Chapter 129

[Translator - Hestia]

[Proofreader - Kaya]

Chapter 129: Justification

The development of Necropolis and the strengthening of the undead army.

While being busy every day preparing for 'Blood Valentine'—

An unexpected visitor arrived.

“Master!”

【Oh. Your mana wavelength is much more stable now.】

“The advice you gave last time really helped. It’s all thanks to you, Master.”

Long black hair flowing down to her waist.

Despite her gentle tone, she exuded a sharp presence—like a finely honed blade.

Jang Miseon entered Necropolis with a bright smile.

“What are you doing here?”

“Aww, who was it that told me I could come and go freely?”

“I never said you could come here just to hang out.”

“That’s not what this is about.”

【Isn’t this a good thing, Master? You haven’t been training much lately.】

“That’s exactly why I don’t like it. Lately, I’ve been busy developing my territory, using Undead Rise to create mid-tier undead, and occasionally giving necromancy lectures to the Dark Minions. Honestly, if I could, I’d rather just lie down and move nothing but a single finger.”

“Aren’t you already doing that?”

Jang Miseon narrowed her eyes.

Her gaze clearly said—‘Of all people, you’re really going to say that while sitting in a rocking chair made of bones?’

Yoojin let out a short cough and got up.

“If you’re just here to spout nonsense, go home.”

“I have permission to come here, you know.”

“Not today. Go back.”

“I’m not here for no reason.”

“If this is about something trivial, I’m really sending you back.”

“The Phoenix Guild has an offer for you, Yoojin.”

Jang Miseon’s voice suddenly dropped into a serious tone.

‘What’s with the sudden shift in atmosphere?‘

“You know the Dawn Guild, right?”

“They’re one of the top three guilds in the country. Any Korean would know that.”

“Oh wow, I thought you’d play dumb and pretend you’d never heard of them.”

“But why bring up Dawn?”

“The Phoenix and Dawn Guilds hold joint training exercises every year.”

A collaboration between the country’s 2nd and 3rd ranked guilds.

Officially, it’s framed as an effort to improve teamwork in preparation for unprecedented disasters like the Great Cataclysm or monster waves.

But in reality, it’s a move to keep an eye on the undisputed No.1 guild, Arhan.

“Are you asking me to train under Fafnir before the joint exercise?”

“Aww, come on. That’s something we do regularly anyway.”

“Then what is it?”

“We want you to participate in the joint training session that’s scheduled for next week.”

“From the Phoenix side?”

“No. The proposal is for a joint training session with three groups, including Black Company.”

‘Huh? That’s unexpected. It makes sense for Phoenix to be open to the idea since they’re always amicable, but for Dawn Guild to agree to this? Their pride as one of the top three guilds in the country is well known. Even though Black Company has been making headlines recently, they haven’t grown enough to stand on the same stage as the top three yet.’

“It was the Guild Master who convinced them.”

“They wouldn’t have agreed just like that.”

“Well, I wouldn’t know the details. I’m just a low-ranking member.”

“Sure, and I’m supposed to believe that the ‘Next’ Sword Saint is a low-ranking member?”

Yoojin said.

‘A joint training session between Phoenix and Dawn, huh? It’s not a bad offer.’

Things have changed since the Double Dungeon incident and Arhan’s joint raid proposal.

If Black Company joins as an equal participant in a training exercise hosted and organized by two of the top three guilds…

Publicly, it would be a great opportunity to expand Black Company’s influence.

It would also be a good chance to gauge the strength of my newly enhanced undead army.

But—

“I don’t think I can do it.”

“Seriously? This is an amazing opportunity.”

“Can’t you see how busy I am? Preparing to deal with the Manhunters isn’t something I can take lightly.”

“You might’ve been more convincing if you at least got rid of that chair.”

Even with Jang Miseon’s pointed remark, Yoojin only chuckled without responding.

One week from now.

It was a tempting offer, but time was the issue.

【Is it because of 'Blood Valentine'?】

‘There’s not enough time to move immediately after the training ends.’

The final day of the joint training and 'Blood Valentine' were only one day apart.

‘Even if I used Life Drain to recover from exhaustion, I wouldn’t have enough time to prepare.‘

“Reaaally?”

“Why do you sound so disappointed?”

“I was hoping I’d get to fight you, Master.”

“Wouldn’t Phoenix’s main force take us down before your turn even comes up?”

“Heh. Just because it’s a joint training doesn’t mean it’s all about fighting.”

There were two phases to the event—

A battle limited to those ranked 4 Star and below.

And then, an all-out war simulation.

Phoenix and Dawn held their joint training in two stages.

“Wouldn’t it be unfair if I joined the 4 Star-and-below match? That’d completely throw off the balance.”

“Yeah, even looking at you now, I can see why. But still, GuildMaster told me to personally invite you.”

“I’m busy regardless.”

“…At least stop by Sokcho for some sundae before you go.”

‘Wait a minute…’

That one word caught Yoojin’s attention.

“Sokcho?”

“You know the old Unification Observatory? Not the one in Paju, the one in Goseong.”

“I know the name.”

“That’s where the joint training will take place. We’ll also be clearing out the nearby monsters while we’re at it.”

‘A little north of Sokcho— Well, well. Is it Christmas already? Because it sure feels like I just got a surprise present. See? This is why people should live virtuously. Good things always come back around.‘

〔I was already aware that your moral compass was… unique, but that was an especially bold statement.〕

‘I was just starting to think of an excuse to head toward Sokcho anyway. The vision shown by [Memento] was too brutal for me to go there with only my top subordinates like Song Myeongseok and Fafnir. I was wondering what kind of justification I could use to transport my pre-made undead army.’

〔Indeed. Visiting a place without any prior ties is one thing, but finding a reason to move an entire army of the dead? That’s a different story.〕

‘Worst case, I was planning to rent a warehouse and secretly move them there at night. This is even better. The old Unification Observatory is only a 30-minute drive from Sokcho. And now, a perfectly legitimate excuse to transport my undead army has just landed in my lap.‘

Yoojin thought.

“Abai Sundae does sound tempting.”

“Wait, really?”

“I’ve always wanted to try it. Never had the chance.”

“Ooooh! Oooooooh!!”

Jang Miseon’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“I know a great place for Abai Sundae in Sokcho. I’ll buy it for you!”

“You think food is enough to bribe me?”

“There’s a nonzero chance, right? You’re coming with us, aren’t you, Master?”

“Jang Miseon, buying food for an undead—wouldn’t that be considered an insult to the dead?”

“Oh, come on. I heard there’s a way for them to taste food.”

Yoojin shot a side glance at Fafnir, who quickly looked away.

‘That guy. When did he even share that useless bit of information?’

Yoojin thought.

“Can I bring the Little Runts team with me?”

“My wallet’s in danger, but… ah, whatever. I’ll treat everyone.”

“Then I’ll join the joint training.”

“Yes!”

Jang Miseon pumped both fists into the air, cheering.

“But I’m not going for free.”

“You already agreed to Abai Sundae.”

“I meant something beyond what you are paying for. Phoenix Guild is the one inviting me, right?”

“...Hmm. GuildMaster did mention that you could pick one item from the guild’s storage.”

‘Of course. Did they really think they could get away with nothing?’

Yoojin thought.

“Tell them I accept.”

Yoojin declared.

‘Now I had a valid excuse to head near Sokcho—plus, I’d be getting an item out of it. Kim Youngsoo… We were close before my regression, but this time, let’s take this friendship to the next level.’

＊ ＊ ＊

Clatter—Clack—

Kim Youngsoo was enjoying his usual tea time, a daily ritual.

Pouring hand-drip coffee wasn’t just a hobby—it was an integral part of his work routine, something important enough to be set in stone.

“The sound alone is relaxing.”

After manually grinding the coffee beans, he placed the freshly ground coffee into a filter and poured hot water over it.

Dark liquid dripped down, one drop at a time.

He waited for the cup to fill to a suitable level, then reached out to take a sip.

Just as he was about to savor the moment—

Bang!

The door swung open with enough force to nearly rip it off its hinges.

A woman burst into his office, her long hair whipping around wildly.

“GuildMaster! Cheon Yoojin agreed to join the joint training!”

“…Didn’t I tell you before?”

“Tell me what?”

“That doors are meant to be opened, not destroyed.”

“Oh. I just thought you would be happy to hear the news, so I rushed in…”

Sigh—

‘So much for enjoying the rich aroma of my coffee.‘

Kim Youngsoo drained his carefully brewed cup in one gulp and sank into the sofa.

“…Did you manage to avoid discussing compensation, or did that come up too?”

“No way. Do you think Cheon Yoojin is an ordinary person? He squeezed everything he could out of us.”

“You sound pretty pleased for someone saying that.”

“Really? It wasn’t anything special… I wonder why.”

Despite her words, Jang Miseon was smirking.

After getting confirmation from Yoojin, she had a sparring match with him at Fafnir’s suggestion.

Between his smug grin and the way he kept bringing up compensation, she finally had a legitimate reason to—no, an opportunity—to beat him down in a proper match. It had been an incredibly satisfying way to let off some steam.

“…You didn’t do anything disrespectful to Hunter Cheon Yoojin, did you?”

“W-What? We’ve known each other for ages! Why would I do that?”

“I trust my dear Miseon.”

A sudden pang of guilt stabbed at her conscience, but Jang Miseon kept her expression neutral.

Kim Youngsoo watched her struggle to maintain her composure and suppressed a laugh.

“I did say that if you managed to dodge the compensation talk, I’d give it to you. Must be disappointing.”

“Well, I guess it just wasn’t my turn.”

The item vault of Korea’s 2nd ranked guild.

It housed over ten Unique-grade pieces of equipment.

Some of them were so rare that even with unlimited funds, they were impossible to buy.

“GuildMaster.”

“You were going to ask if I’m giving away something too valuable, weren’t you?”

“The guild’s been talking about it a lot.”

“If you think of it as the cost of flipping the game board, it’s not expensive at all.”

A puzzled look crossed Jang Miseon’s face.

Kim Youngsoo slowly picked up his teacup, only to frown when he saw there were just a few drops of coffee left.

“They call them the Big Three of Korea, but in reality, the power gap is quite significant.”

“You sure it’s okay to say that in front of a guild member?”

“What does it matter? Everyone’s already figured it out on their own.”

“It’s different when it comes from you, GuildMaster. Your words carry more weight.”

“Either way, now that Arhan’s once-solid position is starting to shake, we need to fan the flames a little more.”

A joint training exercise between two of the top guilds, and Black Company was participating?

Just leaking that information to the press would be enough to destabilize Arhan even further.

A company that had even drawn the attention of the Romanov clan, the famed family of mages!

If Black Company got closer to Phoenix and Dawn, Arhan Guild would have no way to break into that circle.

While Youngsoo didn’t know the full extent of the deals between Arhan and the Romanov clan, he understood well enough just how much weight they carried.

“A Unique-grade artifact is a small price to pay.”

“Hmmmm…”

“Sounds like you want one too?”

“I shouldn’t be complaining, considering all the support I already get from the guild, but of course I do.”

“I still owe Hunter Cheon Yoojin a debt.”

Jang Miseon added as an afterthought.

Youngsoo let out a brief chuckle.

Thinking back to the Double Dungeon Incident in Daegu, even he felt like he owed a debt of gratitude.

“At least Dawn is being cooperative.”

“The joint training was originally scheduled for May, wasn’t it?”

“They must have caught on to our intentions and are setting the stage for us.”

“Do you think Dawn will be cooperative toward Cheon Yoojin as well?”

“Knowing Park Jungyeon’s personality… hard to say.”

Dawn Guild was the complete opposite of the free-spirited Phoenix Guild.

Given Park Jungyeon’s nature, she would likely try to seize control of the joint training exercise.

“They’d probably rather have Black Company under their command than as a collaborator.”

“Hmmm. Sounds interesting.”

“The atmosphere is going to be pretty tense.”

“Well, as long as I’m the one suffering for it, that’s fine. But it wouldn’t hurt for Cheon Yoojin to sweat a little too.”

Miseon spoke like it was someone else’s problem.

Her voice was lighthearted, but—

‘Would that person really break a sweat?’

Everything he had done so far had been beyond belief.

A first-year awakened hunter had made Korea’s No.1 guild waver.

He had extended his influence into the border regions.

And he had even declared all-out war against the 5th Revolutionary Corps, which held dominance over the Kaesong area.

‘Maybe we should be worried about Dawn instead.’

The thought made Jang Miseon chuckle.

[Translator - Hestia

[Proofreader - Kaya]