Episode 121

Raiders were broadly divided into two types. The first were those who aimed to conquer dungeons. The second were those who had given up on conquest, instead making a living by scavenging the byproducts. These scavengers, known as hunters or irregular raiders, avoided risking their lives in the dungeon depths, content to collect side income and return alive. Their trade consisted of monster corpses, discarded equipment, magical ingredients, and rare herbs. Many never ventured past a dungeon's entrance, and those who did would clear a few rooms before retreating.

"Did you hear? They found Twilight Herbs near Balak. The herbalists are going wild."

"Plenty of magical ingredients have come out of the dungeon, too. Just selling the salvageable trap components can net you a good amount of Zen."

"Come on, take a look! Wyvern horns and gnoll hides! Looking for harpy feathers? Step right up!"

While hunters were once scattered across the continent, the emergence of Balak had drawn them to the West in droves. Though looked down upon by formal raid parties, they had carved out a niche for themselves, trading their finds with mages from the Magic Tower and opportunistic merchants.

'Even more hunters today,' Kadum observed. 'It must be because of Balak.'

The hunter village near Magrit was the most active of its kind. The dungeon had caused its population to swell, and it was now a bustling hub of commerce. Kadum scanned the stalls, his eyes eventually settling on a display of herbs.

"Well, if it isn't Kadum! Come, take a look at these herbs. Top-quality, fresh from the Silent Forest."

"Hmm. Wait… what is this?"

The herb in his hand was unusual. A closer look revealed that the tips of its leaves were tinged with a faint blue light.

'This is no ordinary plant. The leaves are saturated with mana. An herb like this would fetch a high price as a magical ingredient.'

A veteran hunter's instincts took over. Kadum's sharp gaze quickly assessed the herb's value. "Where did you say you found this?"

"Tsk. Are you going deaf, man? The Silent Forest. Balak's Silent Forest. Surely you've heard of it."

"…Paltrio, you should hide these immediately. Someone might kill you for them."

"Eek! W-who?"

"It seems the other hunters haven't noticed yet, but a skilled one will recognize it instantly. This is an herb that grows only in forests inhabited by elves. Hide it. Now."

Elven forests were rich in mana, imbuing the local flora with magical properties that made them highly sought-after. At the word "elf," Paltrio frantically began stuffing the herbs into a sack.

"T-thank you. If you hadn't told me, I would've been robbed blind!"

"It's nothing. But I'm certain of what I saw. It's best you keep them hidden for now."

"I'm truly grateful. I'll buy you a meal next time."

"Don't mention it." Kadum offered a faint smile and walked away, but the mystery of the herb lingered in his mind.

'How is this possible? An herb saturated with such pure mana is a phenomenon exclusive to elven forests. Could elves have appeared in the Silent Forest?'

His expression hardened. He'd heard rumors of Dark Elves in dungeons, but never once had he heard of their surface-dwelling kin taking up residence in one. Furthermore, the sheer amount of mana in the herb suggested the presence of High Elves. He thought of the swarm of hunters that would soon descend on the forest and shook his head. The situation was serious, but it was no longer his concern. He was retired.

"Daddyyyyy!"

His thoughts vanished as he saw his daughter running to greet him. A fond smile replaced his frown. He had a peaceful life now.

Kadum swept Vera into his arms. "Upsy-daisy. What did my little princess do today?"

"Mmm. I was going to help Mommy cook, but we had guests, so I couldn't."

"Guests?"

He had quit the hunter's life ten years ago. He couldn't imagine who would come to visit. Cradling Vera, he stepped inside.

"Kadum. You're back."

"…Braum."

Familiar faces sat in his living room, accepting refreshments from his wife, Kalisia. They were his old comrades. But instead of warmth, a cold dread settled in his stomach. Their visit was no welcome reunion.

"Let's take this outside."

"Kadum?"

"Kalisia, wait here. I need to speak with my old friends."

He gently set Vera down and led the men out of the house. Once they were far from the village, he turned on them, his voice low and fierce.

"Why the hell are you here? I'm done with that life. It has nothing to do with me anymore!"

"Brek."

At Braum's call, a figure dropped silently from a nearby tree. It was Brek, another member of their old crew.

'So that's where he was. Moving separately.' Kadum ground his teeth as Brek landed, holding up an herb.

"You recognize this, don't you, Kadum?"

"T-that's—!"

It was the same blue-tipped herb Paltrio had been selling. Killing intent flared in Kadum's eyes. "Are you preying on village merchants now?"

"Hey, calm down," Braum said smoothly. "Why the sudden change of heart? This is the kind of work you used to do all the time, Kadum."

"…I'm not involved anymore. I told you, I washed my hands of it."

"Don't give me that crap. Once a hunter, always a hunter. A-rank raider, Kadum." Braum held out a nameplate emblazoned with the crest of a blue hawk—the sigil of Count Dinen.

"So you bastards finally sold yourselves to Dinen."

"I'd appreciate a more respectful tone. But yes, we work for Count Dinen now. We are his faithful dogs. And you, having seen the herb, must know that elves have appeared in the Silent Forest."

"So what? You came here to ask for my help?"

"Turns out they're not just any elves. They're High Elves, bound to the dungeon. The first hunters who went in were slaughtered. We need your help, Kadum."

"And if I refuse?"

"The village will burn. Your family will be…"

Before Braum could finish, Kadum's blade lashed out. Korden, standing beside him, reacted instantly, parrying the strike with his scimitar.

"That's merely what would happen 'if' you refused," Braum continued, unfazed. "I've already received the Count's permission. You're coming with us, one way or another. He's promised a massive reward, so you won't have to worry about Zen. Help us this one time, and we'll never bother you again."

"Grrr… You bastards."

"Drop the hostility. You may be an A-rank raider, but you can't take on this many top-tier B-rank hunters. Former slave hunter, Kadum." A strange look, almost like camaraderie, flickered in Braum's eyes.

Kadum gritted his teeth, his glare unwavering, but finally, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "…How can I trust your promise?"

"We're willing to have a contract drawn up at the Magic Tower. That's how desperate we are. Just this once, Kadum. I'm asking you."

"Damn you all. I'll curse you for the rest of my life!"

That day, Kadum became a slave hunter once more.

---

Kadum, the A-rank hunter-raider. His name was once famous in the hunter community. A man who had single-handedly defeated A-rank dungeon monsters, he had vanished without a trace. Rumors claimed he'd joined a kingdom's service or moved to another region, but the truth was far darker. In the nobles' underworld, a place of illicit trade, Kadum had been a slave hunter. He'd hunted beastmen, elves, and dwarves without prejudice and accepted assassination contracts without hesitation. Then he met a woman he loved, abandoned his comrades, and retired. But fate, it seemed, was inescapable.

"…You're aware of the penalty, right? For partying with an A-rank like me."

"Of course. Balak is an integrated dungeon. The notifications will pop up the moment we step inside its territory."

Ahead, a long line of raiders snaked into the dungeon's entrance. Kadum sighed, his thoughts on Kalisia and Vera waiting for him back home. He'd told them he was going on a short hunt with old friends, but he couldn't shake the worry.

'I need to finish this quickly and get back. With Count Dinen involved, running isn't an option.'

The line of raiders slowly shortened. Dungeon soldiers stood guard along the passage, but they showed no signs of aggression.

'A dungeon that coexists with raiders… It must only be possible because of hunters and irregulars like us.' Kadum gripped the dagger at his side and stepped forward.

[You have entered the territory of the integrated Dungeon Balak.]

[You are entering simultaneously with other raiders.]

[Restrictions will be placed on exclusive items, skills, and abilities.]

[Entering the dungeon with other raid parties will result in party size restrictions.]

[Forming a party with other raid parties will result in party size restrictions.]

[This dungeon does not match your rank.]

[Skill and ability restrictions will be applied based on the number of members in the raid party.]

[Exclusive item restrictions will be applied based on the number of members in the raid party.]

As expected, a cascade of penalties appeared. High-rank raiders avoided low-rank dungeons not just because of the paltry rewards, but because of these crippling restrictions. In a dungeon like Balak, teeming with other parties, the limitations based on party size were especially harsh. While entering alone was an option for some, it was impossible for an A-rank.

"So we're basically defenseless until we're inside the dungeon proper," Kadum muttered, his eyes scanning the entrance.

"That's right," Braum confirmed. "With this many parties entering at once, do you think they'd allow anyone to cause a major disturbance in the territory?"

"If we're not careful, another party might use their items before we even get into the forest," one of the other raiders added, eyeing a group of hunters nearby. They were no doubt here for the same prize.

Braum flashed a cruel smile, tapping the hilt of his scimitar. "But we have these, don't we? We kill anyone who gets in our way and take our objective. Have you forgotten already?"

"I don't care about that crap," Kadum shot back. "Don't lump me in with you."

"Tsk. Fine, I get it."

And with that, Kadum's raid party headed for the Silent Forest.

---

[An A-rank raid party has appeared from the edge of the Barren Plains.]

A party of masked figures appeared on the screen. They seemed to have no intention of hiding their presence, as their rank was immediately displayed. Taehyun frowned, examining their details. All but one were registered as belonging to Count Dinen.

"So they're just going to openly kidnap the High Elves and leave?" he murmured. Allowing the elves to roam the Silent Forest for a few days had successfully baited Dinen into sending even an A-rank raider.

"I expected B-rank raiders at most," Riel said, a hint of concern in her voice. "This is unexpected. Won't it be dangerous?"

"As long as their party has more than ten members, the penalties will keep them restricted," Taehyun explained calmly. "They came to a dungeon far below their rank; that's the price they pay. Let's just watch for now. Besides, Raviz is already on standby."

Raviz, standing beside him, bowed her head. As long as he possessed her summoning skill, he could rescue his new assets before they were ever shackled.

[The Kadum Raid Party has entered the Forest of Silence.]

[The Nolparn Raid Party has entered the Forest of Silence.]

[The Abilion Raid Party has entered the Forest of Silence.]

Soon, more than ten raid parties had poured into the Forest of Silence. This meant that each exclusive item could now only be used once; an item used by one party could not be used again by another. Taehyun watched the High Elves on the screen, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "A-rank hunters versus High Elves who have guarded this forest for centuries," he mused. "I wonder who is truly superior in these woods."

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