The black-robed figures cast fearful, almost reverent glances at Lee Han, as if acknowledging the madness—or perhaps the terrifying ingenuity—of his actions.

It was strange.

Though they were the terrorists, it felt as though he had become the “terrorist of terrorists,” using their tactics against them.

The feeling was oddly surreal.

‘…Am I really okay with this?’

Lee Han couldn’t deny a creeping sense of unease, even as he maintained his composure. He wasn’t entirely sure this was the right thing to do, but what choice did he have?

‘Negotiating with terrorists was never an option.’

…At least, that’s what his sister had told him.

She had once said:

- If, when you arrive, the tunnels are so thoroughly under enemy control that there’s no way to reclaim them, don’t hesitate to erase the tunnels entirely from Pendragon’s territory.

If the tunnels had fallen into the [enemy’s] hands, then the mission and all considerations could be abandoned. The only priority was to ensure his own safety and the complete annihilation of the enemy.

When Lee Han raised concerns about the potential collateral damage, even if most of the prisoners were criminals, she’d dismissed his worries with cold logic:

- Most of those criminals down there are murderers, rapists, or fraudsters who destroyed entire families. They’re worthless alive and might as well be dead. Honestly, being buried instantly is probably kinder than being eaten alive by monsters.

It was a chilling perspective, one that left him almost dizzy.

But Lee Han had pushed back one last time, trying to find some shred of reason:

- What about the fertilizer? Without it, the kingdom could face a massive crisis!

Her response had been curt and self-assured:

- Do you think I’d send you in without a plan? I’ve already made arrangements. The kingdom’s food supply won’t suffer. Stop worrying and handle things decisively. You’re my agent in this, and no matter what you do, the responsibility falls on me.

At that moment, Lee Han had thought, ‘If I’d had someone like her as a superior in my past life, I might’ve become her most devoted follower.’

Now, standing in the depths of the tunnels, he looked at Derrick, who was still visibly shaken.

"Sir… Instructor… What is all this…?"

"It’s fine. The person who gave me this job said I could handle it however I saw fit."

"R-Really?"

"Yeah. In fact, she said it would be fine to bury not just these guys, but all the prisoners in the tunnels as well."

"……."

"Not that I’m some lunatic who’d actually go that far. I’m just scaring them for now."

"……."

"Though if things get worse, I might have to go full lunatic."

"Th-Then what about us…?"

"We’ll just have to survive ‘as best we can.’ What else?"

"……."

"Hey, stop glaring at me like that."

"I’m not glaring. It’s just…"

…More like watching a fish take to water.

Unbeknownst to himself, Lee Han’s demeanor had become indistinguishable from that of a hardened terrorist. His natural talent for turning the tables and seizing control of situations shone through once again.

Although Lee Han appeared calm in front of Derrick, it was all an act to keep him reassured. Inside, Lee Han’s tension was mounting, and he was silently swallowing his nervousness.

‘I’ve been bluffing, but this really is a tight spot.’

He had claimed to have planted 100 fire scrolls in every section of the tunnels, but the truth was far from that.

‘Man, I really hope they don’t figure out I’ve only got a total of 100 scrolls….’

The actual number of scrolls he had placed was far smaller. Fire scrolls were rare and expensive items, and acquiring even a hundred had been a struggle.

He owed that small fortune of scrolls to his magic slave, Odwald Bernard.

- Hey, make me 1,000 fire scrolls in three days.
- WHAT!?
- Three days. Get it done.
- W-Wait a second…!

Despite being given three whole days, Odwald had only managed to produce a mere hundred scrolls.

- Th-This is already an impossible feat for most people!!

He’d wailed in protest, but to Lee Han, it sounded like nothing but excuses.

Even so, Lee Han had made use of the limited resources, quickly placing the scrolls throughout the tunnels to maximize their impact.

But the truth was…

‘The scrolls aren’t enough to destroy the entire tunnel system.’

The explosive power of the scrolls was just a bit weaker than dynamite. They could collapse a few sections, but not the entire network.

This meant that Lee Han had to tread carefully.

‘Can I handle all these guys…?’

As the numbers surrounding him swelled into the hundreds, Lee Han let out a faintly bitter laugh.

The prisoners, many of whom had learned combat techniques, varied widely in skill. Some, like Roy Vant, could hold their own in a fight, while others were barely competent.

But what set them apart from groups like the Silver Lion was one critical factor:

‘They’re organized.’

Despite being hybrids or partial monsters, these people moved with discipline, forming ranks like a trained military unit.

Lee Han knew better than most the power of coordinated tactics on the battlefield, having faced the fearsome Red Blood Hawks.

While none of these prisoners matched the Hawks in individual skill, the fact that hundreds of them had mastered combat techniques made them a formidable force.

Sheer numbers were nothing to scoff at.

‘I could probably take out more than half of them, but the rest….’

And then there were the black-robed figures, numbering slightly over thirty. Their mere presence exuded a level of power comparable to deputy commanders.

If he faced them head-on, he might win—but not without severe injuries.

And as for Tae-chang…

‘I could handle this, but Tae-chang would be in real trouble.’

The still-raw and inexperienced Tae-chang would struggle to survive.

‘Nothing’s ever easy, is it?’

With a sigh, Lee Han turned his gaze back to the priest—the one with the most authority here, despite his weak combat skills.

"Hey, you."

"W-What is it…?"

"Your tone’s really annoying."

"…What are you talking about?"

"Hah, you’re like a second-rate gold coin, so full of yourself."

"……."

"Whatever. I’ve got one question for you. What’s your connection to the [Blood Cross Legion]?"

"!!?"

The priest’s face froze in shock.

"You’re involved, huh? Judging by your reaction."

"H-How do you know our name…?! Wait… Could there be a traitor…!?"

"Hmm."

Lee Han smirked, sorting truth from lies with his honed instincts.

From this brief exchange, he had extracted four critical pieces of information:

1. The Blood Cross Legion was real.
2. They were confident their existence wouldn’t be discovered, implying some hidden safeguard.
3. That safeguard likely involved either a mysterious ally or a powerful backer—perhaps a noble or even royalty.
4. The Legion wasn’t unified; divisions or factions existed within their ranks.

 

‘Huh…’

His head throbbed from the mental effort, but the intel he’d gathered was worth it.

Still, he’d need to act quickly. Time was not on their side.

"Hey, coward."
"Yes?"
"Get ready to run."
"R-Right now?"
"We’ve learned everything we need. Evidence would be nice, but let’s just grab that priest and get out of here."
"……."
"Move!"
"Y-Yes, sir!"

Under Lee Han’s urging, Derrick reached for a smoke bomb in his pouch. Historically, few tools were better for escaping than these.

But—

Whoosh!
Clang!

"What’s this? A death wish?"
"If anyone here has a death wish, it’s you."
"……."
"Do you think we’re easy prey?"
"Oh, easier than playground bullies."
"…!"

Deceiving competent individuals, especially those with sharp instincts, is no small feat.

The moment Derrick began moving, a dagger flew toward him, only for Lee Han to intercept it directly.

Zzzk.

"That… hurts."

Even with his Diamond Body technique mitigating the impact, the force of the strike wasn’t entirely absorbed.

Lee Han eyed the attacker, deducing they were likely the strongest among the black-robed figures.

And that individual sneered:

"The scrolls being planted is true, but there’s no way you’ve hidden enough to collapse the entire tunnel system… unless you know of secret passages like we do."

"Oh? So there are secret passages. Should you really be revealing that?"

"It doesn’t matter. You’re not leaving this place alive."

"Such confidence."

"It’s not confidence. It’s fact. None of you will leave here alive."

The ominous aura thickened.

Even without the priest’s orders, the black-robed figure had already assumed an offensive stance, and the prisoners followed suit, exuding murderous intent.

It was the palpable malice of those who had harmed others without remorse—a suffocating presence.

"What is the meaning of this!? I haven’t given the command!"

The priest barked in outrage, furious that his authority was being disregarded.

"Do you dare defy the divine authority bestowed upon me!?"
"Of course not."
"Then why—"

Thunk!

"Gah!?"

"But you’re not divine. There’s no reason to follow the orders of a useless fool like you. How pathetic, falling for the enemy’s bluff…."

A dagger pierced the priest’s back, and he crumpled to the ground.

The execution was swift and without hesitation.

"So it’s infighting now?"

"Just eliminating the useless."

"Hmm."

Lee Han immediately recognized the black-robed figure’s unilateral actions as a power play.

"I see… so the [Black Moon] recently joined forces with the Blood Cross Legion, huh?"

"!!?!"

"Ah, so you were absorbed into the Legion? Or maybe you were equals until something happened to tip the balance?"

"You… You bastard…!"

The black-robed figure faltered, visibly shaken.

Lee Han smirked.

"Never mind. I’ll ask later."

Bang!

Lee Han kicked the handle of the dagger still lodged in the priest, sending it flying straight toward the speaker.

It was a precise, forceful strike.

• Piercing Spear.

Without a proper spear or log to use, the technique’s raw power was limited. But even so—

Splat!

It was enough to skewer through the abdomen of a black-robed figure who had stepped forward to defend their leader.

Thud.

Two of the stronger guards fell lifelessly to the ground.

"……."

As they collapsed, the leader snarled in fury.

"You’ll pay for this!"

‘So it’s him… Number Four.’

Lee Han had felt a faint sense of familiarity with the black-robed figure. Now, observing the brutal efficiency and reckless aggression, it clicked.

Number Four.

Once, like Lee Han, a candidate among the twelve top-ranking enforcers of the Black Moon.

‘He was strong back then.’

In the past, Number Four was hotheaded and often underestimated, but his potential was undeniable. He had been a half-barbarian enhanced through brutal experiments, gaining ogre tendons implanted into his body.

The result? A barbarian hybrid with superhuman strength—a monster among monsters.

As a child, Lee Han had often dreaded the thought of facing Number Four in combat.

…That was back then.

Thud!

"!?"

The clash between Number Four and Lee Han sent shockwaves rippling through the ground.

Despite Number Four’s overwhelming strength, Lee Han didn’t budge.

It felt as though Number Four had charged into a mountain.

For the first time, the barbarian hybrid experienced the sensation of being outmatched in sheer physical power.

But Lee Han wasn’t relying on brute strength alone.

His endurance and technique came from years of pulling up trees—hundreds of them—developing both mastery and precision.

Whoosh!

"I can’t let someone like you undo all my hard work."

Effortlessly, Lee Han hoisted Number Four into the air.

After all, if he could uproot trees, throwing a single person wasn’t much of a challenge.

Boom!

With a resounding crash, he slammed Number Four into the ground.

"Ugh?!"

The impact should’ve been enough to cause a concussion, but Number Four rose again, his enhanced body shrugging off the damage.

Lee Han clicked his tongue, readying a stronger attack, but—

"Sir, Instructor!"
"Time to run."

Watching the swarming enemies, Lee Han decided there was no point in prolonging the fight.

"Don’t run from me!"

"What are you barking about?"

Compared to the Red Blood Hawks, these enemies had one crucial flaw:

The Hawks were honorable warriors, worth respecting even as adversaries.

"You? Not so much."

Whoosh!

From his pouch, Lee Han pulled out his final two scrolls and hurled them toward the enemy ranks.

"You probably won’t die, but it’ll definitely hurt."

Boom!

The explosion erupted in a brilliant blaze, engulfing hundreds of prisoners in fire.

Watching the inferno spread, Lee Han smirked.

"Firepower’s always the best, huh?"

"……."

"Don’t you think?"

"…Haha."

Some truths remain eternal, Lee Han thought, reaffirming his belief that overwhelming firepower was the ultimate solution—both in his past life and now.