I Became the Guild Leader in Exile

33 – 6# Hydra Guild (5)

Hydra was defeated by the Iron Shield.

Rumors spread like wildfire throughout Gideon. In fact, the name Iron Shield had become widely known thanks to the incident at Tears of Moonlight, where a scuffle broke out. However, the current situation was different.

Although Hades and Nox looked on from behind, Tears of Moonlight itself was a powerless backwater if one considered only military strength. On the other hand, Hydra Guild was different from the start in terms of reputation.

If we were to use a metaphor, the former left people astonished, thinking, “How did they jump around like that with such audacity?” Meanwhile, in the latter case, defeating Hydra Guild was met with the sentiment of “Insane!”

“Veronica, the witch, is in Hydra Guild, right?”

“This is insane. To openly defy Hades’ heir….”

“Iron Shield needs to keep an eye on them from now on.”

Not once, but twice, they openly resisted Hades. The implications were clear: someone had emerged challenging Hades’ dominance at the pinnacle of Gideon.

Isaac Silvertear.

Master of the Iron Shield.

Whether his name was liked or not, it was already widely known throughout Gideon. The question remained: who would emerge as the victor in the struggle for dominance? Guilds began to move, each predicting the outcome.

And at the center of this change was Isaac.

“Now, let’s put an end to this anger.”

“….”

He was scolding a child seven years younger than himself. Isaac, who had triumphed over Veronica, Hades’ heir, was now scolding a mere child? It was certainly a scene that was difficult to explain.

But what could be done about it? In fact, Las observed the scene with a blank expression and soon scratched his aching head, contemplating. How should he explain this scene?

“Digg, what’s going on here again?”

“Our remarkable newcomer got angry because the master sacrificed himself.”

“… It’s funny to get angry for that reason, but the master is still dealing with it?”

“You know the master’s style. But today, he’s unusually asking a lot of questions, isn’t he?”

Pointing his middle finger at Digg, who was looking at him with a meaningful gaze, Las sighed and turned his head. However, he was soon toppled by a dropkick that followed.

“Why the hell again!”

“You cursed first!”

“This guy is unbelievable!”

“They fight every time I see them.”

The fight between Digg and Las had become a famous spectacle of the Iron Shield. Initially, there were people trying to stop them, but as they continued to fight day by day, it became a spectacle that people couldn’t help but watch.

“Master.”

“Why is he like that?”

However, Isaac didn’t want Zeke’s attention to shift elsewhere, so he immediately spoke up. Thanks to that, Isaac’s attention returned to Zeke. Zeke sighed and said,

“I understand the heart of a master who loves his family.”

“Fortunately.”

“But, please also understand that the master is involved in it.”

“…”

“The kid made a sensible remark after a long time.”

Cain, who was watching them from the side, also chimed in with Zeke’s words. Most of the people here had been influenced by Isaac, who was their master, and had joined the guild because of him.

“If it’s family, we should protect each other.”

“That’s right, Master. Please think about the one-sidedly protected person’s heart too!”

“…I have nothing to say. I’m sorry.”

Isaac admitted the fact willingly, nodding his head. Regardless of strength, if they were family, they inevitably had to worry about each other. So, it would be better to face it together from the beginning.

This is truly the ideal image of a guild. Hans thought while observing the guild members. Maybe this is the kind of guild the man wanted to create. I’ll admit that.

“But reality is something that cannot be ignored.”

“Oh, senior. Everything’s fine, but why are you suddenly intervening?”

“But thanks to that, our friends could be safe. Thank you, senior.”

“Huh? What did you say, kid? I can’t hear well.”

“Oh, what the hell!”

“Alright! Everyone, let’s focus on the conversation!”

Diego, expressing gratitude, and Cain teasing Diego, ignoring him lightly, Sophia clapped her hands, turning the attention to herself. Now, the important thing was Hades.

“This is a completely different matter from the Tears of the Moon. Did you intentionally mess with the guild under your command?”

“He even completely destroyed the headquarters of the Hydra Guild.”

“And there were quite a lot of things to loot.”

“Anyway! From now on, Hades Guild will start to intervene in earnest. In the worst case, we might even launch a direct attack.”

Sophia found it strange that Hades had not attacked yet. It had been three days since they wiped out the Hydra Guild, and all the aftermath had been taken care of.

But Hades showed no signs of movement. At this point, it was impossible not to feel something was off. Tears of the Moon wasn’t directly under Hades, and it was understandable to overlook it.

But it was different for the Hydra Guild. As a sub-guild under Hades, they had executed numerous guilds until now. The elimination of the Hydra Guild was no different from a declaration of war.

‘I thought they would attack within two days at the latest. Is there something wrong with Hades Guild?’

“They won’t show any movement.”

Isaac’s response relieved Sophia’s concerns. He denied the worry with a confident voice. Thanks to him, Sophia unknowingly relaxed. No, that’s not it.

“On what grounds, exactly?”

“The Hades Guild is not third-rate. They are individuals with their own beliefs.”

“Are you saying heroes aren’t heroes for no reason?”

“That’s exactly it. And their belief system is survival of the fittest.”

“…”

“Even if they are your own people, there are no exceptions.”

Not all enemies are villains. Gideon clashes with numerous heroes who have their own unyielding beliefs and justice. Hades, too, is no different. Their actions may be villainous, but they also have their own beliefs.

“They have their own beliefs and goals, just like us. Isaac, who has read the entire novel, couldn’t deny that. Of course, that doesn’t mean he has any intention of giving up his own concept.”

‘Hades…’

Zeke bit his lip. The overwhelming gap and helplessness he felt from Veronica before. It was the driving force for the girl. If he stayed like this, he would lose something precious.

‘I have to become stronger than I am now.’

So, someday, by the master’s side…

Very briefly, Zeke’s pupils turned red. They returned to normal, but since the change happened so quickly, not a single person noticed the discomfort.

* * *

Even though they were defeated by the Iron Shield, Hydra Guild was also an elite guild with only ten fingers that could fit into Gideon. Naturally, there were clearly survivors who avoided the purge.

From the beginning, they didn’t even think they had lost. They had stepped back for now, but they sincerely believed that if they prepared properly and fought again, they could win.

Especially Kinos, the acting master of the Hydra Guild, deliberately sharpened his resolve. Those brats who humiliated him, Diego and Hertz, right? He planned to personally flay those bastards.

“First, we need to lure them one by one.”

There was a strategy. Using acquaintances they had learned about in advance as hostages, they would lure them one by one, trap them in a snare, and kill them thoroughly. Of course, they couldn’t win against that monster. Whether they would succeed was uncertain.

Even if they sacrificed all their lives.

If they inflicted wounds that couldn’t be washed away, that was enough.

It was revenge that no longer had any righteousness.

Finally, Kinos, who judged that all preparations were complete, tried to move with the remaining survivors. For a very brief moment, if his subordinates hadn’t disappeared without a trace, it would have been different.

“Huh?”

What just happened? He couldn’t even comprehend it. It wasn’t like he had stared for a long time. He had just glanced forward and then looked back. Barely a second?

However, in that short time, elite heroes from Gideon, who could be considered among the best, vanished without a trace. Only one person in Kinos’ memory could do such a thing.

“Per…!!!”

The voice cut off. The voice that hadn’t finished yet would never resound again. The place that had dozens of people became eerily quiet.

“You are neither strong nor noble.”

What is the definition of a hero? Each person may have their own meaning, but if you’re a hero, you should be stronger and nobler than anyone else. However, since humans cannot be perfect, she set her own standards.

Survival of the Fittest.

Red Ink Survival.

A hell where only the strong can survive. Some may say it’s too harsh. They are right. But if you are a true hero, shouldn’t you endure such trials?

And even in that hell, there are undoubtedly those who have not forsaken their nobleness. She and her father are the ones waiting for a hero. Not like these imposters.

“Yes, Father. All of this…”

To stand against the promised doom.

No more voices were heard in the darkness.