The D-Rank Guild Master of the No. 1 Guild

Rudel didn’t shy away from Aleon’s gaze. She watched him quietly for a moment, then responded nonchalantly.

“You’re talking like this is the end. We got the first ticket to challenge the champion, but the game isn’t over yet.”

Aleon had lost due to a momentary lapse, and he could still reverse the situation and surpass Gio in the future. Statistically, they were evenly matched.

Despite Rudel’s comforting words, Aleon shook his head.

“I was… lacking. My heart wasn’t strong enough.”

He recalled the moment he had met Gio’s eyes and felt himself shrink back. In that instant, he had been gripped by the fear of losing, and thus, the outcome was inevitable.

“You were the one who told me. To take better care of myself.”

He realized he should have recognized his own fears earlier and strengthened his resolve.

A few more tears fell from Aleon’s eyes as he lowered his head. His voice was flat as he continued.

“Now… I am no longer someone my people can follow. I have disappointed them. I will accept their disappointment without resentment.”

Rudel raised her hand and wiped away Aleon’s tears. She smiled at him like one would at a dejected child, then whispered something enigmatic in his ear.

“I think you might be underestimating Ifrea and your guild members.”

Dragging his heavy feet, Aleon returned to the Ice Fortress territory. Whether they looked at him with disappointment or turned away coldly, he needed to finish this raid for the sake of his guild members.

He didn’t immediately step out into the open but instead peeked at his guild members from his hiding spot. His eyes widened in surprise.

Contrary to his expectations, they were neither despondent nor acting as if nothing had happened, calmly defending against the monster wave. A few in the rear spotted him.

“Aleon-nim! Are you alright?”

A buzz spread through the ranks, and as soon as the wave ended, they rushed toward him. The Saint was bewildered.

“Were you hurt? That brute, all brawn and no brains!”

Surrounded by their concerned gazes and checks, Aleon felt dazed.

“Losing to that fool is so frustrating! Gio must have just been lucky!”

“You’ll win if you fight him again!”

“Next time, you’ll take back the number one spot. Right, Aleon-nim? So don’t be discouraged!”

They weren’t supporting him because he was number one. They shared in his defeat as if it were their own and offered their sympathy. Some even shed a few tears out of frustration.

From a distance, Ifrea, the vice-guild master of the Ice Fortress, watched her chosen guild members with satisfaction, arms crossed and deep in thought.

‘I do have an eye for people,’ she mused.

During the guild formation for the selection battle, Ifrea had put in a lot of effort. She had weeded out the unworthy and left only the upright and good-hearted individuals who matched Aleon’s character in the guild.

She had always hoped that Aleon would one day receive the kindness he had given to others in return, that he would smile brightly.

‘Aleon, if you, so beautiful and pure, sacrifice yourself entirely to protect the weak… in turn, they must be people worthy of your protection. Never forget that.’

Turning to the side, a soft smile graced her lips.

‘Good people attract good people.’

Aleon’s recent struggles had nothing to do with the outcome of the battle. He had simply lost to Gio because Gio’s abilities were slightly superior in that fight. That did not destroy everything he had built. His people would not abandon him.

Those who would desert him after one defeat would never have followed someone as kind but vulnerable as him in the first place.

Realizing this, Aleon’s expression finally brightened. Perhaps he looked more carefree than ever before.

“Thank you.”

He had finally shed the nightmare of betrayal from the selection battle. To finish the remaining guild battle, he jumped back into the raid with renewed vigor. Despite his stats being slightly reduced and feeling exhausted from the death, he moved much faster and more nimbly.

With the burden lifted from his heart, he truly regretted the outcome of the earlier fight. He even felt a desire to challenge Gio again in his current state.

‘Next time, I’ll challenge you again, Gio. And you too, Rudel. I will make you both tense.’

* * *

I watched Aleon’s dejected figure as he returned to his territory. I was concerned, but I knew that from here on, it was not my place to comfort him.

I nodded in reassurance as if seeing the Ice Fortress territory with my own eyes. How fortunate that Ifrea was by Aleon’s side. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to simply let Aleon go.

But now, I knew he would confirm his people’s unwavering loyalty and smile brightly once again.

Though Gio’s victory was significant, I was most relieved that Aleon had trustworthy people by his side.

Thanks to this, I could rejoice wholeheartedly, practically skipping as I returned to my territory.

…Usually, when you let your guard down like this, something bigger happens. I should have been more prepared to face my guild members.

I wasn’t, and when I saw the scene of my team cornered in the volcanic area, I froze for about five seconds.

They were all covered in wounds.

Before Gio and I left, they had been holding off the wave comfortably at the first line of defense. Now they were pushed back to the last barricade.

It seemed they avoided complete destruction only thanks to Gio, who had returned before me.

Akata was standing on an injured leg, directing the phoenix, while Lilith was checking on someone lying on the ground with scratches on her face.

Someone who was motionless and soaked in blood.

“…Kanel?”

I only recognized who it was after seeing the shattered gun nearby.

No matter how lacking in firepower, how could a weapon be smashed to pieces like that?

Unless a huge monster had bitten the gun along with Kanel…

I froze again.

“The wolf is gone.”

The massive figure that should have been at the forefront, fighting the monsters, was nowhere to be seen.

Instinctively, I knew something was wrong with the wolf. I frantically scanned the surroundings.

Luckily, Unahar wasn’t far away.

But… he wasn’t himself. He was repeatedly banging his head on the ground.

‘This is bad.’

The situation quickly became clear.

Apparently, while Gio and I were away, the wolf went berserk and attacked Kanel.

Those massive jaws could easily swallow a person whole.

Thanks to Gio arriving just in time before the guild members, who were shaken by the shock, could be completely wiped out, they barely managed to hold the third line of defense.

I burned a few monsters with my flames and jumped into the defensive line.

“Rudel!”

Lilith burst into tears as soon as she saw me. Her eyes were red and swollen, indicating she had been crying for a while.

I patted Lilith’s back, confirmed that Kanel was breathing, and then approached Unahar, struggling to keep my expression steady.

“Stop… calm down. I’m here.”

Unahar’s forehead was covered in blood from repeatedly hitting the ground.

I caught his head as it was about to hit the ground again and lifted it up.

As soon as Unahar’s head was raised and I saw his face, I couldn’t help but groan.

“Please. Don’t blame yourself. I’m begging you.”

Despite my plea, he lowered his head again. Unahar was mentally shattered, unable to even wield his bazooka.

“I will believe in myself one last time.”

I remembered what Unahar had said to all of us earlier. How much must he have pushed himself to keep that promise while transforming into a wolf?

I couldn’t forgive the game for subjecting Unahar to such misery and trials.

Realizing it, I found myself shouting at the top of my lungs.

“You did nothing wrong! You tried, and you did your best!”

I couldn’t stand it any longer, knowing how much he had suffered, both physically and mentally.

“So why do you have to go through this…?”

As I mumbled in a daze, Unahar turned to look at me. Blood was dripping from his bitten lips. Unahar soon collapsed onto my shoulder.

“Sedate me.”

My eyes traced slowly over the back of his head.

“Just knock me out. Tell me this isn’t my doing…”

Unahar’s hand, trembling uncontrollably, touched Kanel’s fallen arm. His hand shook with convulsions.

I felt a cold fury churning in my stomach.

Viewers, are you watching this?

Is it pitiable? So pitiable you can’t look away. It’s entertaining for you, isn’t it?

Some might find Unahar’s plight pitiful and frustrating, but others would be pleased to see such a handsome character suffering.

I despised the GMs who assigned Unahar the role of a rabid wolf just to boost viewership with his agony.

I hated the system, and I hated the viewers who treated us as mere characters, consuming Unahar’s pain as content.

What came to mind as I reached the end of the raid battle was the command code I had risked my life to obtain during the zombie event.