The Ursus sent out more troops as promised, made up entirely of their elites, the High Ursus. The Taurus attacked without hesitation when they appeared. However, while the Taurus were highly motivated from their consecutive victories, it was impossible to overcome their power gap against the High Ursus. The Taurus were wiped out even before the day ended, ending the battle there. It was a gratifying counterattack and a satisfying revenge.

“Punks! They even went for me,” Kim Jin-Woo growled. Luckily, he had noticed the unusual tension beforehand and barely managed to escape from the battlefield.

He might have been a powerful Highlord, but he wasn’t about to go against ten thousand of the Ursus Duke’s elites alone outside the Grand Labyrinth. Had he not noticed the subtle suspicious signs, he would have been pulled into the battle and thoroughly defeated. As the Undefeated Commander, Kim Jin-Woo could never be defeated; he would have come close to losing the overpowered buffs that came with the title.

“What’s reliable, and what’s loyalty?” As the plan got back on track, Kim Jin-Woo wondered if his presence after wiping out the Army of Sin had become burdensome for the Ursus. Perhaps it was much more tempting for them to break the wings of their ally instead of taking revenge on the Taurus.

“Urgh, I think we’re late. I ran with all my might, but I still couldn’t catch up with the furious High Ursus.” The Ursus envoy scoffed and covered his eyes as he arrived late to his party. There was a limit to what could be considered a complaint, however; his remarks could be seen more as mockery. 

“Why don’t you just wipe all of us out and mourn before our dead bodies instead?” Kim Jin-Woo expressed his discomfort openly. 

“That wasn’t our intention. The soldiers’ rage over their fellow people’s losses was greater than expected, and the real fight had just begun. We don’t wish to lose our alliance this early on.” The Ursus envoy added that he wasn’t the commander for the battle and repeatedly asked for Kim Jin-Woo’s understanding. 

The envoy was right. The Ursus commander, who was twice as large as the High Ursus and four times larger than the regular white bears, and looked to be at least on the rank of a Count, was visible in the distance.

“Excuse my rudeness, but please forgive him. He’s a proud warrior who volunteered for this battle despite knowing the situation.” The Ursus envoy spoke in an archaic manner, suggesting to not worry about the commander since he was destined to die.

Kim Jin-Woo eventually had to end the conversation without further protest. Instead of clinging to something that had already happened, it was better to look into something else more productive. Plus, he knew what he had to do now.

Kim Jin-Woo sent a messenger to the north of the Labyrinth. He wanted to inform the Taurus about the ten thousand High Ursus that were joining the battle and, at the same time, show them what the Ursus’s real military strength was. 

But of course, the Taurus had also sent an unstoppable force against the High Ursus. The Taurus Ogres were gigantic bulls, their builds comparable to those of the High Ursus.

Kim Jin-Woo muttered, “Still, the Ursus’ decision wasn’t all that bad.”

The Taurus duke had yet to appear on the battlefield, but after witnessing their soaring military morale, Kim Jin-Woo thought it was time to move forward with his plan. This upcoming battle would determine the direction he would have to go. The defeated would lose their elites, and their morale would hit rock bottom, while the victor would grab onto a golden opportunity. It wouldn’t make any difference, though, since the battle's outcome had been set.

The violent and close-knit Taurus Ogres’ military morale was so menacing that it seemed they could tear apart every white bear on the battlefield. The High Ursus were just as terrifying, but there was more of a gloomy air about them.

“They’re unfazed. Look at them. Who would call that a defeat?” Kim Jin-Woo softly exclaimed as he admired the High Ursus’ steadfastness. The white bears weren’t just strong.

The Satyrs might have looked menacing and robust, but they had begun to falter in the face of death. Thanks to that, Kim Jin-Woo had been able to kill Luyang without any difficulties.

“Is this the difference between a real Duke and a hastily put together group of halfwits?” Kim Jin-Woo wondered. It seemed even the loyalty enforced by the system couldn’t surpass true dignity.

“Be careful. This is going to be a tough battle,” Kim Jin-Woo warned Morrigan and the other summons as he witnessed the white bears’ majestic morale.

***

Never once had the tension in the air relaxed by the time both Ursus and Taurus confronted each other. The viciousness of previous encounters was incomparable to the atmosphere of the current battle.  The menacing air was like a sharp blade drawn across the combatants’ chests, making it difficult for the Taurus to lift their heads despite their tight morale. 

A few weak-hearted summons looked as if they would shrink and die on the field almost right away, while Kim Jin-Woo tried his best to calm his  uncharacteristically pounding heart. “Whew.”

The Power of Greed was like a glutton tied up and fidgeting violently before a table of delicious food; Kim Jin-Woo had to suppress his Highlord's powers and use his pure human strength instead.  Had he revealed his presence, everything, including his pretense of humility, would have been for naught. Instead, he took a few more deep breaths to calm down.

“It’s time to get started,” Kim Jin-Woo whispered as he felt the troops’ fluctuating morale while Morrigan and the other summons stealthily gathered around him. 

“This will be a tough fight, but don’t go all out, since this isn’t our fight,” Kim Jin-Woo ordered. He might have been the mastermind of this plan, but the battle’s commanders were both the Taurus and Ursus.

Kim Jin-Woo and his summons had been like leaves riding the wind, roving through the battlefield, providing some contributions. However, that role would soon come to an end. The Taurus were trying to manipulate the battle while the Ursus waited for them to risk everything, including their own lives. On top of that, Kim Jin-Woo was waiting for both sides to take out each other.

All parties stood on the same battlefield, their objectives different, but they hoped for the same outcome. 

Victory.

As three great labyrinths were involved, the final victor of the battle would gain a tremendous amount of power and wealth.

“We’ll soon know who the main and supporting casts are at the reveal,” Kim Jin-Woo said as he observed everyone on the field and fixed his grip on the Mystical Spear.

***

It was a predictable outcome. However, that didn’t mean it came smoothly. As if they were unconcerned with victory or defeat, the High Ursus only focused and gave their all. Thanks to that, the Taurus Ogres bore much more damage than expected.

The High Ursus’ onslaught was brutal; however, that was all there was to it. The Taurus had had the upper hand in the balance of power at the beginning. However, the High Ursus, who had control over the battlefield’s tension, soon crushed the exhausted Taurus who pressed on with a counterattack despite the damage they had already taken.

The battle ultimately ended with the High Ursus’s flanking attacks tearing the Taurus Ogres to pieces. That was how the great battle involving fifteen thousand Taurus Ogres and ten thousand High Ursus troops ended.

Kim Jin-Woo started to make a move on his next plan when not a single scream remained in the air. It wasn’t difficult for him to provoke the Taurus into making a decision while they were deliberating their next steps despite the considerable damage they had incurred. 

“Things eventually went the way you predicted, Master.” Angela panted heavily after the tough battle.

“Even if I had remained behind, the Taurus would have marched on, grabbing that golden opportunity,” Kim Jin-Woo added. The Taurus would have made this move regardless, since their long-term ambition was to drive their long-standing foe to extinction. All Kim Jin-Woo had done was incite them into making their move slightly earlier than planned.

“The battle would have ended if the Ursus didn't prepare anything else,” Kim Jin-Woo continued. But of course, there had been no way that was going to happen. If the Ursus had no other solutions to overcome the power disparity, they wouldn’t have gone so far as to sacrifice 10,000 of their elites.

“It’s about time for the main cast to appear on stage,” Kim Jin-Woo said.

***

Kim Jin-Woo looked at the high-morale, yet exhausted Taurus troops expectantly. He hadn’t yet taken a single look at the faces of the sneaky dukes. But now, since they had decided on all-out war, the dukes would have no choice but to show up.

As he had expected, leading the additional troops was the most aggressive-looking bull warrior of all, the Taurus King.

His body was practically bursting with muscle, seeming almost as if it would reach the ceiling, and sparks occasionally flew between its four horns. The Taurus commander was a monster on his own. 

“Luyang might not even be a match for that thing,” Kim Jin-Woo remarked. To be honest, however, it was meaningless to compare Luyang to that monster. By the looks of it, even if there had been two Luyangs, they might not be able to defeat it. Its presence exceeded his expectations. It was colossal.

Thump-thump.

Just watching the Duke standing in the distance had Kim Jin-Woo’s heart pounding hard. 

The Power of Greed must have relapsed again even after having enjoyed feasting on Luyang. It wasn’t yet time for its next meal, but Kim Jin-Woo could already feel the intense thirst and his saliva pooling, pressuring him. The power roared for it to be released.

Instead of unleashing the Highlord’s powers, however, Kim Jin-Woo forcibly suppressed them. Thankfully, the Power of Greed exercised uncharacteristic patience and went away faster than it had appeared.

“Damn it. He felt my energy,” Kim Jin-Woo muttered. It was too late. He might have successfully suppressed his powers, but he couldn’t avoid the Duke’s eyes.

As their eyes met, the Duke stomped his feet and made his way toward Kim Jin-Woo.