The legendary Moonlight Sculptor

V55C3P3 - Undeniable Danger

'This doesn't feel right. We did clear it easily, but it doesn't mean that this place is safe. It's too arrogant for us to assume that it's safe inside a dragon's lair. It's not like I am aware of everything in this area. This feeling, it could only mean…'

Weed's senses were giving out a critical warning.

The back of his head was itching like he was about to get struck!

"Pale-nim."

- Pale: Yes.

"What's your position?"

- Pale: I am assisting with the transport in the mine. There's a ton of treasure.

After the draconic warriors' patrol, the assault squad users were helping with the transport.

They were relaxed in the thought that there would be no battles for a while.

"All members of the assault squad, meet me back in the lair."

- Pale: Copy.

Weed trusted his instinct and recalled the assault squad.

'I hope that I'm wrong about this… But, it's better to be prepared.'

It was only about 2 minutes after he called the assault squad.

"Hyung! The dragon soldiers are swarming in!"

Nide shouted.

As he was watching the lair entrance, fully equipped dragon soldiers came charging into his view. Small lizard-like mages followed as well.

"Everyone prepare for battle! There are already over 200 enemy troops and those are just the ones in view!!"

Weed pulled out the Loa Sword and sighed deeply.

"Damn it, why are the bad hunches never wrong?! Really, you think you're going to win the lottery, but you never do."

The dragon soldiers saw the reflections of the dwarves on the surface of the treasures and had gone back to get reinforcements.

"The enemy is coming in!"

Weed used his Lion's Roar.

- 1st and 3rd dwarf group, continue transporting the treasure. The rest will run over to the lair entrance and prevent their advance. You can make all the noise you want now, so please move as quickly as you can!

Weed never forgot the reason for coming to the lair!

"Follow Weed-nim's command!"

The dwarves laid down the treasure and drew their weapons.

The 1st and 3rd group were comprised of level 450 and higher.

Even the worst of them were well equipped with good shields and over half of them were warriors with exceptional defense.

Weed and the dwarves charged to the lair entrance.

"Everyone act calmly. We just have to block them at the entrance. It's simply a change of plans from a robbery to a raid!"

***

The Arpen Empire conquered the Central Continent, naturally gaining control over the ocean.

"We sure took the right side."

"Yeah, the best one in fact."

"Back when we were headed for Jigolaths, I thought we were doomed for good…"

Hye, Fractal and Board mir.

The three crazy sharks of Becky nin smirked every time they reminisced about the past.

They were villains that did not care about what other people say about them.

There was a time when they committed petty theft and felt proud; they had moved up in the world since then.

Things had ended up working out for them due to their diligence of misdeeds and their encounter with Weed.

Becky nin's 3 mad sharks watched Weed and gained a new perspective on evil.

"We will take over the world too through being pirates."

"Yeah. We are past our fun with petty crime."

"Let's grow our ambitions. The seas will be ours from now on."

The Arpen Empire's pirates. If they could exercise dominance over them, they could seize the seas.

Though they cannot overtake the continent, if they could seize the ocean of this world the power at their control would be tremendous!

"Let's charge toll fees on the ocean."

"Yes. That is a great idea."

The maritime control of the Arpen Empire encompassed the entire continent.

There was still the Haven territory of the Hermes Guild, but ever since the Gripis command ship was sunk, they barely roamed the littoral seas.

The Rosenheim Kingdom and Brent Kingdom in the east were nations that were ruined completely by the Embinyu Cult.

Even if the Arpen Empire did not officially conquer them, the users of both kingdoms were already abiding in the empire and crossing the ocean was not an issue.

"What if Weed-nim says something about us charging a toll fee?"

"Are you saying he's going to punish us?"

"Yeah. There is nothing to worry about except for the Arpen Empire… There is no navy in Arpen but Weed is a problem by himself."

For the 3 mad sharks of Becky nin, still had to face the final boss named Weed!

They could not let up because they were on the ocean. He could ride on flying barraggs and burn down their entire fleet.

"We just have to use bribery."

"Bribery?"

"Yup. Half of the earnings should be enough."

"Then it's settled."

"Of course! Villains are supposed to bribe the higher-ups. It's called mutual aid."

"Is it the tight bond that Weed-nim always talks about?"

Bekinin's 3 crazy sharks announced their control of the oceans.

- All users heading out to sea must turn over 1 gold each! If you wish to avoid the wrath of us pirates that is. Har-har-har!

They claimed dominance over the sea!

Merchants from that day on began paying toll fees to the pirate union.

Seoyoon used the collection to develop the ports and provided funds to unoccupied islands and new sea route findings.

She also made an official request to Becky nin's 3 mad sharks and the pirates.

- Seoyoon: I appreciate you guys for your consistent hard work. Please continue to tend to the users.

In some ways, she had more power than Weed.

The pirates bowed their heads to Seoyoon's whisper.

"Of course. We will keep to the ocean."

"Leave it to us. Please have faith in us. We will not let you down."

The pirates made a promise and kept to their word.

Securing the sea was a given, as well as protecting the sea routes and saving users from sea monsters.

"When there is no space for luggage, it's great that the pirate ships load them for us."

"They even repair broken sails."

"Pirates are knowledgeable about the geography in new sea routes. They inform you about the locations of sea monsters that must be avoided."

The pirate users that grew up together with Port Varna since its pioneer days thought of the Northern merchants and adventurers as their own kind.

They wore pirate caps and sailed the seas on pirate ships with skull flags.

***

- Kill all the intruders!

- How dare the lowly dwarves enter the lair. Murder them all!

- Chop them up! Rip them to shreds!

The draconic warriors blurted foul words as they approached.

They weren't common soldiers, but the elites defending the lair!

Weed led the dwarves and stood against them.

"Let's defend the entrance. We have to stop them from entering the lair."

The dwarves were already wearing the metal armor that they carried in their backpacks.

For the robbery, heavy armor was not worn because it slowed them down, but for battles speed was not so necessary.

"Hoo-hah! I came to this place expecting to die. My comrades are too good."

"Let's hold. I think we can do this. We got nothing to worry about if Kaybern isn't here."

The dwarves did get frightened when they were discovered, but they were high-level veteran warriors. The warriors fought at the frontlines and were therefore brave and fearless.

They had faith in the other dwarves they had known each other since their youths.

The draconic warriors clashed with the dwarves in a straight line.

"Die, intruders!"

"You will not be forgiven for intruding into Kaybern-nim's haven. You all are already dead."

The dwarves put up their shields and withheld the attacks.

The dwarves over level 400 had a great amount of endurance and were not easy to take down.

*Clang-clash!*

The retaliation of swinging axes and spears struck against the skins of the dragon soldiers.

"Keep to the defense line and do not get pushed back!"

"Hold this position."

The dragon soldiers defending the lair were higher in level than usual, but the dwarves chose to maintain close formation despite the impact and fended against the attack.

Weed stepped forward and struck down on the ground with the Loa Sword.

"Lava River!"

The earth split apart and crimson lava engulfed the draconic warriors.

"Screek!"

The immediate damage was incredible, but it also pushed back the enemy lines.

"Krrak. Keep pushing even if it costs your life!"

"We must defend Kaybern-nim's treasures."

The draconic warriors forced their way through the Lava River. They rushed forward even as their bodies began to burn. The dwarves formed 3 layers of defense formation and put forth their shields to defend.

Some of the assault squad led by Pale arrived just a moment after.

"Weed-nim. We have arrived. We'll jump right into the battle."

"Those of you that are capable of ranged support, please snipe the dragon soldiers. Leave the ones with large weapons as they will get in the way of one another, but we have to prioritize the boss-level monsters first."

Weed quickly analyzed the dragon soldier swarm.

There were approximately 200 of them, and around 40 were deemed to be boss-level!

There were especially stronger monsters or ones with special abilities that could emit fire, lightning and ice auras.

He assessed that it was advantageous to eliminate them first.

"Understood!"

The assault squad split up into smaller groups according to Weed's command.

The melee combat classes charged forward and the rest were led by Pale.

Wherever Pale's fire arrow flew, the magic and arrow ranged attacks were focused.

Dwarves were formidable, but this group was the top elite of the Arpen Empire, each over level 500!

'I will do my fair share.'

'Won't I be rewarded for doing something at least?'

The users went a little insane with dry mouths after passing by all the treasures in the lair.

Only with some accomplishment could they proudly take some equipment, so they bet their lives on this defense.

The concentrated attacks killed off 7 boss-level monsters.

Over on the side with the rest of the draconic warriors, the dwarves and the assault squad combined forces and led to an intense battle.

They did not dominate over the dragon soldiers, nor were they pushed back easily with their impeccable defense.

"Kreeeak! Kaybern-nim will unleash his wrath upon you."

"Be it human or dwarf, leave none alive. Kill them!"

More draconic warriors were streaming to the lair entrance.

< You are under the influence of Bademix, Commander of the draconic warriors.

Unparalleled fear grasps you.

Maximum health points are decreased.

Higher chances of falling into a state of confusion and fear.

Higher damage received by attacks. >

"What is this?"

The dwarves panicked.

A monster three times bigger than other draconic warriors appeared at the lair entrance.

Massive weapons like axes and spears were strung on its back.

They managed to take down the boss-level draconic warriors, but they were inside a dangerous place, the dragon's lair!

A true boss monster had arrived.

"You have entered this place without permission!"

Bademix swung his halberd, a combination of an axe and spear toward the other draconic warriors. It blew away everything in his way, leaving him a clear path that ran right up to the dwarves.

"Plague Strike!"

Each time it swung its halberd, the defending dwarves went flung back several dozen meters. Blue smoke covered their bodies and drained away their health points each second.

'This is bad.'

Weed's instinct was warning him.

Bademix was considered the boss of boss-level monsters, an extremely dangerous being.

If the dwarves could cooperate and fight, they could hold for now. But, it was a problem that several other monsters like Bademix could show up.

All monsters and draconic warriors under Kaybern's command will be headed this way.'

(To be continued…)