As I ended the last cleric’s life, the battlefield was finally cleared.

There weren't many corpses around, despite the fact that a battle had just taken place. In most settings, a player’s body disappears within a minute, leaving little evidence behind.

The field, damaged by the fight, was gradually returning to its original state. The Venom Guild retreated, and Soolbbang pushed forward, bringing today’s battle to an end. The field, where I had jumped in earlier, now seemed as quiet as if nothing had happened.

Drinking a tasteless healing potion, I suddenly felt a bit annoyed.

[Whisper from ‘Gyocheo’]

• I heard the news.
• You joined Gampbang as a mercenary this time.
• The Venom Guild took heavy losses. A bit disappointing.

Five guilds had applied to participate in the siege of the Ancient Kingdom. Rather than by their individual names, they were better known under the collective name of the "Crusaders."

Cross, Venetia, and Ministry of Defense—those were the three leading guilds, forming the core of the alliance.

Despite the silly name, they had once ruled the siege scene. Before the current two-power structure, they had controlled a third of the continent.

The name "Gyocheo" belonged to Cross's guild master, the leader within their alliance. He was also a former client who had frequently hired me.

Though our business had declined recently, there was a time when he was considered a “big spender.” So he should understand exactly what his behavior means to me.

Leaning against a tree, I pulled out my dagger and spun it between my fingers.

“The Venom side didn’t seem too upset. I just ran into Immaengnyang earlier.”

• I’m not blaming you. Just expressing a little regret. You don’t usually get involved in sieges.
  “That depends on my situation. It’s not like I made any promises. I’ve even joined forces with you before.”
• That was quite a while ago. I would’ve preferred if you were on our side again this time. It’s hard not to wonder why now, of all times.

Ah, it's clear now. Gyocheo is trying to intimidate me. He wants me to back out of this war.

The first person to hear about my involvement was likely the Venom Guild Master, Immaengnyang’s superior. They probably shared the information with the alliance, which then reached Gyocheo. The key point here is that no one else from the guilds has contacted me.

That’s a matter of courtesy. I’m only here as a mercenary, after all.

Immaengnyang didn’t ask if I’d settled in just to be polite. He was measuring how to treat me—whether I’d be friend or foe in the future.

“As you know, I take jobs that pay.”

• You won’t see any success bonuses this time, so it’s hardly profitable.
  “Confident, aren’t you?”
• Objectively speaking, isn’t that so? Withdraw now, and we’ll even cover the penalty. We can overlook today’s events.

Those words... they rub me the wrong way.

“You’ll overlook it?”

• Yes. I believe it wasn’t intentional on your part.
  “What exactly wasn’t supposed to be intentional?”
• Seems like there's a hidden message there. Aren’t you someone who prides themselves on neutrality? Why make an enemy of us?
  “Well, I planned to be unaffiliated after this siege anyway.”
• This one matters to us. I don’t wish to escalate things.

Gyocheo is coming on strong. His words are polite, but he’s implying that if I don’t comply, we’re headed for a rougher relationship. He’s basically threatening me with a kill order.

Let’s think this through. Gyocheo isn’t incompetent. Even back when I was just a sniper known for taking potshots, he recognized my value and didn’t hesitate to spend on me. He knew my skill even before I won the Arena.

“Hmm...”

Perhaps it’s best to set aside my bruised pride for a moment. As irritating as his attitude is, my long-term earnings are at stake here. I might need to take a cold, calculated approach.

The only gains from this war are mercenary fees. The cost would be one loyal client. I still have plenty of time until the siege, so pulling out wouldn’t hurt my credibility too much.

Rationally speaking, walking away from Soolbbang might not be a bad option.

But no. This isn’t a choice I can make.

• I’ll be waiting for a wise decision.
  “There’s no need to wait.”
• Is that so? Then I’ll proceed with your penalty...
  “That won’t be necessary either.”

Was he in too much of a rush?
If he truly wanted me to back down, this wasn’t the way to go about it.

Any other mercenary might have withdrawn out of sheer annoyance. A year ago, I might have walked away too. A major guild’s pressure is intimidating, after all.

But I’m not the same person I was. As my name has grown, Gyocheo has become less influential. If it gets out that I backed down now, my value as a mercenary would be diminished.

Once a mercenary backs down, there's no guarantee they won’t again. To control me, Gyocheo simply lacks the power. If he pushes me, he’ll only end up cornering himself.

“You seem to be under a misapprehension. I’m not weak enough to tremble before a group like the Crusaders. Even Iris doesn’t treat me with this level of disrespect.”

• Hah... I see. What a shame. We’ll meet again soon.
• “Sure thing. Be my guest.”

And that’s that—the point of no return.

This war... at the very least, I’ll crush Cross Guild. I may have just declared war, but I’m not planning any immediate moves.

War isn’t something I can fight alone. While I can heavily influence the outcome, I can’t win it singlehandedly. If I could, I would’ve created my own siege guild by now.

Objectively speaking, our forces are at a disadvantage. Even if I disrupt the enemy’s rear line, it won’t change the odds in the front. They know me well enough to prepare.

For now, I’ll focus on what I want to do. It’s up to Soolbbang to bolster our forces, and I’ll join when I’m ready. I have until my rehabilitation training tomorrow morning to rest.

《Amazing, Traveler! People said Luce had grown tremendously since the last Arena, but it’s like you’re saying, “I’ve grown too!” 》

In the pro league, the season opener between Luce and Traveler was underway. I watched while eating a prepared snack—a tub of vanilla ice cream.

Arena winnings, a share from the Maw of Insanity, and gold looted from the New Continent! Right now, Handaeun is flush with cash.

A bit of indulgence? I deserve it.

《 An intense match right from the season opener! Q Prime is leading 1-0. Sigma’s next pick is... Camellia! 》

《 Camellia had quite a remarkable run in the second league. It’ll be interesting to see how her raw talent fares in the first league. 》

Camellia... someone I recently fought against.

Back in the second round of qualifiers, she tried her hand as a warrior but was beaten soundly. Though talented, she lacked experience. It felt like she never really showed her full potential.

《 Camellia has an interesting backstory. After being eliminated from the qualifiers, she faced a lot of criticism. 》

《 People even said she’d have been better off not competing. 》

《 Yes, but after her opponent, Ka-Wol, went on to win the tournament, there was a reassessment among fans. 》

《 It was a surprising outcome. She probably feels some injustice there. Let’s hope she can showcase her full potential this time. 》

Yikes, that’s a little embarrassing. Still, hearing the commentators mention Ka-Wol was always a sweet sound.

Camellia, as the camera showed her, looked determined, her expression filled with a steely resolve. Reminds me of when I was practicing kendo back in the day.

Ugh. I must’ve gotten lost in thought. Before my mood soured, I took another spoonful of ice cream. The smooth, sweet taste spread across my tongue.

In some ways, being in this body wasn’t all bad.

Back then, ice cream wouldn’t have brought me nearly this much satisfaction. The happiness from taste alone was incomparable to before. A gentle, contented warmth filled me as I sat there.

As long as it’s not ramen, everything tastes good. It’s not that I dislike ramen, but I definitely ate too much of it.

《 The teams are ready. 》

《 The next map is the Corridor of Duels. It’s a 1v1 elimination map, with continuous battles until one team is wiped out. 》

《 This will be a big test for Camellia. She’s Sigma’s lead player! 》

《 Her first opponent is... Sparrow’s assassin. 》

As the teams confirmed their match-ups and recognized their opponents, Camellia’s eyes, intense and fierce, glinted coldly.

Hmm... there’s clearly some bad blood there.
I hope they settle it peacefully.