally Cheolsu, but Jun didn't correct. He just looked faintly nostalgic.
"Exists. Eternal friend to Korea's students."
"Korea?"
Mage Tower name he'd dodged earlier?
"Anyway, let's move. Time to grab a job."
Mercs take jobs three ways.
One: guild postings.
Jun skipped it.
"Guild jobs safest, no?"
"Safest, yeah."
Posters vetted clients usually.
Key detail: gauge risk by rep, low rip-off rates.
"But drawbacks. Can't chase big scores."
Clients demand fitting skills; White Whale looked weak on paper.
Low-pay grunt work only.
"So, option two. Three's out—forcing fortress defense drafts."
"Option two..."
"We hunt clients ourselves."
"Ourselves?"
"Yep."
"With just us two... decent gigs?"
"Leave that to your captain. Trust me."
"Got it."
They arrived at a merchant guild.
"Gilenoi Merchant Guild?"
"Bingo. Got a budding broker to hook us up."