SSS-Rank Overlord: Defend the Dungeon or Die-Chapter 201: Episode _The Coronation

The Aneis Kingdom of the West. At the upcoming coronation, Leon von Noah was scheduled to ascend to the throne. It was only natural, given King Leopard von Noah’s recent passing. Moreover, with the return of Duke Centrix, Viscount Crowley, and Ador van Noah, the influence of the established noble factions was sure to diminish as royal authority was consolidated. With even the powerful Count Dinen unable to act rashly against two transcendents, an invitation extended to a demon was enough to send shockwaves across the continent.

To invite the Dungeon Master of Balak was to recognize the western territory as a sovereign nation. It was an unprecedented act, a blatant disregard for the Holy Kingdom and all other nations.

’What the hell is this scheme? Does he not care if he makes an enemy of everyone? No matter how many transcendents he has, this is tantamount to declaring war.’

If he accepted, the Dungeon Master of Balak would reveal himself to the world for the first time. Taehyun was deeply troubled.

"Why would he suddenly invite you, Master?" Riel asked. "I can’t understand his motive."

"...The first reason is likely to weaken Count Dinen’s faction. Even with Duke Centrix and Viscount Crowley back, it will take time for them to re-establish their power. Since Dinen just crushed Marquis Dietrich and seized the Haven territory, Leon will want to curtail his influence first."

"And the second reason?"

"Sigh. I hate to even imagine it, but it’s a move against the Holy Kingdom and other nations eyeing the West. It forces Count Dinen to mobilize the Raider’s Association, because if he doesn’t, the Aneis Kingdom and all the western lands he’s developed could be wiped out in an instant."

Leon had played a card he never should have touched. With Duke Peyton already baring his fangs at Count Dinen, the Haven territory would fall if the raiders were mobilized. This would throw the other western kingdoms into chaos, and Balak would be no exception.

’The fate of the West depends on Leon’s next move.’

The Holy Kingdom was undoubtedly sharpening its blades. If Leon adopted a stance of embracing Balak, it would mean open war.

Taehyun’s gaze fell upon the man who had appeared in the small city of Myol.

"I wish to meet with the Dungeon Master. Announce that Duke Centrix has come from the Aneis Kingdom!"

The envoy was none other than Duke Centrix himself. Taehyun sighed and turned to Grai.

"Grai, you’re watching, aren’t you? Could you win against him?"

"It would be... No. It is impossible, my lord. His presence is far superior to the S-rank raider who came before."

"Tsk. Just guide him in quietly."

"As you command."

If he was stronger than an S-rank raider, a fight was out of the question. Treating him as an enemy could mean the destruction of Balak itself. Taehyun sighed, watching as Grai guided Duke Centrix into his domain.

---

In the Shaphir Dungeon in the South, a B-rank dungeon just one year ago was now on the verge of becoming S-rank.

"So, that crown prince invited our little Taehyun, did he?" Mihye Han purred.

"That is correct. It appears he plans to approach Taehyun Yoo through this invitation," a subordinate replied.

"Hmm. He’s certainly an interesting one. Different from the other NPCs I’ve met. Perhaps I should pay him a visit."

The others in the room shrugged. The Tarantula faction moved only on the whims of its leader, Mihye. Her members simply followed her orders. She feigned contemplation before turning her head.

"Wigeon, what do you think? You abandoned the Holy Kingdom for us. Should we set up shop in the West, too?"

Wigeon, an S-rank raider and former commander of the Holy Knights, was now in hiding, having vanished from the Holy Kingdom with its sacred sword. He was little more than a hermit living as a raider for Tarantula. Leaning against the wall, he shook his head.

"There you go again. Give it a rest. You’re giving me a headache. How do you plan on moving your dungeons from the South?"

"Hmm. We could just move the crystal orb to the West, couldn’t we?"

Her members flinched. Moving the crystal orb meant starting the dungeon’s growth from scratch. Wigeon clicked his tongue.

"Don’t be ridiculous. If you want a foothold in the West, just send a party of raiders. I heard Taric and Charon went to raid Balak and never came back. Aren’t you going to rescue them?"

"Oh, my. I never ordered them to go. They went because they wanted to. If they got wiped out, that’s their own fault, isn’t it?"

"I suppose. In any case, just send the raiders to establish a presence. I’ll help as much as I can without revealing myself."

"A wonderful idea! I’ll start preparations at once. First objective: make contact with Prince Leon. I’d love to have a little chat with that man."

A gleam of interest entered Mihye’s eyes. The prince who had invited Taehyun, the one she found so amusing. Or rather, the crown prince who would soon be king. She was intensely curious how he would react when faced with an entire faction of Dungeon Masters.

Wigeon, looking utterly resigned, simply nodded. "Once you get an idea in your head, there’s no stopping you. Do as you please. You’re the leader. The ones who’ll suffer are your subordinates."

The raiders in the room looked miserable, but Mihye paid them no mind, already lost in her planning. Watching her, Wigeon felt a flicker of unease and added a warning.

"Hey. Try to avoid conflict with the Resistance. If we clash with them during the Faction War, it’ll only make things difficult for me."

"Ah, right. I forgot. My apologies. I’ll revise the plan."

Wigeon was at a loss for words.

And so, in the shadows, the Tarantula faction began to move.

---

Meanwhile, the Ainkart Holy Kingdom reacted to the announcement with extreme caution. The high priests gathered in the temple kept their voices low, not daring to speak unless Pope Luminous granted them permission.

"A kingdom that dares defy the will of Behel," Luminous began, his voice heavy. "I would dispatch the Inquisitors immediately, but our internal situation prevents it. You are all aware that Sir Wigeon, commander of the Holy Knights, has gone missing. With him, the Holy Kingdom’s sacred sword, Ludwig, has also vanished."

The holy sword Ludwig, a gift from the god Behel, was granted only to the commander of the Holy Knights. Its disappearance along with Wigeon had weakened the order, and a fair number of knights had since deserted.

High Priest Criobel, seated to the left, knew this, but he couldn’t contain his fury.

’That damned Wigeon! He disrespected me during the Holy Kingdom invasion, and now he’s run off with the sacred sword. I will never forgive him!’

Though nothing was confirmed, he had already judged Wigeon a traitor.

"Because of this, raising an army is impossible," Luminous continued. "As you know, we are also in a major conflict with the Peshant Empire to the south. It has not yet escalated to war, but Count Dake’s sudden maneuvering of the imperial family has complicated matters."

The Pope groaned. The Peshant Empire’s influence was immense, and now Countess Karen Dake, who had seized five territories, viewed the Holy Kingdom as a thorn in her side. Advancing their forces into the West would leave them dangerously exposed.

"For now, I will send High Priest Criobel and Inquisitor General Nephus to the coronation. The West is unaware of our current predicament, so observe their reactions before you act. Rash judgments are strictly forbidden."

"Understood, Your Holiness. May Behel’s protection be with you."

"May Behel’s protection be with you."

Thus, two representatives were chosen to attend the coronation.

---

In the North, the Talos Dungeon had not seen a single raider since the failure of the Eleonora Raid Party. It was an S-rank dungeon infamous for annihilating its enemies with high-level curses.

Its master, Seonghwi Hyun, leader of the Resistance faction, was on edge after the Aneis Kingdom’s announcement.

’It would be a problem if the rookie died now. Why are they provoking him?’

Crown Prince Leon van Noah was certainly no fool. By inviting a demon, he was forcing Count Dinen to gauge the Holy Kingdom’s reaction, which in turn would force the Raider’s Association to act. It was a clear ploy to divert Dinen’s attention while Leon consolidated his own power, with Ador, Centrix, and Crowley as his catalysts. The kingdom’s nobles were surely scrambling to choose a side.

Seonghwi’s narrow eyes glinted as he opened the World Map.

’The Faction War will end soon. The Resistance will surely place in the top three. After that, we’ll clash with the other surviving factions. Before then, I need to absorb Taehyun into our ranks. For that to happen, this business with the Aneis Kingdom needs to go smoothly.’

He planned to withdraw just before war broke out, but if Balak was involved, nothing was certain. Recalling the invitation, he made a call.

"What is it? I’m busy dealing with a raid party! If you have something to say, spit it out, you idiot!"

The voice on the other end belonged to Narae. Seonghwi smiled faintly.

"Narae, you heard the rookie was invited to the coronation in the Aneis Kingdom, right?"

"W-well, yeah, I heard. What about it?"

"Apparently, other Dungeon Masters can attend. So, I need you to go with him. It’s a good chance to observe the kingdom’s movements. Besides, you wouldn’t want to see Taehyun get into trouble, would you?"

"W-why would I worry about him? That’s ridiculous!"

"Anyway, I’m sending Songyi with her teleport skill to go with you. I’ll ask the rookie myself. That’s all." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"W-wait—!"

The call disconnected. Sending two of Balak’s allies was a risk, but he was certain Narae would ultimately side with the Resistance. With that settled, Seonghwi placed a separate call to Taehyun.

---

A communication device began to ring, but he couldn’t answer. Duke Centrix was already sitting right in front of him.

Taehyun observed the man, a palpable tension in the air.

’Is he S-rank? Or even higher... SS-rank?’

As a Conductor, he couldn’t gauge an opponent’s true power, but the man’s presence alone was extraordinary.

He must have been confident in his skills to come to Balak alone. This was not the time for rash actions.

"All right. You’re inviting me to the succession ceremony?"

"...Ten years have changed many things. To think a dungeon that maintains a symbiotic relationship with raiders has appeared in the West. A strange affair, indeed. You’re the Dungeon Master of Balak, I presume? A man of your caliber would certainly pique His Highness Leon’s interest."

"First, answer my question—"

"But I am not him. Forget an answer. You would be wise to remove that mask, Dungeon Master."

A chilling energy washed over him. His core forces tried to resist the duke’s oppressive presence, but they quickly collapsed. Taehyun broke into a cold sweat and removed his mask. Only then did Duke Centrix withdraw his aura, a smile gracing his lips.

"Now, that’s better. Fine. I’ll answer your question. His Highness Leon van Noah personally singled you out. To be honest, both Crowell and I advised against it, but it was no use. That is why I came myself. You ’must’ attend the royal succession ceremony."

"...Do I have the right to refuse?"

"If you refuse, you die. No, the entire territory of Balak will be annihilated. I do hope you’ll play the part of a disgraceful clown during the ceremony."

"This isn’t a request. It’s a threat."

"Perhaps. In any case, that is all I have to say. Taking into account the recent increase in demon gatherings, it has been scheduled for eight days from now, so be sure to attend. I will send a carriage for you then. You may bring companions if you wish. Just make sure you are there. That is all."

Having said his piece, Duke Centrix rose from his seat. He waved his left hand and cast a skill.

[Centrix Knights has cast Dimensional Gate.]

[A connection has been established between Balak and the Aneis royal capital.]

[Dimensional Gate uses remaining: 1/3]

Soon, the Centrix Knights vanished through the gate to the capital. Left alone, Taehyun stared at his collapsed forces and ground his teeth. "Leon van Noah. Who the hell are you?"

And just like that, Taehyun’s attendance at the royal succession ceremony was decided.

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