Inside the banquet hall, blue flames illuminated the walls. The light was dim, serving only to create an eerie atmosphere.

[Lv. 69]
[Lv. 71]
[Lv. 74]
[Lv. 78]
[Lv. 81]
[Lv. 86]

The emotions directed at me by the attendees were a mix of fear, caution, and hostility. Their gazes lingered not on colors but on the sheer levels themselves. A level above 90 unmistakably marked a boss of the Abyssal 7th Palace.

‘…No one’s here, huh?’

I had prepared for all kinds of scenarios, yet not a single one of the other 7 Palace Lords had shown up. It was both a relief and a letdown.

Rumble.

The doors closed, and Brion entered behind me. I turned my gaze to him and asked,
“Where are the other Lords of the Abyssal 7th Palace?”
“I apologize, but the Lords of the Abyssal 7th Palace have only confirmed their attendance for the Round Table meeting.”

I understood without needing further explanation.
The ball was a social gathering for bosses seeking alliances, and the auction was held under the Merchant Association’s contract.
Both were nothing more than a waste of time for the Abyssal 7th Palace Lords.

‘So, the Round Table is the real focus.’

The assembly of the 72 Dungeon Lords ultimately revolved around the Round Table meeting. Likely, their absence was also due to a sense of superiority. The idea being: Why should the Abyssal 7th Palace mingle with the likes of you?

Regardless, I was the only representative of the Abyssal 7th Palace here. Already a person of interest, my presence as the sole 7th Palace Lord meant that all eyes were solely on me.

‘I should’ve skipped this and only attended the meeting.’

It seemed this was the Merchant Association’s plan all along.
They had emphasized that I was the centerpiece of this gathering. For them, it was ideal if I made my presence known at the banquet from the start. Conveniently, I hadn’t asked when the other 7th Palace Lords would attend, and they weren’t obligated to provide such information.

‘If I complain now, I’ll just look petty.’

They hadn’t betrayed me nor deceived me. If anything, it was my fault for not being more thorough. I had fallen right into a baitless trap.

Having already stepped in, there was no turning back.
With Charlotte and Balutak at my sides, I moved further into the hall. Every gaze in the room followed my movements.

“Is that Death Knight the new master of the Abyssal 7th Palace?”
“He doesn’t look like much…”
“But he’s still from the Abyssal 7th Palace. We wouldn’t know, would we?”
“They said he defeated Hero Wilhelm, didn’t they? Care to go talk to him?”
“No, thank you. Who would dare with a 7th Palace Lord…”

Clusters of orange and black levels glanced at me. Among them, a fairy’s hand trembled as it held a wine glass.

From the shadows, another group silently stared. Their levels glowed faintly red—a sign of hostility.

‘Are they part of Gergore’s faction? Or maybe Kalandas’?’

At least they weren’t exuding killing intent, which was a relief.
Then again, it would’ve been absurd for anyone to display murderous intent toward a 7th Palace Lord.

I scanned the room, but not a single green hue was visible. I had expected a warmer reception from Rosecha’s faction, but I was mistaken.

It made sense, though. Even if their leader admired me, they had never seen me before. Coupled with the news of me killing the 21st-ranked boss, their wariness or fear was understandable.

“Stay by my side, both of you,” I instructed.

These two were the only allies I could trust here.

“Kirik! Got it!”
“Thank you for your concern.”

In truth, I was more worried about myself than them.

It hadn’t been long since I entered, but I already heard footsteps approaching. A fox demi-human in a splendid dress, with seven tails marking her as a Kumiho, flanked by a wolf and another fox demi-human, made her way toward me.

“We greet the new master of the Abyssal Palace,” she said, bowing alongside her companions.

[Lv. 73]

A level 73 Kumiho was likely a boss in the top 20 ranks. For someone of her level, approaching me—a member of the 7th Palace—was bold.

“I am Mijo, the 27th-ranked Lord.”

It was clear she wanted to build connections with the Abyssal Palace.
Kumiho were adept at enchanting others, much like succubi. She probably thought she might even be able to seduce me with her beauty.

But I was an undead eunuch immune to such charms, having already resisted the allure of someone far more captivating—Rosecha.

‘She must think I’m easy prey.’

I exhaled a cold breath and leaned in close. Mijo flinched, retreating slightly. Her black level darkened even further, blending into the shadows.

“M-my apologies. I’ll take my leave…” she stammered, fleeing with her companions.

The display worked. No other bosses dared approach me after that. The blatant stares now turned to furtive glances, and any who met my gaze quickly looked away.

‘So, what now?’

Forming random alliances would only hurt me. I considered maintaining my imposing stance when I noticed something.

‘Oh, really?’

A group of red-level individuals continued to glare at me. It seemed they were emboldened by their numbers, with a troll shaman standing at their center, exuding confidence.

[Lv. 86]

His level clearly marked him as the 8th-ranked boss.
However, the 8th-ranked boss I remembered was a Twin-Headed Ogre, not a troll.

Given that this was the past, there were bound to be bosses I didn’t know.

‘He’ll probably be wiped out soon enough.’

If I didn’t recognize him, it meant his time was short. There was no reason to fear a faction led by someone destined to fall.

Locking eyes with the group, I responded with an icy glare. A silent battle of wills unfolded in the air.

Still, it puzzled me. Despite their hostility, they maintained this attitude toward a 7th Palace Lord. Did they have some unseen backing, or was their faction larger than I imagined?

“Hey, you,” I called, stopping a passing vampire boss.
“Y-yes?”

“Is that faction large?”

Caught off guard, he hesitated before replying.
“N-not large, but… they’ve recently joined the sub-faction of the 5th-ranked Lich King.”

I see. That explained their confidence. Being under Kalandas’ faction, their hostility only served to solidify their bonds.

The timing was coincidental, benefiting them and inconveniencing me.

The group whispered among themselves, the voices carrying to me.
“Baba Yaga, there’s no need to do this here. Save it for the Round Table.”
“So, it’s true. The 7th Palace Lord’s lieutenant is human?”
“Such disgrace. A human, not even a half-demon? It tarnishes the Palace’s dignity.”

The muttered insults grated on me. Without hesitation, I allowed my holy sword to act on its own. It shot forward, halting just before the orc who had spoken, leaving him to fall back in terror.

“What’s your rank and name?” I demanded.
“Th-thirty-fourth… Brutalgrim.”

A mere 34th-ranked boss had dared to insult me. Likely emboldened by his ties to Kalandas’ faction.

“Consider this your warning. Speak out of turn again, and I’ll rip out your tongue. Understood?”
“Y-yes! It won’t happen again!”

I withdrew the sword and glanced at their leader, Baba Yaga, who seemed at a loss for words.

‘You’ll be gone soon anyway,’ I thought. Even if you weren’t, the outcome would be the same.

Charlotte’s voice broke my thoughts.
“I’m sorry… It feels like I’m only causing trouble.”

“It’s fine,” I reassured her.

Using her as a pretext to assert my authority was part of my plan.

Now, I needed to focus on building alliances with promising underlings. My gaze scanned the room and stopped at a figure in the corner.

[Lv. 44]

An unusually low-level boss with a deep black aura. Despite the unassuming level, I knew who she was.

‘Half-demon Estijel.’

She was my first recruitment target.

Estijel started at the bottom, ranked 72nd, but rose to 10th. Recruiting her would mean securing a future powerhouse.

Approaching her, I placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched violently before slowly turning toward me.

Tears and snot streaked her face as she stammered,
“P-please, spare me…”

I froze, confused. What had I even done?