Inside the Adventurers’ Guild council chamber, the air was heavy with tension.
The core members were gathered again—the “4+1”: Fahl, Soraline, Fifteen, Aedin, and Liliane, who stood quietly behind Aedin.
Soraline’s fists clenched tight, her knuckles pale. She was the first to speak, voice low and heavy with guilt.
“It was my fault. When we suffered casualties on the second floor, I should have realized the battle was spiraling out of control and ordered a retreat. My recklessness brought this defeat upon us.”
Fifteen followed, his tone carrying the weight of regret.
“The fault lies with me. I had the chance to kill the so-called ‘King of the Pujis.’ I failed to seize it. I let it escape.”
Aedin’s eyes flicked between them, wondering if he too should confess some mistake. But after thinking it over… aside from running faster than everyone else when the rout came, he hadn’t really done anything wrong.
So he stayed silent.
Fahl raised a hand, halting their self-reproach.
“No. The root of this lies in my misjudgment. Over two thousand Pujis, a King with diamond-level strength, plus elaborate traps and ambushes… all far beyond what I expected.”He looked around the chamber, admitting openly:
“I was too hasty. I based my plan on false, outdated reports. That impatience is what led to this disaster. The first blame rests on me.”
“And after this…?” Aedin asked cautiously.
“We gather intelligence anew, reorganize it, and draft a new extermination plan,” Fahl replied firmly.
At that moment, Liliane spoke softly, her tone carrying hesitation.
“Couldn’t we… try negotiation instead? Seek peace? If they possess intelligence, perhaps they can be reached through telepathy. After all, they released us alive. Why not attempt communication?”
Fahl turned to her, eyes filled with both sympathy and iron certainty.
“Unfortunately, Liliane, that is impossible.”
His voice was calm but unyielding, laying out his reasoning one step at a time:
“The Amethyst Dungeon is not some insignificant offshore isle that can simply be abandoned.
It is a vital source of resources—mana crystals, herbs, monster materials.
And these Pujis haven’t just taken over one floor. They’ve consumed the entire dungeon, spreading further even now.
If left unchecked, the consequences will be catastrophic.
Even setting aside resources—”
Fahl’s voice hardened.
“This dungeon sits deep within the United Kingdom’s heartland. With tensions against the Hermit Empire rising by the day, war may break out at any time. If we don’t eliminate the Pujis before then, they’ll be a massive destabilizing factor behind our own lines.”
He locked eyes with Liliane, driving home his grim conclusion.
“Unless that Puji King steps out of the dungeon right now and submits entirely to human control, we must destroy it. And do you really think a monster leader who just defeated a human raid, proving both strength and intellect, would accept such humiliation?”
Liliane fell silent, then shook her head.
Victory followed by unconditional surrender? No, it was impossible.
“Exactly. Absolutely impossible.” Fahl’s words rang with finality. “That is why talk of diplomacy is useless. We’ll speak of negotiations only after it’s been defeated.”
Soraline gave a slight nod. The Pujis had spared her life, but reality was harsher.
First and foremost, she was the Church’s blade, and duty always came before sentiment.
If the Puji King fell to her, she might try to grant it a choice rather than kill it outright—but only then.
She raised the practical issue instead:
“Our manpower is insufficient for another expedition. Ordinary adventurers won’t come. With death and crippling injuries above a third, no bounty is high enough to lure more.”
And high-level fighters? Against that King and its fungal army, even their current lineup—including Liliane—was woefully inadequate.
Fahl nodded grimly.
“I know. That is why I’ll delay until the expert team from headquarters arrives. In the meantime, I’ll try through special channels to recruit more diamond-ranked adventurers.”
“Perhaps…” Aedin spoke up carefully, weighing his words. “Perhaps we should consider calling in outside reinforcements?”
“Outside reinforcements?” Fahl’s eyes flicked toward Soraline. The Church was already the main ally. But—
Soraline shook her head.
“Impossible. The Church’s main forces are fully tied up hunting Imperial spies. They can spare nothing.”
Aedin continued.
“I don’t mean the Church. I mean Duke Alamar, the Saint-Claire family. The Amethyst Dungeon sits on their land. Yes, it is under guild jurisdiction—but if disaster breaks out, their domain will be the first to suffer. Why not ask for their aid?”
Fahl sighed.
“In principle, you’re right. But the Duke himself is at the border, confronting the Hermit Empire. What remains behind is surely bogged down, just like the Church, in rooting out spies. Whether they can spare anyone is doubtful.”
Aedin stepped forward, his voice carrying a faint undertone of certainty.
“To be frank… I have some personal acquaintance with the Duke’s daughter. I can send her a letter. If it works, we gain support. If not, we lose nothing.”
Fahl’s eyes lit with sudden interest.
“You know the Duke’s daughter?”
It wasn’t impossible.
Aedin’s aristocratic airs were not baseless. Though only the scion of a fallen viscount, he was still noble-born. A diamond-ranked noble adventurer might well have met her at some social gathering.
And truly, as Aedin said—one letter, even if it only yielded a token force, was pure gain.
If it vanished without reply, no harm done.
“Good!” Fahl decided at once. “Then, Aedin, I’ll entrust this to you. Should it bear fruit, you’ll be duly rewarded.”
—
【Level Up: LV56 → LV57】
【Seven Sins: Greed Triggered】
【Skill Plundered: Holy Barrier LV2】
【Skill Plundered: Heavy Armor Mastery LV4 → LV5】
【Skill Plundered: Light Magic LV3 → LV4】
【Skill Plundered: Human Common Tongue LV8 → LV9】
…
…
…
On the sixth floor of the dungeon, a certain green mushroom was reviewing its plans.
If things went smoothly, perhaps expansion to the surface was within reach.
For now, the main goal remained seizing the dungeon’s core.
But… what if he failed?
What if this dungeon was already beyond saving, the core irredeemable?
Better to plan for defeat before victory, to prepare as many escape routes as possible.