I Don't Need To Log Out-Chapter 174: Wiped

"So, you’re saying that Asmond was the traitor in the Magus Council," Zephyrion said, his voice calm but measured.

Arlon shook his head. "No, I’m saying that it’s possible. There’s no direct connection between the Magus Council and the anti-saviors, at least none that I can confirm. But the fact remains—he was hiding his face the entire time."

Zephyrion exhaled slowly. "That alone isn’t enough."

"I know," Arlon admitted. "That’s why I’m not bringing this to you as a formal accusation. I have no solid proof, and even if I did, I doubt it would be enough to convict him outright.

This information isn’t for you to act on—it’s for the Magus Council. They need to be aware so they can investigate on their own terms."

A heavy silence followed.

Arlon knew that even Zephyrion, as powerful as he was, couldn’t just act on suspicion. The anti-saviors were not a simple rebel group that could be wiped out overnight.

They had structure, they had backing, and they had enough public support to make direct action against them a political disaster.

Arlon was also still sure that they weren’t all bad. He could only suspect one-third of the founders.

More importantly, Zephyrion had no idea what was really happening inside the anti-saviors’ headquarters.

Neither did Arlon, not entirely.

But his instincts told him something was going on. Something big.

"I see," Zephyrion finally said. "Alright. I’ll make sure the Magus Council is informed. Whether they choose to investigate is up to them."

Arlon nodded. "That’s all I ask."

Zephyrion studied him for a moment before shifting the conversation. "You said you managed to enter the headquarters. Were you able to gather any useful intelligence?"

"Yes," Arlon said. "I can give you details about the secret passage I used to enter. And more importantly, I can send you the layout of the floor I explored—at least, the parts I saw."

Zephyrion’s expression turned serious. "That would be valuable."

"I doubt their headquarters is entirely underground, but the section I was in was well-developed. It wasn’t just some temporary hideout—it was structured and organized. It reminded me of a government facility."

"Meaning it’s not just a hidden base," Zephyrion said, his fingers tapping against the table in thought. "It’s a permanent operation."

"Exactly."

The implications were heavy. If the anti-saviors were operating out of a fixed location, it meant they had the confidence—or the backing—to do so without fear of being raided.

That only made Asmond’s presence even more suspicious.

"One more thing," Arlon added. "While I was there, I got the feeling that most of the people inside believed they were working toward something legitimate.

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I don’t think the average member of the anti-saviors is aware of what’s actually going on behind the scenes. That means whoever is in charge is keeping them in the dark."

Zephyrion exhaled through his nose. "A well-managed deception, then."

"Looks that way," Arlon agreed.

Zephyrion nodded. "I’ll pass this along to the Magus Council. And the layout of their headquarters—that will be useful."

With that, Arlon’s job was done.

For now.

But this was only the beginning.

---

With the report delivered, Arlon ended the call and let out a slow breath.

There wasn’t much else to do tonight. The information was now in Zephyrion’s hands, and whatever came next would depend on the Magus Council’s decision.

For now, all he could do was focus on what was ahead.

He made his way back to the campfire, where Leon and Nova were still seated. The flickering flames had died down slightly, casting long shadows against the darkened trees surrounding them. The low murmur of the night wind filled the silence.

"You’re back," Nova said, looking up as Arlon approached. "Anything else happened?"

Arlon shook his head. "No. It’s taken care of."

Leon, who had been staring into the fire, gave a small nod. "Then we should sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day."

No one argued. Arlon would get up to train after everyone went to sleep anyway.

They put out the fire, each retreating to their respective places to rest. Arlon lay down and stared at the night sky, the stars glimmering above like distant embers.

Tomorrow would be the last day before their mission.

And after that—they would face the Demons.

***

The morning came quickly, the first rays of sunlight creeping over the horizon, painting the sky in soft shades of orange and blue.

A crisp breeze passed through the trees, rustling the leaves as the quiet of the night gave way to the sounds of morning.

Arlon was training when Leon and Nova exited their tents.

Of course, they thought he woke up earlier than them to train since the same scene had played the day before.

"Morning," Nova mumbled as he ran a hand through his hair.

Without wasting time, they gathered their belongings and prepared for the day.

By the time the sun had fully risen, the players had logged back in. The usual morning routine followed—equipment checks, quick discussions, and a rough plan for the day.

Today was Wednesday.

The last day before they departed for the Demon mission.

But before they could focus on that, they had one last task: hunting Keldars.

The Keldars around the cities had been increasing in numbers, and clearing them out would serve two purposes—it would help keep the cities safe and allow them to gain some last-minute combat experience before the real fight began.

"We’ll split into smaller teams for efficiency," Leon announced as the group gathered. "Stick with who you trust, but cover as much ground as possible."

Arlon nodded, already considering who he’d go with.

---

Arlon’s group moved swiftly through the outskirts of the city, efficiently eliminating any Keldars that came their way.

They had been at it for nearly two hours now, sweeping through the area while keeping a steady pace.

The Keldars here were nothing special—most were below level 80, and none of them posed any real threat.

Nyx had been getting more experience, dealing the finishing blows as Arlon incapacitated enemies for her.

She was improving quickly, and her movements were becoming more precise.

After taking down another pack of lesser Keldars, the group paused on a small hill overlooking the dense forest.

Pierre stretched, letting out a long sigh. "I don’t know about you guys, but this is starting to feel too easy."

"Yeah," June agreed, wiping some sweat from her brow. "I was expecting a little more resistance, but I guess this area really is low-level."

Of course, this was their defense mechanism talking. They knew they were killing real and living monsters, so they tried to laugh it off.

"Not for Nyx," Arlon pointed out. "For her, this is still dangerous."

The young dragon was currently curled up at Arlon’s feet, looking both satisfied and slightly tired after all the fighting.

Leon, who had remained silent for most of the hunt, finally spoke. "It’s not unusual. These areas were meant for consistent clearing, not big fights. They only become dangerous if you get surrounded."

Lei leaned on her sword and smirked. "Sounds like an excuse. Maybe you’re just not fighting enough, Sir Leon?"

The commander raised an eyebrow. "And maybe you should stop swinging your sword so recklessly. If this were a real battlefield, you’d run out of stamina before the real fight even started."

If Leon was a narrow-minded person, he would get angry. No one could talk like this to a commander.

But he knew that the saviors weren’t soldiers, so he didn’t mind too much.

Lei scoffed. "Please, I have more stamina than you think."

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"That’s not what I heard," Pierre muttered under his breath.

Lei snapped her head toward him. "What did you just say?"

Pierre raised his hands innocently. "Nothing, nothing! Just appreciating the great endurance of our warrior."

June giggled, while Arlon shook his head, amused by the exchange.

They continued their hunt, clearing another small wave of Keldars before deciding to take a short break.

The atmosphere had become lighter after the banter, and everyone seemed more relaxed.

That was when a notification popped up in their group chat that all the players here were in.

Carole: "W-We got wiped…"

Evan: "Yeah. Except for Nova."

Zack: "DON’T EVEN SAY ANYTHING. JUST COME HERE."

Arlon immediately frowned. "They got wiped?"

June blinked. "Wait, what? How?"

Pierre glanced at the chat. "But… what kind of monster could wipe all of them at once? Since they revived, it shouldn’t be a Demon."

Then, another message came.

Carmen: "It was a Named Monster."

Arlon’s expression darkened.

Named Monsters weren’t just strong—they were intelligent.

And if it was intelligent, that meant it could report what happened.

"They hesitated," Arlon said, reading between the lines. "If it was an intelligent Keldar, they probably didn’t want to attack. That mistake got them killed."

"That means it knows about them now," he continued.

"And if it knows about them…" June trailed off, realization dawning on her.

"It could return and report to whoever it’s working under," Pierre finished.

Silence fell over the group.

Then, Arlon stood up. "We need to move. Now."

No one argued.

The five of them immediately set off toward the other group’s location.

And as they reached the area, standing in the middle of the battlefield, they saw it.

The Named Monster.

A towering, wolf-like Keldar with deep crimson fur, watching them with intelligent, knowing eyes.