A loud bang echoed through the room.
“This is ridiculous!”
A young woman, barely in her twenties, slammed her hand on the desk and stood up abruptly. Her lively demeanor was evident, with a sharp jawline and determined eyes that complemented her spirited appearance. Yet, her face was now twisted in frustration, her eyes trembling as if on the verge of tears.
“Please, calm down.”
Another woman, exuding maturity and intelligence, tried to soothe her. This was Ha-yeon, who gently guided the distraught woman back into her seat.
“Ms. Kim Soo-jung, I understand you’re feeling anxious. But—”
Ha-yeon offered a handkerchief, but Soo-jung shook her head vigorously, wiping her eyes with a scarred hand. Her voice was strained as she asked, “I heard one of the mercenaries you sent with us has returned. What happened?”
Ha-yeon sighed, withdrawing her hand. “It’s just as you heard. Of the two mercenaries we dispatched with your caravan, only one has returned.”
“So, does that mean… everyone else is…?”
“It’s too early to jump to conclusions. We haven’t confirmed anything yet.”
“Then please, find out quickly! At least let me meet the mercenary who returned. Why is that not possible?”
Soo-jung’s voice rose in desperation, but Ha-yeon remained composed. “I told you, I didn’t foresee this happening. We plan to send a team to investigate and rescue, but it’s not possible right now. The returned mercenary is in no condition to speak; he’s receiving medical attention.”
Soo-jung bit her lip, her anxiety palpable. Her breathing quickened until a thought struck her, and she spoke with determination. “Fine. If that’s the case, let me speak to the Mercenary Lord.”
”…What?”
“I’ve heard of the Mercenary Lord’s reputation. If the stories are true, he must be different. I need to speak with him directly. Why can’t I do that?”
“I wish you could, but it’s not possible. The Clan Lord isn’t here right now.”
Soo-jung’s eyes widened in disbelief, a shadow of despair crossing her face. Ha-yeon, too, felt the weight of the situation. She had explained everything, yet there was nothing she could do. The circumstances were frustrating for her as well, but she couldn’t act recklessly.
Soo-jung finally spoke, her voice tinged with sadness. “I see. The Blue Moon Mage is so calm, even when a clan member’s life might be at stake. I envy that composure.”
Ha-yeon knew it wasn’t a compliment. She was about to respond when she saw Soo-jung’s defeated expression and held her tongue. Having lost a sibling herself, Ha-yeon could empathize with Soo-jung’s turmoil.
“But I can’t be calm. My caravan members… they might have been strangers in the modern world, but here, they’re like family.”
“I understand.”
“If you understand, then—”
“Ms. Kim Soo-jung, we feel the same way.”
Ha-yeon cut her off, realizing further discussion would be futile. She met Soo-jung’s eyes, her voice softer. “The two mercenaries, Ahn Hyun and Baek Han-gyeol, are like siblings to me. The Clan Lord cares for them deeply too. I don’t want to sit idly by.”
“Then why are you telling me to wait? If they’re like siblings, why is the Clan Lord absent at such a crucial time?”
“The Clan Lord is very busy. He left again shortly after returning. If his destination is the Valley of Death… you understand, don’t you?”
“The Valley of Death… oh.”
Soo-jung paused, realization dawning on her. After the Northern Continent announced new policies on vagrants, many clans and users formed extermination squads. The Mercenary Clan was the most renowned among them, feared by the vagrant leaders for their power and ruthlessness.
The Valley of Death was a dangerous area known for frequent vagrant activity. If the Mercenary Lord went there, it was clear he was on a mission to eliminate vagrants.
Understanding this, Soo-jung felt a wave of despondency. Her issue seemed trivial compared to the larger mission. She lowered her head, knowing she couldn’t force the situation. Just then, Ha-yeon’s voice broke through her thoughts.
“But that doesn’t mean we’re doing nothing.”
Soo-jung looked up, meeting Ha-yeon’s earnest gaze.
“I promise, we’ll use all of Mercenary’s resources to find a solution. Please give us some time to investigate and prepare.”
”…Alright.”
Soo-jung sensed Ha-yeon’s sincerity. After a long pause, she stood up slowly, exhaling deeply as she turned to leave.
Just before exiting, she spoke softly. “I know this isn’t Mercenary Clan’s fault. But the contract promised the safe return of my companions. Please remember that.”
“I will.”
”…I’m sorry. But right now, Mercenary Clan is my only hope.”
With those words, Soo-jung left, her footsteps fading down the corridor.
Once alone, Ha-yeon spoke quietly to herself. ”…How did it come to this?”
Her voice was filled with self-reproach. She lowered her hands from her face, staring at the communication crystal that glowed coldly. A face appeared in the crystal, and Ha-yeon’s eyes reflected her inner conflict.
“Soo-hyun… what should I do?”
She didn’t expect an answer. It was a question to herself, a moment of solitude.
Time passed in silence. Ha-yeon finally lowered her hands, her resolve hardening as she reached for the communication crystal.
The scenery blurred past, the world around me twisting like mismatched puzzle pieces forced together. The forest appeared distorted, a result of the barriers—illusions, distractions, and other enchantments—that enveloped it. I was breaking through these barriers, heading toward my destination.
The Valley of Death, where the vagrants’ stronghold was likely located.
‘They’ve really layered these barriers thick… Is it his doing?’
The barriers intensified as I approached the valley, but I wasn’t worried. We had the best barrier breaker with us. I smiled, looking ahead.
A mystical cry echoed, and with each flash of blue light, the distorted world cracked like an eggshell. The cracks spread, shattering the barriers layer by layer.
Leading the charge was a unicorn, its horn glowing as it tore through the barriers effortlessly. The unicorn, now the size of a foal, galloped bravely at the forefront of the extermination squad, its horn slicing through the enchantments with ease.
As I closed the distance between myself and Yumi (the name An Sol gave to her unicorn, combining the “Yu” from unicorn and the “Mi” from beauty), I thought bringing her along was a good decision. We were nearing the Valley of Death, and it was time to prepare for an ambush.
Suddenly, a blue flash erupted again, and the sound of flowing water could be heard beyond the breached barrier. Realizing we were almost there, I drew my sword and shouted loudly.
“Seon Yu-un!”
Whoosh!
At that moment, a figure leaped up from the side. It was Seon Yu-un. With three swift steps, he climbed a large tree and landed gracefully on a thick branch.
“Fine Shot, align the sights. Hrrrgh!”
His abilities allowed him to shoot arrows in rapid succession and designate targets. As the sound of a bowstring being drawn taut reached my ears, I gathered all my magical energy. The plan was to unleash a wave of magic the moment a rain of arrows descended into the valley. But then—
“Clan Lord! Something’s off!”
“Everyone, halt.”
Upon hearing Seon Yu-un’s report, I immediately ordered a stop.
Thud!
The nine members of the assassination squad, including myself, who had been following Yumi, came to an abrupt halt. Looking up at the tree where Seon Yu-un had perched, I saw an archer still aiming, tilting his head in confusion.
“What seems off?”
“I’ve confirmed the tents set up around the valley. But there are no signs of the vagrants.”
“What about any presence?”
“One, two, three, four, five… Five are gathered in one place, and there’s nothing else.”
Seon Yu-un responded without hesitation, likely having already scanned the valley with his magic. I nodded in acknowledgment and activated my Third Eye. It wasn’t that I doubted him, but this was a real operation. The vagrants were masters of guerrilla warfare, and who knew what tricks they might have up their sleeves.
’…Strange.’
Yet, the information from my Third Eye matched Seon Yu-un’s report. Various thoughts crossed my mind, but I signaled for Seon Yu-un to come down.
Flutter…?
“You too, come back.”
I called out to Yumi, who was peeking at me, and quickly issued new orders.
“We’ve identified what seems to be the vagrants’ base within the valley. There are five presences in a large tent at the center. We’ll attempt a slow entry into the valley.”
No verbal response came, only the sound of the assassination squad, who had been spread out, quietly stepping on the ground. Once I confirmed they had formed a defensive formation, I began to move forward slowly.
As we entered, the sound of flowing water became distinct. A little further in, I squinted my eyes. There was a circular fence enclosing a slightly open area, and numerous corpses were impaled on the sharp ends of the fence.
The most striking among them was the body of a man. His lower half was missing, and only his upper body was deeply embedded in the fence. I examined the corpse, with its organs hanging out.
‘That’s… the emblem of the Moonlit Clan.’
The emblem on his right chest indicated he was likely a member of another clan’s assassination squad. It seemed he had been captured while attacking the vagrants, his face twisted in agony.
I advanced a bit further and spoke quietly.
“Sasha Felix. The presences are gathered in the central tent.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Hmm. I plan to maintain the chain structure from the beginning. However, as in this chapter, I will explain each event as it unfolds.
I wish I could explain everything in one chapter, but doing so would turn the novel into a mere explanatory text or a copy-paste of settings. Haha.
So please be patient, and all your questions will be answered. For example, the next chapter will explain the mission involving the Crystal Caravan, Ahn Hyun, and Baek Han-gyeol. Why a rescue team can’t be dispatched, and what kind of place it is, and so on. :)
< Player Status >
Name: Jung Ha-yeon (5th Year)
Class: Magician of the Blue Moon (Secret, Master)
Nation: Free Mercenary
Clan: Mercenary (Clan Rank: AA - Double A)
True Name & Nationality: Drop of the Blue Moon • South Korea
Sex: Female (29)
Height & Weight: 166.5cm • 54.7kg
Alignment: Lawful • Good
[Strength 36] [Endurance 40] [Agility 42] [Stamina 35] [Magic 93(+1)] [Luck 81]
< Achievements (0) >
< Special Abilities (1/1) >
< Potential Abilities (4/4) >
Ancient Magic (Rank: A+++)
Magic Circuit Application (Rank: S+)
Rapid Casting (Rank: A+)
Magic Resistance (Rank: A0)
< Recent Ability Comparison >
(Before) [Strength 36] [Endurance 40] [Agility 41] [Stamina 34] [Magic 91] [Luck 81]
(After) [Strength 36] [Endurance 40] [Agility 42] [Stamina 35] [Magic 93(+1)] [Luck 81]
The Magician of the Blue Moon is a secret class with no unique abilities.
The power of the Magician of the Blue Moon is 『Enhanced Memorize』.
< Player Status >
Name: Seon Yu-un (3rd Year)
Class: Normal Archer (Master)
Nation: Free Mercenary
Clan: Mercenary (Clan Rank: AA - Double A)
True Name & Nationality: Pasa - The First Winged One, Sure Shot • South Korea
Sex: Male (29)
Height & Weight: 180.9cm • 78.6kg
Alignment: True • Belief
[Strength 85] [Endurance 78] [Agility 95(+1)] [Stamina 86] [Magic 89] [Luck 73]
< Achievements (2) >
< Unique Abilities (1/1) >
< Special Abilities (1/1) >
< Potential Abilities (3/3) >
Rapid Fire (Rank: B0)
Tracking (Rank: A+)
Clairvoyance (Rank: A0)
< Recent Ability Comparison >
(Before) [Strength 67] [Endurance 63] [Agility 84] [Stamina 71] [Magic 74] [Luck 61]
(After) [Strength 85] [Endurance 78] [Agility 95(+1)] [Stamina 86] [Magic 89] [Luck 73]