Chapter 43: Assassins in the Shadows

“You too?”

“Same for you?”

Neither Kang Juho nor Kim Seokju had received a quest.

“What are you going to do? Still planning to go?”

Although entry was restricted, it wasn’t physically blocked.

If it were a system lock, entering would be impossible.

But the restriction was simply an NPC proclamation—which meant it could be ignored.

“Hmm…”

Kang Juho hesitated.

The Evador Mountains were already dangerous, home to ogres.

If NPCs were going out of their way to ban access, something serious had happened.

‘A mutant monster? Foreign spies? Criminals?’

Three things came to mind.

‘Maybe I should go? A quest might pop up.’

Any of those three could trigger one.

But there was a catch.

‘If I clash with the NPCs over this…’

It might create trouble with the local faction.

Sure, he planned to defect to the mercenary nation of Falkos eventually, but there was no need to make enemies yet.

“Is it okay if I delay learning Rage?”

“For me? Yeah, not a big deal. Not like Rage is crucial right now.”

“Then let’s head to the Graveyard of Death instead.”

Kang Juho decided not to enter the Evador Mountains.

“You going for Dullahans?”

“Yeah. It’ll be tough, but manageable.”

***

Graveyard of Death: home to zombies, ghouls, and dullahans.

Originally, Kang Juho planned to go there at Level 190.

But thanks to the Staff of Peace, he was ahead of schedule.

He and Kim Seokju returned to the request office.

“How can I help you?”

“I’d like to see the quest list for the Graveyard of Death.”

“Here it is.”

An NPC handed them a file, and the quest interface popped up.

Juho browsed the list, thinking:

‘When will elite quests start showing up?’

Boss monsters were difficult, but elite mobs could be handled by two.

‘Maybe they appear starting from Tier 3?’

Elite monsters offered far better rewards than normals.

He chose the two hardest quests with the best rewards:

• Quest: Dullahan’s Resentful Spirit
• Quest: Growing Ghoul Numbers

He and Kim Seokju left the city hall.

“See you soon!”

“Yep!”

They parted briefly for equipment prep.

***

As Kang Juho walked toward the Crafting District, he thought:

‘Hope there’s something decent…’

His plan was to hit 150 at the Puren Temple, then swap out his hammer.

He had one in mind.

But he hit his target faster than expected, and he hadn’t saved up as much gold as planned.

Still, he needed a new weapon.

His current one, Reinforced Iron Hammer, was a level 90 item.

It had solid attack power, but it wasn’t good enough for Graveyard farming.

***

Meanwhile…

In an underground facility, Moise looked up at the ceiling with a scowl.

“Should I just kill them all?”

People were moving above—he hated the presence.

He was furious.

On the verge of snapping.

“No… If I go too far again, I’ll get punished…”

He had already broken orders once.

If he disobeyed again, the consequences would be worse.

Moise trembled.

He didn’t want to be punished again.

But as time passed, his face twisted with rage.

He stood up abruptly.

“If I quietly eliminate them, no one will know, right?”

He approached a group of waiting chimeras.

“Hmm… This one will do.”

He picked the smallest one—optimized for assassination.

“Number 4, follow me.”

Number 4 stood and followed him silently.

They stopped at a sealed wall.

“Go kill the nearby scouts. Quietly. You have 20 minutes. Got it?”

Moise tapped his staff.

—Screech!

The wall slid open, revealing a path.

Number 4 vanished into it.

Moise resealed the entrance.

***

Karom, part of Recon Squad 3, crept through the Evador Mountains.

‘Is there even anything out here?’

Two days of searching. Still nothing.

It felt pointless.

Then—

Rustle.

Grass behind him shifted.

Karom spun around.

“…?”

No one there. Just silence.

‘Did I imagine it?’

Then he saw it—flattened grass.

Someone had stepped there.

SHLICK!

Before he could react, pain seared his neck.

The world tilted.

‘Ah…’

He knew.

He was dead.

His head hit the ground with a thud.

The killer: Chimera No. 4.

Its arms resembled a giant mantis’s scythes.

With a hiss, it flicked blood from its blades and vanished into the brush.

***

Poeras set down a report and muttered:

“Where are they hiding…?”

They had scoured the entire Evador Mountain region, even using mages.

Still, nothing.

He began wondering if the chimera had already escaped.

Just then—Creak.

The door opened.

Information officer Bacoom rushed in, panicked.

“S-Sir! We have a major problem!”

Exactly what Poeras feared.

“Recon Squad 3 was wiped out by a chimera!”

So it was still in the mountains.

“Casualties?”

Poeras asked.

If they’d killed the chimera, Bacoom wouldn’t call it a disaster.

“W-well… the entire squad was annihilated.”

“…!”

Poeras was shocked.

The teams were trained to prioritize survival.

A full squad wipe was unheard of.

“What about the other squads?”

They were positioned closely.

A fight big enough to wipe Squad 3 should have triggered alerts nearby.

“Thankfully, no other squads were harmed.”

Bacoom responded with a more relaxed face.

“…?”

That made no sense.

How could one squad be wiped out with no warning, right next to another?

‘Squad 4 didn’t even notice?’

This wasn’t just a kill—it was an assassination.

The work of killers, not just monsters.

“Are we sure it was a chimera?”

Poeras asked, still doubtful.

“We found blue blood at multiple points. It’s definitely chimera-related… but…”

Bacoom trailed off.

Poeras sighed deeply.

‘It’s bad enough we have chimeras—now there are assassins?’

‘Who the hell is behind this…?’

Just then—

“Major crisis!”

Rospler burst in.

Poeras and Bacoom turned to him.

“The orcs in the Debar Plains are preparing for large-scale movement!”

Poeras grimaced.

‘Why now, of all times?!’

***

[Iron Core Hammer – Special Grade]

• Requirement: Level 140, Strength 300
• Durability: 100%
• Physical ATK: 1100
• STR +50
• Bonus damage vs undead +10%

“Whoa, this is perfect,” said Kim Seokju.

“Right? Just came out, too.” Juho grinned.

He hadn’t been happy with the available hammers.

Just as he was settling for a mediocre one, the blacksmith NPC unveiled a new creation:
the Iron Core Hammer.

It outclassed his Sturdy Iron Hammer by 300 attack and came with perfect undead bonuses.

Perfect for Graveyard hunting.

***

[You have entered the Graveyard of Death.]

They arrived.

No players in sight—just swarms of monsters: zombies and ghouls.

“How far do you plan to grind here?”

“Hit 180, then finish 200 at the Rovar Plains?”

Juho answered as he eyed the monsters.

Originally, this was a Level 190+ hunting ground.

But with his gear and support, he could skip ahead.

The Staff of Peace let him push into content early.

“Sounds good to me.”

“Then let’s get started.”

“For resistance buff—go poison?”

“Yeah. Physical we can dodge, but poison sticks.”

Kim cast his support skills:

• Physical Boost
• Resistance Boost (Poison)

[DEF +20% for 9 minutes]

[Speed +20% for 9 minutes]

[Poison Resist +7% for 8 minutes]

With buffs active, Juho charged at the monsters.

Zombies and ghouls stirred and responded.

The hunt had begun.