Hunter Namgung Hyuk ran over with a surprised expression.
“Hunter Kanghyeon Lee!”
He pointed to one side and continued speaking.
“Han Sanghoon is back!”
‘He’s already back?’
I raised my gaze and looked in the direction Namgung Hyuk was pointing.
There, Maru was bringing a total of ten hunters, including Han Sanghoon and Seyoung Jang.
‘Hmm?’
Why ten people?
Thirteen had clearly left.
Yet, only ten hunters were returning with Maru.
Most importantly, Kang Mincheol was nowhere to be seen. And the sense of unease emanating from them didn’t stop there.
It wasn’t simply that Han Sanghoon was injured or Seyoung Jang had suffered full-body burns.
‘Something seems fundamentally different…’
Could it be?
At that moment, Maru nodded slightly and made a sound.
“Tok. Tok.”
Ah, so they were captured by Banshees.
In fact, releasing Banshees here was intended to induce such a situation.
It was much more useful to have their bodies stolen than to kill them.
‘Still, there shouldn’t be too many casualties.’
If that happened, Yerin Jeong’s position could be threatened. Hunters dying just from exploring the Darkstone?
That would be too great a sacrifice.
It was obvious that Yerin Jeong’s position would be shaken with that as leverage.
However, hunters whose bodies were taken by Banshees could be disguised as ‘survivors’ rather than ‘dead.’
On the surface, there were only three fatalities.
What’s more, among the deceased, Kang Mincheol had actively voiced his opinion not to split up the group, hadn’t he?
An alibi was already secured.
In the end, if only three people, including Kang Mincheol, were reported dead due to his misjudgment, Yerin Jeong’s position would be safe, and my reputation would be maintained.
‘Perfect.’
In the past, I might have hesitated to do such a thing, but I am different now.
‘There’s no need to spare those who actively oppose me.’
Responding half-heartedly will ultimately lead to greater trouble.
In that case, it was necessary to cut off the buds decisively. Just like now.
“What happened?”
I pretended to be surprised and walked towards them. Namgung Hyuk followed.
Seyoung Jang, or Seyoung Jang who had become a Banshee, opened her mouth.
“It was horrifying…”
She spoke with a trembling voice, perfectly acting her terror.
“Hunter Kang Mincheol… he…”
‘What is it?’
What surprised me was how realistic the Banshee’s acting was.
Banshees are, after all, undead monsters.
Can they express human emotions so readily?
‘Undead, are they receiving acting lessons as a group?’
Just then, Namgung Hyuk spoke with concern.
“Well, it’s safe here, so please tell us slowly.”
In response to his question, the Banshee controlling Han Sanghoon took a deep breath and spoke.
“After we split up at the fork, we went deeper into the dungeon. Then suddenly, undead monsters appeared.”
Not only were the Banshees good at expressing emotions, but they also perfectly captured the personality of each character.
“Death Knight… and even a Goblin Lord.”
It was an Arch Lich, not a Goblin Lord, but the hunters here had witnessed a Goblin Lord on their previous entry.
The Banshees were skillfully manipulating the situation by not revealing that an Arch Lich was present.
‘They’re acting really well.’
“What happened to Hunter Kang Mincheol?”
I asked.
“He… he was the first to be hit… Master, no, Hunter-nim.”
Seyoung Jang replied. Her face was distorted by burns, but beyond that, she was acting terror and sadness.
“The Death Knight’s sword pierced his heart.”
At those words, a wave of shock spread among the other hunters. Some gasped, while others shook their heads in disbelief.
“The other two were taken by the Goblin Lord…”
It was good to minimize casualties.
“That’s when Hunter Lee Kanghyeon’s Maru came and saved everyone.”
“Ooh!”
The hunters responded to Han Sanghoon’s words. Some of them had already seen Maru’s abilities and nodded without suspicion.
‘Excellent.’
It praised me appropriately while also eliminating any potentially suspicious elements.
However, fear and dread are contagious.
While the Banshees’ acting was excellent, it was necessary to stop them at some point.
“What should we do, Lee Kanghyeon-nim?”
Namgung Hyuk turned to me and said.
I nodded with a serious expression.
“It’s a worrying situation. But we must not let the efforts so far go to waste.”
“You mean…”
Namgung Hyuk’s eyes widened as he asked.
“Our minimum objective was to confirm the location of the Darkstone.”
I stated firmly.
“We haven’t found the location yet, so we should continue.”
However, the hunters, already consumed by fear, hesitated to proceed further.
‘It’s time to make my proposal.’
“How about this?”
I stepped forward and continued speaking.
“The injured and the rest of you should return, and Maru and I will confirm the exact location of the Darkstone and come back.”
“Absolutely not!”
Namgung Hyuk said firmly.
“That’s too dangerous. Even for you, Kanghyeon Lee, the current situation is too bad.”
“Don’t worry.”
I smiled.
“You know my skills well, right? Plus, I have Maru with me.”
The dungeon is mine, so what could be dangerous?
In fact, this place was like my base.
Maru gripped his skeletal hand around the sword. The other hunters seemed reassured by his mere presence.
“Still…”
Namgung Hyuk hesitated.
“We’re out of time.”
It was the moment to eliminate his hesitation.
“The injured need immediate treatment, and we need to report this situation to the guild. Especially to Team Leader Yerin Jeong.”
At my words, Namgung Hyuk let out a deep sigh as if he had no choice.
“All right. But if you don’t return within three hours…”
“It’s enough.”
I nodded at his words.
“I’ll just confirm the Darkstone’s location and return immediately.”
Of course, I’m not just trying to find the Darkstone’s location.
Baalcherit will find the Darkstone for me.
‘Now it’s time to send Han Sanghoon to Seo Gyuhye.’
I intentionally raised my voice and called out to Han Sanghoon.
“Hunter Han Sanghoon? We should inform Team Leader Seo Gyuhye about this situation as well, right? Since you witnessed it firsthand, you can convey the details.”
Nominally, Han Sanghoon, Seyoung Jang, and Kang Mincheol were members of the team led by Team Leader Seo Gyuhye.
Therefore, no one would suspect my previous statement.
The Banshee controlling Han Sanghoon understood my intention and nodded.
“Yes, I will be sure to report to the team leader.”
As the hunters prepared and left, I approached Han Sanghoon and whispered in a low voice.
“Don’t make any trouble if you want to avoid backlash.”
I intentionally omitted the details, but the Banshee nodded and whispered back.
“Understood. Everything will be as Master wishes.”
Leaving Han Sanghoon behind, I approached Namgung Hyuk this time.
“Please tell Team Leader Yerin Jeong. Everything that was a cause for concern has been dealt with, so she shouldn’t worry.”
“Huh?”
Namgung Hyuk looked curious about what I meant, but soon nodded.
“Understood. Please be careful yourself.”
Soon, everyone except Maru and me began heading towards the dungeon exit.
* * *
Yerin Jeong was lost in deep thought.
“Everything that was a cause for concern has been dealt with?”
Thirty-seven hunters emerged from the dungeon and returned to the guild.
Kanghyeon Lee and Maru were still in the dungeon, but Team Leader Namgung Hyuk approached and said.
“Yes, Hunter Kanghyeon Lee asked me to pass on a message to Team Leader Yerin Jeong. He said that everything that was a cause for concern has been dealt with, so she shouldn’t worry.”
The moment she heard that, Yerin Jeong understood the meaning.
Hunters who were close confidants of the deceased Vice Guild Leader.
She was referring to Team Leader Seo Gyuhye and his cronies.
However, for that to be the case, only Kang Mincheol had died, while Seyoung Jang and Han Sanghoon had survived.
‘And they said it wasn’t Kanghyeon’s doing, but that they were attacked by monsters.’
And the situation was resolved?
She wasn’t sure what that exactly meant, but Yerin Jeong had decided to trust and follow Kanghyeon Lee’s words unconditionally.
Kanghyeon Lee’s words were always accurate.
She gazed out the window for a moment, lost in thought.
She was worried about Kanghyeon Lee, who was still in the dungeon.
However, that worry didn’t last long.
‘Kanghyeon-ssi will handle it well.’
She trusted Kanghyeon Lee.
Most importantly, wasn’t Kanghyeon Lee stronger than ordinary A-Rank Hunters?
Rather than Kanghyeon Lee’s safety, she was starting to worry about other matters.
“But will Seo Gyuhye just stand by?”
Assistant Manager Park Seoyoon, who was beside her, spoke.
He was the hunter in charge when Kanghyeon Lee was first brought to the Fire Bird Guild.
He had since become Yerin Jeong’s secretary, but his face was etched with worry.
It was Seo Gyuhye’s presence.
Kang Mincheol, who could be considered Seo Gyuhye’s confidant, had died.
Would he use this as an excuse to attack Yerin Jeong?
If that happened, it would be like civil war within the Fire Bird Guild.
Besides, there was no way to deal with Seo Gyuhye regarding this incident.
As a result, three members of Seo Gyuhye’s team, including Kang Mincheol, had died while exploring the Darkstone.
Even if they volunteered, if public opinion was swayed on this matter, even Yerin Jeong could be in an unfavorable position.
“Hmm…”
Yerin Jeong also worried about that, but there was no other way.
Most importantly, Kanghyeon Lee’s words came to her mind again.
‘He said everything that was a cause for concern has been resolved.’
Yerin Jeong cast aside her worries, absolutely trusting Kanghyeon Lee’s words.
* * *
As soon as he heard that hunters had emerged from the dungeon, Seo Gyuhye stealthily made his way to the Fire Bird Guild’s underground warehouse.
This was where numerous secret plans had been made, and the stronghold of the conspiracy to oust Yerin Jeong.
Seyoung Jang and Kang Mincheol were also supposed to come here immediately.
A short while later, as he expected, his team members appeared one after another. However, they didn’t look well.
Especially Seyoung Jang, who had suffered full-body burns.
“W-what happened?”
In his momentary panic, Seo Gyuhye even stammered.
He thought the plan was proceeding as intended, but seeing them in such a state filled him with unease.
‘Could it be?’
The worst outcome for him was Kanghyeon Lee’s survival. Seo Gyuhye composed his expression and scanned his surroundings. Ten hunters had come in, but the most crucial one was missing.
“Where is Kang Mincheol?”
He asked sharply.
Seyoung Jang and Han Sanghoon exchanged glances. Seo Gyuhye’s heart sank.
“He’s dead.”
Han Sanghoon said blandly. Seo Gyuhye’s face turned pale.
“What? How?”
“His chest was pierced by a Death Knight’s sword.”
Han Sanghoon’s voice was strangely calm.
“He died instantly.”
“Death Knight?”
Seo Gyuhye asked in bewilderment.
“Did a Death Knight really appear in the Minotaurus Dungeon?”
Seyoung Jang nodded with her face scarred by burns.
The story he hadn’t believed had come from a team member. Therefore, it had become an undeniable truth.
“Then, what about Kanghyeon Lee?”
Kanghyeon Lee’s existence was the most crucial to him.
Wasn’t this whole operation a plan to eliminate Kanghyeon Lee?
“…”
Han Sanghoon silently brought over a wine glass. Then, with a proficient posture, he poured wine into the glass and handed it to Seo Gyuhye.
“He is still in the dungeon.”
Han Sanghoon replied.
“What?”
Seo Gyuhye’s eyes widened.
“He’s alive?”
“Yes.”
Han Sanghoon took a step closer. Seo Gyuhye suddenly burst out laughing. It was a cold, empty laugh.
“So, our plan has completely failed.”
Seo Gyuhye picked up the wine glass that Han Sanghoon handed him and drank it down in one gulp.
As the wine glass emptied, Han Sanghoon poured more wine.
Without thinking, he drank more wine and scanned the surrounding hunters.
“Hmm?”
But something felt odd.
Their expressions were somehow strange.
He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but he felt a sense of unease.
Even Seyoung Jang, who had suffered burns, showed no signs of pain.
Thinking about it, wouldn’t Seyoung Jang normally be receiving treatment?
“You guys… did something happen?”
A moment of silence followed Seo Gyuhye’s question. Then, Han Sanghoon suddenly turned his head and looked at the door.
“There’s no one else, right?”
At his words, Seyoung Jang nodded.
“Around us, the only human is Seo Gyuhye.”
Seo Gyuhye suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
“What are you talking about? What happened!”
Seo Gyuhye jumped up and shouted.
“Don’t worry. Everything is proceeding according to plan.”
Now his team members were speaking incomprehensible words.
No, they were not the team members he knew.
He knew this instinctively.
Seo Gyuhye suddenly felt something strange happening to his body.
His limbs felt heavy, and his senses began to dull. He looked at the wine glass again. Only a small amount of red liquid remained at the bottom.
“You guys… in the wine… what…”
His words wouldn’t come out properly. His tongue felt like it was hardening. He tried to lean on the desk, but his arms already lacked strength. His body tilted forward and he collapsed to the floor.
“It’s a paralyzing poison.”
Han Sanghoon said calmly. His voice had completely changed now. A dual tone, as if two beings were speaking simultaneously.
“A glorious moment for Master.”
Master? Confused, he wondered what it meant. Lying on the floor, Seo Gyuhye could only move his eyes. He looked at the hunters with terrified eyes.
“Don’t worry, Team Leader Seo Gyuhye. You have been granted a glorious death for His sake.”
Han Sanghoon slowly stood up and took out a rope from a bag placed nearby. The rope was new.
“……!”
Tears flowed from Seo Gyuhye’s eyes. Tears mixed with fear, despair, and anger. But he couldn’t move a finger.
The Banshees lifted Seo Gyuhye’s body. He was lifted as if he were a weightless doll. Han Sanghoon placed the rope around Seo Gyuhye’s neck. The rope touched his skin, and he felt a cold sensation. This would be his last sensation. And Han Sanghoon lifted Seo Gyuhye’s body onto a chair under the ceiling pipe. The other end of the rope was already securely tied to the pipe.
“Do you have any last words?”
Han Sanghoon said with a fiendish smile.
“Ah, you cannot speak.”
Seo Gyuhye was now completely immobilized. The rope gradually ascended. At the same time, Seo Gyuhye’s neck tightened.
“Well now, it’s time to go. May this death bring infinite glory to Master.”
Han Sanghoon kicked away the chair. His paralyzed body hung powerlessly in the air.