Chapter 119
Chapter 119
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Black Dragon Clear
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[Do Not Enter. -Rain-]
Early in the morning, outside Rain's door.
Chris was sitting beside it, dozing off.
Nodding off.
"Mmm... My little Whitey can't get sick..."
Whirr— Click.
"Gasp!"
Startled by the sound she heard in her drowsy state, Chris glanced to the side.
"Eh."
The door opened, revealing a pale girl in a wheelchair.
The pretty white pajamas Chris had bought her enveloped her small frame. It seemed she was just now getting ready for bed.
Rain, who had opened the door, was looking at her with a slightly surprised expression.
Chris shot up and grabbed Rain's shoulders.
"Rain, are you okay!? W-what? Were you trying all night?"
"Ah... yes."
Chris carefully studied Rain's expression.
An unconcealable trace of pain, and a face stained with exhaustion.
*Thump.*
Chris's heart sank.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
A pain like her heart was being squeezed.
"How can you do this on the very first day...?"
Chris lowered her head.
Her lonely battle.
How could she possibly help?
"...Chris."
Rain pulled Chris's head into an embrace.
"Do I look like I'm struggling?"
"I-if you're not struggling, then what is this!"
"......."
A small, soft hand cupped Chris's face.
Rain gently lifted Chris's face, making her meet her gaze.
Chris stared blankly into Rain's eyes.
Within Rain's eyes swirled an emotion Chris hadn't managed to read.
It was a sense of accomplishment.
"R-Rain!"
Chris's face brightened.
Rain also smiled brightly.
"To think you beat the first named boss alone in a single day... Rain, eat this too."
"Ahh~"
*Chomp.*
Rain readily accepted the food Chris placed in her mouth.
It was their precious time to connect, something they could only have once a day.
Chris decided to savor this time to the fullest.
Rain had been eating by herself for a while, but thankfully, they could eat together today.
Watching with a pleased expression as Rain mumbled and chewed the meat she had fed her, Chris casually asked.
"So, how exactly did you beat it? Hmm, I know I shouldn't ask since this is technically a race for the first clear."
"It's you, Chris. Of course I'll tell... Ah, um. I'm sorry. There are some parts that are hard to explain."
Rain was about to speak without hesitation but then averted her gaze with a slightly troubled expression.
Chris nodded.
The part Rain was hesitant about was likely related to how she was able to solo it. A hidden mechanic? Anyway, there might be a way to chunk down its health bar. If this was considered part of the first clear race, it would be difficult for her to share.
"Um, well... you deal damage, and when the magic circles appear, you erase them in order, purify the ents, create a shield to block the breath, and repeat."
Chris looked dumbfounded.
"Th-that's all?"
"Uh... that's the general idea. Oh, and at 60%, four magic circles appear. At 30%, five appear."
Chris had anticipated that part.
But how on earth could she step on all the magic circles by herself?
While dodging the spears of demonic energy and fending off the ents' attacks?
Even if she managed all that, Rain was still just one person.
It should be physically impossible in the time given.
As if reading the question in Chris's eyes, Rain smiled shyly and scratched her face.
Feeling like she was interrogating her, Chris looked apologetic and changed the subject.
"Well, anyway, it means it's possible to do it alone. Hah, I guess I'll have to whip the Red and White Attack Squad, who couldn't even beat it with twelve people."
Rain chuckled.
"Chris, don't be too hard on your guildmates."
Then, with an affectionate expression, she muttered to herself.
"...Just two more gates to pass, and I'll be able to meet..."
"......?"
Chris tilted her head, looking at Rain's face.
That affectionate expression Rain rarely showed.
An expression she only ever showed to her.
But now, Rain was making that face while thinking of someone else.
What was this?
An unknown anxiety began to bloom in Chris's chest.
*
Chris helped Rain into bed after her long session of attempts, patting her gently to sleep.
Then, as the scheduled time for their own attempt approached, she logged into Astria Online.
The moment they defeated the mid-boss, all members of the attack squad would be locked to that raid dungeon.
Current progress: Before the first named boss of the Tree of the Abyss, the Black Dragon.
"Yawn."
Chris yawned.
But she quickly widened her eyes and glared at the Black Dragon.
She was tired too, having stayed up all night worrying about Rain, but as the raid leader, she couldn't show any weakness.
The members of the Red and White Attack Squad began to appear one by one before the first named boss.
Once all the squad members had gathered before the Black Dragon, Chris began the briefing for today's attempt.
Whirr.
In front of Chris, a miniature hologram of the first named boss's combat area materialized.
"Oh, a hologram presentation? You must have worked hard on this."
"Today, we'll proceed with this positioning. In phase two, RedHotChicken joins, and in phase three, Cherni joins too, for a total of five. The ranged dealers handling the mechanics need to move fluidly. I've also assigned backup members in case anyone dies."
"Indeed, if we can just follow this. But we still haven't seen the 30% special phase, have we?"
"Even if we get past the second special phase, we don't know what will happen. No one knows what comes after 60%."
"No, there are five magic circles in the 30% special phase. That's correct."
At Chris's confident declaration, all the Red and White squad members looked puzzled.
"No way."
Death of Death's eyes widened.
Following his rare show of agitation, Beimerung and Cherni's jaws dropped as well.
Chris nodded.
"Ugh."
"Again!"
"Aaargh! Even in a raid dungeon!"
Death of Death clutched his head, while Beimerung and Cherni looked utterly dejected.
"What? What is it?"
"What's going on, Guild Master? Death of Death?"
The original members of Chris's Party began to show strange reactions.
The Red and White squad members, unfamiliar with this situation, asked urgently.
Chris smiled and relayed the news to everyone in the Red and White Attack Squad.
"The first clear for the first named boss happened early this morning. It was done by someone we all know well."
"......!"
Only then did the other squad members realize what she meant.
The Spirit Master Full Moon spoke cautiously.
"...Rain? Solo?"
*Nod, nod.*
At Chris's affirmation, the Red and White Attack Squad was thrown into chaos.
"W-what."
"No way! For real?"
"I mean, um. It's Rain, so... But still! This isn't an elite dungeon, it's a raid dungeon!"
*Grin.*
Watching the squad members' confusion, Chris gave a cruel smile.
"So, that means the twelve of us absolutely have to clear it, right? I might get disappointed if our attempts drag on, you know? And members who make too many mistakes might be replaced..."
"Gasp!"
Chris had thrown the Red and White Attack Squad into chaos for a second time.
[First Named Boss]
[Level 53]
[Black Dragon]
[HP 59,974,550 / 200,000,000 (30%)]
*Flap, flap, flap.*
The dragon's wings began to beat.
The third special phase, the flight pattern, had begun.
*Th-th-thump!*
"This is the last special phase! Five magic circles this time! We have to grit our teeth and get it done!"
Chris shouted as she quickly ran to her assigned position.
*Thump, thump, thump!*
The other ranged dealers also moved in perfect sync toward their designated mechanic positions.
*Vwoom, vwoom, vwoom!*
*Swoooosh!*
Spears of demonic energy formed from the body of the Black Dragon hovering in the air and began to fly toward the ranged dealers moving to handle the mechanics.
"Protection Talisman, Fire Ward, whatever you've got! We saved our party protection skills for this moment, so don't hesitate to use them for your own survival! After this, it's just normal patterns!"
Attack squads racing for the first clear can be seen as pioneers, carving a path through uncharted territory.
An unknown realm where no one has the answers.
The process of solving a puzzle without a solution key.
In truth, that feeling of hopelessness is the greatest obstacle.
But if there is a solution, it's a different story.
This is consistent with the fact that after the first party clears a dungeon, other parties start clearing it one after another, like mushrooms after rain.
If you know what's coming, you can prepare in advance. You can use skills with long cooldowns boldly. All you need to do is master the patterns and movements through repetition.
*F-f-f-whump!*
The Black Dragon's spears, which flew with a menacing whoosh, were blocked by the squad members' defensive skills and vanished in vain.
And one by one, the magic circles began to disappear as they stepped on them.
*Thump.*
Chris stepped on the last magic circle, succeeding in purifying all the ents.
*Vwoooom!*
The moment all the squad members gathered inside the barrier that formed in the center of the combat area.
*KRA-KA-KA-BOOOOM!!!*
The Black Dragon's breath, concentrated to its absolute limit, washed over the squad members.
Even amidst that terrifying breath, Chris could smile.
"With this, all special phases are over."
All that remained was the task of chipping away the dragon's remaining HP.
It didn't take long after that for the dragon's colossal body to fall.
*SKREEEEEE—!!*
*Thud-thud-thump.*
*Ting.*
[Raid Dungeon 'Tree of the Abyss' Progress 1/3]
[Earring of the Abyss]
[Legendary Grade]
[Strength +80 Agility +80 Intelligence +80]
[Critical Hit Chance +12%]
[Critical Hit Damage +30%]
[Unique Ability: 10% of Attack Power as Additional Damage]
(Binds on Pickup)
"Whoa...! A Legendary grade accessory! Double-digit critical hit chance!"
"To give so much of those precious stats that only go up bit by bit when you level up... this must be what Legendary grade is all about."
"Look, it has a unique ability, too. Unconditional additional damage!"
"Just equipping that one item would be a huge spec boost. You could become the top dealer in the Red and White Attack Squad."
The joy of clearing a named boss in a raid dungeon.
The sweet reward that follows.
The entire Red and White Attack Squad cheered.
"It's a bound item. Ahem, I guess I can't sell it, huh."
"Puhaha! Mr. Go Seung-woo, all you think about is money!"
The Ranger Go Seung-woo licked his lips, and the Warrior Hopkins laughed heartily.
"I'll start the auction for the earring. I'll begin at two thousand gold."
"Gasp!"
"What!"
Chris coolly placed her bid.
At that enormous sum, all the Red and White squad members who had intended to bid were struck dumb.
It's a raid that resets weekly, with a guaranteed drop. Eventually, they'll become common.
Even for the first Legendary accessory, that was quite expensive.
But Chris's wealth was immense.
"Anyone want to outbid me? I'll distribute the gold after today's attempts are over. We're moving on to the second area immediately."
Chris put the earring in her inventory and, without a backward glance, headed toward the opened path.
She was in a hurry.
The first named boss took longer than expected.
Even the time for an auction felt like a waste.
Today, she had to clear up to the second named boss.