I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

As I ended the last Shaman’s breath, my surroundings were in order.

Though the war had ended, there weren’t many corpses around.

Unless in special circumstances, user bodies disappear before a minute passes.

Thanks to the battle’s aftermath, the damaged field was slowly regaining its original appearance.

The Venom Guild retreated, and the Traveler who chased after them pushed forward, wrapping up today’s battle for the time being.

Thanks to that, the field I had intruded upon had become a tranquil place as if nothing had happened.

While I gulped down a recovery potion that tasted like absolutely nothing, I suddenly felt a bit annoyed.

[Cross’s Whisper]

– I heard some news.

– I heard you joined as a mercenary for the dungeon side this time.

– The losses for the Venom Guild are significant. I’m a bit disappointed.

Five guilds applied to participate in the siege of the Ancient Kingdom Region.

Rather than their individual names, they were known more famously as the “Crusaders.”

Cross, Venezia, and the Ministry of Defense formed the central alliance that earned them that name.

Though the name may sound silly, they were once the beasts ruling the siege board.

Before the current power structure settled, they had even dominated a third of the continent.

The nickname “Cross” belongs to the guild master of one of them.

He was a figure of considerable authority within the alliance.

He was also a client who had consistently made use of me.

While his frequency of interactions had clearly decreased now, it indicated he had once been what you’d call a “big spender.”

So, he ought to know.

How my current actions look to him.

Leaning against a tree, I pulled out a dagger and toyed with it between my fingers.

“The Venom side didn’t say much. I met Imaemangryang earlier.”

– I didn’t exactly blame them either. Just felt a bit regretful. After all, they hadn’t been involved in the siege.

“That depends on my situation. It’s not like I made a promise, right? I’ve been on the same side as you, Cross.”

– That was quite a while ago. I would have liked it if you had joined us again this time. Why now, of all times? It’s hard to shake off such thoughts.

Ah, it became clear.

Cross was threatening me.

To withdraw from this war.

I was probably the first to hear about my participation from the guild master of the Venom side, to which Imaemangryang belonged.

They must have shared the information with the alliance, and it reached Cross’s ears.

What’s important is that no other guild reached out to me separately.

That’s just good manners.

I was merely participating as a mercenary.

That’s why I didn’t randomly ask if Imaemangryang had “settled.”

There was no need to overly provoke someone who could become an ally next.

It was a way for them to gauge how to treat me.

“As you know, I tend to do things that bring in money.”

– I don’t think you’ll be able to receive success fees. Then it wouldn’t be a lucrative task for you.

“Heh. You seem confident.”

– From an objective standpoint, right? For this occasion, step back. We’ll cover the penalty fee, and I’ll overlook today’s events.

The words.

And the tone were somewhat grating.

“You’ll overlook it?”

– Yes. I believe Gawol didn’t act intentionally.

“What exactly shouldn’t have been intentional?”

– It sounds like your words carry weight. You claim to be neutral. Is there really a need for you to oppose us?

“Well, I was planning on going back to being unaffiliated right after the next siege…”

– This is important for us. I don’t want to speak badly.

Cross was being quite tough.

They were putting it nicely, but it meant that if I didn’t comply, things would get grim in the future.

To put it more bluntly, they were implying a kill order.

Let’s think carefully. Cross wasn’t that incompetent.

Even when I was being treated as a target in the community, he recognized my worth and didn’t skimp on the money.

He knew my skill well before I won in the Arena.

“Hmm….”

Maybe I should set aside my wounded pride for now.

Though what I said was arrogant, it dealt with my long-term earnings.

I needed to calculate it coldly.

Sticking with this war would yield earnings as a mercenary.

And what I’d lose would be only one long-time client.

There was still plenty of time before the siege, so even if I left, it wouldn’t tarnish my reputation.

Thinking rationally, saying goodbye to the Traveler seemed like a choice worth considering.

But it couldn’t happen.

This was a choice I couldn’t make.

– I await your wise judgment.

“No, there’s no need to wait.”

– Is that so? Then, I guess the penalty fee right now—

“You don’t need to worry about that either.”

Was I being hasty?

If I truly wanted to withdraw, I shouldn’t have acted this way.

If it were another mercenary, even if they felt upset, they’d have stepped back.

No. Perhaps a year ago, I might have done the same.

The pressure from a large guild could indeed be burdensome.

Well, I could always show some “goodwill” later to soothe any hurt feelings.

It’s a painful affair to fall out with a capable mercenary, after all.

In any case, the old Cross had that capability.

But I’m different now.

Due to my name value, things had become much more pronounced, while Cross had diminished significantly over time.

If it became known that I was swayed by this much, my value as a mercenary would be tarnished.

There’s no saying a bent mercenary wouldn’t bend again.

In summary, Cross lacked enough power to control me like this.

Corner me, and he would only become a rat biting the cat.

“It seems you’re under the wrong impression; I’m not weak enough to tremble before mere Crusaders. Even Iris wouldn’t treat me so rudely.”

– Ha… I understand your words. It’s regrettable. I’ll be seeing you soon.

“Yes, please do.”

With that, the spill had been made.

This war? Among others, I definitely need to crush the Cross Guild.

*

I made a bold declaration, but… that doesn’t mean I had any immediate plans to act.

War isn’t something I can wage alone.

While I could have significant influence, it’s impossible for an individual to solely determine the outcome.

If that were possible, I would have formed a Siege Guild and monopolized the benefits.

In any case, objectively speaking, our ally’s forces were indeed weak.

No matter how hard I troubled the rear, the front’s disadvantage wouldn’t just disappear.

They would adequately prepare against me, knowing who I was.

So for now, I’ll just do what I want to do.

Reinforcement is up to the Traveler to deal with, while I’m slated for deployment after adjusting my condition.

I planned to take the rest until my rehabilitation training tomorrow morning.

《 Amazing, Traveler! In the last Arena, Luce was praised for her incredible growth, saying, “I’m just the same!” 》

Coincidentally, the Pro League was holding the opening game between Luce and the Traveler.

I munched on the snacks I had prepared while watching the match.

It was vanilla ice cream contained in a paper cup.

With the winnings from the Arena and the distribution from the Cradle of the Fallen.

And the minted gold I plundered from the New Continent!

Right now, Han Da-eun had a thicker wallet than ever.

This level of indulgence?

Totally within reach.

《 An unusual match has arisen right from the opening game. Q Prime leads 1-0. Sigma’s next choice is… Camelian! 》
《 Camelian had shown outstanding performance in the second division, right? Will her innate physicality hold up in the first division as well? Let’s all watch together. 》

Camelian was an opponent I had fought recently.

During the second preliminary rounds, I had drawn the sword and faced her only to be harshly defeated.

She was skilled, but perhaps lacked the experience.

I had a strong feeling she hadn’t shown everything she had.

《 There’s actually a pretty interesting tale regarding Camelian. During the Arena, she faced heavy criticism for being eliminated in the preliminaries, didn’t she? 》
《 There were even comments that suggested she’d have been better off not competing at all. 》
《 Yes. However, since her opponent, Gawol, ended up winning, her assessment has undergone re-evaluation among the fans. 》
《 No one saw that result coming. Still, I think she must have felt unjust about it. I hope she can showcase her full potential this time. 》

Wow, that’s kind of embarrassing.

But hearing the commentator mention Gawol always brings a sweet resonance.

The camera showed Camelian with a fierce expression.

I remembered back then. I think I was like that when I practiced Kendo too.

Tsk. I must be having unnecessary thoughts.

Before my feelings get uncomfortable, I took a bite of my ice cream.

The soft, sweet flavor spread across my taste buds.

In this regard, having a female body wasn’t so bad.

I couldn’t feel the same level of satisfaction from a single bite of ice cream before.

The happiness derived from “taste” was vastly greater than it used to be.

Even now, a soothing pleasure spread within my chest.

Well, since it isn’t ramen, everything tastes good.

Not that I dislike ramen, but I really overdid it lately.

《 Now, both teams are ready. 》
《 The next battlefield is, coincidentally, the Arena of Duel. A winner-stays-on battlefield where 1:1 duels continue until one team is entirely wiped out. 》
《 For Camelian, it must feel like being thrown onto a testing ground. At this moment, Camelian has been chosen as Sigma’s vanguard! 》
《 The first test instructor is… the Assassin of Sparrow! 》

Once both teams confirmed their decisions and faced each other.

The white warrior. Camelian’s teeth ground—grind-grind—with a chilling sound.

Hmm… It sounds like there’s quite a grudge there.

Did something unpleasant happen between them?

I sincerely hope things can resolve amicably.

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