The great territory, Atlas.

That was what people in the distant past had called it.

Everyone in the world acknowledged it.

Because Great Territory Atlas could fight a decent kingdom head-on.

By precedent, Territory Atlas had fought a nation once.

You couldn’t call it a perfect victory, but Territory Atlas had clearly won.

Not a kingdom—just a territory.

The reason that had been possible was simple: the Holy Lord had commanded many powerful individuals.

Those powerhouses could wipe out over a hundred knights by themselves.

And when a small number overwhelms a larger force, the larger force’s morale naturally collapses.

That was Atlas.

Only one-twentieth the size of a kingdom, yet never lacking in strength.

And yet even this place had vanished in emptiness.

Commander Bon remembered it.

The representative Transcendent species of this land—a dragon.

Because of that single dragon, even the extraordinary Territory Atlas had been erased in an instant.

And the one who could awaken them again wasn’t Harun.

It could only be a new master.

So Bon—and everyone sleeping here—hoped for one thing.

Whoever leads us is fine. As long as they can fight a Transcendent species head-on.

That had been Bon’s thought as he turned into a handful of ash.

But even then, Bon had ended up letting out a bitter laugh.

...Humans stand at a clear limit. It’s impossible for a human to kill a Transcendent species.

The very fantasy he held—was impossible from the start.

*****

Bon remembered.

The boyish man from two months ago.

A man who had only recently become lord—someone whose dignity, charisma, and qualification as a lord all seemed doubtful.

Could you become a lord just by being strong?

No. Even if a lord was dying of an illness, there was always a force about them that ordinary people couldn’t touch.

But Bon hadn’t felt any such force from him.

Yet when Bon opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was that same man walking toward him with overwhelming grandeur—and Bon was crushed by the presence.

[Overwhelm]

His Overwhelm stat had risen by more than 500 this time.

And it was a Legendary stat. The power of Overwhelm, now exceeding 1,000, was terrifying.

“Ugh......”

“Hng......”

The Black Wind Corps—an elite force that had protected Atlas—were groaning just from looking at him as they woke.

And Hyunsoo was sharp.

The power only legends could possess: [Master Blacksmith’s Pride].

It was a force Bon could resist to some degree.

But the Black Wind Corps couldn’t.

And status-ailment effects were lethal when applied to an enemy, but they triggered differently on those who might become allies—or those without hostility.

The Black Wind Corps were swallowed by the tremendous pressure first as they watched Hyunsoo approach.

How can he have an aura like this......

I can’t breathe......

They searched for a reason.

He’s young, but his gaze is straight and true—unshaken.

Look at that broad frame. Was he born with it? That’s part of it. But......

The Black Wind Corps were exceptional.

Their eye for detail surpassed that of ordinary soldiers.

Their eyes swept over his body.

Those calluses packed into his hands—how many repetitions does it take to build that?

His left arm and right arm are different in size. What did he push himself for that hard?

That stare... it resembles someone who’s crossed life-and-death lines again and again.

Yes. The presence Hyunsoo gave off was closer to something other than a lord.

It was like a great general who wouldn’t waver even before a million troops.

That was [Master Blacksmith’s Pride] triggering for allies.

And up to that point, Bon accepted it without much thought.

In two months, he’s gained a pretty good look in his eyes. That was all.

Naturally.

The Black Wind Corps were one thing, but the level gap between Bon and Hyunsoo was massive.

Bon had planned to look at those Hyunsoo had hunted recently through his special trait, [Eye of the Dead], and point out how arrogant Hyunsoo had been.

Then Bon saw the massive demon Gremory above Hyunsoo’s head—and Bon froze.

‘.......’

He had hoped for it.

Someone who could kill a Transcendent species.

He had wished that such a great someone would be the lord who led them.

In this moment, Bon began to doubt.

Because [Eye of the Dead] had a drawback.

That drawback was—

Even if he only “contributed,” someone he killed will still appear.

Even if he only landed a few hits.

That was why Bon tried to deny it—why he tried to believe Hyunsoo had only contributed a little—

And then he fell silent.

Demon Gremory above Hyunsoo.

Fist clenched tight, wearing a face that screamed, Damn it, I’m going to—

That face said one thing.

How do I kill this bastard?

To anyone, it looked like the expression of someone furious because Hyunsoo had killed them.

No... it’s worse than that......

And [Eye of the Dead] could distinguish between something killed and something sealed.

Gremory’s dead-spirit image was far more sharply defined than a normal one.

Meaning it wasn’t the state of a dead soul—it was the state of being sealed.

Sealing a Transcendent species is already an incredible feat.

But it wasn’t enough. And because Hyunsoo had “sealed” Gremory rather than “killed” them, there was another uncomfortable point.

Is that the end?

Had he fallen into arrogance because he sealed a demon?

Then, as the image of demon Gremory scattered, Bon could see another dead-spirit form revealing itself behind it.

“.......”

A presence like a mountain, slowly rising.

‘Grrrrrrrr......!’

Fenrir?

A monster that was widely known—when you killed it, you learned just how extraordinary it really was.

Fenrir and Atlas had existed in the same era.

Bon knew how insane Fenrir’s defense and HP were.

And Fenrir, too, looked filled with hatred for Hyunsoo.

“.......”

GULP—!

It was certain.

Fenrir had met its end at the hands of the man standing before him.

Before he knew it, the man was right in front of him.

Bon, who had been briefly thrown off, saw a hand extended toward him.

“Give me your loyalty.”

“......!?”

Because it was the Holy Lord’s power, Bon knew it better than anyone.

It was a kind of oath of loyalty—and through those who submitted, the lord grew stronger.

Bon stared at that hand, then made his decision.

*****

[Eye of the Dead activates.]

If he truly wanted, Hyunsoo had enough power to resist.

But he didn’t.

Letting him look into what I’ve achieved will benefit me.

And through that, Bon would see Gremory.

So Hyunsoo judged it was possible.

If not loyalty, then at least getting Bon to follow me.

With that thought, he extended his hand.

The moment the loyalty-worm triggered, depending on the other party’s reasons, it could even make them pledge loyalty.

If Bon pledges loyalty, how much stronger do I become?

Hyunsoo’s expression twisted as he drifted into that imagination.

“I have no intention of taking that hand.”

[Bon does not pledge loyalty to you.]

Hyunsoo was stunned.

He couldn’t tell what the problem was.

In two months, I built strength that would satisfy Bon. At this point, I’m not lacking as the lord of Atlas.

A lot of Hyunsoo’s plans had hit their mark so far.

He’d thought the plan to fully bring Bon under him would succeed, too.

But Bon’s next words were perfectly reasonable.

“The Atlas I want isn’t a territory where only the ruler is strong. Did you not know that?”

“.......”

Only then did Hyunsoo understand.

Atlas did need a strong ruler—but it wasn’t complete unless it also had strong subordinates who supported that ruler.

Bon knew because he had already lived it.

“...The lord and the territory I want are one that doesn’t bow even before a Transcendent species. And yes—if you can avoid a Transcendent species, you should avoid it. But.”

It was clear Bon hadn’t been chosen to lead the Black Wind Corps for nothing.

“Sealing a demon means you’ll be forced to face that demon again, sooner rather than later.”

A plain fact.

Even now, Hyunsoo would hear these alerts from time to time.

[demon Gremory was summoned by you.]

[demon Gremory will invade Atlas the moment they awaken again, leading the 22nd Legion.]

[587 days 12 hours 54 seconds remain.]

[You must prepare for the Gremory invasion.]

The greatest danger Atlas would face was already in motion.

“Sealing a demon means they were in a weakened state. And demon ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) Gremory is a legion commander-class demon. It can be judged that you killed a weakened version of them. Can you stop them?”

Bon asked.

“The 22nd Legion and demon Gremory.”

Bon could already picture that day.

No matter how fast you were—no matter how far you pushed alone—

You wouldn’t be able to stop demon Gremory and the 22nd Legion.

“That’s why I refuse.”

If he pledged loyalty, Bon would do much for this place for a year.

He would train the soldiers until they became stronger.

He would work to bring in enormous money—so it could become like the old Territory Atlas.

Yes—earning Bon’s loyalty meant this:

He didn’t serve someone lightly, and if he served, he lived with everything he had for that person.

“No fool pledges loyalty to a territory that will collapse in an instant.”

That was why Bon would not pledge loyalty.

Yes. The achievement Hyunsoo had accomplished—sealing demon Gremory.

That was what was holding Hyunsoo back.

And when Hyunsoo purchased Bon and the Black Wind Corps, he had also heard this alert.

[You lack enough to earn their loyalty.]

[You can awaken them, but they may not pledge loyalty, and they may return to the soil again.]

[It is recommended you purchase after raising 100 levels.]

Power should belong to the one who possesses it.

Yet Hyunsoo, with growth that was too fast, had broken that principle.

And just like that alert warned, this result was about to happen.

[Bon and the Black Wind Corps wish to return.]

[Territory contribution used will not be recovered.]

A penalty for someone who tried to take what they couldn’t have.

But Hyunsoo had no intention of giving up.

He had no intention of begging, saying something like, “Stay by my side anyway.”

And he admitted it plainly.

That making Bon his ally easily—wasn’t going to be easy.

But nothing was ever going to be 100% perfect.

If a plan went wrong, you corrected it.

And to carry out that correction, he spoke.

“...You’re wrong, Bon.”

Wrong?

What was wrong?

Bon thought this lord—unable to accept anything he’d said—might be dumber than expected.

Then he was thrown off by the next words.

“I was already preparing. The preparations for that day are almost finished. And you’re just one part of that preparation.”

He was just one part?

Bon understood what that meant.

It meant Atlas as it was now was impressive enough to tempt the Black Wind Corps and Bon.

“Choose.”

“...?”

“I’ll have your Black Wind Corps fight my people in my territory. And I’ll give the choice to you, too.”

An interesting idea.

It meant Atlas was preparing for the demon’s assault—and the territory Bon had wanted, where both lord and subordinates were strong together, was being rebuilt.

Annoying.

Bon assumed Hyunsoo was flailing, trying to cling on no matter what.

“Calm. Step forward.”

“Yes.”

[Black Wind Corps Deputy Commander Calm Lv.451]

Bon put forward his best.

A powerhouse who could cut down fifty ordinary knights.

A master of swift sword.

And someone with a trashy temperament much like Bon’s.

“You heard him. He says you can pick anyone.”

“Yes. I’ll designate them.”

Deputy Commander Calm was annoyed, too—and he understood Bon’s feelings a thousand times over.

It’s better to sleep than to live again and feel the agony of helplessness.

So he planned to finish this quickly and leave again.

Calm smiled.

“New lord.”

“......?”

“You told us to choose. You never said it had to be a ‘soldier.’”

Hyunsoo’s eyes widened. He realized Calm was playing a nasty little trick.

Calm pointed at someone.

The instant Hyunsoo saw who, his face hardened into something miserable.

“Of all people.......”

It was the expression of someone realizing he’d made a mistake.

Calm clicked his tongue internally. A lord’s words had to be careful—tsk.

But Hyunsoo was different inside than he looked.

Heh-heh. Heh-heh.......

He started laughing like a madman as he looked at the person Calm indicated.

Heh-heh-heh-heh!

Yeah—of all people, why did he pick him?

“I will fight the man walking the dog over there.”

There was a man holding a leash.

[Asura Kabel is designated.]