MDPS 44🔐

chapter 44

My Dark History is Too Strong 
Castle Gate Subjugation (2)

KR Server – Elf Castle.

The members of the Radiance Guild all sighed deeply.

“How long do we have to endure this?”

“We must endure it. The moment we charge without restraint, it becomes the scenario they want.”

Soonyoung Son spoke, trying to calm the disgruntled guild members.

Currently, the KR server was struggling with the conquest of the “Elf Castle.”

The three major domestic guilds, led by Deathside, were blocking the path at the castle gate.

“How much time are we losing because of them?”

“Exactly why we can’t let this slide. If we risk a counter-summon, it’ll be absolute hell.”

It takes time to resummon a fallen summon after it takes fatal damage. The higher the grade, the longer the recovery. For legendary-grade summons, it could take an entire day.

In a situation like this, with less than a week left to complete the conquest, a single defeat could be catastrophic.

‘Still, we can’t just sit here forever.’

Soonyoung Son walked toward them, aiming her sword, and tried to speak.

“How long will you keep just blocking the way? Aren’t you afraid of Dungeon Break?”

“You’re the ones causing interference! The traitors set up camp behind us, and because of that, the ‘select advance team’ can’t even enter!”

Still talking about the so-called “carefully selected advance team.”

It was an obvious lie. What they really wanted was an apology and compensation—and for someone else to take the media backlash for this incident.

The pettiness and meanness of these people made Soonyoung Son’s blood boil, but she suppressed her emotions.

“Let’s be straightforward. What exactly are your demands?”

“Heh, finally we’re speaking the same language.”

The Deathside Alliance boasted as they spoke.

“In this conquest, hand over command of your forces. Handle the media announcements. Take responsibility for the disturbances your ‘Radiance’ caused and pledge to serve without reward.”

“That’s…!”

It sounded like they intended to use them completely as a shield.

“Of course, you don’t plan to settle with words alone, right? You’ll have to give up quite a bit of interests. We’ll discuss the details later. Finally…”

The alliance member’s mouth twisted in a sneer.

“Your guild master, Yoon Haejun. He’s to bow and apologize to our master and even lick his shoes before we’ll consider it.”

“…What did you say?”

“Did you go deaf? Bring Yoon Haejun here and make him bow his head!”

For a moment, her mind went blank. Then she realized: this wasn’t a negotiation. It was extortion.

She had thought the previous ‘conditions’ were the subject of the negotiation—but that was a huge mistake.

‘Could it really be… pride?’

A childish and petty anger: ‘I was humiliated by a royal group.’

That was the cause of this entire situation.

Just as Soonyoung Son was about to respond to their ridiculous demands,

Ssshhh—

From the sky, a mist of dark purple began to descend.

“Huh?”

Her gaze gradually lifted toward the sky. The adventurers behind her followed, looking up as well.

“What are you doing, all of you—on drugs or something—”

“Uh… sir, I think you need to look up.”

The once-confident alliance members slowly raised their heads one by one.

“…What is that?”

A silhouette enveloped in black-purple smoke. A woman in a black dress with long silver hair looked down upon them with an air of elegance.

Then, someone muttered:

“The… Witch of the End?”

Instantly, silence fell at the castle gate.

The adventurers gathered here were, for better or worse, elite forces of a nation. They all knew the notorious appearance of “Hertia.”

Satisfied with her spectacle, Hertia proclaimed to everyone present:

“Be silent. And fear. I grant you only that action.”

Soon, the adventurers screamed and began to flee.

“Ahhhhhh!”
“It’s Hertia! The real Witch of the End! Run!”

The Elf Castle became a scene of chaos.

Hertia’s arrival didn’t just affect the adventurers.

[Breaking News: The appearance of the Witch of the End, Hertia, causes unrest among the elves within the castle.]

The elves inside the castle also grew tense. Any attempts by adventurers to intervene were now secondary—their full attention was on Hertia.

Even the three guilds blocking the adventurers’ entry were affected.

“What do we do? Just retreat?”
“Are you crazy? If we retreat now, it’s really Dungeon Break! We were planning to weaken them first, but if we back off now, we’re screwed!”
“Then… should we fight Hertia?”
“…F*ck. This is miserable.”

When the squad leader Choi Dongpal cursed, informant Min Kanghoon spoke:

“Sir, just retreat!”

“Didn’t you hear me earlier, you bastard! If we retreat now—”
“If we don’t retreat, we die instead of getting screwed!”
“Just wait! I need to think this through too!”

Informant Min Kanghoon. Once tasked with tailing a “mysterious adventurer,” a master of stealth and tracking. He had never forgotten that day: the face of Hertia watching him from behind as he photographed the adventurer.

“F*ck this, I’m out. Do what you want! I’m staying alive!”

“Hey, Min Kanghoon!”

He kicked away Choi Dongpal, who tried to stop him, and fled. Seeing guild members try to chase him, Choi Dongpal, rolling on the ground, shouted:

“Stop, you bastards! Min Kanghoon, you’re expelled starting today. Anyone following you…!”

“—Silence.”

At that moment, a chilling voice pierced the alliance’s ears.

“I told you. Be silent, and fear.”

“…F*ck, everyone, prepare for battle!”

The alliance adventurers reluctantly began summoning their creatures under Choi Dongpal’s orders.

“Pathetic. Do you really think you can attack me?”

“What?”

At that moment, an unfamiliar message appeared before Choi Dongpal:

[Hertia’s Rule is in effect! Before Hertia attacks, no orders may be issued to your summoned creatures.]

‘What the hell!’

Choi Dongpal panicked. He never imagined that this absurd effect would persist even after the great catastrophe!

Moreover, this effect didn’t just apply to him. Dozens, hundreds of summoned creatures were frozen in place.

“…A monster of a woman.”

“Hoho. Do you think you can face a monster while trembling in fear?”

Hertia approached him, her sharp nails leaving scars on his rough skin. He shivered, but screamed desperately to avoid showing fear.

“Don’t bluff! Once you attack, this debuff ends anyway!”

“You know well. Then…”

Hertia smiled ominously.

“Did you think I didn’t notice this?”

Swish—thunk.

Something sharp grazed Choi Dongpal’s ear. Then:

[A summoned creature has taken fatal damage!]

“…What?”

Choi Dongpal panicked. That wasn’t Hertia’s doing. Then who?

There was no time to ponder.

Whirrrrr!

A rain of arrows covered the sky. Shadows fell to the ground, and the alliance’s summoned creatures curled up like hedgehogs.

[A summoned creature that took fatal damage is recalled!]

[A summoned creature that took fatal damage…]

[Fatal da—]

“What… what the hell is this…?”

Total annihilation. The alliance’s summoned creatures were wiped out.

Instinctively, Choi Dongpal looked behind him toward the source of the arrows. There…

A line of elves on the castle walls pulled back their bows in unison.

Choi Dongpal stood in stunned disbelief. Hertia, shielding the arrows with a black veil, laughed as if enjoying the entire scene.

“Many wish to kill you. And yet, I did not intervene.”

Outside the Elf Castle

Everyone held their breath at the appearance of Hertia, the Witch of the End.

But one person, Radiance Guild Master Yoon Haejun, had slightly different thoughts.

“Master… you’re really going in?”
“There’s no other opportunity now.”

Yoon Haejun’s decisiveness prompted a guild member to suggest an alternative:

“Perhaps we should strike first outside the range of her rule—”
“Not yet. We don’t know how Hertia perceives us.”
“…Judging from the destruction of the Deathside Guild, she’s probably not friendly…”

Most guild members agreed.

Hertia was a legendary villain who massacred races and burned the World Tree. She would never be friendly to humans.

Yet Yoon Haejun thought differently.

‘More rational than I expected.’

If Hertia truly intended to wipe us out, there was no need for such a dramatic entrance. She could have used her rule on the gathered Deathside Alliance as she had before.

‘But she even produced smoke to announce her presence. It seems she wants to remove the “interferers” herself.’

Her purpose was unknown, but Yoon Haejun felt that he needed to face Hertia at least once.

The primary target of this episode: the elves.
And their natural predator: Hertia.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, after all. Perhaps her appearance was the key to this episode.

When he shared this opinion with the guild members—

“…So, Master, you think the Witch of the End might be the ‘gimmick’ of this episode?”
“Yes.”
“Then… we’ll join as well.”
“Alone is too dangerous!”

Grateful for the guild members’ enthusiasm, Yoon Haejun knew this had to be done alone.

To show Hertia that he bore no hostility.

“You have my thanks. I’ll meet Hertia alone.”

The guild members wanted to stop him, but they knew better. Their master never backed down once a decision was made.

“If anything happens, we’ll intervene immediately.”
“That won’t happen. Ah, one thing before we go.”

Yoon Haejun responded with a faint smile to their warnings.

“The main force of the enemy has been annihilated. Handle the cleanup of the remaining forces.”

And with that, he headed once again toward the entrance of the Elf Castle.