Ever since last night’s meeting, Lee Hyo-eul had been tormented by worry throughout the night. Should I speak up? Or should I keep quiet? He thought it might be best to wait until dawn to say anything. In the end, he even stepped out of the tent, but still, he kept his mouth shut. He decided to respect Jo Seong-ho’s request to keep the details under wraps for now.
The night passed quietly, and the Southern Expeditionary Force set out early in the morning.
Only after the Southern Expeditionary Force had disappeared into the Steel Mountain Range did Lee Hyo-eul let out a thin sigh and return to his tent. He pulled out a crystal orb that shimmered with a clear light and infused it with magical energy. It was a communication crystal.
After a moment of static, a man’s face appeared.
(Is that you, Lee Hyo-eul?)
“Yes, it’s me. How’s the situation over there?”
(On the surface, it’s quiet. But there are many who are unsettled, whether they realize it or not. We’re doing our best to keep everyone calm and pushing forward with the fortress construction.)
“What about Commander Jooho?”
(He’s still in shock after what happened. No changes yet.)
“No changes…”
Lee Hyo-eul trailed off softly, brushing his forehead with his hand. Jo Seong-ho tilted his head slightly.
(By the way, why did you initiate this communication? Is there something unusual?)
Lee Hyo-eul nodded.
“The Southern Expeditionary Force arrived last night and left early this morning.”
(Hmm. Have you relayed the situation?)
“Only what’s obvious. But Mercenary Road seems a bit suspicious. He mentioned yesterday that the Eastern advance seems too short.”
(I see. It would be strange if a man like him didn’t notice.)
“Shouldn’t you be pushing further in? If we’re careless…”
(That’s impossible. Our expeditionary force isn’t showing the same unity as before. Even if we need to go deeper, it won’t be possible until after the Southern Expeditionary Force arrives.)
Jo Seong-ho’s firm voice made Lee Hyo-eul decide not to argue further. He knew the man on the crystal would never change his mind.
Sensing this, Jo Seong-ho’s expression softened slightly.
(Lee Hyo-eul, don’t worry too much. I’ll talk to the Southern Expeditionary Force myself. By the way, the overall commander is Istantel Low Road, right?)
“That’s right, but their structure is quite different from yours. They’re divided into three units—vanguard, center, and rear—each with independent authority.”
(And Mercenary Road?)
“Vanguard. The very front line.”
(Even better. Got it.)
“Jo Seong-ho! Wait a moment!”
Just as Jo Seong-ho’s face began to fade from the crystal, as if ending the communication, Lee Hyo-eul called out urgently.
(Hmm?)
“Don’t forget.”
With that, Lee Hyo-eul suddenly pressed his face close to the crystal. His expression had turned utterly serious.
“Above all else, the assault comes first.”
His voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of a warning.
Jo Seong-ho stared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded.
“Of course, the assault comes first.”
The morning was beautiful and calm, with only a few clouds drifting by.
Or rather, since the sun was already climbing toward its zenith, it was closer to noon.
A gentle breeze made the air refreshingly pleasant, but the faces of the users in the Southern Expeditionary Force trekking through the mountain range hardly looked cheerful.
Granted, once inside the Steel Mountain Range, there was no reason to be laughing and joking. Still, even accounting for that, the users’ expressions were definitely off. Not exactly exhausted, but somewhat awkward, as if something was bothering them.
As the Southern Expeditionary Force passed through the mountains, Kim Soo-hyun, who had been leading smoothly, began to slow down.
Soon after, a woman broke through the ranks, weaving her way forward. She wore a thin leather armor, and the emblem of Istantel Low was emblazoned on her chest.
As she approached, Kim Soo-hyun turned his head as if expecting her.
“Mercenary Road. A message from the overall commander.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“He says to rest here for a while. The rear unit got a bit disorganized and needs time to regroup.”
“No problem. Everyone, halt! We’ll rest here for a moment!”
Without hesitation, Kim Soo-hyun raised his hand and shouted. The users stopped almost simultaneously, some sitting down, others pulling out tobacco to relax.
Yet, one thing they all shared was their vigilance—each kept watch in their respective directions, wary of any monsters that might suddenly appear. Even during rest, their guard was never lowered.
This swift transition was thanks to the training they had undergone during the three weeks of marching since leaving the city.
The woman smiled faintly, seemingly satisfied, and spoke again.
“Oh, and the commander asked that unless it’s a special case like this, please decide rest and departure times on your own.”
“Understood.”
Kim Soo-hyun nodded lightly.
As the woman finished her business and turned to leave, a man who had overheard the message muttered under his breath, taking a deep drag from his tobacco.
It had already been seven days since the Southern Expeditionary Force left the forward base.
Seven days.
A short time, perhaps, but none of the users passing through the Steel Mountain Range felt that way. Every moment had been tense since entering, so if anyone said it felt short, it would be a lie.
But that didn’t matter. They had all signed up for this assault, and as veterans, they were used to such situations.
Still, the strange expressions on the faces of several users, including the man smoking, stemmed from a different issue.
It was about how Kim Soo-hyun was conducting the march.
First: The pace was too fast.
Sure, forced marches happen, but only when the surroundings are confirmed safe. Although they were following the Eastern traces, the Steel Mountain Range was far from a stabilized area. This pace was inappropriate for such a region.
Second: He wasn’t using archers.
Archers, by nature, are swift and agile, specializing in speed. Their abilities—keen eyesight, tracking—make them ideal for detecting danger. The standard tactic is to have archers lead the way, scouting ahead.
But Kim Soo-hyun never did that. He only occasionally deployed them to the flanks, never at the front.
In other words, he was completely ignoring basic, well-known procedures.
At first, they thought it was because the area was still affected by the aftermath of the Fire Siege.
Then, well, it was the Mercenary Clan after all.
They assumed there must be a reason.
But as time passed, doubts grew. The pace wasn’t slowing—it was increasing.
Eventually, reports came in that the rear unit’s formation had become disorganized.
That’s why the users found it strange. But since the commander fully supported Kim Soo-hyun, no one voiced their concerns openly—they kept it bottled up.
What if a horde of monsters suddenly appeared?
The man, nearly finished with his tobacco, rubbed it on the ground and sighed deeply.
Then—
“Are you alright? You don’t look well.”
Someone suddenly appeared in front of him.
Startled, the man quickly averted his gaze. White robes, hair brushing her shoulders, and the emblem of a sword and shield emblazoned beneath her ample chest. At once, he realized—she was a member of the Mercenary Clan.
“You look a bit unwell. Would you like me to cast a simple healing spell?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Oh? Are you sure?”
“Yes, yes. Wait a moment!”
“Hm?”
“Are you from the Mercenary Clan? I mean, the… Radiant Priests? That’s what I heard.”
Perhaps pleased to be recognized, the woman’s eyes widened in surprise, trying not to show it, but a slight smile tugged at one corner of her mouth.
“Ahem. Yes! That’s right! I’m Ansol, the Radiant Priest!”
“I see. Then, I have a question…”
“Sure! What would you like to know?”
“Well… it’s about the vanguard commander.”
The man glanced cautiously at Ansol as he spoke. Though he felt a strange urge to question her, he was also part of the vanguard unit. Questioning the commander could be seen as insubordination.
So he chose his words carefully.
“Why doesn’t the vanguard commander use archers at the front?”
“Oh, that’s obvious.”
Ansol answered immediately, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The man felt no oddity at first.
“I see. But don’t you think the pace is a bit too fast…?”
“There’s no need to use them.”
Ansol emphasized again, then gave him a puzzled look, as if to ask why he was even asking.
The man couldn’t believe his ears.
Did she just say there’s no need to use archers?
Around them, all eyes had turned to the two. The expressions on the other users’ faces mirrored his own disbelief. Ansol’s words completely disregarded the fundamental traits of each class.
Sensing the gaze, Ansol tilted his head slightly and, with a casual air, spoke up.
“Do you happen to know how to use magic detection?”
“W-well, of course I do.”
“Then why don’t you try it once? Maybe you’ll understand better.”
“…?”
For a moment, the man wondered if Ansol was mocking him. But deciding to just go along with it, he quietly activated his magic detection.
Yet, he felt nothing.
“I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to sense here.”
“Hm? That’s strange. I can definitely feel it.”
“What do you mean? I’m the only one using magic detection around here…”
“Oh, you must have leaked your magic into the ground. Instead of scanning the surface, try going a bit deeper—like penetrating through the earth itself.”
Ansol smiled brightly as if he’d just figured something out and stomped his foot on the ground.
A flicker of confusion crossed the man’s face.
He wasn’t unfamiliar with the idea of sending magic detection beneath the surface. It was a known technique, though rarely used. While it could improve the accuracy of information by picking up vibrations, it consumed a lot more magic, making it inefficient.
Magic detection itself was an ability that subtly drained magic, so most users simply relied on it when necessary without overusing it.
Still sighing deeply, the man followed Ansol’s advice and sent his magic deeper underground.
Then, suddenly—
“Whoa!”
An intense exclamation burst from the man’s lips.
He was startled because through the magic he sent out, he could sense dozens of distinct magic flows. Not only from Ansol right in front of him, but also from dozens of others moving in various patterns ahead. All 31 mercenary clan members were using magic detection simultaneously.
But that wasn’t the only thing that shocked him.
There was an immense magic flow that completely overshadowed all the others he’d just sensed.
It stretched endlessly, so vast that the man’s own magic felt like a mere drop in the ocean. It was incredibly intricate, almost as if it encompassed the entire area, far beyond the thousands of people present.
“Now you understand, right? We don’t need archers.”
Seeing the man’s mouth drop open, Ansol smiled knowingly. The man quickly closed his mouth and turned his gaze toward the front.
There, kneeling on one knee with both hands pressed to the ground, was Kim Suhyun.
His eyes were closed gently, as if he was sensing something.
Calmly, yet carefully, I scanned the surroundings.
“Ugh. This is so boring.”
A yawn came from behind, followed by a muttered complaint. Judging by the voice, it was definitely Yujeong.
I subtly shifted my gaze, shot her a warning look, then turned back forward.
The landscape was marked by patches of blackened, smoldering steel mountains, now barely recognizable in shape. According to Lee Hyo-eul, the eastern region had continued to use the Flame Plan, and it seemed that was true. No wonder our march was slow.
I swallowed hard but kept my guard up.
It had been four days since we left the forward base. We’d marched continuously without a single ambush—just march after march after march.
While it was good we hadn’t been attacked, it wasn’t entirely positive.
By my count, we should have fought monsters dozens of times by now. But not a single one had appeared.
All we’d found were places that seemed to be villages, and traces of people fleeing, just as Lee Hyo-eul had said.
Since the steel mountains were home to various creatures, this disruption in their distribution was unsettling.
There was more. Morale was an issue. The endless marching was wearing down the users. Some monsters needed to appear occasionally to keep spirits sharp, but instead, the monotony was dulling everyone’s edge.
But there was no choice now. Since we’d come this far, retreat wasn’t an option. We had to keep pushing forward.
With that in mind, I increased the density of magic detection around us and quickened my pace.
By the ninth day, as dusk settled—
We finally reached the point where the eastern expedition had stopped.
Ahead, a camp—too modest to even call a fortress—slowly came into view. We had finally joined up with the eastern expedition that had set out two weeks earlier.
“The southern expedition has arrived!”
“We’ll open the gates!”
We’d sent word ahead. Soon, a roughly built wooden gate creaked open with an unpleasant noise, revealing hundreds of users lined up on either side.
At the very center stood a lone man waiting for us: Jo Seongho, the leader of the Goryeo clan.
“Thank you for your hard work, Mercenary Lord. Welcome safely.”
“Not at all. Congratulations on successfully completing the first assault.”
After exchanging the usual greetings inside, Jo Seongho shook his head.
“No, hearing from the Mercenary Lord, I feel embarrassed instead. Hmm. By the way, where is the southern commander…?”
“He’s probably somewhere near the center.”
Jo Seongho glanced over his shoulder, then opened and closed his mouth a few times before nodding.
“I see. Well, you must be tired from coming all this way. Let’s get you inside first. It’s still too modest to call a fortress, but the grounds are spacious enough to accommodate over ten thousand people. Ha ha.”
Jo Seongho smiled, but I couldn’t help feeling there was a forced edge to it.
And it wasn’t just him.
Between the eastern users flanking us, a subtle, uneasy atmosphere lingered. Outwardly, they seemed welcoming, but beneath that was a quiet anxiety—as if the entire camp was weighed down.
I figured Han Soyoung must be sensing it too, and I steadied myself. For now, I’d listen.
“Understood. Then…”
“Oh, Mercenary Lord.”
Just as I was about to ask about the meeting, Jo Seongho stopped me.
He pointed toward a distant direction.
“We’ve set up a separate tent for the Mercenary Lord. It’s nothing special, but it should be more comfortable than the others.”
The tent he indicated was white and stood out clearly in the center.
“Well then, I’ll go speak with Istantel Low Lord for a moment.”
With that, Jo Seongho turned and walked toward the center.
“I’ll go speak with him,” he said.
There was something meaningful in his tone that I couldn’t just brush off.
I tilted my head in curiosity but soon headed toward the tent Jo Seongho had pointed out.
Late at night.
Lying on a creaky, worn-out bed, I stared at the darkened tent.
Nothing much had happened since joining the east. The commander’s meeting we’d hoped for was postponed until tomorrow morning at the eastern side’s request.
After a simple meal and scolding the restless kids complaining about boredom and how this wasn’t the steel mountains they’d expected, everyone had gone into their tents to rest for the next day. Of course, some users were on watch, but I wasn’t on duty tonight.
I closed my eyes gently.
Monotonous. Too monotonous.
The operation was progressing suspiciously smoothly. It wasn’t just going well—it felt like something was tangled beneath the surface. Or maybe it was just an uneasy monotony, like something was about to explode at any moment.
Suddenly, a wave of suffocating frustration welled up inside me.
“Damn it. What the hell is going on?”
I felt trapped, yet clueless. So there was nothing I could do.
Eventually, I sat up abruptly, pulled the flap closed to cover the entrance, and flopped back onto the bed. Better to try and force some sleep than stew in my thoughts.
Just as I was about to drift off—
Rustle.
The tent flap was gently pulled aside.
A dark figure slipped inside.
Seeing the figure, I didn’t feel threatened. An assassin wouldn’t just walk in so boldly.
As the figure approached slowly, I calmly sat up.
Even after noticing me awake, the figure showed no surprise.
Looking down at me with a slightly tired expression was none other than Jo Seongho.
“You’re awake. That’s a relief.”
His voice was huskier than usual.
“Yes. But what brings you here at this hour? I thought the meeting was tomorrow.”
“The meeting was definitely postponed until tomorrow. But I’m sorry to come at this hour, Mercenary Lord.”
“…”
“I didn’t come for the meeting. I have something I want to show you.”
Something to show me? Not just talk?
“Of course, I want to talk too. Just the two of us.”
Reading the confusion on my face, Jo Seongho spoke immediately.
I stared at him for a moment, then silently got out of bed.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was all so sudden. But judging by the desperate look on Jo Seong-ho’s face, it didn’t seem like the time to ask for a detailed explanation. At the same time, a small part of me hoped this might be the breakthrough I needed to relieve the tight knot of frustration I’d been feeling.
As if taking my getting out of bed as permission, Jo Seong-ho gestured for me to follow him and slipped out of the tent.
Outside, everything remained quiet. Except for the users standing guard, no one else was moving.
The commanders’ tents were grouped together, so it wasn’t a long walk. The Eastern commanders’ tents were set up right next to ours.
Jo Seong-ho entered the largest tent among them, then suddenly came to a halt.
Because the light stone hadn’t been lit, the interior was swallowed in pitch-black darkness.
But there was one unusual thing: inside the tent was another tent. Or rather, a secret space hidden behind several layers of curtains.
As I focused my spiritual energy, I could make out Jo Seong-ho standing there, gripping the drapes with both hands.
I stopped just behind him.
“Mercenary Lord…”
Jo Seong-ho called out to me in a low voice.
“The Mercenary Clan is a mercenary clan, right?”
What was he getting at? This wasn’t some random accusation in the middle of the night.
Still, since it wasn’t wrong, I nodded.
“That’s right.”
“Then, as far as I know, mercenaries take on jobs for money and carry out the requests exactly as specified. Isn’t that so?”
“That’s correct. But I don’t understand why you’re bringing this up now.”
“……”
“And although we’re participating as mercenaries, we also hold the status of expedition members.”
“…That’s true.”
Jo Seong-ho had mentioned a ‘request.’ Something felt off. Just to be clear, I emphasized that the expedition came first. Jo Seong-ho’s shoulders slumped slightly, as if some of his strength had drained away.
After a moment, he spoke again.
“But right now, the only person I can rely on is the Mercenary Lord.”
“…The Mercenary Lord? What on earth—”
“Yes. You probably don’t understand what I’m saying. Honestly, I don’t fully understand it myself. It’s hard for me to accept the situation we’re facing. That’s why I want to make a request to the Mercenary Lord—or at least ask for a small favor.”
“……?”
And then, at that moment—
“First… well, to cut to the chase, I’ll show you.”
Without waiting for me to say a word, Jo Seong-ho spread his hands wide to either side.
Rustle, rustle.
The curtains parted, revealing a glimpse of what lay beyond, except for the part still hidden behind Jo Seong-ho’s body.
…A strange scent suddenly hit my nose.
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
Sorry for posting so late today! I ended up writing a lot more than I expected, so it took quite a while. Please think of it as a continuation and forgive me. Haha.
Oh, and I read the comments you left yesterday. It seems I was a bit hasty in my thinking. I’ll give the whole e-cigarette thing some more thought. Actually, I tried to quit smoking today, but I failed right after lunch. I just couldn’t resist the craving. I saw many of you said you succeeded in quitting, and I really admire you for that. ㅜ.ㅠ