Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Newbie Party
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"It's not that I'm blaming you for acting like a lowly mutt. But if you're going to do it, you should have done it properly—instead of half-assing it and putting me in a bind. Keep yourself in check, you pathetic bastard."
After the Gold Solis carrier party incident, everything grated on Bugs Lucky Lionel's nerves.
Rumors of his humiliation spread throughout the Crawler world, and the Crawler Guild along with the Shieldlove family lodged formal complaints with the Annihilation Clan.
This turned what should have been Lionel's personal mess into a spark that threatened to engulf the entire clan.
"Goddamn it... Why the hell am I going through this..."
He had been confined to quarters by his enraged father, whose position in the clan was now shaky because of it all.
"That little shit... That fucking Rusted Silver...!"
Naturally, Lionel's rage was directed at the culprits.
Especially that arrogant brat named Yohan, who didn't know his place—he wanted to tear him apart with his own two hands.
But thanks to his confinement, he couldn't move freely.
No, even without it, he couldn't touch Yohan directly.
'The Crawler Guild's watching because of the rumors. Can't lay a hand on him carelessly.'
With the Crawler Guild now keeping tabs, things had gotten complicated.
The guild's stance had shifted over the eras, but the current guildmaster, Mayer, was dead serious about nurturing Crawlers.
That's why they never tolerated powerful groups bullying individuals or small parties.
In this situation, Lionel making a direct move on Yohan would be political suicide.
Grind—
'It's all because of Rusted Silver. That bitch stuck her nose in everything.'
She was just some talented kid acting all high and mighty, but she was the root of all this.
If he'd just used the return stone when Gold Solis ordered the retreat, the public eye wouldn't have been so focused.
But because that sly bitch crashed into him and set traps, he wouldn't have lost to a total newbie Crawler fresh off their first dungeon run, his reputation wouldn't have hit rock bottom, and the Crawler Guild wouldn't be scrutinizing his ties to that insolent little punk so closely!!!
A little rough handling, and no one would have cared if that kid ended up dead or not. Sure, he'd have to answer for wasting 100 gold, but it wouldn't have spiraled into this nightmare.
'...Even worthless nobodies are looking down on me now.'
The most painful part was the collapse of his prestige.
Crawlers made their living slaughtering monsters and looting in dungeons—hostile wastelands where neither mortal laws nor divine eyes reached.
There, strength was justice.
The weak and incompetent were evil.
A 28th-floor Crawler on the cusp of the lower levels had lost to a complete rookie on their first dungeon dive.
It sounded like a bad joke even to him, but it had happened for real.
Lionel's status was in tatters, and whispers were already circulating inside the clan.
His dream of succeeding his father as a clan executive felt farther away than ever.
Even after confinement ended, recovery might be impossible.
"You think you can just kick back while I'm fucked like this?"
But he couldn't strike directly.
And with the Crawler Guild watching, he couldn't borrow clan hands either.
So Lionel chose a roundabout way to ruin Yohan.
He sabotaged his ability to recruit party members.
It wasn't hard.
How good could the party members be for a total newbie just starting out?
The ones applying were rookies too, so a little intimidation from his underlings or a bit of cash was enough to make them bail happily.
It wasn't perfect, though.
He couldn't shake off the ones from the carrier party who were buddy-buddy with Yohan.
"Heh. So you're stuck doing odd jobs, huh?"
Crawler income came from dungeons.
No dungeon access meant no money.
Yohan had seemed to have some cash since he applied for a carrier party, but apparently not enough. Hearing he'd turned to menial labor for living expenses actually eased Lionel's mind a bit.
"But it's not enough. Compared to what I've lost, you need to suffer more."
To seal the fate of Yohan and his ragtag crew, Lionel hired a 'party breaker.'
'Should've been pickier about who you made friends with.'
Those two hanging around Yohan were thorns in his side too.
"You want me to work on these kids?"
"What, can't handle it?"
Lionel snorted at Ryan's affable grin.
Party breakers were contractors who engineered 'unfortunate accidents' or 'sudden romantic scandals' to poach talent from target parties.
It was laughable how these scum who profited off ruining lives pretended to have a conscience.
"Well, if the price is right, sure."
"Here's the advance. Make sure the guild doesn't trace it back."
"We'll handle it quick."
It cost him a chunk of his emergency savings, but Lionel didn't care.
All he wanted was Yohan and his crew destroyed.
"...You're dropping the job?"
A while later, Ryan returned with an answer Lionel hadn't expected.
Barely containing his fury, Lionel demanded an explanation.
"What, suddenly feeling sorry for those brats?"
"No way. We're pros. We deliver for the pay."
"Then why back out now?"
"Like I said, we deliver for the pay."
"...You're saying 20 gold isn't enough to drown three hairless punks?"
"Rusted Silver."
Lionel flinched at the name from Ryan's lips.
"Rusted Silver Arjen got in the way."
"And? Now it's messier, so you want more money?"
"No, like I said—we're dropping it."
Ryan pulled a pouch from his pocket.
He stacked gold coins in front of Lionel one by one as he spoke.
"Guys like us survive by knowing what not to tangle with."
"She's just some bitch who got famous lately!"
"That's your take. Ours is different."
Ryan built a little tower of ten coins, stood, and said,
"I have a feeling she's going to be a big deal. Not risking my future for pocket change."
As he left the room, Ryan flashed that affable smile again.
"We'll refund half the advance. Consider the rest payment for our silence on this mess. See ya."
Bam—!
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Aaaaagh—!! Fuck—! Fuuuuck—!
Rusted Silveeeer—!! Fucking Ruuuust—!!! Aaaaagh—!
After Ryan left, a brief pause was followed by roars and the sounds of shattering and breaking.
"What a temper."
"Ryan, you sure this is fine?"
Nick shot Ryan a displeased look at Lionel's meltdown echoing from the room.
"It's just taking out three kids. Worth making an enemy of that hothead young master?"
"I told you, bad vibes."
"Come on, three kids—what's there to—"
"Nick."
"Yeah?"
"When have you ever questioned my judgment?"
Nick flinched at Ryan's icy tone but soon sighed and held up his palms.
"Fine, fine."
"Tivvy?"
"Ellis is a shame to lose, but I'll follow your lead. Your calls are always spot on."
"Tch... Whatever."
Nick scratched his head in frustration, then suddenly spoke up as if noticing something.
"Hey, Ryan. What's with your hand?"
Ryan gave a wry smile and held up his hand.
A dark bruise like a handprint marred his faintly trembling fingers.
"How'd it get like that? When?"
"Beats me."
Ryan recalled the culprit.
The woman who'd leaned into his arms and whispered a warning in his ear.
—I gave you one chance.
Her black eyes, gleaming blood-red as she looked up at him, seemed to warn there'd be no second.
'Already burned once. No need to dive back into the fire.'
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"Hm."
—Something wrong? You stopped suddenly.
"Nah, my ear just started itching out of nowhere."
Someone talking about me?
Though with that recent article, it's weirder if no one's mentioning me.
"Arjen! Everything okay?"
Ellis's group, ahead a bit, stopped and turned when they saw me halt.
I shook my head lightly and crossed from the central market into the northern workshop district boundary.
"It's nothing. Let's go."