Late morning on Undying Craftroach Guild Island.

The Numbers were in formation, the same as last time: Number One in front, while the others were in a formation with 6 in front and 5 at the back.

Dexter was smirking. Wearing a track suit and sneakers, he produced a rolled dry leaf and lit it.

Puffing out smoke, he said,

"Aren't you all greeting your Master? Where's your respect?"

"Good Morning, Sir!" the Numbers shouted as one.

"What's good about the morning? After seeing you all, it makes me want to puke!" he retorted.

Cracking his neck, Dexter then smiled at them.

"Start running... we'll do calisthenics later."

Dexter, along with Number Seven, led the Numbers running around the Guild Island. With a circumference of approximately one kilometer, they had to complete a hundred laps.

As usual, all the female members were having a hard time running, especially Number One with her thin physique. Even Stella's exertion didn't give her any advantage over the others.

…

It was nearing the end of the run when Dexter received a message from Mojomojo in the Guild Chat.

(Mojomojo: Uhh.... does your offer still stand?)

Dexter didn't reply. Mojomojo's life or death didn't matter to him; he didn't even know the man existed until he'd chatted randomly earlier.

After finishing the final lap, all of them were panting heavily. The struggling Numbers hadn't expected to survive the hundred-kilometer run without collapsing from exhaustion, especially since their bodies were still heavy from yesterday's training.

"Don't sit... walk until you all cool down..." Dexter panted.

After taking a deep breath, Dexter jumped, shaking his hands and feet. With the last touch of his foot on the ground, he started running again. This made all the Numbers, including Stella, look at him with disbelief.

Running helped Dexter think effectively, perhaps because of the oxygen continuously pumping into his brain, or because the rhythmic pounding of his feet relaxed him.

'/g Bad timing... to avail... the Escort... You... should've... said it sooner...' Dexter managed between gasps.

(Mojomojo: I'll pay 60 Million coins...)

Though Dexter had been joking about the 50 Million Mercenary Escort Service, he hadn't expected someone to actually take him up on it. He stopped running and walked instead.

He bit the collar of his sweaty tracksuit and placed his hands on his hips, walking steadily.

'/g Where are you?'

(Mojomojo: Just three zones outside the Blackreach Throne, in Bearswood Forest.)

'/g That's fucking too far! Of all the places, you really chose to go into the forest full of fucking ninjas, idiot!'

Dexter scratched his head and looked towards the Numbers, still resting.

(Mojomojo: 100 Milli-)

'/g Deal.'

Seeing Dexter walk towards them, the Numbers immediately got back into formation and greeted him.

'Seems like the training is paying off,' he thought.

"Number Two, Number Three, go buy Combat Mastery Tomes at the Market."

Dexter then traded 30 Million Coins to Number Two and let them leave the formation.

"Did any of you see someone fighting?"

All the Numbers raised their hands.

"Did any of you try to help someone fight?"

Only three kept their hands raised.

"Did any of you kill someone?"

Surprisingly... it wasn't Number Seven who raised his hand last. Only Number One, the frail one, remained.

"Good... Your eyes don't lie..."

…

In a dark, otherworldly room, lit only by dim torches attached to the walls, hundreds of Skeleton Warriors, Archers, and Wizards were scattered across every corner.

Six of men, all wearing red and black cloaks emblazoned with a black throne insignia on their right chests, were clearing the horde of Skeletons.

"Fuck these Tier VII mobs! Of all the dungeons he could enter, he had to pick a fucking Large Dungeon..." one of the men cursed.

"Careful... that guy is dangerous..." warned another.

Despite his caution and preparation, Mojomojo hadn't escaped the notice of the Blackreach Throne faction.

"Mow~ Jow~! Stop hiding! It's a dead end... We've got dozens of players waiting outside the dungeon. There's nowhere left for you to run!"

Mojomojo stared at them. Gripping his Tier X Curse Staff, he cast a stacking curse on each attacker, significantly reducing their defenses and resistances. Instantly, the Skeleton soldiers' attacks became far more effective.

"Fuck! Mojo!" The players struggled to defend themselves. Ultimately, their leader decided to retreat.

"Retreat! Mojo... You think you can escape this dungeon? That fucking billion coins you withdrew from the bank will be ours. We will cut off your supply... What will you eat in this dungeon? Bones? You think you're a dog? Just drop the loot bag, and we can all walk away happy..."

Still, no one answered, further irritating their leader. But with a final sigh, he managed a smile.

"Hehe... We'll have a barbecue outside... and guard this place for a month."

After exiting the dungeon, all the players outside gathered.

"We'll take turns guarding this entrance. We wait for Mojomojo to come out. Since he knows we're waiting, he won't leave. Hehe... He doesn't know there are only a few of us... Fewer players mean bigger shares for everyone."

…

Mojomojo heaved a sigh of relief as his 'friends' left the dungeon.

Before fleeing the Blackreach Throne, Mojomojo had sold all his belongings at the Obsidian Bazaar. Combined with his hard-earned coins, he had amassed a billion coins. Yet, a careless slip of the tongue — trusting his friend Kaene, who also came from his world — ruined everything.

His plan to leave the Blackreach Throne peacefully was compromised the moment he left the faction. Immediately, Kaene and his so-called allies in the Blackreach Throne Faction gave chase, hunting Mojomojo down and forcing him, wounded, into hiding within the dungeon.

"Ahh fuck... I'm starting to regret my decision to leave the Blackreach Throne..."

He removed his hand from his wounded shoulder and stared at his bloody hands, gritting his teeth so forcefully that his jaw ached.

"Of all the people who could have betrayed me, I never expected it to be you, Kaene, hunting me down... If I fucking survive this, I'll hunt you down..."