Go Die First

White Beard lay beneath the ruined building, his back against the crumbling walls, mentally exhausted to the point where he could barely stay conscious.

A deep, horrific wound marred his chin. It looked like a fish mouth growing out of it.

His skin had split and sagged, exposing the pale flesh beneath, which looked almost rotten.

The surroundings were dark, but this time, the darkness wasn't caused by those black figures.

"I never thought I, Wilde, would end up in such a state." White Beard—or rather, Wilde—carefully touched the wound on his chin.

"I'd finally gotten it healed. Once I get out, I'm afraid I'll have to hide away for a while again. The wound that Half-Elf left me is such a nuisance."

This Wilde was the former president and captain of the Land Boat Merchant Guild.

His original plan had been to bring down the powerful Gorsa, then divide the Wizard Tower's legacy among the three families. That way, Wilde could use Gorsa's corpse and legacy to try to advance to Tier 3.

But his plan had failed.

In fact, it had never stood a chance of succeeding.

The information he'd received from the very beginning had been inaccurate.

That had led him to underestimate Gorsa's resources.

It had also turned the captain, who'd once enjoyed a comfortable life, into a wanted criminal in the Kema Principality.

If Gorsa hadn't suddenly advanced and left the Western Continent, Wilde's life would have been even more difficult.

Of course, he was hardly doing well now.

The wound left by Half-Elf's pursuit had never healed. Half-Elf's combat ability wasn't even top-tier; what was truly frightening was the Corruption that came with him.

The wound inflicted by his opponent actually grew on its own. If Wilde didn't keep it under control, it would