All throughout our return to Crossroad via the base camp, Kuilan had drooped his shoulders, not uttering a word.
Not just Kuilan, but all the members of the Penal Squad wore somber expressions, keeping their lips tightly sealed.
'Everyone was so cheerful when we captured the Demon Gatekeeper.'
I inwardly groaned, observing the downtrodden atmosphere.
Sure, it might be a downer if one's ancestors were rumored to be such monstrous wolves.
'Koreans say they have a bear among their ancestors...'
I almost began recounting the garlic and mugwort-scented love story of Dangun and the bear-woman, but I held back. Now was not the time for jokes.
"Everyone worked hard today."
Upon our return to the mansion's backyard, I briefly addressed the party before disbanding.
"It wasn't intentional, but we got to meet the enemy leader of this defense battle in advance. And that's a significant gain."
I recalled the surprise attack by the vampire lord, Celendion, from the dungeon.
Back then, we got thoroughly thrashed. The entire main party was overpowered without putting up a fight.
Yet, thanks to that defeat, we found a clue to become stronger, which eventually led to his defeat.
The same goes for this time.
'This encounter will be the key to our strategy.'
Lunared, the Wolf King.
Like Celendion, the vampire lord we previously defeated, he's a named monster commander.
Of course, I've killed him countless times in the game.
He doesn't possess intricate mechanics or a diverse set of skills like Celendion. He's just purely, physically strong.
His stats are high, and each of his blows is painful. Sometimes, this kind of opponent can be even more bothersome.
'And... he plays a lot of dirty tricks.'
Unlike his straightforward combat prowess,
The Werewolf Legion is known for their unpredictable actions.
In the game, they'd use diversionary tactics, ambushes, and even strategies outside the fortress. They were truly despicable.
'Why would they resort to underhanded tactics in a battle?'
Wolves are clever animals. They're even more so when it comes to hunting. It's highly likely they'll act brutally and deceptively in this defense battle.
A cunning and dirty monster legion led by a purely powerful commander.
That's the werewolves. Simply terrifying.
Based on my in-game knowledge, I briefly briefed on the standard way to confront Lunared and his legion.
Although it's a topic we'll continuously drill into, mentioning it on the day we saw the enemy leader's face would be more effective.
"...That's it for now. We'll have another tactical meeting soon."
Looking at the still pallid Penal Squad, I offered a gentle smile.
"Tonight, no more worries. Rest well."
"..."
Kuilan didn't respond, hanging his head low. I clapped.
"Okay, disband! Go eat, clean yourselves, and sleep!"
***
Crossroad barracks. The Penal Squad's quarters.
"Hmm…"
Kureha, who had been cooking with his left hand, relaxed his tense shoulders.
'My right hand has turned mummy-like... making household chores difficult.'
During the last defense battle, in the process of suppressing the mages, he had exerted his right hand which activated the 'curse'. As a result, just like his left leg, his right hand had become mummified.
He had put on a facade of health to hide the truth from his younger brother, taking care of all the household chores. Thankfully, it seemed he hadn't been found out yet...
'How much longer can I keep this hidden?'
Kureha glanced down at his right arm, concealed by a glove and long sleeve.
'...No, hiding isn't the problem.'
How long could he live like this?
Sooner or later, he'd have to keep exerting himself, and not just his right arm and left leg, but... his entire body would be consumed by the 'curse'.
'When we reclaim our homeland, we can break the curse that binds us. Just hang in there a little longer, brother.'
Suddenly, he remembered words his younger brother had told him the previous day.
"..."
A bitter smile formed on Kureha's lips.
Homeland, indeed.
'Even if I were to return there now, this curse...'
Suddenly, noisy footsteps echoed outside the inn. Kuilan and the Penal Squad members entered.
Kureha quickly adjusted his right sleeve and greeted his brothers with a calm smile.
"You're back? You worked hard today."
"Uh-huh, yeah..."
Kuilan avoided Kureha's gaze and responded weakly.
The other Penal Squad members also couldn't meet Kureha's eyes as they shuffled in. Kureha grew curious.
"What's going on? Everyone seems drained today. What happened?"
"No, nothing... Nothing at all."
Stammering, Kuilan collapsed onto a bed without washing and stared blankly at the wall. The rest of the Penal Squad did the same.
Kureha, furrowing his brow, asked with concern, "You're not hiding anything from me, are you, Kuilan?"
"No, brother... I'm just tired."
Kuilan, who had been staring at the wall, suddenly turned and inquired.
"Brother. The Leaf Fist technique you passed on to me..."
"Yes? Something confusing about it?"
"You said you learned it from our father."
"Yes."
"And he inherited it from our grandfather."
"Yes, it's a martial art passed down through our lineage."
"..."
"Is there something you don't understand? Should I give you some pointers?"
As he said this, Kureha realized he'd made an error. If he offered to demonstrate the technique, his mummified right arm would undoubtedly be revealed.
Fortunately, Kuilan shook his head and buried himself under the covers.
"I'm just tired, let me rest for a bit, brother..."
While it might seem comical for such a large, bear-like young man to act this way to outsiders, to Kureha, Kuilan was still his younger, smaller brother.
"Alright. I'll prepare some food, eat when you're hungry."
"..."
Kuilan didn't respond.
Kureha rose and proceeded to the kitchen to finish cooking.
The rhythmic breathing of his large brother and the soft bubbling of the pot he was tending to filled the air.
Both brothers had truths they kept from each other.
Sometimes, they believed, keeping secrets was the best way to protect one another.
Blissfully unaware that catastrophe was near.
The peaceful evening wore on with just a few days left.
***
That night, while everyone was resting.
In the vacant training ground of the barracks, three individuals quietly met.
It was Lucas, Evangeline, and Damien.
"I'm sorry for calling you when you must be tired."
As Lucas turned to look at Evangeline and Damien, both shook their heads.
"No, it's fine, Sir Lucas. I actually wanted to gather everyone in the first place," Evangeline responded.
"And me too. I've been feeling restless, like I can't just sit still," Damien added.
At their words, Lucas silently nodded in agreement.
All three felt the same sensation.
- Enlightenment was right before their eyes.
The next level of combat was within reach.
But that level seemed elusive, appearing and disappearing like a mirage.
"Taking all our battle experiences, it feels like we are on the verge of crafting our unique combat strategy. But we can't seem to grasp its essence," Lucas said, clenching his empty hand.
Evangeline hummed in agreement, "Same here. I feel like I'm just one step away, but taking that step seems so hard."
Damien, blinking his round eyes, surveyed their surroundings, "So, the reason we're all here today is...?"
"Yes," Lucas answered.
On the ground of the training area, there were plenty of wooden practice weapons scattered about. Lucas kicked a wooden sword into the air and caught it, nodding.
"It's for sparring. Evangeline and I have done it often."
"Starting today, you'll join us, Damien!"
At this candid yet fierce suggestion from the martial knights, Damien chuckled wryly.
'Far-Sight and my weapon... I can't control my power output...'
Far-Sight automatically detects an opponent's weakness, and the gun didn't understand the concept of firing gently.
There was a reason Damien hadn't been sparring up until now.
But Damien, too, was fired up.
Mastery of combat skills. Borrowing Ash's phrase, the 'ultimate move.'
He felt close to acquiring it.
Maybe because he had faced formidable foes, he was eager to learn new techniques, his mouth going dry with anticipation.
A sparring session among peers would surely help.
Silently, Damien picked up a featherless arrow and a wooden bow from the ground.
"How do we spar?"
"It's a free-for-all battle, 1v1v1. Either raise both hands in surrender or step out of the ring to admit defeat."
The moment Damien grasped the bow, Lucas and Evangeline took their battle stances.
Intense fighting spirit poured from the two knights, filling the training ground.
"We won't go easy on you, Damien."
"Honestly, Damien might be the strongest among us here," Evangeline mused.
Staring blankly at the two knights genuinely challenging him, Damien gave a faint smile and nocked the featherless arrow onto his bow.
Somehow, he felt recognized and was in high spirits.
"Alright then, I won't hold back."
Damien's eyes changed.
A chilling white flash swept across his round, gentle brown eyes. Both Lucas and Evangeline swallowed nervously.
Far-Sight.
They had benefited from those eyes countless times, but facing them as opponents was overwhelmingly daunting.
Intense tension flowed between the three. They circled each other clockwise on the training ground, waiting for an opportunity. The moment it felt like one would show a weakness and the others would pounce –
"Sorry to interrupt the mood."
Someone just killed the vibe.
The tension broke, leaving three flustered individuals looking in the direction from which the voice had emanated.
From the military quarters, a burly fighter emerged, looking somewhat sheepish.
"Mind if I join in?"
It was Kuilan.
The Bandit King scratched his red hair awkwardly, admitting, "I don't have insights like you guys. Just feeling a bit stifled. Thought a good brawl might clear my head."
Lucas, who had been silently observing Kuilan, smirked. "Gear up and come on up. We'll give you a proper beating."
Kuilan, with a wide grin, hastily equipped his gauntlets and boots, ascending to the combat platform.
The showdown between the four continued until dawn broke.
***
Dawn.
I exhaled a deep sigh, gazing at the gradually lightening blue sky.
"Whew..."
I'd gone to bed early in the evening, but with the upcoming defense battle on my mind, it was already almost sunrise.
'...Can't sleep, maybe I should unbox.'
I took out two boxes from my inventory, placing them on the bed.
One SSR-grade box I'd received as a reward from Stage 9, and an SR-grade box from Stage 8.
I'd opened all the smaller boxes a while back, leaving these two precious ones untouched.
'I planned to open them when I felt lucky.'
Whether it was dreaming of pigs, finding two yolks in a cracked egg, or seeing a bluebird, I'd decided I'd unbox then.
'Who knew playing these gacha games would get someone so superstitious? But it's inevitable.'
In any case, no such lucky signs appeared, and the next stage was imminent.
It was high time I unboxed these treasures.
Without hesitation, I cracked both boxes open at once. If I'm doing this, I'm doing it right!
Flash!
From the opened boxes, a dazzling light burst forth. I couldn't help but shout.
"Did I score the jackpot?!"