Chapter 91

Chapter 91
Chapter: 91
Chapter Title: The Trainee’s Mountain

—

The guide gave a dismissive shake of his head.

“Apologies. The Trainee’s Mountain has recently been classified as a ‘forbidden area.’ No mercenary is reckless enough to venture there.”

“Forbidden? For what reason?”

“A swarm of high-ranking monsters has been congregating in the vicinity, and there are reports of a primary lieutenant serving the Black King being sighted.”

One of the Black King’s top subordinates was located at the Trainee’s Mountain?

Checking the continental map, the Trainee’s Mountain sat to the south, placed well beyond the borders of the Black King’s actual domain.

The words of the White King suddenly echoed in memory.

‘The Black King is pushing his boundaries.’

And he chose the Trainee’s Mountain of all places.

That location was essentially nothing but jagged peaks—it possessed no strategic or material worth.

To seize it would be a pointless endeavor.

Actually, seizing it was fundamentally impossible.

It functioned as a unique sanctuary, much like the tower.

Since the Black King undoubtedly understood that, deploying a key subordinate suggested a significant scheme was unfolding.

‘There has to be a hidden motive.’

Regardless of the specifics, if the Black King was involved, the decision to label it a forbidden zone was logical.

No mercenary would risk their neck going there unless they possessed ten lives to throw away.

“Sir, I truly am sorry, but perhaps you would consider a different request…?”

“Tell me, who was the last guide mercenary to travel toward the Trainee’s Mountain?”

“That would be me.”

A man sporting a dark, unkempt beard stood up from a nearby table.

His skin was flushed.

Traces of ale clung to his whiskers.

He bore the look of someone unreliable, yet the mountain’s gateway relocated at least once a month.

“I made the trip fifteen days ago and narrowly escaped with my life. I’m never stepping foot there again.”

If he went fifteen days ago, the entrance likely hadn’t shifted yet.

The surrounding mercenaries remained quiet, suggesting the man wasn’t spinning a tale.

The man let out a weary breath.

“No sum of gold could convince me to return. The danger is simply too extreme.”

“Is that a fact?”

Clink!

A heavy leather pouch was dropped onto the floor, causing gold coins to scatter across the wood.

“H-How much is in there?”

“Ten thousand gold at the very least.”

“Is this some wealthy noble’s son?”

The demeanor of the mercenaries shifted instantly.

After all, those in this profession lived and died for coin.

Ten thousand gold just for a guide’s fee!

It was several times the standard payment.

“Like I said. Money doesn’t matter; I won’t go. It’s forbidden for a reason. Even if you make it back, the guild hits you with penalty points for entering a restricted zone, so no one will sign on…”

Clang!

A solid bar of gold, valued at a hundred thousand gold, was placed firmly atop the leather pouch.

“……!”

“This is insane. A hundred thousand gold?”

“Who is this person?”

A glint of avarice sparked in the eyes of the mercenaries.

Earning a hundred thousand gold usually required completing a hundred different jobs.

Only those in the mid-to-high tiers of the profession ever saw that kind of wealth.

“I-I can’t trade my life for a hundred thousand gold.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. This is merely the down payment.”

“……?”

“The final payment upon success is ten times this amount. Furthermore, I will handle the guild’s commission fee myself.”

A million gold!

By covering the guild fee, the client was offering a full million gold to keep.

It was a fortune large enough to purchase a residence in any major city.

However, the peril surrounding the Trainee’s Mountain grew more severe with every passing day.

Even the most talented guide would likely lose a partner—or more likely, the entire group would perish.

Asking them to walk such a treacherous path?

Into a forbidden territory, nonetheless?

Failure meant a grave, while success meant a ruined reputation within the guild.

The mercenaries of Cartel were known for their strict adherence to regulations.

They operated with a collective discipline.

That was their source of honor.

“……A hearty welcome, commissioner. We shall treat you with the utmost royalty.”

But the sheer volume of gold made it impossible to hold onto honor any longer.

—

“Give me a moment,” the man requested before disappearing, returning a short while later looking much more presentable.

He was accompanied by two other mercenaries.

“Commissioner, you’ve made the right choice. I am Joaquin, the leader of the Purfen Mercenary Corps.”

“I am the marksman, Malibu.”

“And I am Shawn, the spirit user.”

A small, three-person unit.

Purfen, a curious name.

“Purfen—as in the legendary wyvern of Echo Valley?”

“……O-Oh, you are familiar with Purfen?”

Joaquin asked, his surprise evident.

“I’ve only heard it’s a mythical beast whose very existence is debated.”

“Most people have no clue, so you are quite well-informed, commissioner.”

Their behavior had done a complete 180 the moment the contract was sealed—it was almost comical.

That adaptability was one reason the Cartel mercenaries were so renowned.

“Can we reach the Trainee’s Mountain in three days’ time?”

“If we steer clear of monsters, we could do it in two.”

“And if we encounter them?”

“The entrance moves roughly every five days. If we miss the window, we’ll have to scout the path all over again.”

Basically, there were no certainties.

The plan was simply to charge ahead while dodging combat whenever possible.

Joaquin struck his chest confidently.

“Fear not. We have Shawn, our spirit user. The spirits will guide us along the safest routes.”

Those who could command spirits were a rarity.

Finding one within a mercenary group was even more unusual.

This was the perfect moment to impress the client.

“Yes, precisely. Put your faith in me. Reveal yourself, Runka!”

Shawn attempted to call forth his spirit.

Yet, despite the expectant silence, nothing manifested.

Joaquin, confused because this had never occurred before, turned to his comrade.

“What’s the issue, Shawn?”

“W-Why isn’t it working??”

“What do you mean?”

“Runka is terrified of something.”

A spirit user unable to manifest their spirit.

In that state, he was no different from a commoner.

Joaquin rubbed the bridge of his nose and offered a strained, awkward smile.

“Haha. The little spirit must be feeling bashful. But he truly is a spirit user, so please be at ease, commissioner.”

The client simply shrugged.

There was no cause for concern.

Even without the spirit’s aid, the Purfen Mercenary Corps was a capable team.

【Lv.8】

Joaquin had reached level 8.

The other two were level 7.

This was the standard for a mid-to-high-tier mercenary squad.

It was more than sufficient.

One didn’t need overwhelming power just for a guiding job.

“We set out in one hour. Time is of the essence, so travel light.”

—

They utilized a warp and arrived at the outskirts of the Trainee’s Mountain territory.

“If the arrival zone is clear, we’ve already won half the battle.”

Joaquin exhaled a breath of relief.

No hostile creatures were lurking near the warp point.

Still, it was far too early to drop their guard.

Only after a thorough scout confirmed the immediate area was truly vacant did Joaquin relax his posture.

“No signs of movement means no monsters in this sector.”

“Excellent.”

“I’ve spent a decade as a guide. Trust my instincts.”

“I do.”

“Haha. Perfect. Relax a bit—have any queries? I won’t tell you the color of my gear, though.”

There wasn’t much interest in that.

“……The Cartel mercenaries seemed quite idle. Are there no other jobs?”

Joaquin’s expression soured instantly.

The others looked equally grim.

He knit his brows and spoke with a heavy tone.

“Ah… that. Contracts have been scarce lately. It’s all because of that wretch Maxim.”

“Are you referring to Hero Maxim?”

“Who else? Once Maxim passed and his crimes were revealed, the requests coming to Cartel were slashed by more than half.”

“Crimes?”

“Forcing kickbacks from his own people, snatching clients, theft, homicide—you name it. A complete villain. Word has it he was also the first coward to run during the great expedition.”

Maxim had been among the elite of Cartel.

His unit was the most prominent.

Yet he engaged in every foul act imaginable, dragging the reputation of all mercenaries through the mud.

“That filth doesn’t represent what it means to be a Cartel mercenary.”

Even in the afterlife, his name was dragged through the dirt.

To be cursed by the very comrades he once fought alongside said everything.

There was no pity to be found, however.

He had earned every bit of that scorn.

—

Inevitably, they could no longer avoid a fight.

Quadrupedal beasts with the distorted faces of ogres—monsters known as “Ugly Beasts”—appeared.

“Damn it. Why did it have to be these……!”

“Runka!”

“There are too many of them!”

These Ugly Beasts hunted in packs of dozens and were notorious for their relentless tracking.

“Wall of steel!”

Joaquin drove his shield into the earth, and a barricade erupted.

However, it wasn’t enough to stop all the Ugly Beasts from squeezing through the small openings.

“Argh! Malibu! Take them down, now!”

Even so, every beast focused its fury on Joaquin.

He was a textbook example of an aggro-drawing shield warrior.

Creatures with low intellect would continue to strike him until they fell.

“Does it sting a lot~?”

“What are you—Gahk!”

“I’ll mend those wounds~”

As Sia reached out, a radiant glow washed over Joaquin’s frame.

Lacerated skin knitted back together, tissue regenerated, and he was restored to perfect health in moments.

It was a feat of healing that surpassed the highest-grade potions or even rare elixirs.

“……!!”

Joaquin’s eyes bulged in shock.

‘Is such a thing even possible?’

That level of divine energy and restorative speed!

Who exactly was this woman behind the veil?

Sia offered a soft, knowing smile.

“Don’t stop now~”

—

The skirmishes followed a consistent rhythm.

Joaquin would erect barriers and draw the enemy’s ire, Sia would provide healing, and the remaining mercenaries would finish the job.

Joaquin’s spirit was exhausted, but they reached their destination sooner than anticipated.

“H-Here is the gateway. *Huff, huff*.”

Joaquin spoke with labored breaths.

Physically he was restored, but he felt mentally spent, utterly hollow.

He felt as though his very essence had been wrung out like a sponge.

Despite facing certain death multiple times, that woman had kept him standing.

She had saved his life, certainly—and yet, she felt like a deceptively cruel demon.

That soft laughter suggested she took pleasure in his struggle.

As she turned her gaze toward him, Joaquin instinctively lowered his head.

‘Terrifying. That woman is far too frightening!’

It was an ordeal he never wished to repeat.

A kind of mental strain that shook him to the core.

“The success fee.”

“Ah……!”

A crisp million gold.

As the pouch containing ten gold bars was placed in his palm, Joaquin’s face lit up with a radiant grin as if the previous trauma had never happened.

“If you make it back alive, please seek out the Purfen Mercenary Corps. We will always treat you like a king.”

“Stay here until we come back down, and I will double that amount.”

“Pardon?”

“We will be inside for roughly thirty days. Make your choice.”

“Come again?”

Joaquin was a competent mercenary.

He was remarkably efficient at carrying out orders.

There was no doubt the return journey would be quick and secure with him.

Furthermore, dedicated shield warriors who could hold attention were a rare find.

‘With the right guidance, he could become a top-tier tank.’

Joaquin. A genuine talent hidden within Cartel.

“Th-That’s a lot to consider……”

“If you are waiting at the entrance when we return, I will take it as your consent.”

“But the gateway will have moved by that time.”

“That is for you to solve.”

“……”

A look of sheer bewilderment took hold of Joaquin’s expression.

This was a trial.

If he could endure thirty days in this wilderness and be there to greet them, then he was worth the investment of training.

There was no coercion.

The decision rested solely on Joaquin’s shoulders.

“Let’s move.”

“Of course~”

Leaving the choice behind, I stepped into the warp point located at the threshold of the Trainee’s Mountain.

In that instant.

《Entering the ‘Trainee’s Mountain.’》

《Entry conditions satisfied.》

《Climbers of the Trainee’s Mountain may establish their own limitations.》

《Limitations can modify the rate of proficiency accumulation, etc.》

《Tip: Setting excessive limitations is a direct path to a grave.》

……

《All limitations have been set to the maximum level.》

《Achievement ‘Masochist’ has been unlocked.》

《Proficiency gain +50% bonus applied.》

《’Baal Helmet’ and the hidden trait ‘Dexterity’ provide a 450% proficiency gain bonus.》

《Achievement ‘King of Proficiency’ has been unlocked.》

《Criteria met: ‘All Limitations Maximum,’ ‘Proficiency 400%+,’ ‘Max Level 25+ Skill or Weapon Proficiency’—highest-tier hidden piece located.》

《The ‘Owner of the Trainee’s Mountain’ has provided a ‘Hidden Quest.’》

《Hidden Quest: ‘Proficiency Level 25’》

《Do you accept the challenge?》

《Accepting the challenge will seal you within until Proficiency Level 25 is reached or death occurs. There is no other way to descend.》

《Declining will result in the deletion of this quest.》

What in the world was this?

These were notifications I had never encountered before.