Chapter 127: Raid
When Iphrax revealed itself, the awakeners shuddered.
‘Can we really take that thing down?’
Its enormous size and grotesque appearance were secondary.
The overwhelming pressure made it hard to even breathe, squeezing their bodies.
It was the so-called difference in caliber.
That was the gap between them and Iphrax right now.
If that massive explosion hadn’t gone off, they’d still be staring at the monster in a daze.
Pewooong!
The light was so intense it was hard to look straight at it.
―Kuooo!
A cry of agony erupted. Several of its massive eyes were crushed and bursting.
‘It works!’
The core item of the strategy, dubbed the light bomb. It was hitting Iphrax hard too.
Hope flickered in the eyes of the fear-stricken awakeners.
‘Then…’
‘We can do this.’
There were still ten more bombs left.
Just as Kim Minwoo had said, victory was within reach. Mana swirled around the awakeners’ bodies.
Forty-two in number.
They were top-tier awakeners from various nations, boasting diverse skill compositions.
Flash!
Buffs swirled in from all directions.
[Thompson casts Light's Blessing (S)!]
[Party members' weapons gain light attribute…]
[Sophia uses Mana Emblem (S)!]
[Party members' mana recovery speed…]
[Viktor uses Valor’s Cry (A)…]
[Party members' damage…]
Each one alone wasn’t overwhelming.
But stacked ten or twenty deep, it was a different story.
Kim Minwoo, part of the group, was reaping the full benefits of the buffs.
‘This is why we do raids.’
Higher gates weren’t cleared with just twenty or thirty people for nothing.
A well-composed party transformed raw power.
Just like right now.
And the buffs weren’t even done yet.
[‘Law of Victory’ activates!]
[All stats increase by 150%!]
[All damage rises by 150%!]
A whopping 150% boost.
‘High level.’
At least mid-1700s.
Definitely high-level.
No wonder sub-500 awakeners felt terror at first sight.
That was when it happened.
Like ink splashed on pristine white paper, Iphrax’s pupils turned pitch black.
―Submit to me…
A grotesque voice echoed in their minds.
“Urk!”
Thompson clutched his head.
The awakeners around him did the same. Their thoughts grew foggy, like a mist had settled in their heads.
“…Achoo!”
A sudden sneeze snapped their minds awake.
Cold sweat soaked Thompson’s back.
‘That was close.’
Even after chugging all three potions, he’d nearly lost his mind. The mental attack was more potent than expected.
Dragging this out meant doom.
“Kill it!”
The awakeners and undead horde charged at Iphrax.
―You vermin…
Two long, slender tentacles shot out from its clustered pupils.
Like flyswatters whipping down.
“Scatter!”
The awakeners dispersed in all directions.
Kwaaang!
The floor cratered under the tentacle’s immense size and weight.
Skeletons and dullahans that couldn’t evade were instantly unsummoned.
Magic, arrows, and thrown weapons began pummeling Iphrax’s eyes.
Kim Minwoo charged in too.
‘End it quick.’
The potions were holding off the mental attacks for now, but resistance wouldn’t last forever.
This was a race against time.
That was when, as he closed in—
All of Iphrax’s eyes suddenly swiveled toward him.
Hundreds of eyeballs staring blankly—it rivaled any horror flick.
[You’ve dealt the most damage to Iphrax currently!]
[Iphrax targets Kim Minwoo!]
―You too… shall suffer…
[Iphrax casts curse on Kim Minwoo!]
[Curse of Pain (SS) activates!]
[For 2 hours, a portion of damage dealt to Iphrax transfers to Kim Minwoo!]
[Curse of Ruin (SS) activates!]
[For 2 hours, Kim Minwoo’s strength and stamina decrease by 50%!]
[Curse Explosion (SS) activates!]
[If the cursed target dies within 2 hours, the same curse spreads to two random others!]
Kim Minwoo frowned.
The stat drop wasn’t a big deal.
His buff-inflated numbers could handle it.
The issues were damage transfer and curse explosion.
‘If I die, two more.’
If those two die, four.
Four become eight.
A vicious chain.
The awakeners pounding Iphrax’s body rolled their eyes.
They shared the messages, so they grasped the situation.
‘What kind of curse is this?’
If Kim Minwoo dies mid-fight, it’s wipe.
How to…
“Keep attacking! Don’t mind me!”
Kim Minwoo shouted.
It lasted a full 2 hours.
Holding back out of fear of transfer damage guaranteed wipe.
“Damn it!”
The awakeners gritted their teeth and pressed the assault.
Seo Yerim rushed over.
“How much is the damage transfer?”
“Roughly 5%? Cough!”
He spat up blood.
Seo Yerim’s face hardened.
The transfer rate wasn’t huge.
But Iphrax’s HP pool was insane. Simply put, from now on, Kim Minwoo had to tank 5% of everything dealt to Iphrax.
5% of a raid boss’s HP?
Basically a death sentence.
Even the current onslaught had him vomiting blood.
And when they popped a higher-damage light bomb?
“Don’t use bombs now…”
“No.”
Kim Minwoo, gulping a top-grade recovery potion, cut her off firmly.
“We didn’t plan that far ahead. We go for a blitz.”
The pain potions were a stopgap against mental attacks. After an hour, issues would pile up.
Awakeners would drop like flies.
That wasn’t a solution.
‘In the end, I have to tank the bomb damage.’
Death Lord was immune to light, but this curse transferred raw damage taken.
Immunity likely wouldn’t apply.
He needed overwhelming recovery.
One item sprang to mind.
“But how? Top-grade potions won’t cut it…”
“Yerim. Forgot what the shop sells?”
“…You have 1 million points?”
“Yeah.”
Seo Yerim’s face lit up.
Elixir.
She’d seen its description after unlocking VIP shop.
A recovery item lasting 72 hours. At 1 million points, brutally expensive.
‘That might hold…’
Elixir provided steady recovery, not instant burst coverage…
‘Just control the damage.’
Balance elixir heals with incoming transfers.
Kim Minwoo could manage it.
He’d proven it before.
Meanwhile.
Kim Minwoo summoned Popo.
―You called… Wait, why’d you wake THAT…!
“Elixir. Now.”
―H-here. Good luck!
Popo, gaping at Iphrax, handed over the elixir with a salute, as if reading his mind.
[Elixir]
[Grade: Special]
[Recovery potion made from mystical ingredients. Said to revive even the dead.]
[Effect 1: On consumption, maximizes all recovery for 72 hours.]
‘Good thing I saved the points.’
200k after first trial.
800k from black mage and priest. Roughly 1 million left.
He’d debated buying more light bombs but held off. Eleven was enough damage.
‘If short, just shop mid-fight.’
Saved them.
That proved godsend.
Golden liquid shimmered.
Gulp!
Kim Minwoo downed it.
[Consumed Elixir!]
[All recovery maximized for 72 hours!]
Draining stamina surged back like he’d been doped.
“…How is it?”
“We’re good. Stick to plan.”
Points were divine, elixir invincible. Plus top-grade potions and pure-blood recovery…
‘Manageable.’
He’d survive bomb bursts and damage.
* * *
Immense innate physical power.
Tough hide.
Devastating mental attacks and hundreds of tentacles laying waste around.
Iphrax was strong, no doubt.
‘But so what.’
Quantity had a quality of its own.
Pewooong!
50k-point bombs detonating at every chance.
No matter how wary, it couldn’t fully evade the blasts.
Its body cracked and thrashing wildly.
‘It’s over.’
He’d thrown ten light bombs with guildmates so far.
The floating mass plummeted to earth in seconds, unable to hold.
And on its bomb-weakened flesh, awakeners unleashed ults.
Attacks that’d normally bounce now landed.
“Die!”
Knights’ two-handers pierced eyes, tower shields smashed tentacles.
High magic blanketed from all sides.
Seo Yerim and Park Siwoo poured burst too.
[Divine Archer declares ‘Lethal Zone’!]
[Maintained for 20 minutes!]
[Agility +50%.]
[Mana arrows tripled.]
[Holy Sword declares ‘Sanctuary’!]
[Maintained for 20 minutes!]
[All stats +20%.]
[Holy attribute +50%.]
Hero party weapons.
Power beyond standard gear.
Kim Minwoo stacked damage steadily.
Hayangi’s fire share.
Law of Victory stat/damage pump.
Overlaps, buffs galore.
His solo damage was hefty, plus helpers.
[Merhen uses Earth Bind (SS)!]
[Cedric uses Shadow Spear (SS)…]
Merhen and Cedric alone matched guild output.
Not enough? Dullahans, specters, skeleton hordes piled on.
Not top DPS, but perfect tanks or distractions.
‘Meat shield mode works too.’
Eyes watching, he limited summons, yet clear was smooth.
‘Thorough prep pays off.’
He’d poured much into this hunt. Without it, defeat certain.
Not meant to be soloable.
Popo freaked for a reason.
Light bombs likely black mage intel.
‘Knew this, might’ve suggested elixir.’
Anyway.
Dodging tentacles, he hurled the last light bomb.
As light burst—
“Cough.”
5% transfer bloodied him, but potion down, he eyed the message.
[The cursed Earth Ruler, Iphrax, has entered eternal slumber.]
[2nd Trial ends!]
[Settlement begins!]
[Total participants: 50]
[Deaths: 10]
[Survivors: 40]
[* Special circumstances. Calculating rewards. Please wait.]
One airborne message.
One glance at motionless Iphrax.
“…Did we?”
“…For real?”
“…We did it?”
The silence was brief.
“Wahaha! We lived, fuck yeah! Lived!”
“Waaa! Going home!”
Cheers erupted.
Nationalities differed, but relief universal.
Intense survival high against the beast.
Accomplishment too.
Hugs, jumps, chaos. Bonds formed in battle—bold women even kissed crushes.
Center-stage Park Siwoo mobbed, cheeks smeared, flustered grin lost.
“…Total madness.”
“Seen it before.”
Seo Yerim sidled up; he shrugged.
Awakeners were fiery. Add trial hell, triumph sweeter.
Might spawn international couples.
“You’re chill, Minwoo.”
“Prepped hard.”
‘Guaranteed win’ vs ‘maybe win’—big gap.
Worst case, he had the nuke.
No lose option.
Why he stayed calm.
“Rewards?”
“Dunno. ‘Special circumstances’—unplanned. Bigger payouts usually. Expecting good.”
Then.
[Examiner appears!]
Popo materialized with message.
―Uh… Sorry for the delay. Discussed, decided.
Popo addressed the awakeners.
‘What?’
‘Formal speech?’
‘They acknowledge us?’
Awakeners tilted heads.
Popo clapped.
―Trial over! Contribution settled per person. Rewards scaled accordingly.
[2nd Trial contributions settled.]
[Contribution Rankings]
[1st: 42%]
[2nd: 20%]
[3rd: 15%]
[4th: 1.2%]
[5th: 1.1%]
[42nd: 0.32%]
Info scrolled.
Small boxes appeared in hands.
Even India’s 42nd warrior, Arush.
[Equipment Gacha Box (Unique)]
[Level limit: 450+, Warrior.]
[Generates non-accessory equipment.]
[Effect 1: Use for warrior gear sans accessories.]
Arush, casually checking, bulged eyes.
‘Unique?’
0.32% contribution.
He’d accepted it inwardly.
He’d bus-rided others, bluntly.
Yet reward…
‘Way better than expected.’
Unique wasn’t cheap anywhere. High-level rarer.
Brutal prices.
‘They give this?’
Not just him.
US awakeners over 1%, Thompson and Sophia, stunned too.
Just over 1%.
Got gacha boxes.
Legend-grade even.
Risked life, sure—but raids often yielded squat.
Guildies knew it well.
This time? Tangible gains.
‘Freebies okay?’
That thought.
Yet all eyes locked on Kim Minwoo, as if by cue.
‘1% this good—what’s 42% get?’