The Overlord of Blood and Iron (WN)

Dorian Explorer.

He had become, like Kang Chul-In, one of the Overlords during the 2nd Lord Meeting but had never cared much about administration and his territory.

It was to the point where even when the 10 Overlords had been established and had stabilized their territories, Dorian’s territory was the size of a pea, just a small city.

In reality, of the 10 Overlords, Dorian’s territory was the smallest, had the weakest army, and was also not much of a threat. It was to the point where there were many regular Lords with much better armies than his.

Then, how did he maintain his status as Overlord?

The answer was simple.

Dorian Explorer was the world’s best adventurer, dungeon adventurer, and monster hunter.

He had even succeeded in hunting the blue dragon and had gained the honorary title of “Dragon Slayer’.

Dorian Explorer was someone who had risen to the position of Overlord whilst gathering points in a category different from territory management.

Dorian, you remained loyal to me until the end.

Kang Chul-In had just exchanged messages with an unexpected figure and thought of his relationship with Dorian.

Overlord Dorian was Kang Chul-In’s friend and equal as well as enemy.

This meant that Kang Chul-In and Dorian searched for dungeons or ruins together and also went on monster subjugations together.

They fought for the 1st and 2nd place rankings among the Overlords for individual power and strength as well.

However, Kang Chul-In and Dorian’s relationship began to strain at the start of Ragnarok. Kang Chul-In’s killing of everyone who stood in his way and his crude conquest activities were the heart of the strain.

Their delicate relationship ended when Kang Chul-In crushed a Lord that Dorian had maintained a close relationship with.

But Dorian remained loyal.

Even when the three-cornered battle of Ragnarok was going on, Dorian did not fight alongside the Ishtar Coalition. The reason was that he could not go to battle against an old friend. If he looked back at it now, Dorian might have tried to block Kang Chul-In’s ravaging and set up the power struggle among the Overlords.

And now, that Dorian had sent a message to Kang Chul-In. He could not be more curious.

This guy, should I see what nonsense he is saying?

Kang Chul-In opened his messages without hesitation and checked the message from Dorian.

- Sender: Lumpen

- Message: Hey, you are a Lord, huh? Who are you trying to con? How can you get an item like that if you are not a Lord? You cheater!

It was simple but right to the point. Dorian, as a Lord, knew that the items were from the Lord store.

Ha.

Kang Chul-In snorted.

It was not because he was poking fun or because he was baffled. It was simply because he remembered the voice and facial expressions of an old friend.

- Overlord: Should we talk for a moment?

Kang Chul-In requested a direct chat with Lumpen, Dorian’s account. It would be easier to chat then to exchange messages constantly.

- Lumpen: Oh, who is this?! It’s the cheater!

Dorian poked fun at him behind the monitor.

- Lumpen: What special item? You bought it with gold, isn’t that right?

- Overlord: Bingo.

- Lumpen: I knew it! You con artist! I am going to put up a post right now and expose you! See the power of 100,000 hate comments! Haha!

- Overlord: Before that, would you hear me out?

- Lumpen: Hear you out? Hear what? You telling me to listen to a con artist?

- Overlord: If you knew what my real goal was, you would be pretty interested.

At that moment, Kang Chul-In made up his mind to bring Dorian into this subjugation of the Peacock Dragon.

There was no doubt that Dorian, who was the world’s best adventurer and also someone with the same level of mastery in the martial arts as himself, would be extremely beneficial for the conquest.

- Lumpen: You are funny. Shut up and eat the hate comments!

- Overlord: Dragon conquest.

- Lumpen:…?

At the word “dragon”, Dorian hesitated.

I know you.

Kang Chul-In smirked.

Dorian went crazy over unique monsters, dungeons, and ruins. He was sure that Dorian would still be interested even if he could not believe the person for sure.

Lumpen: Dra…dragon?

Dorian grabbed the bait.

- Overlord: It is a subspecies of the dragon, to be more precise. It is called a Peacock Dragon, and it is a level 40 monster.

- Lumpen: A subspecies? What, there is something like that too?

- Overlord: Of course. My goal is to gather adventurers and hunt the Peacock Dragon. I just needed a trick in order to gather people.

- Lumpen: Hm… how can I trust you? There is something like a Peacock Dragon?

- Overlord: If you can’t trust me, you can just ask your Secretary.

- Lumpen: That’s… true?

- Overlord: I have no reason to lie.

- Lumpen: So? Are you going to catch it?

- Overlord: The Peacock Dragon itself is strong, but there are also many items you can get. It is dangerous, but I think it is worth the risk. What are your thoughts?

- Lumpen: Well… I agree.

Dorian showed signs of compliance, and Kang Chul-In decided to play his final card at this stage.

- Overlord: Maybe with this as the start, we might be able to make a Pangaea Monster Encyclopedia. Don’t know if there will be anyone else who would make something like this, but still.

- Lumpen: What? Encyclopedia? Crazy!

- Overlord: What is that response?

Kang Chul-In knew everything but pretended not to.

- Lumpen: Do you really think that?

- Overlord: What?

- Lumpen: About making the Encyclopedia!

- Overlord: Well, of course. For people like us from Earth, Pangaea is an alien planet. We can come and go from somewhere like that. Of course we should make a book. I believe it is a very important task.

It was a lie.

Kang Chul-In did not have the slightest interest in making some book. He only wanted to rule Pangaea. However, Dorian, who was listening, had a different perspective.

- Lumpen: Oh. My. God.

- Overlord: Why?

- Lumpen: You, my friend, are pretty great.

- Overlord: What do you mean?

- Lumpen: I also was thinking I should make a Monster Encyclopedia. I did not know we were thinking the same thing!

- Overlord: Really?

- Lumpen: Hey, Overlord.

- Overlord: …?

- Lumpen: Put me on your team.

At that moment, Kang Chul-In smirked.

Kang Chul-In knew Dorian’s dream.

Dungeons and ruin hunting was important, but what triggered Dorian’s curiosity the most were the different life forms of Pangaea.

In actuality, even during Ragnarok, Dorian took great efforts to create the encyclopedia.

- Lumpen: I want to participate in the Peacock Dragon subjugation too.

- Overlord: Well, I don’t know. The Peacock Dragon is strong. I don’t know if you have the courage.

- Lumpen: What are you saying!?

Dorian was angry.

- Lumpen: You…! Are you calling me a coward? Huh? Are you?

Dorian, as more and more time passed, fell into Kang Chul-In’s trap and was unable to extricate himself.

- Overlord: Choose wisely. The Peacock Dragon is a monster that you need to put your life on the line for. Our entire team might get wiped out if we are not careful. Do you have the courage to take on something like that?

- Lumpen: You underestimate me.

- Overlord: I’m not underestimating you. It’s impossible to know a person with a couple lines of chat.

- Lumpen: Ha… then what can I do to get on the team?

- Overlord: Before the Peacock Dragon subjugation, I am thinking of leveling up and building some teamwork along with the other adventurers. About two weeks?

- Lumpen: So, prove myself to you then?

- Overlord: Then, I could trust you. If you don’t have even that much dedication, I don’t need you on my team.

- Lumpen: Fine, I will take you on that offer.

- Overlord: I will watch you then.

- Lumpen: And the details?

- Overlord: I will announce it separately.

- Lumpen: This is my email address. Email me here. Make sure you do! Okay?!

- Overlord: I will.

- Lumpen: You must. If you do not include me, then I will expose you online.

- Overlord: Your stupid threats.

- Lumpen: What? Threat…

- Overlord: This user is not available.

- Lumpen: Hey!!!

- Overlord: This user is not available.

- Lumpen: Answer!!!

- Overlord: This user is not available.

(Chat has ended)

Kang Chul-In hurried and ended the conversation before Dorian could complain further. It was a trick to get Dorian more fired up.

“You stupid idiot, getting tricked again. That’s why you cannot escape my clutches.”

Kang Chul-In, who had succeeded in recruiting Dorian, had a huge smile on his face, different from the usual Kang Chul-In.

Tricking Dorian was always fun.

The Dorian in the past and the Dorian now were such simple human beings that if one nudged him a little bit, Dorian did the rest on his own.

Kang Chul-In baited and fished Dorian when he was bored, when he needed someone to search ruins with, or when he needed someone to go on monster subjugations with. Dorian Explorer was Kang Chul-In’s true sidekick.

I can give everyone up, but I cannot give this guy to Rothschild.

Kang Chul-In thought this and swore that he would draw Dorian completely to his side.

During Ragnarok, Dorian had joined Rothschild and worked as a hitman in the Baldur Alliance. He also once rescued Baldur from the Gulveigs.

Honestly, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the three-cornered battle of Ragnarok was made possible by Dorian’s choice.

If Dorian was on Kang Chul-In’s side, then it would have been very possible for the tide of the war to have swayed in favor of the Ishtar Coalition.

Who is more capable than you?

He was simple and stupid, but his skills were unquestionable. He was sure of that. And he was loyal. That was what Kang Chul-In thought of Dorian.

The next day.

Kang Chul-In looked at the messages that arrived and analyzed the profiles of the adventurers. He sent responses to 200 adventurers with levels over 10. The message was as follows:

[Notice] Team “Slayers” Recruitment

Location: Southwest Pandemonium, near the Devil’s Forest

(The precise location is marked on the map and contract, so check)

Date: In 2 days, 9 AM

Duration: About 3 weeks

Purpose: Level up through Monster subjugation and items

Reward: After completion, each person will be given gold worth 4,000 dollars (and the items gathered from the Monster Subjugation itself will be evenly divided). Those who show exceptional abilities will be given rare items.

Notice: Your life may be in danger. Remember that this is a monster subjugation. In the case that you die, Overlord bears no responsibility.

Notice: The boss’s orders and instructions are absolute, and if one goes against any of these, remember that there will be dire consequences. Same goes for those who break up the team.

Attached: Contract (regarding the payment).pdf

The recruitment’s details were like a double-edged sword.

The gold worth 4,000 dollars and the rare items would be the best compensation and pay compared to any other recruitment offer currently outstanding. However, the second notice also caused people to hesitate to join.

There would be those who would hesitate. Of the 200 that he had sent the replies to, about a hundred would not participate.

I don’t need scaredy-cats. I only want the best.

That was Kang Chul-In’s wish.

Those who wished to be stronger even if they risked death, those who wished to get rich, and those who wanted adventure were the ones he needed.

It was his belief that there was no human being more attractive and stronger than someone who was honest with his desires.

Kang Chul-In himself was led by his desire to rule Pangaea.

He would gather those individuals and have them train for two weeks and then naturally get them to join in on the Peacock Dragon subjugation.

From the starting 200, 120 people, Dorian included, responded.

120.

Kang Chul-In knew that not all would participate in the subjugation.

There were many who talked big and pulled their feet out of the water in fear at the key moment.

It would be fine if even ¼ showed up, which was 30 people.

Let’s see how many show up.

Kang Chul-In uploaded the contract stating that he would pay 4,000 dollars and left his home right away. There were a couple of things that he needed to take care of before meeting the adventurers.