I Became the Guild Leader in Exile

61 – 12# The Strongest Guardian (1)

But to put it another way.

The forces resisting Hades were only Crete and Amazon, which was a pitiful situation. It was inevitable. Hades was the strongest guild during its heyday.

If the master, who was called a god, hadn’t abandoned the guild, maybe they would still be the strongest in Gideon. Even now, they’re one of the three major guilds.

Moreover, even if Crete and Amazon had formed an alliance, they would have ultimately lost to Hades. That was Zik’s cold judgment after reading hundreds of documents.

*”Welcome to the Expelled Guild!”

* * *

Following Crete, Amazon also joined the Iron Shield.

This news spread faster than Crete’s throughout Gideon. Initially, only large guilds in Gideon knew that Crete had surrendered.

But this time, it was different. Amazon was a powerful force that rivaled Hades in the south. It was a force that practically dominated the southern region.

By supporting the Iron Shield, which had opposed Hades the most, they were declaring that they would fight together. Thanks to that, the battle between the two became unpredictable.

Until now, Hades had dominated Gideon’s power.

And even now, Hades still reigns supreme.

But the opponent is no longer someone to be underestimated.

The Iron Shield, which has proven its strength through numerous conquests and alliances.

Until now, most people saw the Iron Shield as being under Hades. It was inevitable. In terms of achievements, power, and influence, Hades was unbeatable.

Of course, it’s still not equal, but at least Hades can no longer dominate. The Iron Shield has shown incredible growth.

Now is the time to strike Iron Shield.

No. We need to observe the situation first.

Even within Hades, opinions were divided to the extent that it was impossible to ignore. The absolute master of power remained silent, and instead, the executives below him expressed their opinions. Although they had never been united before.

In any case, it meant that Hades could no longer take Iron Shield lightly. And with Gideon’s strongest growth, Iron Shield was now capable of moving even Hades.

“It’s time to decide on the lunch menu.”

“We should have meat for lunch again.”

“Okay, okay.”

“We had meat yesterday too.”

They were passionately debating what to eat for lunch today. But despite the light topic, everyone’s faces were too serious as they decided on the menu.

“Master, is this okay?”

It was rare for Zic to raise an objection to Isaac. According to Zic’s thinking, Hades would probably start making moves against Iron Shield around now.

“This isn’t the old game anymore.”

So far, Hades had responded unusually calmly. Of course, even their calm revenge was extremely powerful, capable of crushing a large guild like Hydra in an instant.

Trap request.

Hydra Guild.

And other miscellaneous things.

But when Hades Guild took direct action, the situation would change drastically. In other words, Hades Guild would receive enormous attention when they deployed their full power.

It wasn’t particularly frightening.

We could crush anything.

But that didn’t mean we would underestimate our opponents. We weren’t just relying on Gideon’s authority to maintain our power. So, it was right for us to prepare for the worst.

That’s what I thought.

But why was everyone so calm? Of course, the Master had his own intentions. But at least we, who were below him, should make more effort to prepare for the worst-case scenario, right?

“Calm down, Zic.”

“Master.”

“Has anything been decided yet?”

“I understand, Master.”

As Isaac stroked Zic’s head, Zic immediately calmed down. What was he thinking just now? Whatever, his current mood was great.

“Hades will die on its own if we just leave it alone.”

However, Isaac could remain calm because he knew the original story’s development. The Master of Hades Guild never directly handled the guilds he acknowledged.

It was a bit twisted.

She was also one of those trying to prevent the end of the world.

In the sense of simply saving the world, she was worthy of being called a hero. So, as long as she didn’t touch his family, Isaac wouldn’t attack her first either.

But people who didn’t know the truth felt anxious. They were anxious about when Hades would attack. Then, as the Master, he had to alleviate that anxiety.

“I know what you’re worried about. But don’t worry.”

The guild’s Master didn’t just lead the guild; sometimes, they had to listen to the guild members’ concerns and troubles. They had to firmly grasp their hearts to prevent anxiety.

That didn’t mean he would reiterate the same old spiritual rhetoric again. To provide real stability, he needed a realistic plan that fit the situation. He had prepared it in advance.

“I’ve already formed an alliance with Amazon and Crete.”

“Was that what we discussed earlier?”

“That’s right.”

Isaac wasn’t a fool either. He couldn’t just rely on his knowledge of the original story, as many things had changed already. In other words, the possibility of Hades attacking Iron Shield was not zero.

So, in preparation for the unexpected, I had a meeting with Asterios, the guild leader of Crete, and Tipalte, the queen of Amazon. We discussed countermeasures against Hades’ potential attacks.

[To attack effectively, Amazon would take the outside, and Crete would handle the inside. Then, the Iron Shield, an elite group, would pierce Hades’ heart. That’s a good plan.]

[Not bad.]

[When do we start?]

[Let’s leave it up to each other’s judgment.]

It’s not just the Iron Shield that would be attacked. Crete and Amazon could also be attacked. If that happens, we’ll directly help each other out, just like real allies.

I thought so until just a moment ago.

Before Gideon’s loud roar echoed, that is. Or rather, even when the roar echoed, my thoughts didn’t change. But the problem was what came next.

“Master!!”

“What’s wrong, Ras?”

“Th-they… Crete and Amazon have launched an attack!!”

“What?”

What is this?

This sudden surprise attack?

Isaac, who had formed an alliance, briefly regretted it.

* * *

“There’s a saying that a rusty sword can still be useful.”

The day after Isaac had Amazon’s leaders gathered, he called a meeting with the leaders of Amazon and Crete. Tipalte showed her admiration for his proactive actions.

“Foolish, but an absolute variable beyond expectation.”

Isaac, the strongest member of the Iron Shield, had already clashed with Asterios himself and even fought Tipalte just yesterday. Although he won, his injuries hadn’t fully healed.

Yet, Isaac gathered them. The meaning behind it was clear. Isaac had already judged that his powers were sufficient. Especially since the question before the start was crucial.

“Tipalte, how’s your body?”

“This much is nothing. I’m not even bothered by the injury.”

“Then that’s fortunate.”

“It’s clear. Isaac has already made up his mind.”

Perhaps Hades would think we wouldn’t move for now. That’s a realistic judgment. The two strongest powers were currently not in top condition due to injuries.

However, Hades wouldn’t attack first. They’re not just a group of thugs. At least, they claim to be the world’s strongest heroes’ guild.

They would attack when our powers are fully recovered. At least, Asterios could be certain of that. Because they had been attacking Crete like that until now.

“I may not like it, but I acknowledge that conviction.”

Hades had been doing that until now. They only fought enemies in their perfect state and won. That’s why Gideon’s large guilds genuinely feared them.

They knew they couldn’t win in an imperfect state.

And one of them, Asterios, was still saying that they couldn’t win in an imperfect state. However, he couldn’t speak up.

“When do we start?”

“Let’s leave it up to each other’s judgment.”

Look at him now. He’s speaking so confidently.

Tipalte, who’s present, and Asterios himself couldn’t possibly not know what Isaac was saying now.

“I’m still sufficient. How about you?”

How could he not follow Isaac’s words?

“Then the decisive battle is tomorrow.”

My heart, which had been still for a long time, began to pound like a war drum.