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The cracks that spread out from the blade embedded in the ground, accompanied by a cracking sound, encroached upon the center of the manor.

The Bayern subordinates, who had quickly retreated, looked at the blade stuck upside down in the ground with bewildered expressions. They all mistakenly believed that I had created this situation solely through my own physical strength.

I looked alternately at Blok and Raven and said,

“Say that again. What did you say would happen if we didn’t leave?”

The two looked at each other with bewildered expressions.

‘What’s going on? This isn’t what we were told.’

‘I didn’t know it would be like this.’

They were speechless because the situation exceeded their understanding of Bulrai’s power level.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Did I hear you correctly?”

“……”

Raven, who quickly assessed the situation, stepped forward again and said,

“Branch Manager Bulrai.”

As I pulled the long sword from the ground and looked at Raven, he corrected himself.

“Bulrai… Mercenary Commander. I truly don’t understand. What’s going on? You’re not Dark Soul?”

“Dark Soul no longer exists in Khaoto. And I’m not the Mercenary Commander, so refrain from using disrespectful language.”

“What are you talking about? Are you saying there’s someone above you?”

“That’s right.”

“Who is it?”

“Have you heard of the Crazy Mage?”

Thinking he was being mocked, Raven shook his head and changed the subject.

“Damn it, whether it’s Dark Soul or Dark Sojungi, our stance remains the same. Vacate Khaoto. Or else…”

“Or else what?”

As I gripped the hilt of the long sword resting on my shoulder, Raven closed his mouth. It seemed he couldn’t decide what to do.

At this moment, Blok, who had been silent, spoke up.

“If you’re really a mercenary corps, then it’s even better. If you’re a wandering mercenary corps, there’s no need to cling to Khaoto. We’ll compensate you generously, so leave Khaoto immediately.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Why not? It’s not a bad offer.”

“Didn’t I tell you? We have an employer. What did you hear, anyway? Our employer is conducting business here and has requested our protection. You want us to throw away our mercenary credibility? This young one has no sense.”

Blok retorted angrily.

“We are Bayern. You must know who’s behind us. If you don’t leave Khaoto, you’ll only face death.”

“Oh, really? So I heard you correctly.”

As I slung the long sword over my shoulder and stepped forward like a valiant general, my emboldened subordinates collectively took a step forward with me.

At that moment, the Bayern gangsters simultaneously stepped back, creating distance.

I laughed and pointed at them.

“Now I see you’re a bunch of pathetic fools. Is that the attitude of people who came to kill me? Can you even swing a sword properly like that? Alright. I’ll show you first.”

As I drew the long sword from my shoulder and aimed it at them, Raven stepped in front of the gangsters.

“Enough. There’s no need for this here and now. I warned you clearly. If you take our words lightly, you’ll surely regret it. We’re also hired, so we understand the nature of mercenaries, but in the end, isn’t it important to keep your heads attached, regardless of your employer or anything else?”

While speaking, Raven gave orders with his eyes and gestures, and the gangsters quickly retreated to the main gate. At some point, Blok was also among them.

“Your tongue is quite eloquent.”

Raven leaped backward with agility that was unbecoming of a third-rate, and faced me from near the main gate. For a moment, I forgot we were in the middle of a confrontation and was genuinely impressed.

“Your head is big even from afar. Defying perspective. Now I see, if you had grown as an assassin, you would have had great talent.”

As Raven was leaving through the main gate, he turned his head and looked at me.

“Think carefully. Next time, it won’t end with just words.”

“……”

I watched for a moment as the third-rate gangsters disappeared beyond the main gate.

“One of them is particularly large.”

My subordinates responded from here and there.

“He is big.”

“It’s hard to tell if he’s close or far away.”

* * *

While I was taking a moment to clear my head from the dazzling display of the Big Head technique, the executives gathered one by one.

“Good work, everyone. The Big Head technique is truly impressive. At the end, I was so focused on his head that I couldn’t even hear what he was saying.”

Bravo Khan responded with a serious expression.

“I don’t think Raven was bluffing. If you hadn’t shown your divine power, Commander, they would have attacked us right then and there. I have a feeling they’ll be back soon.”

“They have to come back. But not right away. It’ll take a few days for them to verify the truth.”

“Shouldn’t we prepare, just in case?”

“Think about it carefully, Strategist.”

Bravo Khan pondered for a moment and then said,

“I think we need to find out what was discussed between Dark Soul and Bayern first.”

“Excellent.”

“Judging by Bayern’s reaction today, the negotiations with Dark Soul didn’t break down. It seems Dark Soul is actually willing to give up Khaoto.”

“Urgon must have been quite intimidating.”

Derek, who was standing nearby, asked in a puzzled tone.

“Why didn’t you tell us this until now?”

Bravo Khan answered on my behalf.

“…So we were abandoned after all.”

I nodded and summarized the situation.

“For now, go back to training. Training is the best when you have a lot on your mind. The best preparation is to escape from being third-rate.”

The executives rushed back to the manor, and as I was about to take a break, One-Eye suddenly poked his head out from the middle gate again.

“Commander. Jackson is here.”

“Who’s that?”

“He’s a messenger from the main unit.”

“Let him in. Continue the mercenaries’ training. There’s no need for a commotion.”

“Understood.”

“No rest for the weary.”

It seemed like today was going to be a busy day.

* * *

The messenger from the main unit, Jackson, had a rather stiff neck. He seemed to have come and gone as a messenger from the main unit a few times before, and he showed clear signs of disdain as soon as he saw me.

“What are you doing, Branch Manager Bulrai?”

As I remained seated, Jackson said with a look of disbelief.

“A messenger has arrived, and you don’t even stand up. Are you just now planning to leave?”

“Sit down first.”

“Sit down? Should I take that as you disrespecting the Leader?”

As I remained silent and looked at Jackson with a languid expression, he slammed his hand on the table and sat down on a chair.

“Sit quietly. You’ll break the table.”

Jackson looked me straight in the eyes and opened his mouth.

“Why have you become so insolent, Bulrai? I clearly told you repeatedly not to clash with Bayern. Why did you disobey the order?”

From his attitude, it seemed that Jackson used to treat Bulrai like an underling in the past. I deliberately feigned ignorance and said,

“Before that, let me ask you something. We sent requests for support, but why did you keep ignoring them?”

Jackson suddenly snorted and let out a chuckle.

“Branch Manager Bulrai. I’ve always told you, just do what you’re told. Only then can I properly convey your messages to the Leader. If the main unit ignores your requests, you just have to accept it. Why don’t you understand? Why did you do something you weren’t even ordered to do?”

“Ah, so you’re saying a dog should just crawl like a dog?”

“You’re slow to understand.”

“Just stay put and stick your neck out?”

“If you had just stayed put from the beginning, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“This is insane. The enemy is attacking, and you’re telling us to just die, you crazy bastard. And you, as a messenger, your job is to deliver messages properly, why are you thinking so much? Maybe you intercepted the messages in the middle, you bastard.”

“….You’re crazy, Bulrai. Do you even know what you just said?”

I met Jackson’s eyes, and we glared intensely at each other.

He was insignificant. Even weaker than Bulrai.

Acting as the Leader’s messenger must have gone to his head. He had no sense of his own abilities or the situation, unaware that his life was hanging by a thread right in front of him.

“Acting as Branch Manager in Khaoto must have made the main unit seem insignificant to you.”

“It certainly is insignificant.”

Jackson, unable to contain his anger any longer, stood up abruptly and said,

“Bulrai. Let me tell you what you’re saying. Open your ears and listen carefully, you ignorant fool. From now on, your position as Branch Manager of Khaoto is revoked. This is the order of Leader Shepiro. Return to the main unit immediately. You know what happens to those who disobey orders… Cough!”

I jumped up and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

“Cough! You crazy… Cough! Let go of me right now. You don’t even know your place, what are you doing?”

I slammed his face down onto the iron table.

Bam!

Blood splattered across the table in a fan shape.

As Jackson writhed and struggled, I moved the hand that was gripping his neck to his face and pressed it hard against the table.

“What do you think this means, messenger?”

Blood seeped thickly from his cheek, crushed against the iron table.

“I asked you what you think it means, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Krrk… You damn… bastard.”

Jackson hadn’t imagined that Bulrai would dare act like this in front of him, the Leader’s messenger. So instead of pain, rage filled him to the brim.

I brushed off the hand that was holding Jackson’s face and said,

“Damn it. Cleaning this up will take forever.”

Jackson, trembling, raised his body and glared at me while clutching his face.

“……”

Slap!

As soon as I slapped him, Jackson’s head snapped to the right. I graciously walked over and slapped the same spot three more times, and Jackson’s head returned to its original position.

One of his cheeks was completely torn and tattered, like a shredded piece of paper.

Only then did Jackson realize that I was hitting him for real.

As I raised my hand again, Jackson, feeling like he might actually get beaten to death, hurriedly spoke up.

“…Branch Manager Bulrai. I’ll convey your message to Leader Shepiro, so please stop this.”

“Go and deliver my words exactly as I said them, messenger.”

Upon hearing my words, Jackson sighed.

“…I’ll convey whatever you say.”

“Convey it exactly, without missing a single word. If I ask later and it’s different, I’ll crush your head first.”

“Understood.”

“Listen carefully. This is not the Khaoto branch. From now on, the Dark Sojungi Mercenary Corps will manage Khaoto. That cowardly Leader should stay hidden like a rat, as he is now, and not interfere. I’ll be coming to take his head soon, so tell him to keep it safe until then.”

Jackson’s eyes grew wider as I spoke, and even after I finished, he continued to tremble for a while.

“If you’ve heard everything, get lost.”

“……”

As Jackson walked out with a dazed expression, One-Eye and Shorty, who had been watching, approached me.

“His cheek is quite swollen.”

“It seems more swollen than ours. It feels like we lost somehow.”

I looked at One-Eye and Shorty for a moment, and then suddenly burst into laughter. Were they always like this?

As I laughed, One-Eye and Shorty also started giggling along with me.

“Ehehehehe.”

When I abruptly stopped laughing, they also stopped.

“Go back to training.”

“Yes.”

* * *

Perhaps because I had done a lot of work today, I was particularly hungry.

Suddenly, the spicy and savory taste of the stir-fried chicken and stew that the future world’s best chef used to make came to mind, whetting my appetite.

‘My mouth is watering.’

Come to think of it, it had been a few days since I last visited.

Strike while the iron is hot. I left the training to the executives and headed to Donkey’s back alley. I took Garlic and Greed with me as escort mercenaries.

I felt like I should take care of these guys since they seemed to have suffered a lot because of me.

Arriving at the back alley…

There were quite a few people out and about from early evening.

Makeshift tables were set up near Donkey’s inn, where locals were huddled together, waiting for their food.

The closer I got, the stronger the spicy stew smell became.

“Hahahahaha.”

Meanwhile, our business owner was weaving through the crowd, spreading laughter.

“Oh, Commander? You’re back? Haha.”

The happy business owner greeted me after spotting me.

“Hahahahaha.”

Who said it?

That laughter is contagious.

Seeing Zion laugh happily made me want to be happy too, so I tried laughing along, but I didn’t feel happy at all.

I felt like shit.

While I was out there busting my ass, my subordinate was living happily without a care in the world.

‘Damn him. If it were me, I would have at least come to check on things out of curiosity.’

As I slowly approached Zion, sensing something ominous, he quickly handed me a pouch from his pocket.

I checked it and found it contained quite a lot of gold coins.

“What’s this?”

“Commander, I sold one of our items.”

“Oh? To whom?”

“I don’t know. Some kid came and bought it.”

This was a bit unexpected.

The locals didn’t have money, and neither did the third-rate gangsters.

Even if there were other peculiar guys like Carrot, the third-rates had been training with One-Eye and Shorty for the past few days, so they couldn’t have been wandering around outside.

‘It can’t be Vanilla Sky either.’

Well, it didn’t matter.

Looking down at the clinking gold coins made me feel better.

Happiness is indeed bought with money.

I put the pouch in my pocket and then beckoned to the two big guys who were standing at a distance.

“Say hello. These are the mercenaries I hired.”

“What? Isn’t that guy the one you took with you last time, Commander?”

“Yeah. But he’s not a gangster anymore, he’s a mercenary.”

“All the guys there must have become mercenaries.”

Zion nodded naturally without any suspicion and then said as he went into the kitchen,

“Just sit anywhere for now. I’ll bring you some drinks and snacks.”

It seemed he really had become a waiter. He couldn’t have been more natural.

As I sat down in the alley and looked around, I suddenly noticed a familiar flag on the outer wall of the restaurant.

The Blue Ocean Flag was fluttering.

———-