Dev was still thinking about boss monsters—imagining giant creatures, claws, fangs, and him getting one-shot—when a voice suddenly pulled him back to reality.
"My lord."
Dev flinched hard, shoulders jerking, eyes widening.
"H-ha!? What—?"
David stood there calmly.
"My lord, what should we do with the corpses? They've piled up again."
Dev rubbed his face.
"Bro… just throw them to the side, okay?
And don't ask me every time—just clear them however you want. Make it a habit."
David bowed once and returned to dragging goblin bodies away.
Dev turned toward the floating panel:
[4 hours until the Fifth Wave]
He took a deep breath.
I have four hours… I should prepare something.
Spamming won't save me forever.
This isn't a game—this is reality.
And I need to understand this world properly.
He finally looked around.
A dense forest surrounded him from all sides—tall trees, thick bushes, and shadows dancing between the trunks.
But in the center of all this, a 100-meter-wide circular clearing existed, flat and open, as if carved out deliberately.
This was where he stood.
His eyes moved to the barrier again—bamboo poles tied with glowing ropes, forming a rough circle around the clearing.
"System… this thing was really meant for defending against waves?"
[Yes.
Originally, this was a proper low-tier defense castle built by the Supreme Emperor.
But after years with no monsters appearing, the vice commander assigned here slowly sold parts of the castle… until not even a brick was left.]
Dev blinked.
"So this is the leftover…? Just bamboo and rope?"
He scratched his head as he processed the information.
Just then—
Rustle. Rustle.
A man came crashing out of the forest.
A fat man, breathing heavily, face red with anger. He stomped toward Dev with a furious expression.
"Raizen! Oi—RAIZEN!"
"You bastard! Clean the damn room right now!
Do you think I'm your slave or something!?"
His face was twisted with irritation, his voice loud and mocking, like he was scolding someone beneath him.
Dev stared blankly.
Who the hell is this guy now?
The fat man continued screaming at Dev.
The knights, who were quietly guarding their lord, slowly turned toward the source of the noise.
Their expressions hardened.
Their eyes sharpened.
Their grip on their swords tightened.
It was the kind of stare that said they could rip a man open without hesitation.
The fat man froze for a second—fear flashed in his eyes—but he tried to keep his composure.
"Wh-who the hell are these bastards?"
David stepped forward, voice calm but filled with murderous intent.
"My lord… just give the order.
We will slice this pig into so many pieces that his family will spend years collecting what's left."
The fat man's face drained of color.
"L-lord? Who is lor—"
Then he noticed the mountain of goblin corpses stacked on one side.
His eyes widened.
He slowly turned… and saw the swirling portal glowing brightly.
His heart dropped, then immediately shifted into greed.
"Th-the portal… the portal is bigger than before…"
But his trembling voice wasn't fear.
It was hunger.
Ambition.
Greed.
He looked at the portal like a treasure chest finally opening after years.
A twisted smile formed on his lips, and he suddenly burst into manic laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! If the vice commander hears about this—
He'll be DELIGHTED!
I'll finally get rewarded! Wealth! Promotion! Everything!"
He was lost in fantasies of money, fame, and status.
Dev stared at him with disgust.
"David. Beat him up and tie him."
David's face lit up instantly—like he had been praying for this order.
"With pleasure, my lord."
THUD!
David punched him in the face so hard the fat man's eyes rolled back and he collapsed unconscious.
While the man lay on the ground, David looked back.
"My lord, you said to tie him…
But we have no rope.
Should I break his hands and legs instead?
That way even untied, he cannot run."
Dev hesitated only a moment.
Mm… do it.
CRACK!
A sharp, sickening snap echoed through the forest like breaking dry branches.
CRACK!
Another bone broke—clean, brutal, final.
Dev winced.
Damn… this is brutal.
A few minutes later, the fat man woke up.
He found himself flat on the ground, unable to move his hands or legs.
The pain hit him instantly, ripping tears from his eyes.
"AAAAARGHHHHH—!!"
David stepped forward and kicked him in the stomach.
"SILENCE."
The fat man's entire body shivered.
He bit his tongue and stopped shouting immediately.
Dev walked closer, standing over him.
"Alright. First question—
Who is Raizen?"