Among the rescued NPCs, there was another familiar face.
"Your Highness!"
A burly man wearing a Jackal mask sprinted towards me. Recognizing him, a smile spread across my face.
"Jackal!"
The NPC boss of Zone 5 Dungeon [Flaming Colosseum].
It was Jackal, the Gladiator King I had encountered before Stage 5.
"You're alive!"
"Had Your Highness not come to rescue me, I'd be stuck here until death. I owe everything to you."
As soon as he reached me, Jackal prostrated himself on the ground.
"Please accept me, Your Highness!"
I covered my mouth and chuckled. Seeing his attitude, a mix of respect and cheekiness, was a welcome sight.
We exchanged pleasantries and caught up on recent events.
After suffering a defeat against Celendion's Vampire Legion and trying to rebuild his forces in the ruins of the Colosseum, he was attacked by Lunared's Werewolf Legion and brought here.
'I guess he only got beat up by Nightmare Legion commanders.'
In other words, even after facing only Nightmare Legion commanders, the fact that he was still in one piece testified to his resilience.
As I tried to comfort him in this manner, Jackal immediately corrected me.
"No, it was a reality check."
"A reality check?"
"Let's just say, I may be stronger than most of the average boss-level monsters around here, but I'm not on the level of Nightmare Legion commanders..."
Jackal shook his hands as if to say he'd been utterly defeated.
"Especially now that my main base, the Colosseum, is completely destroyed... it looks like it's time for me to become an ordinary adventurer again."
His base was destroyed, his forces lost, and naturally, the boss-level modifications had worn off too.
Jackal, now reduced to a slightly stronger-than-average NPC adventurer, continued to grumble. To him, I offered a broad smile.
"At least you're alive to tell the tale."
"Absolutely. Rolling in shit is better than dying... although, this place feels like hell."
I gestured with my chin at his jovial remarks.
"Jackal, if you've got nothing else to do, how about helping me out for a bit?"
Jackal jumped up in excitement and exclaimed,
"Of course, Your Highness! Whatever you command! My life is already yours!"
***
I returned to the base camp.
I could've continued exploring the [Wolf's Den] dungeon, but tending to the rescued prisoners in a safe environment was the priority.
Bringing dozens of NPCs back to the base camp, which had been barren, instantly filled it with life.
"Ah, the foolish ones who left home have all returned."
Coco the Severer chuckled as she watched this unfold. I quietly approached her and handed over a bag.
"What's this?"
"Materials you requested for constructing the Teleport Gate."
Not only had I rescued the prisoners, but I had also gathered the materials needed for the Teleport Gate.
In one journey, I had completed two side quests.
Coco the Severer looked at my beaming face and chuckled mischievously.
"Not bad, little Prince. You're quick to get things done."
"I wish the construction of the gate would be as quick, Grandma."
"Heh, don't worry. I'm also rather impatient."
I felt a sense of relief sharing spirits with Coco the Severer.
I wonder if she has Korean ancestry among her elders...?
After wrapping up my conversation with Coco, I turned to see NPCs around the base camp finding their places, repairing the ruined buildings and makeshift huts.
Both the Penal Squad and Shadow Squad were assisting with the work.
Kuilan, Godhand, and both Verdandi and Jackal were gathered, engaging in a hearty discussion.
'Come to think of it, Jackal has a strange connection with our party members, too.'
Jackal was of the Beastman race and had once been an intelligence agent for what could be considered the predecessor of Aegis Special Forces.
He had relationships with both the Penal Squad and Shadow Squad.
"..."
The struggles of different races living in the human world could only be understood among themselves.
Leaving them to their conversation, I took a step back.
"Ah, so stiff."
As I stepped out of the base camp and stretched, catching my breath,
"Ash."
A refreshing female voice called out to me.
Turning around, I saw a woman with white hair, wearing tattered robes, slowly approaching.
"You seem to have handled things smoothly."
A broad smile adorned her gentle face. I returned the smile.
"Nameless!"
It was Nameless, the Dungeon Merchant NPC.
The swaying Nameless looked at the other NPCs within the base camp and seemed to nod as if relieved.
"It's fortunate that everyone seems safe."
"Considering they were held captive by those monsters for so long, they looked surprisingly well."
My eyes landed on Nameless' blood-matted hair and the tattered ends of her robe that bore ugly slash marks; I swallowed my words.
"So, you're the one who attacked the Plague Legion?"
Something felt off.
If Raven and the main force of the Plague Legion had been jointly guarding the Wolf's Den, the rescue mission would have been far more difficult. But there was no sign of their legion, and only Raven's Clone appeared. Thanks to that, the prisoner rescue was easy.
Someone must have attacked their main base, causing them to leave for defense.
Could it have been Nameless?
"Yes, I raided their main base."
Nonchalantly nodding in affirmation, Nameless slowly looked behind her.
"But it wasn't just me."
Thud. Thud.
From the darkness behind Nameless, someone emerged. My eyes widened in recognition.
"You are...!"
The man who stepped out of the shadows was dressed in a black bard's outfit with a tall, pointy hat.
A white smiling mask on his face.
A long gray flute in his hand.
Realizing who he was, I blurted out in surprise.
"The Pied Piper...!"
"Didn't you call me 'Crown' back in the day, Ash?"
His deep, resonant voice echoed as the man once again spoke his name.
"'Crown,' you said."
***
"It's been a long time since we've seen each other."
The Pied Piper, or Crown, spoke in a low, relaxed tone.
I was at a loss for words. Indeed, it had been a long time.
The last time I saw him was right before the start of Stage 5, when I had 'killed' him and his minions who were occupying this very base camp.
"So you really did come back to life."
"I told you, didn't I? Death is not permitted for the subjects of the Lake Kingdom."
A sardonic chuckle trickled from behind his mask.
"The only thing we can do is crawl like bugs forever in this darkness, unable to die."
"But it seems you've been doing more than just crawling?"
I saw the bare skin of Crown, not covered by his clothes.
His entire body was covered in sores and rashes, as though he was wearing a corporeal form of the plague.
"You attacked the Plague Legion too?"
"..."
"Unexpected. All this time, I thought you were part of the Nightmare Legion."
That intrusion during Stage 2, and then trying to kill us at the base camp—given that it was a 100% hostile NPC faction, I assumed he was with the Nightmare Legion. Was I wrong?
"Me? With those monsters?"
Crown's eyes flickered ominously from behind the mask.
"Watch your words, player! I am a native of the Lake Kingdom. The last court musician, jester, and mage."
His hand gripping the flute clenched tightly.
"What I desire is for my kingdom to regain its light... For that, I could willingly join hands with those Nightmare bastards if need be. And if required, I could fight against them as well."
Crown growled and turned his gaze away, looking at Nameless who stood there expressionlessly.
"This time, by pure coincidence, our objectives overlapped. That's why we attacked the Plague Legion together... and it seems that inadvertently benefited you too."
Hearing this, I shrugged.
"In other words, this time we happened to be the enemy of each other's enemy."
I tried to sound as amicable as possible, looking directly at Crown.
"Can't we maintain that going forward, Crown? There's no reason for enemies of a common enemy to clash, is there?"
I was sincere.
I didn't want to continue feuding with Crown and his undying subordinates.
They weren't exactly my favorite people, but what's the point of fighting foes that won't die? Even more so if Crown isn't part of the Nightmare Legion.
However.
"Enemy of an enemy, you say... I suppose that's one way to describe our relationship."
Crown muttered, his eyes coldly fixed on me.
"But let me advise you, Ash. The enemy of your enemy is never your ally."
"..."
"This time, I happened to assist you, but next time, I might seize the chance to kill you again."
So persuasion's out of the question, a total hostile NPC...
With a disgusted grimace, I noticed Crown intently watching me as he pulled his hat down.
"Be that as it may, you've made it deep into the Lake Kingdom, Ash."
"Yes, and I plan to go even deeper."
To the deepest part.
Heading toward the King's Castle in the Lake Kingdom, where the final stage is.
Toward clearing the game, toward its ending... I will tirelessly venture deeper into this darkness.
"However, the inner depths of the Lake Kingdom are a different kind of hell from what you've experienced so far."
Crown retreated, his body decaying due to the plague.
Blood oozed from his rotting flesh, but he seemed to pay it no mind.
"I won't bother telling you to be cautious. That stage is long past."
"So why are you dragging this conversation on? What do you want to say?"
"If you're planning on going any further, you'd better be prepared."
"Prepared for what? To kill you again?"
Although taunted, Crown spoke calmly.
"Be prepared to become a monster yourself."
"..."
"The fate of adventurers who delve too deep is always one of two things."
Crown started walking back into the darkness, his form wobbling.
"Either die as a human or survive as a monster."
"..."
"This is sincere advice, young prince. And also my final warning. It's not too late for you. Forget the darkness at the bottom of this lake and enjoy your blessed life above ground."
Crown disappeared back into the darkness. I watched him leave, quietly pondering his words.
"..."
Suddenly, I thought of Nietzsche's famous quote: He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.
I resolved to walk the path I had chosen, regardless of what anyone said. Nothing would stop me. Absolutely nothing.
"...Ash."
At that moment, Nameless softly called out to me. I suppressed my sharpening emotions and turned to look at her. What is it?
Nameless gave me a faint smile from beneath her hood.
"Rescuing the kidnapped people this time was something I was also working on, but I didn't have enough power to do it. But you pulled it off."
Originally, Lunared, Raven and Salome... three Nightmare Legion commanders had kidnapped those prisoners and occupied the Wolf's Lair.
Even for the great Nameless, rescuing them alone would have been difficult.
But after Lunared died in the last defense battle, and Nameless and Crown took care of Raven, only Salome was left. Luckily, I was able to go in and successfully rescue the prisoners. So strictly speaking, I can't take all the credit.
As I was about to say this to Nameless,
"So, it's not much of a reward, but..."
With a swift movement, Nameless spread a mat on the ground and started placing various items on it.
In front of my gaping mouth, Nameless spread her hands.
"It's been a while since I offered some services. Go ahead, choose."
"Are you serious?!"
Dungeon Merchant NPC Nameless giving out rare items for free! Part Two!
All kinds of dazzling golden equipment sparkled on the mat.
In the face of such compassionate service for a youngster, I couldn't help but shed a tear. This is true old people spirit!