Crash-! The demon gatekeeper, ‘Checkpoint Overseer Baltimore.’ Lucas and Evangeline were the first to rush in, halting its monstrous charge. The massive demon, clad in impeccable armor, groaned and stopped in its tracks. “Penal Squad!” I commanded the waiting Kuilan and the Penal Squad. “It’s your turn.” “Hell yeah! Let’s do this!” The strategy was…

Countless humanoid ‘somethings’ were scattered in the air above the inner castle walls. Wrapped around their entire bodies like cocoons were shadows, seemingly waiting for a metamorphosis. As I stared blankly at this eerie scene, I suddenly snapped back to reality. ‘What are you doing, Ash? What are you up to, RetroAddict?’ Was this guy,…

The exploration strategy meeting ended late in the evening. “Ugh~” “That was a good meal.” “The lord’s chef really knows how to cook, doesn’t he?” Kuilan and the members of the Penal Squad returned to their military barracks, patting their full bellies. Every time there was a strategy meeting, Ash fed them. The food provided…

The dungeons of Lake Kingdom’s Zone 5 totaled five locations. Including the abandoned coliseum, I had cleared them all. In other words, I had finally acquired the new defense tower guaranteed to drop in Zone 5, which I had been eagerly awaiting. I juggled the sky-blue scroll in my hand. [Summon Scroll: Shield Turret [Player…

Camus sat calmly in the prison cell. Even though he had attempted to kill an ally—a high-ranking officer at that—he seemed unfazed. His demeanor was utterly composed. “I only regret not finishing the job due to a momentary lapse in attention,” he said dryly, his voice gravelly. I had to swallow hard, wetting my throat…

Several hours earlier. In the barracks at Crossroad, Reina Windwell’s room. “The spell is almost complete.” Reina, who had just finished casting a spell on Junior, got up, wiping her hands. “How do you feel?” “How do I feel… Still feels like death…” Junior adjusted her clothing with a sickly complexion. “I overdid it last…

After walking back to the base camp, I took the teleport gate to return to Crossroad. Verdandi stayed behind at the base camp. When I asked her if she wanted to come along, she immediately refused. “I can’t leave this place until I complete the mission I’ve been given,” she said, chuckling awkwardly. I was…

To put it simply, it wasn’t a ghost. “Please save me! I’m not a monster or a ghost! I’m an adventurer! Please save me!” Lounge. A woman with long, teal hair, drenched in water, was on her knees, pleading. Her unique appearance was emphasized by three tear-like markings under her left eye. Even in her…

I learned a fact I hadn’t known before. “We always used the public bathhouse in Crossroad after every battle. We had to wash off the monster blood and dirt from our bodies.” Except for me, all the mercenaries took a bath at the public bathhouse every time a defensive battle ended. During this process, both…

So, the goal for today was dungeon spa exploration. It was a hidden hot spring facility in the depths of Lake Kingdom’s Zone 5. For a moment, I thought about taking all the weary heroes from the last battle to relax and rejuvenate in the hot springs. However, considering that there would likely be battles…