119. Mine 1
North of Plentel Castle lay one of the Grander family's key strongholds: the crimson fortress known as Redport. It resembled a fusion of castle and citadel, its towering walls built from red sandstone. At sunset, the entire structure bathed in an intense red glow, a sight so picturesque it was said to resemble a painting.
But change had come to that place.
Instead of the red banners symbolizing the Red Guard, black flags emblazoned with the Black Wolf emblem now flew proudly atop the walls.
Bin, clad in his black uniform, scanned the surroundings from the battlements.
I'll claim the rest of their key bases next.
A few days earlier, the Bascon family had repelled a Grander ambush. The enemy had suffered heavy losses—countless soldiers and officers sacrificed, even their chimeras destroyed. The damage was catastrophic, forcing the Grander family to take time to regroup.
The Bascons, however, weren't about to sit idle.
Seizing the opportunity, the Black Wolf Unit's 7th Company had occupied the Grander fortress.
There was one simple reason the Bascons had targeted Redport: the mine within its walls. A vast network teeming with gold veins. Controlling this fortress meant controlling immense wealth—and with wealth came power, bolstering their military strength as well.
Thus, Bin had been dispatched to hold the fort on his family's orders.
Codic, dangling from Bin's belt, grinned so widely his cheekbones nearly floated off his skull as he gazed at his lord, who might as well have been the new castle lord.
"As expected of my lord! You've finally achieved that domestic bliss you worked so hard for! Now settle down here with a sturdy Minotaur wife and spawn some toad-like brats. Live happily ever after until your flesh-and-blood skin turns as white as bone..."
Codic's ramblings cut off abruptly. Bin's hand had clamped over the skull's mouth. He'd deemed the rest unworthy of hearing.
"Hoo..."
Bin sighed at the antics of his decidedly unhinged cranium companion, then glanced around thoughtfully.
"That said, they should be here by now."
As he spoke, peering intently into the distance—
Thud-thud-thud. Thud-thud-thud.
Footsteps pounded toward him.
"Hah... hah..."
The man gasped for breath, then spotted Bin and blurted out in desperation.
"C-Captain...!"
His voice trembled. The knight's face was as pale as if he'd seen a ghost.
Bin noticed and softened his tone. "Calm down. Tell me slowly."
"C-Captain Hite... he got hit in the mine."
"..."
Bin's eyes narrowed at the report.
Hite, taken down...?
Now a 3rd-class knight, Hite had been left in charge after the Grander forces fled Redport. Who could have bested him? Bin pondered deeply—until the puzzled knight spoke up again.
"Something weird at the mine entrance... it's turning people to stone!"
Bin's gaze sharpened once more.
Stone...? Don't tell me...
* * *
Moments later, alluring purple ore caught their eyes amid the mountainside. Amethysts studded the walls, while a gray haze shrouded the mine entrance. This ominous place was dubbed the "Cursed Mine" for good reason—miners who dug here often turned up as corpses the next day. It had later been revealed as a ploy by rival powers desperate to claim the ore.
Thud. Thud.
Bin and a handful of knights approached the cursed mine. The gray entrance loomed ahead—but it was no ordinary portal.
At its center, a woman with countless snake heads fused into the rock scanned her surroundings.
Swish. Swish.
The knights stammered at the grotesque sight.
"Th-That's a Medusa?!"
"Way grosser than I imagined..."
Her "hair" writhed with snakes flicking their tongues.
Sssslither. Sssslither.
"..."
The knights winced. Bin's eyes narrowed.
A Medusa...
A 1st-grade monster. Not overwhelmingly combative, but its ability was profoundly threatening: petrifying anyone who met its gaze. That danger alone classified it as top-tier.
Legend said the Medusa was once a stunning beauty with enchanting locks and seductive eyes—until a god's curse twisted her hair into serpents and her gaze into a weapon of stone.
To guard their fortune, Helden Grander had consulted the black smiths and fused the Medusa into the mine entrance.
Bin's eyes then fell on another horror: statues of 7th Company knights—and Hite himself.
A monster that turns viewers to stone...
Even a 1st-class knight would hesitate. Helden had exploited that perfectly.
Staring at the Medusa's unnatural head, Bin was convinced: it was plenty threatening.
As a clever idea dawned on him—
Swish.
The Medusa turned toward their group, her distant gaze locking on Bin.
Enchanted knights stepped forward.
Thud. Thud.
"...I'll rescue them right now."
The knight's face was entranced, lost in her hypnotic eyes. He didn't just walk—he broke into a sprint.
Thud-thud-thud...
His eyes reflected only her allure.
Then—
Shhhwick.
He turned to gray stone mid-stride.
Crunch. Crunch.
The watching knights muttered in horror.
"Hey...!"
Thud-thud.
One rushed forward, hand outstretched—but it was too late. He touched only cold stone.
"Damn... another victim."
The knights recoiled in panic.
Tap. Tap.
Startled, Codic whispered to Bin.
Swish.
"My lord, this is no joke. We could get turned to stone if we're not careful..."
Before Codic finished, Bin's eyes gleamed with resolve.
And—
Swish.
With his half-shattered Luminare, he sliced off his uniform sleeve. Raising the long strip to eye level, he blindfolded himself.
Blind, he advanced.
Thud-thud.
As Bin approached the Medusa, panicked Codic spewed black magi. Shoulders and arms sprouted from his body, grabbing Bin's arm.
"M-My lord... this is too risky! Let's devise another plan..."
Codic's voice was frantic. A 1st-grade monster—even Bin blindfolded with a broken sword? Disaster waiting to happen.
The knights agreed.
"C-Captain...!"
"N-No! You could turn to stone...!"
Veins bulged in their necks. If Bin fell too, they were lost.
"C-Captain..."
Their pleas dripped with desperation. Yet Bin strode forward confidently, Luminare in hand.
Thud. Thud.
Growing closer to the embedded Medusa—
"Hiiiissssss."
Snakes erupted from her head, lunging at Bin.
Swish.
They closed to within inches. Codic yelped.
"M-My lord...!!"
Despite the cries, Bin remained serene, like meditating under a waterfall. In the darkness, he recalled someone: the blind Taia deputy lord, Enderlin.
Even without sight, mana sensing is enough.
Bin exhaled deeply.
Blind, he felt approaching auras more keenly than ever. White mists converged in the void.
His lips curved.
I'll carve you up one by one.
The snakes bared hooked fangs at his throat.
The knights screamed.
"Captain!!"
Terror gripped them—visions of snakes sinking into his neck.
But then—
Swish.
Luminare slashed. The lead snake's head tumbled.
Thud.
"...!"
The knights gaped. A fluke, perhaps. Tension held.
More snakes surged.
Then the impossible: Bin severed them in perfect sequence.
Swish. Swish. Swish...
A knight stammered in awe. "H-How...?"
"M-My eyes aren't playing tricks, right...?"
His comrade nodded blankly.
Nod. Nod.
Swish. Swish. Swish.
Blindfolded or not, Bin swung as fluidly as ever.
Codic whirled 180 degrees, berating the knights. "You vermin dare doubt my lord? What did I tell you! Clack! Clack!"
The assault didn't relent.
Shhh. Swish...
Thud. Thud...
Bin pressed forward, slicing steadily.
Hiss. Hiss...
The Medusa scowled.
How is he swinging like that blind...?
Panicked—she'd never seen a human wield a sword so freely without sight. Her power neutralized.
Bin turned his head toward her and extended his left hand.
Dark Sphere.
A black vortex erupted from his palm, hurtling at the Medusa.
Her body yanked forward. Eyes wide.
My body's... being pulled...!
Unable to resist, she tore free of the entrance and flew toward him. Thrashing futilely.
Then—
Thud.
She collapsed before him. Sensing it, Bin swung Luminare horizontally.
Swish—Shluck!
A slicing screech rang out. Blood fountained as her head spun clockwise through the air, black ichor spraying.
The 7th Company's knights' eyes bulged in awe at Bin's miraculous prowess.
"...!"