Survival 73

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Lexton had been rolling on the battlefield since he was young. 

Inheriting the blood of dragons, Levain was strong of limb and bone. 

Though his race was naturally inclined to seek out fights, he stood out even among them. 

By the age of ten, he had shattered his master’s leg, and by twenty, within his mercenary band, there was no one who could oppose him, securing the position of leader. 

Entering his thirties, he had even gone so far as to plunder the lands of other Levain nobility. 

‘Nobility isn’t much after all. Whether noble or not, power is everything.’ 

Within Evildon, he believed he had no equal. 

However, even Lexton encountered a wall he could not overcome. 

“Bow down.” 

Just as cold and barren as the climate of Evildon, was this merciless command. 

And following that command, his subordinates dropped to their knees with a thud, none but he remained standing. 

“To stand so boldly before the king, how irritating.” 

The king of their race. 

The one who called himself the ‘True Dragon’ and the Demon King, looked him up and down with an utterly emotionless gaze. 

“This bastard!” 

Fear. 

A feeling he had not experienced in his decades of life began to crawl up from beneath his feet. 

Struggling to shake off that feeling, he swung his warhammer with all his might. 

He who had crushed the skulls of nobles. 

If this creature claims to be a king, what of it? 

Just smash him with overwhelming force…! 

“Oh. To think a lowly mercenary touched nobility. There indeed is noble blood here.” 

Yet, as if it was nothing, he drew his greatsword in a straight line. 

Without moving an inch from where he stood, yet, as if to mock, his cherished warhammer was split in two, from head to handle. 

“Arghhh!” 

He threw the now useless weapon to the ground. 

Even without his weapon, the greatest weapon of a Levain remained: Bulging muscles, sharp fangs, a tail capable of effortlessly lifting logs. 

He had sunk his teeth into the necks of those who were careless a few times before. 

‘I can still do this! At this close range, what can he do with a greatsword!’ 

The one thing Lexton overlooked was. 

“Your fighting spirit alone is commendable.” 

His opponent was also a Levain. 

Moreover, the king of their race. 

-Snap! 

It was unseen. 

The punch from the one who had discarded his greatsword, reached his face before he could even notice.

“Ugh!” 

For the first time, he experienced a complete defeat. 

Before he could even process the humiliation, the subdued voice reached his ears. 

“Submit or die. Choose.” 

At that moment, Lexton’s choice was already made. 

***

That was already several years ago. 

The fruit of submission was initially very bitter and spicy. 

However, gradually, it turned into sweetness. 

[Dungeon: Speda Duke’s Main Castle] 

[The stronghold of the descendants of the great warrior who drove the demons to the north.] 

[It boasts defenses second only to the natural fortress of Barant Fort.] 

[Warning] 

[The difficulty is too high for the level of your party.] 

[Boss, Duke Speda is absent. Temporary difficulty reduction applied.] 

One of the abilities he gained by becoming the king’s subordinate was this. 

Dungeon, party, boss. 

Lexton brushed aside the translucent panel with difficult words that appeared before his eyes to the corner of his vision. 

‘Still full of incomprehensible words.’ 

But even with his dull mind, he could understand how significant this ability was. 

The Levain, who always risked their lives in battle and considered the battlefield their home, could glimpse fragments of their enemy’s information. 

In such places, obtaining information without any cost was more precious than gold. 

“…Tch. I don’t like it.” 

However, the information he obtained this time was not to his liking. 

A ‘reduction’ in difficulty. 

As if saying, had the descendant of the great warrior been present, he would have been defeated. 

‘Even though I was horribly defeated by the True Dragon, there’s no way I would lose to anyone else.’ 

Grinding his teeth. 

Since that day. 

His newly grown teeth and fangs gnashed against each other. 

“I’ll go in first. Follow me.” 

Bang! 

With his new favorite warhammer in hand, he kicked open the door of the mansion. 

“Is this okay? From the walls and even though it’s a dark night, I’m worried that there’s no guard force at all.” 

The guy who often acts as a strategist and chatters away. 

“Shut up!” 

Deeming it not worth listening to any further, he gifted the guy a punch to the head. 

“Quiet! It’s good if there’s no force. Why so much talk? Are you scared?” 

“No, not at all!” 

Immediately, the lips curled in, and the subordinate bowed his head deeply towards him.

“Even if there’s a strategy, smashing through with force is all it takes! Am I wrong?” 

“Yo-you’re absolutely right.” 

Lexton believed in his reputation, recognized even in the mercenary world, and his strength that had even been acknowledged by the True Dragon. 

“If you’ve understood, move according to the plan! Kill that gargoyle brat, plunder the treasures! The same goes for any humans you see! Sweep them all away!” 

The rule of mercenaries. 

The spoils belong to the one who claims them. 

Seeing his subordinates’ eyes fill with greed, Lexton also smirked. 

Trampling over the expensive-looking, brightly colored carpet with their muddy boots, the mercenaries advanced. 

“Indeed, it does seem empty of people.” 

Do humans usually leave such large mansions empty like this? 

Such was the silence and desolation inside, it prompted questions. 

“Where are that gargoyle brat and the treasures?” 

What does it matter? 

As long as the objective is achieved. 

“It’s right in this room ahead!” 

The magical tracking device, which had been emitting a soft purple glow, now showed an intense reaction. 

Beyond here lay the item desired by the True Dragon. 

“Like a worm crawling in the soil, you’ve hidden well until now. But now, there’s no escape, gargoyle!” 

With a resounding voice, he pressed down on the door with his hammer. 

A creaking sound filled the corridor as the interior was revealed. 

And what was exposed inside was~. 

“Still no progress in brewing tea, I see.” 

“I’m always doing my best.” 

“Strive for the best, not just your best. The tea leaves are wasted.” 

The desired treasure was nowhere to be found. 

Despite the door being broken and intruders entering, they seemed unconcerned. 

Just a man and a woman arguing. 

The man turned his head towards them and squinted. 

“Hmm, I wasn’t expecting guests. If you don’t mind me asking, where do you come from?” 

“…Deal with both of them. And find where that gargoyle is hiding.” 

They’re seeing them and still calling them guests? 

After a brief moment of surprise, Lexton immediately issued his command. 

‘We need to find the treasure, what’s with these useless humans dawdling around.’ 

He had no time to waste on them. 

Leaving the disposal of the witnesses to his subordinates, he was about to hurry towards his goal when.

“Dealing? Speaking such nonsense in the Speda mansion. Not knowing your place.” 

The silver-haired woman slowly rose from the table, a rapier in her hand. 

As he was considering the menace of her presence, 

“Ugh?!” 

“If you have the skill, then try.” 

[Boss] 

[Luciana Speda] 

Above the head of the girl with a fierce look in her eyes, beyond the fallen subordinate, red letters floated. 

At the same time, the aura of what seemed to be just a small human girl explosively filled the room with a fierce momentum. 

“Everyone, be on guard! Do not underestimate her just because she’s a human woman!” 

Lexton hurriedly shouted to his subordinates. 

A boss, a special enemy sometimes encountered in gargoyle extermination missions. 

He never expected such a title to be attached to this diminutive human girl. 

But, 

“After all, it’s just one opponent. Surround her!” 

These were men who had synchronized in battle over many years. 

The subordinates, now in formation with their weapons drawn, slowly closed the distance towards her. 

“Who’s surrounding whom?” 

Giggle. 

That annoying laughter scratched at Lexton’s ears. 

He had momentarily forgotten about another pest while focusing on this boss. 

‘How dare this lowly human! …Hooh. Tearing this one apart in front of the woman wouldn’t be too bad.’ 

This is what the True Dragon called a tactical advantage. 

Destroying the enemy’s composure while boosting… well, under the True Dragon’s grace, his own growth was something Lexton was smugly smiling about when, 

“Aaaagh!” 

A scream echoed from another direction at that moment. 

“What?!” 

“Honestly, I was quite on guard because you’re supposed to be the main force. But this doesn’t seem much different from the mercenaries earlier. Ah, perhaps you are a bit different?” 

[Boss] 

[Hans Byron] 

Another figure emerged with a spear, just like the girl, a boy with a title indicating a formidable enemy, written in red letters above his head. 

Between his slightly squinted eyes, his black pupils flashed for a moment. 

Lexton involuntarily swallowed. 

A strange sensation he had experienced long ago flowed through his body in an instant. 

It was like, when he first met his lord… 

The gaze of a ruler dealing with those beneath him, reminiscent of the Demon King. 

“Waaaah!” 

“Show these demons who dared to invade the north what for!” 

“The safety of the lady is the top priority!” 

And simultaneously, human voices filled the room from all directions.

***

Enjoying a cozy tea time while waiting for an ambush. 

The thrill of a date with your favorite person, especially in these moments alone together at night, is incredibly exciting. 

But there’s work to be done. 

“How about we pull all the troops guarding the walls today and place them inside the mansion?” 

“Huh. You always come up with ideas beyond my common sense.” 

Luciana looked at me with an incredulous look. 

“Your tip turned out to be true. But we could prevent their approach from the walls in advance, and we might need to patrol the estate to prevent any potential harm to the lord’s subjects.” 

Luciana pointed out how my suggestion for troop deployment was utterly inefficient. 

Indeed, she was right. 

Without knowing the enemy’s objective, it’s necessary to spread out the troops to prepare for any situation. 

However, I was certain. 

That they would definitely come to this mansion. 

Because, after all, their target is Oparn and his treasure. 

“They will surely come. Bathory said it seems they are after her treasure.” 

Casually dropping Bathory’s name surprisingly worked well. 

As evidence, a crease formed on Luciana’s brow. 

“Tch, such an unhelpful maid you are.” 

“Let’s use that to our advantage. If we mobilize all the troops, aiming for a complete rout could actually be better.” 

Her red lips sipped the tea, releasing a rich aroma. 

Luciana, staring at me intently, asked in a stern voice, 

“Your strategy only works under the assumption that the enemy’s entire force targets this mansion.” 

Now, with the Duke of Speda and his heir, Luciana’s older brother, away, it was a reasonable doubt from the temporary commander of Speda’s estate. 

The deployment of troops is a matter of great importance, affecting everything from the lives of the estate’s subjects to the estate’s very existence. 

If things go wrong, not only could I lose trust over today’s events, but I might also be expelled from my position as a personal attendant. 

Nonetheless, I nodded confidently. 

“I’m aware. If my prediction is off, while the mansion may be safe, the estate could fall into danger.” 

My response, coming without a moment’s hesitation, made Luciana smirk. 

“It seems you’re aware of how reckless your suggestion is.” 

“Wouldn’t you say it’s an ingenious plan? If it succeeds, we could eliminate any future threats as well.” 

And this was the result of accepting my proposal. 

“How did this happen?” 

The utterly defeated foes. 

Barely maintaining formation but with their morale thoroughly crushed. 

Horns peeking out from the torn robes, a clear mark of demons. 

The sharp spearheads of the soldiers who emerged en masse formed a forest. 

And beyond that, the sight of the Levain, unable to hide their astonishment from within their robes, inadvertently brought out laughter. 

Ah, indeed. 

There’s no doubt my personality has taken a nasty turn. 

The overwhelming success of this reversed trap felt surprisingly good. 

“How does it feel to have the tables turned on you so swiftly?” 

“…We’ve been thoroughly had.”

And there was an unexpected gain as well.

The Levain leader with blazing eyes.

Above his head, red letters were engraved.

[Boss]

[Illegitimate child Lexton]

A name all too familiar.

[Lexton Subjugation Guide – 34th Attempt Strategy]

[Stop bullying him! He’s being chewed out for being the weakest.]

[But… we need to farm enhancement materials, right?]

[How else do we enhance without subduing the generous legion commander? The higher-ranked commanders? Might as well keep grinding this one endlessly.]

The lowest-ranked among the Levain commanders.

Yet, the most active in operations.

‘To gamers, a precious source of enhancement materials.’

In the game, as here, his presence was no different.

I struggled to control my twitching lips at the sight of him.

Of course.

“Everyone, run away on your own!”

[Lexton made it to phase 2 then suddenly ran awayᅲ Where can I catch him?]

[Ah kk, the escape ninja Lexton, there are still newbies who don’t know?]

[Jj Jj, didn’t read the strategy guide? Paralysis potion is a must.]

[Give up and look for another enhancement route.]

A keen sense, perhaps.

Frustrating newbies by letting their guard down.

Even though obsessed with battle, he had an exceptional talent for slipping away from disadvantageous battlefields.

‘I can’t just let him go.’

“Where do you think you’re going? Wouldn’t you want to take this with you so you can at least explain to the Demon King why you retreated?”

A shining piece emerged from within my cloak.

After all, the True Dragon is not such a merciful king.

He wouldn’t just let go of an incompetent subordinate who retreated even when the object of their search was in front of them.

“The Golden Jade Seal…!”

“Your eyes change instantly.”

As I casually rolled the object, nearly snatched from Oparn, in my hand, Lexton charged towards me, dragging his destructive-tank-like body.

Simultaneously spreading wings that covered half the room, swinging was the massive warhammer, as large as his frame.

-Clang!

A pitch-black blade intercepted the rushing metal mass.

Watching other demons trying to aid Lexton being blocked by Luciana,

I smiled brightly at the golden goblin we locked eyes with.

“Then, let’s have a good, long play!”

A trial that must be overcome to capture the Demon King.

The battle with the enhancement material… no, the legion commander, began.

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