The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Clang! Clang!

“Catch them all! Get your contributions!”

Waaah!

On the plains where the monsters surged. The number of monsters rushing in hadn’t decreased, but the defenders’ attitudes had changed drastically from the beginning.

In the early waves, the response had been mostly defensive, with the players organizing formations and methodically clearing out the monsters from the safety of the fortress walls.

But now, a month into the invasion, drawing close to its end. Most players faced the monster waves directly on the plains instead of from the fortress walls.

“This is the final wave! Everyone checked their contribution rankings, right? Don’t miss your last chance to climb up!”

Guild leaders ranked at the top urged their members.

“Remember, this is a linked scenario. If you want to catch up in the next scenario, you need to secure your contribution points now!”

Some were giving their all, working with their comrades to make their last stand. This was happening at the fortress near the Monster Forest, the western forbidden zone.

“Wow, did everyone take some sort of potion? They’re all flying around.”

Jake, watching the battle from the fortress wall, shook his head in amazement.

“That’s because they know this is the end of it. For us, it’s enough to defend the territory, but for them, it’s a kind of evaluation, isn’t it? Thanks to them, the soldiers are having an easier time.”

The fact that players could act so boldly was because superhumans like Raul and Jake were stationed at the fortress.

If monsters appeared that the players couldn’t handle, Raul and Jake would swiftly deal with them. What was there to worry about?

Even the soldiers, who had been desperate for survival at first, had regained much of their composure. As a result, it was common to see them placing bets here and there on the walls.

“Who do you think will come in first today?”

“I’ve bet on the Jeongmyeong Guild. They were first yesterday, too.”

“Well, it might be different today. With so many spectral-type monsters, oracle would have the advantage this time.”

After each wave, the day’s battle contribution points were posted throughout the fortress. Guilds and players with good results were personally rewarded by Raul or the fortress commander and were granted the privilege of choosing their position for the next wave.

With scenario rewards on the line, it was only natural that the players would compete to be at the forefront of the battle.

“Is the exploration team ready?”

“Yes, Master. Josh has assembled the team flawlessly. The composition includes rangers, trappers, and mages.”

“I see. Josh is reliable.”

Josh had been just a novice mercenary not even at the Expert level when he first joined the First Knight Order. But now, over two years later, he had grown into a superhuman, serving as the deputy leader of the First Combat Unit and a cornerstone of the guild.

“Weren’t you often sparring at the fortress? How’s the win rate looking?”

“Oh, Master! I’m Jake! Your left-hand man, Jake! I practically raised Josh myself, so why would you even ask about win rates?”

Jake exclaimed in disbelief. Of course, Raul knew but had asked anyway. Among the Masters of the First Knight Order, the top fighter was Philip.

Following him were the trio of Jake, Pierce, and Kane. They had already reached the mid-Master level, while Josh had just stepped into the early Master stage.

There was naturally a skill gap, but…

‘Even as a Master, complacency is dangerous.’

While stages were divided based on proficiency in controlling aura, actual victories were determined by many factors.

In any case, each fortress was likely preparing an exploration team that included a Master by now. These teams were to enter the sanctuaries immediately after the monster wave ended.

‘Then I should get going.’

Raul looked towards the Monster Forest and called for Kane.

“You called for me?”

“I’m leaving the territory in your hands while I’m away.”

“Yes, you can count on me, Master.”

Kane, who had become a Viscount upon reaching the Master level, maintained a consistent demeanor. He was also the only one who could perfectly stand in for Raul. Recently, an intermediate psychokinetic had emerged among the guild members to assist Kane. Although it wasn’t quite the Legion of Weapons, they could manage a decent imitation of Raul.

“Since the forbidden zone barriers have weakened, we should be able to use guild communication even from inside. So, contact me immediately if anything important comes up.”

“Understood.”

“And… Bernard.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Are the supplies adequately prepared?”

“Yes. As you instructed, we’ve stockpiled materials sufficient to build several fortresses, along with all the submaterials needed for various facilities. We’ve also requested a transport quest from President Kim Ilwoo.”

“Good. Things will get extraordinarily busy from now on. It might be tough, but I’m counting on you.”

“Of course. It’s my duty. Don’t worry about the supplies.”

Raul patted Bernard on the shoulder.

“Well then, shall we get started?”

No one had yet succeeded in pioneering the forbidden zone.

*

「15 meters ahead. Five Blue Shabel Tigers spotted.」

「Hold position. We’ll handle it.」

Rustle, rustle.

A group moved through the bushes.

Had this been a standard reconnaissance mission, they would have moved slowly and stealthily, but instead, they charged boldly forward.

Growl.

Roar!

The intruders were detected by the blue-furred tiger-like monsters, the Blue Shabel Tigers, beyond the bushes. The massive tigers, standing as tall as an adult’s height at the shoulder, bared their gruesome fangs and lunged at the group.

“Hmph. Just oversized cats!”

Swish! Thud thud!

The man leading the group activated aura blades on his two swords. The yellow aura blades sliced halfway through one Shabel Tiger’s neck and pierced another’s forehead.

Whirr!

A mana-infused steel arrow spun through the air, impaling another Shabel Tiger.

“Shot!”

Invisible wind blades shredded yet another Shabel Tiger. The one who first spotted the Shabel Tigers dropped from a tree, ending the last Tiger’s life with two daggers.

It took less than ten seconds to annihilate the five Blue Shabel Tigers. The Tigers, intermediate-level monsters difficult to handle without at least intermediate-level expertise, were defeated all too easily.

“Clear. Collect the loot and move out.”

Following the order from Josh, the team leader, two people with daggers began disassembling the Shabel Tigers while the archer climbed a tree to keep watch. The mage started extracting magical reagents, including the Shabel Tiger’s blood.

‘So far, so good.’

Josh felt relieved as he reviewed the map displayed on the hologram.

The Forbidden Zone.

A forbidden zone that rejected human intrusion. True to its infamous reputation, the monsters here were no joke. It was a place teeming with high-level monsters whose hides couldn’t even be scratched unless one could wield aura.

Entering such a place with only six people seemed unthinkable three years ago. Moreover, his mission wasn’t mere reconnaissance. The real objective was to secure an entry route into the Forbidden Zone based on the map provided by the Master.

This involved identifying the types of monsters inhabiting the area and dealing with any monsters they encountered. Only then could the follow-up team clear the forest and pave the way.

As such, the team members accompanying him were the elite. Three high-ranking ranger knights directly under Sir Pierce.

An A-rank trapper hired through the mercenary guild. A 5-circle mage from the First Magic Tower. And with Master Josh leading the team, they had little to worry about unless faced with an exceptionally formidable monster.

While Josh briefly checked the map, the team finished their tasks.

“From now on, we proceed slowly. We’re not far from the target area, so report any unusual findings immediately!”

“Yes, captain.”

The map sent by Raul. A bright red line drawn on it. The point marked ‘Player Line’ wasn’t too far off.

Tadadat.

The six figures emerged through the bushes.

“The maze barrier is confirmed.”

The mage, who had been riding on the knight’s back, dismounted and spoke. Even without him stating it, everyone had already noticed. This was because the mark carved into the tree in front of them was the very mark Josh had made just 30 minutes earlier.

“Can it be dismantled?”

Josh asked, and the mage shook his head as if it were out of the question.

“Even the Tower Master, or rather, the Great Sages, would find it difficult. This is literally a ‘divine barrier.’ Structurally, it’s similar to the ‘Cursed Forest’ in the free cities of the kingdom. Several layers of intricately connected magic circles….”

“Enough. Theoretical explanations aside, what’s your opinion?”

Josh asked the mercenary trapper, who sighed.

“This barrier can’t be dismantled. It’s designed to be undetectable. I’ve explored many dungeons, but I’ve never seen a maze like this.”

Josh nodded at his words.

“Okay. Now that we’ve confirmed it, let’s move on to the next task.”

They had already tried to penetrate beyond the red line on the map five times. As much as he wanted to find a way through, there was no point in persisting further.

“Mark the exact boundary and find a suitable location to establish a foothold nearby. There are probably still monsters around, so split into two teams and move out.”

In fact, just reaching this point was an achievement in itself.

Even the Count Ashton household occasionally sent reconnaissance parties into the Monster Forest, but they never ventured beyond the outskirts.

However, Josh and his team had already been inside the forest for three days.

‘Yet this is still just the entrance? Just how vast is this forest?’

The map provided by the Master marked the Monster Forest as an area larger than the entire Ruben Kingdom. If this vast land could truly be developed…

‘Could the Master’s goal really be…?’

Yet, Josh quickly shook his head and swung his sword, chopping down a large tree. Whatever the Master’s goal was didn’t matter. Just being able to follow behind him meant Josh’s life was already a success.

*

‘…Hmm. Not much further now.’

Raul strolled lightly through the forest, his hands behind his back, as if he were out for a walk. Walking through the forest alone brought back vivid memories of his past life.

Back then, during the Forbidden Zone Opening Scenario, he had headed to the Elemental Jungle in the east instead of the Monster Forest in the west.

He had been active in the Marcus Kingdom, located in the eastern part of the continent, rather than the Ruben Kingdom.

‘It was a misjudgment.’

Not all sanctuaries were the same. With the pride of a top ranker, he had entered the jungle only to face his first major setback.

‘Who could have known they would appear?’

He had been unlucky and hadn’t thought things through. Now, he felt confident he could achieve a different outcome, but…

‘There’s no need to start there.’

Considering the difficulty and rewards of the four sanctuaries, the Monster Forest was the top priority.

Growl.

Screech!

Raul walked leisurely through the dense mana of the forbidden zone. Despite being surrounded by constant monster cries, he remained unperturbed.

Whoosh.

After each scream, neatly processed monster materials floated in the air before disappearing into Raul’s subspace behind him.

‘This is boring. Isn’t there anything interesting?’

Even while wandering through the forbidden zone, he felt no tension. Because the hundreds of weapons he had spread around him took care of the monsters, slaying and organizing them automatically.

It was a sight that some might call the pinnacle of auto-hunting. Raul finally reached his destination. A point marked with a red line on the hologram map.

The so-called ‘Player Line’.

‘Well, there shouldn’t be any problems now.’

Without hesitation, Raul crossed the invisible boundary. He walked deeper into the forest until a new scene unfolded before his eyes. Endless trees gave way to a small plain.

In the middle stood an old, crumbling castle, seemingly on the verge of collapse, welcoming Raul.

(To be continued)