Chapter 206
Chapter 206
Translation: godtl
Moscow, the capital of Russia.
The world's fourth largest city and the most populous city in Europe was bustling.
"Alright, alright! Form orderly lines!"
"Is the arena this way?"
"Hey! No cutting in line! Unless you want me to beat you up!"
"With those bean-sized fists? Try it, you bastard!"
Spectators and locals gathered to watch the Guild War.
"Try some blini! Russia's most popular snack!"
"Shaurma for sale!"
"Freshly baked pirozhki! You can choose the filling to suit your taste!"
Merchants selling everything from food to miscellaneous goods had flocked to the scene.
For the first time since the Olympics, the city was teeming with crowds.
And.
Overlooking this entire spectacle from Moscow's tallest cluster of skyscrapers.
On the top floor of the International Business Center's One Tower.
"Hmm......"
A man befitting the prestige of this floor.
"Black Dragon Lady. Don't you think this request is going too far?"
Sergei, Russia's representative to the World Federation, frowned with visible discomfort.
And rightly so.
"As you requested, I ensured the Yggdrasil Guild participated as Korea's representative instead of the Seongsam Guild. Not that I'm bragging, but I must say it was no easy feat."
All because of a request from a woman called the Black Dragon Lady.
Her jet-black hair and eyes were so dark they seemed to absorb light.
She, too, seemed well aware of Sergei's dissatisfaction.
"Of course."
She nodded slowly in response.
"The Seongsam Guild is undeniably Korea's largest guild. I'm well aware of how much effort it took to invite the Yggdrasil Guild instead, aren't I?"
The Yggdrasil Guild, also known as the Sword Saint's guild.
With members like the Sword Saint, the Saintess, and the Night Hunter.
Along with its rising stars and growth buffs that skyrocketed its fame.
But she knew full well that the guild was fundamentally too small to be considered a proper organization.
Thus, to have the Yggdrasil Guild participate as Korea's representative.
"Do you have any idea how much I had to invest to persuade the federation representatives?"
"Naturally."
From justifying the purpose and legitimacy to lobbying.
She knew very well how much had to be invested.
"I'm also aware that, because of my request, you had to bow your head even to the American representative you despise so much."
The Black Dragon Lady smiled as if she knew everything.
Sergei's expression twisted further.
"If you know all that, how can you make another request like this? Your words and actions don't match."
"My, my. Representative Sergei. Don't be so upset. Haven't we shared a bond all this time?"
Dressed in a luxurious cheongsam embroidered with red patterns.
The Black Dragon Lady, whose pale thighs peeked through the slit, took a seductive step toward him with an enchanting smile.
Sergei's face momentarily slackened, but that was all.
"During the Yggdrasil Guild's growth buff incident, didn't you betray our esteemed Representative Wei? Considering that, I think this much is a fair request, don't you?"
"Th-that was—!"
At her words, his face instantly paled.
One.
Glancing at the group seated behind him, he bit his lip hard and shouted.
"It was unavoidable! If I hadn't agreed then, even I would have been in danger!"
"I'm not blaming you for that."
But the Black Dragon Lady didn't even blink.
"Everyone values their own life. It's just that betrayal is still betrayal, so we're asking you to show sincerity in mending our relationship."
Instead, she responded with a sly smile.
At that.
"Nonsense! Inviting the Yggdrasil Guild was already more than enough sincerity!"
Sergei raised his voice even higher, arguing vehemently.
And rightly so.
No matter how influential a World Federation representative might be, his position was ultimately backed by Russia's top guild.
Yet interfering further in the Arena event, where the world's strongest guilds participated.
"Any more meddling could jeopardize my position!"
For an individual to keep interfering was an extremely dangerous move.
As Sergei seethed with agitation, the corners of his mouth.
"And let me tell you."
Suddenly curled upward.
"Wasn't it Representative Wei who proposed that agenda? Doesn't that mean it was the Continent Guild's will......"
A sneer spread across his face in an instant.
"Given that this mess was caused by your side's mistake in the first place, shouldn't you be grateful I'm helping at all? You're hardly in a position to lecture me about sincerity, are you?"
The woman with jet-black hair scoffed at Sergei's sneer.
"Haah......"
The Black Dragon Lady let out a deep sigh and swept her bangs aside.
"I can't deny that. It was truly a foolish move."
At her words—
"Ahem! But."
Sergei gulped audibly and spoke blatantly.
"Given our past relations with your side... if you offer me a price worth the risk, I might... consider it."
His gaze roamed over her entire body as he uttered those words in a suggestive tone.
The Black Dragon Lady, reading the lust in his eyes,
"Honestly, how does this bastard's charm work across all species?"
let out a dry chuckle and crossed her arms.
To an outsider, it might have looked like she was deliberately accentuating her chest.
But those who knew her
would have tensed up immediately at the eerie killing intent radiating from her fingers as she tapped her elbow.
Yet before she could make a move—
"Ha! Unbelievable."
The robed figure standing behind the Black Dragon Lady—
judging by the voice, likely a woman—let out a short, derisive snort.
Before Sergei could even voice his displeasure—
"Gyaaah—!"
His body, which had been leering at the Black Dragon Lady, was sent flying through the air.
THUD!
And slammed into the wall behind him.
"......"
"......"
A brief silence hung in the opulent room.
Then—
"You bitch!"
"Continent Guild! Have you finally lost your minds?!"
"How dare you lay hands on Russia's representative!"
The group standing behind Sergei—
members of the Tsar Guild, Russia's top guild—drew their weapons one after another, exuding thick killing intent.
Each of them was at least a top-tier Diamond—
or perhaps even Rankers?
WHOOSH—!
Their killing intent instantly filled the space, spreading throughout the room.
The sheer force of it made parts of the room tremble like an oasis in the desert.
For an ordinary person, it would have been suffocating—
"Honestly."
The Black Dragon Lady shook her head calmly and turned to the robed woman, the cause of this mess.
"I told you not to interfere, no matter what happens."
"Even if it's your request, Defina, this was too much to endure."
Was the robed woman unaffected by the killing intent?
"Not even a top-tier species, just some human male... How dare such filth direct his disgusting mating advances at you?"
The robed woman didn't even glance at the Tsar Guild members—
her gaze fixed solely on the Black Dragon Lady.
"Oh my, are you saying what Sergei just did was a mating advance?"
"If not that, then what?"
"Hmm... How should I put it? Just... primitive lust, perhaps?"
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Ohohoho! The concepts are a bit different. Many don't burn with lust solely for reproduction, you know?"
Defina laughed in a high-pitched tone.
At her words, the robed woman glanced irritably at Sergei, who was convulsing on the floor.
"I don't understand. If not for reproduction, why waste emotions on lust?"
"That's... sigh. No offense, but this is exactly why I think I understand why you've remained single all the way to becoming an Ancient, Lady Etra."
"Hmph. A mere mate. Seeking one in the first place is proof of one's own weakness."
The robed woman scoffed.
Defina's lips twitched at Etra's solemn words, but she said nothing more.
No wonder she hasn't met a single male Dragonkin, let alone a Dragon, in over ten thousand years.
Remembering that the other was an Ancient Dragon, she barely swallowed the words rising in her throat.
And even amidst the suffocating killing intent—
"Y-you bastards!"
"How dare you ignore us?!"
The Tsar Guild members, enraged by the two women's casual conversation,
"Damn bitches!"
"We'll tear you limb from limb!"
WHOOM—
Their weapons, clad in the Diamond-tier's ferocious Aura—
and Sword Qi, surged as they charged forward.
Or rather—
"You insect-like vermin dare—"
they tried to charge.
Before an overwhelming, intangible force—
CRRRRRUNCH—!
crushed them into the ground.
THUD!
THUMP!
The charging Tsar Guild members simultaneously dropped to their knees.
They couldn't even scream—
"I let you stay quiet, and you trash thought you could act all high and mighty?"
The terrifying pressure tore away the woman's robe.
They could only stare at her eyes, slit vertically like a reptile's.
Then—
"G-g-gak!"
A strangled gasp came from behind the guild members of Tsar.
It was Sergei, now writhing on the floor.
White foam bubbled at his mouth.
"Lady Etra? Could you withdraw your aura, please? He might die at this rate."
The Black Dragon Lady, Defina, glanced sideways at Etra, whose green hair fluttered wildly.
"Tch."
Etra clicked her tongue briefly.
"Must I really bother myself over mere insects...?"
She withdrew the oppressive aura filling the room.
Then—
"Kuh—! Haaak!"
"Ghh—!"
As if their airways had cleared—
The kneeling Tsar guild members collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath.
Defina strode gracefully through them.
"Recovery."
Huum.
A faint green light emanated from her outstretched hand toward Sergei, who was barely breathing.
"Haaah! Hah—!"
Sergei's condition rapidly stabilized.
Soon—
"T-this is...!"
He staggered to his feet, trembling as he stared at Defina.
She smiled bewitchingly.
"Since I've saved your life, I trust you'll show appropriate sincerity in return... don't you?"
"O-of course!!"
Sergei nodded so violently his neck might have snapped.
Defina's crimson lips curled in satisfaction.
"Hehe. Then, regarding Tsar's Platinum Division participants..."
She shot a sidelong glance at Etra, whose face was twisted in displeasure.
"You must ensure our promising candidate attends. Ah, and don't worry about his capabilities."
She winked.
[Ah! Valtenberg is dominating the match! Truly formidable!]
[Of course! Leoni Wolf of the Combat Class and Faust Valtenberg of the Magic Class! The combination of these two top prospects is perfection itself!]
[Indeed! A Combat-Magic duo is the most fundamental synergy!]
Michael and Jonathan's excited commentary boomed over the Guild War broadcast.
Watching the screen, a delicate beauty spoke.
"Oppa. Are you really sure about this?"
Lee Yu-jeong turned to Si-mun with uneasy eyes.
Her concern wasn't unfounded.
The ongoing Platinum Division Guild War match—
"Winning a Guild War with just two people will be incredibly difficult..."
This wasn't an Arena where such a feat could be easily accomplished.
One.
"Yu-jeong. Don't you trust Lord Si-mun?"
Beside her, the Night Hunter—Park Jin-uk—asked with an expression that said she was worrying over nothing.
"Senior. You know that's not what I meant."
Yu-jeong immediately shook her head.
"You're aware Guild Wars are on a completely different level from Platinum Debut Matches or National Tournaments, right?"
Even the National Tournament, which selected national team members, was considered a step below Guild Wars.
Naturally.
"Well, true. When guildmates fight together, their teamwork is on another level. And the qualifying rounds are brutal too."
Whether in Platinum Debut Matches or National Tournaments—
Players from different guilds were often selected, and regardless of individual specs, basic teamwork was sorely lacking.
In fact, for the National Tournament, selected players even underwent—
Boot camp training afterward, didn't they?
Nodding, Jin-uk patted Yu-jeong's shoulder.
"But this is Lord Si-mun we're talking about. Hell, even I wouldn't dare guarantee my own victory against him. You think he'd actually lose?"
"Losing isn't the issue. It's the pain feedback. Guild Wars enforce 100% pain sensitivity like minor regulations, you know?"
Unlike regular Arenas—
Guild Wars replicated real-world pain sensitivity, just like life-or-death minor regulations.
Because of this—
"Some people even suffer aftereffects! What if those two experience something like that?!"
The resulting trauma—
In extreme cases, some even died from shock.
Given the variety of strategic battles, the levels of agony inflicted were equally diverse.
Perhaps imagining the worst-case scenario—
Crunch!
The remote in Yu-jeong's hand shattered as if crushed by a compressor.
Jin-uk flinched and averted his gaze.
"Yu-jeong, don't worry so much."
Si-mun smiled gently, soothing his worried younger sibling.
"I'm confident I can win against any guild. And you know this too—a guild war only holds meaning if you secure at least one victory."
Moreover—
'There's no way I can pass up the guild war rewards.'
The rewards from the guild war.
Unlike those who participated merely to elevate their guild's prestige, the benefits that freely enhanced guild-related stats were—
'Just think of the Achievement Points I'd save.'
To Si-mun, it was an absolute must for his meticulous achievement point savings.
Thus, securing at least one victory to claim the reward was non-negotiable.
Yu-jeong responded with a face still clouded by unease.
"I know that, but..."
"Most importantly, as Platinum-tier players, our odds of securing at least one win are higher in many ways. That's why I didn't bring Si-hyeok this time."
At Si-mun's reassurance—
"...Right."
Yu-jeong nodded weakly.
Kim Si-hyeok and Lee Yu-jeong—the two most popular rankers in Korea.
Even after reaching ranker status, their momentum showed no signs of slowing, placing them among the world's elite.
And Park Jin-uk, the Night Hunter, was a top-tier Diamond name in his own right—but that was it.
"I'm not underestimating you, Si-hyeok, or Jin-uk. But no matter how strong the three of you are, winning the main guild war is impossible."
Victory in the main guild war with just three people was unthinkable.
For one, they were outnumbered in terms of guild members alone.
"Excluding those borrowing growth buffs, we only have two rankers on our side."
The most crucial factor—the number of rankers—was already a disadvantage.
No matter the gap in strength between rankers, a ranker was still a ranker.
In a one-on-one, it might be different, but—
In a battle of one against many, the odds were inevitably stacked against them.
Which was why—
"It's more realistic for me and Mal-suk to secure the wins."
Rather than relying on monsters like rankers—
The Platinum Division, with Si-mun who had already surpassed the current Platinum tier, had a far better chance of claiming victory.
"Right. Just trust this guy and me. You can take it easy, surrender when needed, and rest."
Even Go Mal-suk, who had been silent until now, chimed in.
"Yeah, I'll trust you both."
Only then did Yu-jeong manage a faint smile and nod.
Just then—
"The Platinum Division match at Simdrasil will begin shortly! Competitors, please prepare!"
An official announced the start of the guild war.
Whoooosh.
A chilly wind blew.
[Welcome to the Guild War.]
[The mode is 'Defense,' and the location is 'Night Shade Spider Nest.']
[Defend the target area for the duration or eliminate all enemies.]
[Time remaining: 29:59]
Messages scrolled into view one after another.
"Night Shade Spider Nest, huh..."
Si-mun muttered under his breath as he surveyed his surroundings.
Aside from massive objects like trees and rocks—
Everything was tightly wrapped in layers of gray spider silk.
And to make matters worse—
"F*ck. It's disgustingly dark."
Since the time was set to night—
The Night Shade Spider Nest lived up to its name with its shadowy terrain.
Watching Mal-suk grumble, Si-mun smirked before checking the area they needed to defend.
"So that's where we hold the line."
Not far away, a circular outline marked the spot—
A tunnel or hole large enough for two grown men to pass through at once.
Mal-suk, having confirmed the location as well, asked—
"So. What's the plan now?"
"Huh? Strategy?"
"Obviously. I've heard about these Night Shade Spiders before."
Whether it was her dislike of spiders—
Or the rumors she'd heard—
"They say even Diamonds avoid these crazy bastards. Their webs don't cut easily unless you use Sword Qi, and their venom is a real b*tch to deal with."
Uncharacteristically shuddering, Mal-suk expressed deep disgust.
At that—
'Right. Mal-suk always hated spiders or bugs.'
A memory from his past life surfaced, and Si-mun let out a quiet chuckle.
'No wonder she wouldn't go anywhere near an Outbreak with Insectors.'
A surprisingly vulnerable side to her otherwise rough personality.
As Si-mun suddenly grinned, Mal-suk's striking eyes narrowed further.
"Why the hell are you laughing?"
To which—
"It's nothing."
Si-mun quickly shook his head before—
Thud.
Stepping toward the target area as he answered.
Then—
"But hey, Mal-suk. Seeing how freaked out you are, I guess you don't know this?"
"Know what?"
"That Night Shade Spiders are..."
Si-mun's gaze swept over the forest draped in spider silk.
"Demonic Beasts."
At the same time—
Keeeen.
A sharp ringing flowed from his left eye.
To be precise—from the Lemegeton fused with Odin's Eye.
Or in other words—a Demon Eye.
Then—
Kririk!
Kreek!
With a screech like metal scraping against metal—
"Wh-what the hell?!"
Dozens—no, hundreds of crimson eyes suddenly lit up the shadowy forest.