Three-Way Alliance

When three days passed after the three-way alliance’s confrontation began, Borden hammered in the wedge on rumors everyone knew.

[Jake formed illegal collusion relationships with former lord Bark, and committed excessive threats and violence against competent mercenaries to increase forces.

Therefore interrogation began, but fearing punishment he attempted jailbreak, and mercenary Pernok stopped this.

As the new lord, I express gratitude and commend the meritorious deed to Pernok who killed the criminals.]

Flang was disbanded and affiliated guilds were punished with crimes severely judged.

Flang’s demon beast material business rights returned to the association, and many guilds and merchants stepped forward to seize business rights.

“We’ll acquire all of Flang’s business rights!”

“You won’t give this to Clarity and Hunting Net, right?”

“For the mountain range’s balance too, our Eastern Alliance should rightly have it!”

“Please make a wise judgment, branch leader!”

Though Baltus appeared to deliberate deeply, he’d already decided the business rights’ owner.

[Pernok is level 6 and Bayble B-rank guild’s master.

Judging their strategy, force, and character have no problems.

The association transfers business rights Flang previously held to Pernok.]

No one could object.

The Beast who fought Flang alone and ultimately seized victory.

He was even grasping B-rank guild Bayble and rapidly expanding his forces.

No guild had guts to compete with the terrifyingly growing emerging powerhouse.

Many returned empty-handed, and mercenaries fell for Pernok’s dignity.

“I heard Pernok is recruiting guild members…”

“He said he’d gather family to be with through strict screening!”

“Treatment is generous too!”

“I heard he even guarantees free access to the eastern mountain range.”

“Let’s go to Pernok!”

“He’ll raise us to higher altitudes!”

Every day mercenaries wanting to join knocked on Bayble’s door.

Pernok prioritized selecting those with special magic and high growth potential.

Before long, the name Flang was forgotten and Pernok entered that position.

Though Bayble’s forces swelled uncontrollably, Pernok wasn’t satisfied at all.

Right now battling A-rank guilds.

Because he had to grasp not only talent cultivation but even victory in the three-way alliance war.

Pernok called Hallam.

“Only five level 3 mages among guild members?”

“There’s also one level 4 mage.”

“Flang had seven just at level 4.”

Hallam smacked his lips.

“That’s an A-rank guild. Mercenaries worthy of receiving baronet titles flock there.”

“Even with newly accepted personnel, doesn’t reach half of Flang’s prime?”

“Probably so. A-rank guilds are power that seven B-rank guilds barely match when combined. Since we’re just now expanding forces, time is needed. Especially, lack of experience is biggest.”

Pernok nodded.

“For now, assign low-level quests bundling recruited talents and mages together. You lead them to successfully finish quests. Best to give diverse experiences as much as possible.”

“Then what about Clarity and Hunting Net?”

“I’ll handle them alone for now.”

“Please take all executives. Even one hand helping is better.”

Pernok shook his head.

“Half-baked numbers rather dull the feet. Besides, this isn’t armed conflict between guilds.”

“To fill contribution, some collision will occur at least once whatever happens.”

“Even then, if I’m alone I can pass easily.”

“…I’m sorry. If I’d led guild members better, they would have been sufficient power…”

“I didn’t call you to hear such words. Just wanted to know how much difference exists between us and them now.”

Hallam smiled awkwardly.

“This is a one-year long race. The side first responding to suddenly changing situations ultimately grasps victory. We just need to steadily prepare for the future while laying foundations for victory.”

“Growth and victory. Quite burdensome to pursue both.”

“Must overcome these growing pains well to become the only A-rank guild.”

Pernok lowered his gaze downward.

Recently many mercenaries voiced complaints at the reception desk.

Today too, mercenaries were shouting while pointing at empty quest windows.

“Slowly, I should compete in earnest.”

* * *

Quests.

Special requests where the association assigns ranks to tasks clients received and promises compensation.

Contribution is granted according to rank, and named requests sometimes fall to mercenaries who successfully led quests.

For novice mercenaries, it was one good means to make names known.

“No quests again today?”

Bulletin boards always hung with large and small requests had been empty for the past month.

Because two massive guilds monopolized quests.

Naturally mercenaries expressed dissatisfaction at this absurd situation.

“No. If Clarity and Hunting Net monopolize quests, what do we use to raise ranks?”

“We’re sorry. Please focus on demon beast subjugation for now.”

“Not enough those two monopolize quests, they sweep through hunting grounds too!”

When mercenaries voiced complaints as if frustrated, the receptionist answered calmly.

“If simple monopoly, the association would have restrained at the organizational level. But Clarity and Hunting Net didn’t take quests from here.”

“Are you joking now?”

“Posted quests usually start when clients place content orders with the association. But for a month, clients have been making named requests to Clarity and Hunting Net without delivering quests to the association.”

“Named requests?”

“No, you just watched that!”

When mercenaries questioned accusingly, the receptionist stated flatly.

“As you know, the demon beast mountain range is more special than other mercenary branches. Most requests are only things related to demon beasts. We have no authority to interfere with processes directly requesting professional hunters with trust.”

Clarity and Hunting Net knew Pernok received quests from the association in advance.

But quests already received would eventually show their end, and for B-rank guilds like Bayble to receive new quests, they must use the association.

So they switched direction to the method of cutting quests’ source.

Named requests.

The area where A-rank guilds hold superiority in contribution.

That’s based on trust guarded long in this mountain range.

“Quests obtained from the association should have hit bottom by now.”

‘A-rank isn’t simply skill but rank including even recognition. An upstart just now growing won’t change the decided result by strutting about saying he’ll win.’

Sallio and Enri didn’t even care about mercenaries’ resentment.

They judged it wasn’t late to take care of mercenaries even after winning the three-way alliance match.

‘First kill Pernok by drying him out.’

Clarity and Hunting Net jointly blocked all routes where new guilds could grasp contribution.

No, they thought they’d blocked them.

Pernok proceeded with unexpected work beyond the two’s expectations.

“What?”

“The Beast yielded his quests to mercenaries?”

Pernok rather released quests to mercenaries.

Among them were quests with quite high contribution mixed in.

‘What’s he trying to do?’

‘Not enough to bring even one more contribution, rather giving away?’

Unless abandoning the alliance war, in a situation where he’s also dying of thirst, what’s the reason for releasing unique food to other mercenaries?

Strange chilliness conveyed at incomprehensible actions.

The two closely monitored Pernok’s actions.

“As expected, Pernok is the best!”

“Clarity or Hunting Net are no different from Flang!”

“Pathetic bastards without even Pernok’s magnanimity!”

And inexplicable actions drew mercenaries’ cheers.

Many mercenaries even expressed gratitude at Pernok’s moves contrasting with two massive guilds.

This overlapped with Pernok’s fame stopping Flang’s tyranny, becoming an opportunity spreading his name beyond the mountain range.

The higher Pernok’s fame rose, the more absurd Sallio and Enri felt.

“Look at this?”

“Have leisure to look elsewhere?”

Feeling used, the two’s actions became even more vicious.

They began blocking so Pernok couldn’t fill contribution anywhere inside or outside the mountain range.

* * *

Rio reported while smirking.

“Clarity and Hunting Net are rampaging. Your provocation properly took effect.”

Pernok indifferently turned ten request papers.

“Hang them on the board.”

“The front two are somewhat wasteful?”

“Hallam can’t handle them even if I give them anyway.”

Hallam led as many as 10 quests to success. But fighting alone couldn’t satisfy Pernok’s expectations.

Even now performing quests desperately while reducing rest time, speed was lower than expected.

So Pernok cleanly abandoned quests still with generous time periods.

Thanks to Clarity and Hunting Net using the harsh means called quest monopoly, regrets disappeared.

Entrusting mid-grade quests to Hallam, he yielded bothersome low-grade quests to new guild members and mercenaries visiting the association.

Those cheers changed to hostility toward massive guilds.

Situations flowed exactly as Pernok aimed.

“No matter how many mid and low grades solved, can’t match one high-rank quest. What we must aim for is precisely high-rank quests.”

High-rank quests require roaming deep mountain ranges.

Numerous scouts and information are needed to find desired targets.

A-rank guilds roam mountain ranges with know-how accumulated over long time.

But Bayble lacks such know-how.

Only one method to break through these harsh conditions.

Using mercenaries showing favor toward him.

Gazes and rumors hostile to A-rank guilds enable predicting next movements.

Which direction, which altitude Clarity and Hunting Net move to camp.

Rio analyzes accumulated trivial information and Pernok judges.

Eventually, it becomes the same destination as A-rank guilds.

“Quests?”

“Fortunately received the same thing from Clarity’s named client.”

Occasionally clients wanting results within fast time gather multiple guilds to compete.

This is called ‘duplicate requests.’

‘If I steal Clarity’s request and succeed, as a result Clarity only wastes time to come up empty, and I secure large amounts of contribution.’

The opponent fails while this side succeeds, grasping double gains.

The reason Pernok tried winning mercenaries’ favor until now was to implement this ‘duplicate request.’

“Did the client inform Clarity of this fact?”

“They rated Clarity’s success possibility highly, and said if we fail, end everything at our line.”

“Securing Clarity while also extending hands to Bayble with high growth potential?”

“A cunning bastard. But duplicate requests are mostly like this. Clarity and Hunting Net also grew proving superiority over existing guilds this way.”

Clients don’t discriminate guilds.

They entrust requests seeing only guilds’ capabilities.

Attaching to more excellent skilled ones is the mountain range’s natural providence.

“Now we’ve risen to the test platform. If we succeed, Clarity loses many clients, and we can secure a solid support base.”

Pernok smirked while packing luggage.

“I’ll settle and return within today. The moment Clarity’s failure news is heard, spread it widely in the mountain range and also make contact with Hunting Net’s clients.”

“You’re thinking to attack both guilds?”

“Is there a problem?”

Rio smiled while shaking his head.

“No. I’ll prepare immediately.”

Pernok secured request papers and went outside.

* * *

Clarity and Hunting Net are mistaken.

The three-way alliance guild war allowing all means except killing.

Can never become the best with lukewarm, peaceful methods simply monopolizing quests to gain advantage.

The best method to be reborn as the best within one year is ‘plunder.’

Mercilessly and desperately.

Now it’s time to teach them true war.