Episode 123

The Kadum Raid Party had confirmed eleven High Elves. Having identified them with Hunter's Eye, they were certain of the number. However, the actual number of elves sent into the Forest of Silence was fourteen. The raiders never knew the truth for a simple reason: the exact count was never included in the information leaked through Dropin, and three of the High Elves had already left the forest beforehand.

Taehyun was particularly impressed with their use of dungeon items. 'For High Elves, they sure know how to use these things.'

Before the raid parties entered, the elves had requested two items: Information Manipulation and Vision Priority. He had lent them the items out of curiosity, but now he couldn't help but be impressed. 'Using Information Manipulation to disguise three of their own as raiders… brilliant.' They had sent three elves out of the forest in advance and used the item, targeting the information category 'Raider.' Instantly, the three concealed their identities and entered the forest alongside the other raid parties. As a result, the System registered fourteen parties instead of thirteen, and their item usage was counted toward the limit.

The High Elves, having sent in their three agents separately, then intentionally let the main group be discovered by Kadum's party.

—"'Aaaargh!'"

The scream was a ruse, a simple performance to draw their targets in. The Kadum Raid Party fell for it completely and, through Hunter's Eye, identified eleven High Elves, completely unaware of the three at their rear.

[Vision Priority has been used.]

The three disguised High Elves used Vision Priority on Kadum's party, inflicting them with a Vision Battle Loss Penalty. Unaware of the disadvantage they were under, the hunters tracked the eleven elves and prepared a surprise attack. At that moment, the elves deliberately turned their heads to buy time, and the raiders, completely fooled, halted their pursuit.

'They bought time to recover their stamina while baiting them into using an item,' Taehyun realized. With an A-rank raider present, skills were restricted, and only some exclusive items were usable. The High Elves exploited this, blatantly revealing their patrol route to trick the party into using a Location Transfer item. Then, after making the raiders believe they would continue their patrol, the elves took a comfortable rest, letting their targets think they were tracking another party. This was only possible because the three disguised elves had used Vision Priority, completely deceiving them.

In the end, the raiders left a marker while being openly watched and waited for the eleven High Elves to return. 'In the meantime, the elves fully recovered their stamina and moved again at the perfect time?'

Just as Taehyun predicted, the High Elves resumed their activities as the sun began to set. The raiders, still oblivious to the penalty, began tracking them again. Seeing the elves approach the marker, they used the Location Transfer item. However, the elves, who knew the location of the marker, immediately turned and fired. With their forces divided, the raiders were ambushed from behind by the other three High Elves and cut down in an instant. Only two survived, and though they hastily fled, the elves had engineered a situation where their capture was inevitable.

'I just gave them some simple information about items and raiders, and they utilized it to this extent. They're brilliant, as expected of High Elves.' When it was all over, a shiver ran down Taehyun's spine. He knew their hostility toward humans was intense, but he never expected them to devise such a flawless strategy to hunt the hunters.

—"'You son of a bitch. If it weren't for you, I never would have come to a place like this!'"

—"'Ahahaha. It's all over. We're dead meat.'"

—"'Damn you! What kind of promise was this? How am I supposed to return to Vera and Calisia's arms now?!'"

Taehyun watched the two remaining raiders and quickly gave an order to the High Elves. "Capture those two and bring them to me."

—"'Don't misunderstand,'" Sapaella retorted. "'Our hatred for you human bastards runs deep. We have no intention of simply following a demon's orders….'"

"Bring them," Taehyun repeated, his voice flat.

—"'Tch!'"

Sapaella was still highly rebellious, but the forced contract left her no choice but to bind the two men.

---

'Thud.'

Two raiders were thrown into the Master Room. One was a top-tier B-rank, the other an A-rank.

'It's a good thing the A-rank raider triggered a penalty. If they could have used their one-time skills, the High Elves might have been defeated,' Taehyun mused. The S-rank raider had probably come alone for the same reason. He stood and looked down at the two captives. From what he had overheard through the elves' shared vision, they seemed to have quite a story.

"You're Count Dinen's minion, I believe," Taehyun began. "You must know why I kept you alive."

"Muahahaha," Braum rasped. "I won't say a word. It's all the same whether I die here or outside."

"Spoken like a true dog. Riel."

At his call, Riel immediately approached. "Yes. Leave it to me. I will make him spill every last piece of information."

Riel, who had been in charge of torturing raiders since she was first summoned, was now an expert. She offered a cruel smile and motioned for the soldiers to lead Braum away.

'I'm a little worried, but she probably won't kill him.' The moment the torture began, Braum's composure would shatter. Taehyun pushed aside his unease and looked down at Kadum, the only raider in the party not affiliated with Count Dinen. His expression alone spoke volumes.

"Kadum, was it?" Taehyun asked. "You're not one of Dinen's dogs, so why did you join them?"

"…"

"Silence is your answer? Well, once I get the information from your friend, I'll find out your circumstances anyway. Though you'll be dead by then, of course." He wouldn't leave any loose ends. With Junhyun, he'd had to draw up a contract because of the Peyton Ducal Family, but Kadum was different. If he let an A-rank raider go, he could bare his fangs again at any time.

Taehyun let out a bitter smile and turned his back. Just then, Kadum spoke.

"…I cannot die."

"Begging for your life? Go on, tell me your story."

"I have a wife and daughter waiting for me," Kadum ground out. "I'm sure they're still waiting. If you just spare my life this once…"

"That's not a good enough reason," Taehyun cut him off. "You think no one else has a family? Stop with the pathetic excuses and explain why you joined the raid party."

"…That is."

Kadum's gaze shifted to the High Elves. They were still glaring at him with eyes full of hatred. Understanding, Taehyun dismissed them. "You may all return now."

"These men are professional slave hunters!" one of the elves protested. "They are the sworn enemies of our people, and you expect us to just leave them be? That story about his family is surely a lie. A human bastard like this must be killed immediately!"

"That's your problem. Right now, you're soldiers of this dungeon. Return to the forest."

"Grrr!"

Forced by the contract, they vanished back into the Forest of Silence. Taehyun sat back down and gestured. "What are you waiting for? I sent the pests away. Spit it out."

"…The truth is," Kadum began.

---

He spoke of his life as a slave hunter, started for Zen; of the Kadum Raid Party operating in the continent's underbelly; of his retirement for the woman he loved, a choice that meant abandoning his comrades; and of the blackmail that forced him to rejoin the hunt. Kadum's story was long and convoluted. He had truly lived a complicated life.

'He may have retired for his wife, but he must have been wracked with guilt,' Taehyun thought. The way he kept glancing at the High Elves was proof enough. He was a raider who wouldn't have participated if not for the blackmail. 'He was forced to join, and since he failed, Count Dinen will probably try to eliminate him when he returns.' According to Kadum's story, the Count must have recruited him by chance. Now that the hunt had failed, it was obvious Dinen would pull some strings to silence him.

Taehyun stroked his chin, pondering. Just then, a half-dead Braum was dragged in by the soldiers, his body a testament to a brutal interrogation.

"How about it?" Taehyun asked coolly. "Had a change of heart after a little torture?"

"Ughhhh."

"No human can withstand torture. Even if they do, the only way out is death. But you can't even die, can you? Of course you're going to suffer." Braum was in so much pain he could only crawl on the floor, letting out pathetic moans. Taehyun gave him a mocking smile and stood up. "Riel. The information?"

"It seems he was just a hunter who followed orders," she reported. "Still, I managed to get some information."

"Good. Put that in a report for me later. Take this one and finish him off."

"Understood."

Riel had the goblins start dragging Braum out again.

"Uh, ugh! S-save me! Please!" Braum begged.

"You said it's all the same whether you die here or outside," Taehyun reminded him. "Then you should die."

"Urgh… Aaaaaargh!"

He struggled, grabbing onto furniture, but was ultimately dragged out of the Master Room. Taehyun didn't even turn his head at the desperate pleas, instead looking down at Kadum. "Well. Now that you've told your story, you must want to live, right?"

"Please," Kadum pleaded. "I have a precious family. If you spare my life just this once, I will surely repay this kindness someday."

"Even though I'm a demon?"

"I retired from being a raider a long time ago. I have nothing to do with dungeons anymore. Whether you're a demon or a monster, as long as you let me live with my family, I'm willing to give you anything. I'll even sign a contract. Please, I beg you!"

The mention of a contract suggested he wasn't lying. Taehyun paused for a moment before speaking. "You know, you'll just be killed by Count Dinen even if you get out, right?"

"…I'll try to run away somehow."

"What about your wife and daughter? You're going to drag them through all that hardship? What will you do if they get caught?"

Kadum was at a loss for words. No matter how skilled an A-rank raider he was, it would be difficult to flee while protecting his family. Moreover, Count Dinen was a noble who controlled the entire West. It would be impossible to escape his influence without leaving the region.

"S-somehow."

"Somehow?" Taehyun scoffed. "Even if you and your family manage to leave the West, Count Dinen won't give up. He'll keep sending raiders until he kills all of you."

"Damn it! What the hell are you trying to say?!" Kadum burst out, frustrated with his own predicament.

Taehyun took a contract from his inventory, his lips curling into a smile. "The safest shelter is right here, isn't it? What are you hesitating for?"

"D-don't tell me…?!"

"You can bring your whole family. Take this opportunity to stop being a slave hunter and work for Balak instead."

"What kind of nonsense is that? If dungeons were the safest place, the continent would have been destroyed long ago!" Kadum had only heard rumors about Balak and didn't know the full details yet.

"Don't worry about the High Elves. I'll order them not to touch you or your family."

"That's not the problem!"

"Geez, you don't trust me. Raviz, bring Roquin here."

At Taehyun's command, Raviz cast her summoning skill. In an instant, Roquin, who had been in the North, appeared.

"Wh-where did the Guardian go?!" she cried, clearly in the middle of a dungeon raid and utterly confused.

Taehyun pointed at her. "Look at her. She's doing her own thing while protecting Balak."

"Wh-what about Dropin? My dolls? Where is the last Guardian?!" Roquin demanded.

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