Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: Clearing the Tree of the Abyss
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[Third Named Monster]
[Level 53]
[Corps Commander Crow]
[HP 269,994,016 / 300,000,000 (90%)]
Cawwww-!!
Flap, flap.
Crow began to fly.
Shk.
Chris swung the hand holding her talisman to the side.
"Twelve o'clock: Death of Death, Cherni, Beimerung, and Chris! Seven o'clock: Hopkins, Gandal, Yeon Min-ah, and Dalboreum! Five o'clock: Seopseobi, Go Seung-woo, Red Hot Chicken, and Fish Catch!"
Chris quickly and precisely called out each of the raid members' names.
Even with pre-assigned positions, there was always a risk of movements getting tangled. The orders might seem long and chaotic, but this was the surest way. This simple act of calling out names could significantly reduce the number of attempts.
The raid members moved in perfect sync, confronting the three chimeras that had appeared at the designated locations. Soon, a barrage of skills from the raid members began to pour down on the chimeras.
Boom! Pow!
Even amidst the chaos, Chris's eyes remained fixed on 'Corps Commander Crow' hovering in the air.
Flap.
The beat of a crow's wings.
Chris shouted.
"Now! Mages, Mana Barriers!"
Vwooom!
Among the raid members, split into three groups, the mages' Mana Barriers materialized.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
The feathers shot by Crow were blocked by the mages' Mana Barriers and disintegrated.
Screeeech-!!
The first chimera fell. It was the one at twelve o'clock, where the main tank, Death of Death, was positioned.
Thud, thud, thud!
Death of Death moved to the center of the combat area with Beimerung. Following that, the chimeras at five and seven o'clock were defeated.
"First special phase clear, entering the second! Fish Catch, Cherni, and Dalboreum, stay on the perimeter! Everyone else, gather at six o'clock!"
Rumble.
As Crow's gaze swept over the perimeter, Fish Catch, Cherni, and Dalboreum vanished.
They were in a 'sequestered' state, having entered another dimension.
"Death, you got this?"
"It's been three days. If I can't do it now, I deserve to die."
"Good."
Death of Death glanced back at the party members and Chris gathered behind him, offering a reliable smile.
From this point on, the party members' survival depended on the tank's skill.
A full-area demonic energy explosion where the safe zone shifted based on the tank's position. Not everyone could move.
Vwooom!
A green light enveloped the tank, Death of Death.
[Protection of the World Tree]
[Protects the target of Crow's attention from the demonic energy explosion]
Cawwww-!!
Vwooom!
After Crow's roar, the entire combat area, except for the six o'clock position, began to be dyed in a purple light.
Death of Death moved slowly counter-clockwise, facing the onslaught of Crow's attacks.
Kaboom!
Explosion, explosion, explosion.
A continuous full-area demonic energy explosion.
There was only one safe zone.
To keep this safe zone stable, the tank had to move constantly. If the movement was even slightly late or an invincibility skill was used incorrectly, the entire party would be exposed to the demonic energy explosion.
Death of Death expertly maintained the safe zone, deflecting Crow's attacks while landing punches and roundhouse kicks.
After confirming the state of the safe zone, Chris immediately opened the raid chat window.
To communicate with the three raid members who were sequestered, she had to rely on the system.
Vwoom.
Even now, demonic energy was slowly concentrating in Crow's body. This was a phenomenon caused by Crow's phantoms, appearing in the other dimension, injecting demonic energy into him. When the power concentrating in Crow reached a critical point, an irresistible wipe mechanic would sweep over the entire raid.
There were three raid members in the other dimension. There were also three of Crow's phantoms. Each member was responsible for one.
However, Crow's phantoms also had immense HP.
The phantoms forsook all defensive actions, solely focused on injecting demonic energy into Crow. Even if the sequestered members unleashed their ultimate damage skills, it was impossible to defeat all three phantoms before Crow went berserk.
About 40 seconds had passed in the second special phase.
Vwoooom!
The demonic energy gathered in Crow was nearing its critical point.
[Status effect, now!]
Along with Chris's chat command, a change occurred in Crow's body.
Zing.
The flow of demonic energy into Crow was cut off. The sequestered members in the other dimension had applied a status effect to Crow's phantoms, temporarily severing the energy injection.
"Alright, it's a success!"
The party members' faces lit up.
It was a delicate task requiring the three sequestered members to apply status effects to their respective phantoms at the exact right moment. This time, they had succeeded perfectly. They had managed to interrupt the demonic energy gathering in Crow. With this, the members in the other dimension had secured enough time to deal with the phantoms and return.
Shhh, shhh, shhh.
One by one, the sequestered members who had completed their mission began to appear in the safe zone. Chris praised their efforts.
"Well done, sequester team!"
"Now, let's do the same for 60%!"
Fwoosh!
With the first special phase complete, the Yin-Yang Masters' party enhancement skill, 'Spirit Possession,' activated.
"Alright, it's burst damage time!"
"Take the frustration we held back during the demonic energy explosion!"
The raid members, each cloaked in a blue aura, began to joyfully pound on Crow.
Before long, they entered the 60% special phase.
And the phase ended in the same sequence.
[Third Named Monster]
[Level 53]
[Corps Commander Crow]
[HP 99,951,437 / 300,000,000 (30%)]
The Red and White Attack Squad finally entered Crow's last special phase, the 30% 'Sequential Sequestration'.
Vwoooom!
Crow's flight, chimera disposal, tank's return.
Up to this point, it was the same.
However.
Shk.
Chris drew her talisman and remained in the outer area where the chimeras had been dealt with.
In the final special phase, the first person to enter the other dimension was just one member.
"You know what to do, right? Even if I'm not out here, follow Beimerung's orders!"
"Leave it to me!"
Vwoom.
The last thing Chris saw was Beimerung's thumbs-up before her vision distorted.
Everyone outside vanished, and she entered a blue space.
The first sequestered member of the 30% special phase.
A duty that had to be taken by the dealer with the highest damage output in the party, someone who could perfectly time the status effect skills.
Chris's responsibility was immense. She couldn't just defeat the first phantom and return. A second and then a third phantom would continuously appear. She had to move to the locations of the second and third sequestered members who would enter later, provide damage support for all the phantoms, and give orders from within the other dimension to coordinate the timing for cutting off the demonic energy injection.
Beimerung would handle the orders in the outside world just fine.
Chris would carry out her mission in the other dimension.
"Rain did it alone."
If I can just overcome this wall, we'll be standing in the same place.
"She's called the Hero, isn't she?"
Rain's mission, which she couldn't comprehend.
A girl who pushed forward alone, wearing herself down, shedding her own blood.
"You're not the only hero."
We'll protect the Astria Continent with you.
Chris's eyes widened as she stared down the 'Phantom of Crow' that had appeared before her.
Amidst the soundless explosions, Chris's talisman began to slice through the air.
Ting-
['Tree of the Abyss' Progress 3/3]
[The 'Red and White' Attack Squad has successfully defeated the raid dungeon, 'Tree of the Abyss'!]
[1. Noname]
[2. Red and White]
[3. -----]
*
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Chris's footsteps were urgent as she hurried through the interior of the World Tree.
She gnawed on her lip.
"It took too long."
She'd left Rain alone for three days.
Even if she wasn't in immediate danger, Rain's condition—holed up inside the World Tree, refusing to eat or drink—couldn't possibly be normal. She had to get her out as soon as possible, feed her a warm meal, and take her to a hospital.
The very core of the World Tree. In front of it, Palman, the captain of the Elven Guard, was waiting for Chris.
Palman spotted Chris and smiled smoothly.
"You're late. I've got things to do at home, you know. I'm a busy man."
"Whatever, just hurry up and open this!"
Vwoom!
A green energy flowed from Palman's outstretched hand and enveloped Chris.
"With this, you'll be able to speak with the spirits."
Creeaak.
Palman chuckled as he watched Chris hastily push her way through the tree trunks that had begun to part, opening a path.
Then, turning to walk away, he said softly.
"Take good care of the past Hero. Hero of this era."
"Yeah."
Chris's little baby bird, Rain.
Was nestled in the arms of an elf who was emitting a green light, wearing the happiest smile in the world.
What is that smile?
That's a smile she's never shown me.
The elf holding Rain was a woman who was the very pinnacle of beauty.
A beautiful face, a benevolent smile, pure white hair.
Truly, the elves were a race known for their beauty.
Rain was asleep, cradled in the arms of that beautiful elven woman.
An unfamiliar emotion began to stir and swell in Chris's chest.
Sniffle, sniffle.
Rain was in a state of light sleep. She had fallen asleep without logging out.
Sleeping in the capsule must be uncomfortable.
Chris clutched her chest and cautiously approached the green-glowing elf.
"Oh, my."
The female elf, who had been stroking the sleeping Rain's hair, let out a small gasp as she saw Chris carefully approaching.
Shk.
Chris's eyes glinted sharply as she raised the edges of her hands diagonally, taking a defensive stance.
And then, she growled.
"Grrrrrr!"