1.
Time rewinds to just a short while ago.
“Right now… don’t cry just yet. Cry fully on the day we finish our revenge.”
The moment when the members of <Light> regrouped again due to Vulcanus’ sincerity and the team’s confessions—
【Bad Ending 10 – <The Collapse of Light> has been prevented.】
The system window announced, as always, that the fate of the world had undergone a major shift.
But this was akin to a divine revelation—only those qualified could perceive it.
And in this world, the only one who could detect the ‘system’ was the possessed Nahan.
“…!”
However, Selena, originally a Hero specialized in detection and the one who had been saved by Nahan through an Easter Egg, faintly sensed the energy.
“…The Emerald Forest.”
“Hm? What are you suddenly talking about?” “I’m not sure either, but the <Black Wolf> is definitely there.”
Selena, Hero of Detection.
Since it was her words—someone who could, if she put her life into it, scan the entire Empire—Asha quickly composed herself and asked:
“What’s the chance it’s just a mistake?”
“Zero. It’s definitely Black Wolf.”
“Wasn’t it impossible to detect them until now?”
Asha’s question was valid.
Selena, known for her detection abilities, had never once been able to find the <Black Wolf> hideout.
“Honestly, I don’t know either.”
Without realizing, she had followed the system’s signal, and right at the end of the trail, she felt that ominous energy.
“But… I’m sure it’s Black Wolf.”
There’s no one else it could be.
No other group could emit this level of energy without any sign or warning.
As the terrifying aura continued to rise, Selena hurriedly terminated the detection.
What she had picked up was the Aura of the Black Wolf.
Having now prevented 10 Bad Endings, even the last remaining ultimate skill was released—right at the moment it was being sealed again, the Aura had briefly leaked.
But unaware of these circumstances, Selena hugged herself tightly and murmured.
“Why now…?”
They had never revealed themselves before, no matter how hard she tried.
So why suddenly release their energy and expose their location?
“They figured it out.”
Marin answered shortly, pointing at the list of mercenaries she had been reviewing and glaring at Vulcan.
“How did you gather them?”
“Walked in through the front door, proudly.”
“Hah… I knew it. No wonder you brought them all in a bunch in just a few hours.”
With these kinds of requests, secrecy was vital.
They were typically handled discreetly by branch managers, but…
“Thanks for the compliment, Marin.”
“I wasn’t complimenting you?!”
Vulcan was still Vulcan.
Marin, turning away from the cheek-scratching Vulcan, spoke seriously:
“It’s definitely a declaration of war.”
“Declaration of war?”
“Yes!! They heard we’re targeting them and are trying to pull something!!”
Hearing Marin’s urgent cry, Asha furrowed her brows and muttered.
“They’re declaring war… on us?”
The Hero Party of Light.
An unprecedentedly powerful Hero Party, with each member being a nation-level force.
Even the Empress treaded lightly around them—yet someone had declared open war?
If it were any other group, even one of them would’ve been enough to annihilate it. But their opponent was the Black Wolf, who had once plunged the Empire into fear.
‘We all need to go… No, we should bring the Great Ten we’ve secured in advance.’
Having reached her conclusion, Asha grabbed her Holy Sword and artifacts and stood up.
“In exactly 30 minutes, I will activate a mid-scale teleportation scroll.”
“A scroll? Do you realize how long it takes to activate, and that the moment it’s torn, a coordinate-locking magic circle will appear on their side too? I’d rather just—”
“No. Great Mage, please conserve your mana and focus solely on neutralizing the <Word Command>.”
The operation was already exposed anyway—and now the other side had declared war.
“So they won’t be running away.”
At Asha’s calm and organized orders, the other three nodded.
“Well, yeah. They wouldn’t call us out just to flee.”
“I’ll expand the detection range just in case.”
“I!!! …will go repair my shield.”
The Black Wolf subjugation had begun abruptly, but it was something they were going to do anyway.
“Let’s finish this as quickly as possible… and soothe the soul of the priest who gave his life.”
The entire Hero Party reaffirmed their resolve.
“Black Wolf. Whatever you’re thinking, inviting us like this…”
We’ll cut off your head…
And avenge our priest.
2.
Now, back to the present.
Crawling toward Nahan in a prayer posture, Yuria spoke with a holy smile.
“We’ve been discovered by the Heroes of Light.”
“? What do you—”
【00:00:00.】
【Wait Time Over – <Mid-Scale Teleportation Scroll (A+)> is activating!】
KWAANG!!!
A burst of blue teleportation magic instantly obliterated half the hideout.
From beyond the gray cloud of dust, as always, the first voice to ring out was Vulcan’s.
“Come out, Black Wolf!!! We’re here to avenge our comrade, Ian Red!!!!”
Just the sound of that infuriating voice was enough to set their nerves ablaze—and then Light, along with three members of the Great Ten, revealed themselves.
“Puhah, quite a shabby base for someone with such a name.”
8th of the Great Ten – Heretic Priest (S+).
“Hm? You’ve already put on your masks?”
6th of the Great Ten – Wildcat That Cries at Noon (S+).
“…Even a Bloodkin among them.”
3rd of the Great Ten – Hunter (A+).
Unlike the overwhelming wave of power exuded by Light, the aura of those cloaked in shadow was quiet—more like a still pond.
But it was still sharp and threatening enough that Lactea immediately drew her blade.
“Protect the Captain.”
“Yes, Vice-Captain.”
So fierce was the pressure that it compelled Lactea to act on instinct.
In fact, one among them—Heretic Priest—used his insight to peer through and uncover an identity.
“Oh? Are you perhaps Peter?”
“…How amusing. A man I once intended to judge has now come to me of his own will.”
Peter, who had ties to the past, responded with a cold smile.
“And the Bloodkin?”
“Over there. The white mask with the yellow head.”
“Confirmed.”
Having located the Bloodkin through Heretic Priest, Hunter pulled out a stake and aimed it at Kassler.
“Name?”
“Cold Heart.”
“…? Never heard of such a guy. Not that it matters, since he’ll be dead soon anyway.”
The standoff was already tipped—two enemies who seemed to be perfect counters were pressing them hard from the outset.
As the Black Wolf members’ alertness intensified, three women stepped forward.
All three pairs of eyes locked on Lactea.
“Get ready, Marin.”
“Already done.”
“Asha, begin the assault.”
The moment before their wrath for Ian Red’s murder could burst forth without filter—
Nahan, surrounded by his squad members, calmly stepped forward and innocently asked.
“What brings such important people to our humble place?”
And at that very moment, a skill activated.
【<Veil of Shadows – 15%> is activated.】
Suddenly, the atmosphere of the battlefield shifted.
Thick darkness seeped into the air, and in that instant, even some among Light and the Great Ten involuntarily took a step back.
Yet within that overwhelming aura, Asha endured and countered with a question of her own.
“What trick is this?”
“Trick?”
“You revealed your location to us the moment you heard about the subjugation.”
Huh? Me?
“I don’t recall doing any such thing?”
Though Nahan answered sincerely, Asha frowned and shot back curtly:
“You’re still playing word games.”
“It’s not wordplay—”
“Silence.”
Wait, why ask and then tell me to shut up?
Though a surge of indignation welled up within him, Nahan didn’t even know where to begin clearing the misunderstanding—so he simply stared.
Then Asha drew her Holy Sword, infused it with divine power, and calmly declared.
“Special-class criminal Black Wolf. For the massacre of innocent people and the murder of the Hero Ian Red—we will now carry out immediate execution on the entire Black Wolf unit.”
Asha’s eyes opened slowly, glowing.
【Holy Sword – <Primordial Light (SSS+)> responds to the call of <Asha Mirabelle (SSS+)> and awakens.】
【Enemy rank is increasing.】
【Hero – <Asha Mirabelle (SSS+)> → <Asha Mirabelle (EX)>.】
Due to Ian Red’s death, she had achieved complete synchronization with her Holy Sword.
【Divine Artifact Exclusive Skill – Sole Blade <Judgment of Light> is activated.】
ZHHHHHMMMM!
The sky split open in an instant, and a brilliant, pure-white light gathered around her sword—forming another colossal blade of light above it.
“…Damn it, why’d we even bring them?”
“So this is what they mean by ‘Heroes are different’…”
“Cold Heart is getting… warm.”
While everyone stood with jaws dropped in confusion, Asha—right before delivering the final blow—asked the Black Wolf a question.
“Any last words?”
Under the immense pressure,
The Captain of the Black Wolf—Nahan, the Black Wolf himself—remained resolute and smirked.
“Let’s run.”
“…Huh, Captain?”
“I said, let’s run.”
Everyone but Lactea froze in stunned cognitive dissonance.
SHRAK!
Lactea slashed deeply into her own forearm, then flicked her blood toward the members.
“Captain, set the coordinates.”
“Ah, huh?”
“Coordinates locked. 【Transfer.】”
“Eh?”
Using the blood as a medium to designate all Black Wolf members as teleportation targets—
【Artifact – <Converter (A+)> activates <Large-Scale Teleportation (SS+)>】
They successfully executed a swift retreat.
As a result, it was not the Black Wolf who were left stunned—
It was Light.
“…They ran?”
They were the ones who called Light here—
And now they ran without even trying to fight?
“Selena?”
“Uh, uh, gimme a second… I’m confused too…”
“…What in the world……”
Asha’s pupils trembled beneath the brilliant gleam of the Judgment of Light.
“……Did they really just run?”
It was a quiet, late afternoon.
3.
Meanwhile, over at Black Wolf’s new location—
CRASH BAM!!
“Gahh!!”
“Landing… successful.”
“You okay, Ruby?”
“…Yes.”
“Phew… If it weren’t for the divine command, we might’ve been in trouble.”
“But we’re alive, aren’t we?”
“Guess I almost got warm there.”
“Stop spouting nonsense and check on the Captain, Kassler.”
“Yes, Vice-Captain.”
Thanks to Lactea, the team had successfully escaped.
The location Nahan had set as the teleportation point was—
“I’m fine… Wait—Your Majesty, have you been well?”
The current Empress of the Babylonia Empire.
“Yes, well—No, now’s really not the time for pleasantries!!!”
“Aha.”
It was the private chamber of Reina Babylonia.
