My tactical philosophy had evolved far beyond the simple notion that 'offense is the best defense.' That was a maxim for aggressive novices. The true, higher-level philosophy—the one that won wars and dismantled powerful organizations—was proactive dominance. Defense was necessary, but it was inefficient. True power lay in negating the enemy's ability to attack in the first place.
In a world ruled by predictable dungeons and quantifiable monster strengths, this meant one thing: Offense is the best defense only when your offense is a form of overwhelming control.
I stood in the Rank C barracks, reviewing the smuggling route map taken from Aaliyah. The Guild Master, bound by his own greed, had created a vulnerable, predictable network to move illicit goods—high-value monster essences and banned artifacts—out of Vigan and away from the official Guild taxes.
This operation was not a monster; it was a fortification, and I was going to dismantle it.
"Juts," I stated, drawing the twin's attention. He was meticulously cleaning his new Thorn Whip card, a routine that helped him cope with the stress of my unsettling power. "The Guild Master believes our promotion to Rank C will satisfy us. He's wrong. We are going after his operation tonight."
Juts flinched. "The Guild Master's? Dax, that's treason. We have our licenses. Why risk it all?"
"Because a license is just paper, and loyalty is a fool's defense," I countered, my voice flat. "The Guild Master will always view me as a threat—a wild card that survived his death trap. He will either try to kill me or bind me. The only true defense is to possess absolute leverage."
I tapped the map. "This network uses the old, decommissioned Vigan Water Tunnels as storage and transport. Their cargo is composed of high-value, highly restricted Epic-rank essences—the kind of goods that would turn us from Rank C hunters into major players overnight."
My new combat philosophy would be applied to this infiltration:
In a conventional fight, defense means tanking damage and retaliating. In proactive dominance, defense means stopping the threat before it can manifest. The Guild's guards and patrols were my immediate threat.
"We will not kill the guards," I explained. "Killing them leaves evidence and triggers a city-wide manhunt. We will neutralize them. I will use the Silent Form and Shadow Step cards to move through their patrols undetected. My Gorgon essence will deliver precisely calculated, non-lethal kinetic pulses to their temple or neck—knocking them unconscious instantly, without a scratch."
My kinetic offense becomes a stealth defense. By striking first, fast, and with precise control, I ensure that the enemy's own defensive protocols (sounding the alarm, fighting back) are completely negated.
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If I encounter an unexpected high-rank hunter or a trap, I will not engage.
"If we are cornered, we evade," I continued. "I have the Shadow Step to break line of sight, and the Echo Rune to send the pursuit in the wrong direction. The goal is not to prove I can beat Commander Salazar; the goal is to prove I cannot be caught. Impossibility of capture is the ultimate defense."
The best defense is not absorbing a blow; it is making yourself functionally invisible and untouchable.
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The Guild Master's vulnerability was his greed. His secret storage rooms contained what I truly needed: not just the money, but the Epic-rank monster essence I required to finally upgrade my Rare Gauntlet and ascend to the peak of power.
"The Epic Essences are the prize," I said, my voice hardening with ambition. "I will absorb only the strongest one. The rest will be left, but cataloged. We will then take the smuggling route map and a sample of the goods, giving us the perfect bargaining chip—enough evidence to either ruin the Guild Master or force him to become my vassal."
I looked at Juts. He was terrified, but his loyalty, mixed with his growing awe of my capability, kept him rooted. He realized that the life of a 'good hunter' was a slow, predictable death, while my path offered terrifying, rapid ascension.
"Your role, Juts, is Overwatch," I instructed. "You will remain on the rooftop of the old Customs House, using your Lesser Heal and Hardened Scale as needed. If the entire Guild is mobilized, you are the contingency. You run, and you post this information to the public notice board. Understand?"
Juts nodded slowly, the fear in his eyes replaced by grim determination. "I understand, Dax. You attack, and I survive to expose the consequences."
"Correct," I confirmed. I strapped the repaired knife to my wrist and checked the power of my Rare Gauntlet. The night was young, and the Guild Master's hidden empire was about to be raided. The serpent's lair was about to be emptied by a master thief.