My Alter Ego’s Path to Greatness - Chapter 100
#100
Northern Mountains (1)
The Hubert Company, located in Tarak, Tulk Kingdom, was prospering day by day.
Harley, who had grown into a well-known name in the Tarak mercenary world, and the power of the church behind him were able to minimize checks from other forces in the early stages of the business, which played a big role.
‘After growing to a certain extent, I started to lose my temper.’
As the Sanghoe began to grow in size, the interference coming from the company continued to increase.
There were still no people making overt maneuvers, but the threats being made covertly had now reached a point where they could not be ignored.
‘But since we have prepared a response this time, things will get better in the future.’
Recently, a number of vampires have gone into hiding in Tarak due to a honeymoon with Thalia’s Brokoslak Clan.
Of course, unlike Thalia, which was occupied by the Clan, here you had to be careful at all times and only move in the shadows, but the Clan’s more strengthened vampires were able to melt in without any problems with the help of the company.
‘Besides, the personnel dispatched to Tarak this time are individuals that ‘Refined Blood Spirits’ have evolved with a focus on stealth.’
Since the unit has deliberately adjusted its direction and specialized in hiding its identity, it can be said at this point that it is a unit specialized in infiltration and operations.
However, a sudden change came to Tarak, where everything was going smoothly.
And on a fairly large scale.
‘…I knew that chaos was coming, so I preempted supplies such as food and oil weapons. ‘This is more than I expected.’
In the Chamber of Commerce’s office, Hubert frowned as he looked at the urgently delivered documents.
For merchants, information is life.
Because he paid a lot of attention to establishing a system for quick information collection, he was able to obtain this important information right away…
“If it’s an incident of this magnitude, there’s probably no place I don’t already know.”
If he, a mere merchant, knew, other places would have already started moving.
And as Hubert expected, it was happening in real time.
“Move quickly!”
“Check again to see if you missed any supplies!”
Knock, knock, knock!
Doo doo doo—!
In an unusually chaotic atmosphere, the armies of the County of Aonia, to which Tarak belongs, began advancing north at once.
Additionally, soldiers departing from other cities as well as the central lord’s castle quickly moved towards the northernmost steel fortress of the territory.
With such a large-scale movement, the news was bound to reach those staying within the city.
The story spread rapidly wherever people gathered, such as mercenary guilds or bars.
“Hey, did you hear the news? I heard that the Iron Citadel is recruiting mercenaries on a large scale. “The army is already on the move.”
“Ah, I heard. Are you saying the monsters in the northern mountains are showing signs of heading south?”
“It’s still a bit confusing these days with the undead infestation and all, so I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“Oh, it must be a coincidence. Also, have the monsters in the Northern Mountains been hit like hell once or twice?”
In order to minimize confusion, all the information had not been released yet, so most people who did not know about the Abyss believed that this disturbance was just temporary.
Of course, there were some who felt that this situation was unusual based on various information.
“This… I’m concerned about what I heard from Visar Party the other day.”
“what? “Do you have any information?”
“Not long ago, I met a party that had just returned from the mountains. I heard it then. “I heard that the group suddenly encountered a mutant and got hurt a lot.”
“Mutation? “Isn’t that a common thing when you catch monsters?”
“It wasn’t an ordinary mutation, but it ran like crazy as if it had rabies…”
However, they were equally unable to obtain accurate information.
Moreover, they also had the same feeling that a big problem would arise in a situation where the military was mobilized.
Those who were captivated by the enormous rewards offered by the territory headed to the Northern Steel Citadel one by one.
“Hey Harley! Did you hear the news? What do you plan on doing? “I think we should go there too.”
It was the same for the trio of southern warriors with Harley.
As Hubert Company grew in size and hired many talented people, they also had more leeway.
They only took on the tedious security work out of loyalty to their friends, but when they came here from the South, they originally preferred more active tasks such as hunting monsters.
“Hmm, it’s the northern mountains…”
A bar bustling with all kinds of noise.
Harley gathered her thoughts while fiddling with the glass in front of her.
He had never personally seen a monster affected by ‘madness’.
Just as I was about to return from the Iron Citadel to Tarak after a hunting trip, an abyss opened up.
It was only natural that monsters influenced by it appeared some time later.
However, if we combine the information obtained through Hubert and the facts that Heinz II learned through moving the clan…
this matter was by no means an easy matter to overcome.
‘That’s why the Kingdom of Thalia is also concentrating its forces in the monster forest to the west.’
Even Hans and Heinz II Harley had experience wandering freely in the Forest of Monsters, so it’s hard to get a good feel for it, but it was originally a dangerous area that no one could enter.
If monsters infected with madness and with enhanced aggression and vitality were to pour out from such a place, considerable damage would be caused to the kingdom.
‘That’s why I sent the clan’s elite, including the true bloods Phrygia and Obor, there.’
Separate from the soldiers of the Kingdom of Thalia, they will go directly into the forest and reduce the population of dangerous monsters through guerrilla warfare.
‘But the northern mountain range is a place worse than the forest of monsters.’
A huge northern mountain range that stretches across the entire northern region of the continent.
This place, connected to the Kingdom of Tulk, was only a small part of it, but it was such a dangerous place that the population of monsters continued to increase even though numerous mercenaries were out hunting every time.
‘It is impossible for a country that has already been exposed to a lot of information to not know what will happen in the future.’
The army of the County of Aonia headed there right away, but soon reinforcements from surrounding territories will also begin to arrive one after another.
This probably won’t end so easily.
‘Now we’re past the stage of dealing with things by conveying information only to high-ranking officials. Perhaps this incident will lead to information spreading to the private sector as well.’
About the resurrection of the Immortal King and the opening of the abyss.
There will be a lot of confusion in the future.
It may have shaken many places, but it was absolutely necessary.
and.
It was something he had hoped for that the Immortal King’s notoriety would spread widely.
‘Because I was aiming for that from the beginning.’
But what Harley has to think about now is a separate issue.
The question is how to deal with a situation that is about to break out…
He thought for a moment, then widened his eyes and jumped up from his seat.
“Okay let’s go! This body can’t fall into that situation! Hahaha!”
“oh! “It has to be like this!”
“It’s been a while since I got some stress relief!”
Actually, there was no need to worry.
If something seems vague, isn’t Harley’s style to hit it first?
Moreover, if the steel fortress really collapses, the foundation that Hubert worked so hard to build in Thalia will be destroyed.
It would be better to step forward and control the situation yourself.
‘If you think it’s really dangerous, you can cancel the summons.’
I wonder if Harley, who now has a truly monstrous body, could be in any danger.
So he majestically left the bar and crossed the street.
Although he had already become a celebrity in Tarak and was familiar to the local residents, the reaction of those around him was much the same as before.
Unable to make eye contact, he slowly walks away.
‘Well, it can’t be helped.’
Harley glanced down at her body.
The appearance of the naked muscular upper body and the animal head helmet and teeth accessories remained the same, but there was a clear difference from before.
It was an imprint engraved all over his body.
A colorful flame pattern centered on the heart and extending down the chest and chin.
A storm and lightning pattern starting from the forehead, across the right eye, and up to the cheek.
Even the beast on the right arm and the crossed axes on the left arm.
If you look at each of the engravings individually, they are beautiful patterns that even look artistic, abstractly symbolizing the concept of each element.
When combined with Harley’s ferocious body, it only seemed to further emphasize his intimidating appearance.
In addition, his past actions also contributed to his notoriety.
Although he did not go out of his way to harass the weak, he mercilessly destroyed those who challenged him.
‘I had no choice because it would be too bothersome if I didn’t do that.’
It was a side effect of becoming famous.
In this barbaric world of mercenaries, fame was equal to power.
Since it was such a situation, it was natural for mercenaries who had flown into Tarak from abroad to stab him.
Even after seeing this body, there are quarrels, challenges, and even attacks that bother me.
That was Harley’s solution.
Anyone who challenges him is completely crushed.
Just watching from the side will overwhelm you so that you can’t even think about showing your teeth to him.
In this way, Harley was able to establish himself as a person whom no one knew, at least in this Tarak, but who would not even dare to touch him.
Jingling— Jingling—
When they opened the door to the mercenary guild with the three southern warriors and entered, the same scenery as usual greeted them.
A clean and sophisticated interior with mercenaries gathered here and there talking among themselves.
The topic of their conversation was all about the northern mountain range.
Because this was an unprecedented recruitment, everyone’s attention was focused on it.
‘It seems like there are some people who feel it’s dangerous, but overall the atmosphere is positive. Well, it hasn’t even happened yet.’
Among those who sensed a crisis, there were some who not only did not participate but also took refuge in southern Tarak, but because the compensation offered by the territory was so great, many also expressed participation.
“Uh Harley. “It’s our turn.”
After waiting for a while, their turn finally came.
In the meantime, the party members are applying to participate in the quest one by one.
“Um… Harley?”
The young male employee sitting at the counter looked up at him and cautiously opened his mouth.
“There was a separate nomination request from Harley today. I was planning to contact you personally soon, but since you came here in person…”
“Hmm? “A place name?”
While working as a mercenary, Harley also received many requests for nominations, but the unit price for nomination requests, in which the client chose a mercenary to perform a mission, was higher than the general method.
The guild only provides connections in the middle, and details are negotiated separately between the client and the mercenary.
As such, it was a method mainly used for tasks requiring security or particularly difficult missions.
“Hmm… I don’t have anything in mind right now because I was planning to head to the Steel Fortress. “Let’s reject that!”
I had just decided on a destination, but now I wonder if there is another mission in sight.
I’m sorry, but the timing of the request wasn’t good, so there was nothing I could do.
“I… I don’t think you should refuse that. “The person who entrusted me with this task…”
Harley frowned slightly at the unexpected reaction.
Originally, the rule should be not to force missions like this.
“What does that mean? “I don’t have time, so tell me straight, friend!”
“Yes yep! that… “The person who entrusted it to me is a different person, but the name registered as the client is…!”
The employee, who had been talking loudly while being stiff, paused, glanced around, leaned toward Harley, and whispered softly.
“Tharmin Aonia….”
It was a name that even he had not expected.
“In other words, he is the lord of this territory.”