Lives on the Line for the Ogre Raid
Namgung Seojun returned to the inn where his party was staying after the ogre raid discussion. He then summoned his party members and explained the current situation.
"....."
Everyone fell silent at his words. It was only natural, given that he was talking about the boss raid on the 19th floor.
"Hyungnim, Yuki and I will be in a safe part, so we should be fine, but you and Mr. Li Zhangwei..."
The assault team had to draw the ogre's attention to buy time for the attack team, with an estimated mortality rate of around 40%. It was impossible to force anyone into such a dangerous role. Seojun had suggested it because he believed he could handle it, but for Li Zhangwei, a slave, it was a tricky situation. So he proposed the reward he had prepared.
"Mr. Li Zhangwei, if you join this raid, I'll free you from slavery immediately."
Li Zhangwei's eyes widened. Seojun had promised a set slave term beforehand, but this was a chance to shorten it dramatically. Even with Seojun's promise, there was always a possibility it could change somehow. But freedom now would erase all worries. It was a gamble with his life, but despite knowing the risks, Li Zhangwei had no choice but to nod.
"I'll join."
Li Zhangwei made his decision. And Namgung Seojun thought it was fine too. Letting go of a capable slave like Li Zhangwei wasn't a loss at all. Considering the 20 gold he'd earn from the raid plus other bonuses, it was a huge financial gain for him.
With Li Zhangwei's participation settled, the meeting seemed over, but Dmitri suddenly interjected.
"If you're freeing slaves for risking their lives in the raid, fuck it! Let me join too!"
Her abrupt words revealed her desperate desire to escape slavery, even at the cost of her life. Seojun didn't answer right away, so Dmitri pressed harder.
"Fuck... If I join the raid, compare my pay to my body price—it won't be a big loss for you! Give me a shot at the raid! Even if I die there, I won't resent you."
Dmitri pleaded, and Seojun relied on his Super Sense to gauge the feeling.
It's ambiguous.
Unlike with Li Zhangwei, it wasn't a good or bad vibe. Meaning she could live or die.
"Seojun!! Please! I beg you."
Dmitri raised her voice, and Seojun placed a hand on her shoulder, asking, "You really want to join that badly? Even with a high chance of dying?"
"Yeah. Please... Even if I die, I won't blame you."
God's Eye confirmed Dmitri's resolve was genuine. So he gave his answer.
"Alright. Then let's join the raid together."
And with that, Dmitri was also set to participate in the ogre raid.
The next day, Namgung Seojun woke up in his inn room. Isu-yeon was already awake.
"Master, you're awake."
Now sharing the same room, Isu-yeon always slept later than him but woke up first. She had already prepared everything.
"I've drawn hot water in the bath."
Seojun got out of bed. Already naked, he headed straight to the bathroom, and Isu-yeon stripped off her clothes to follow.
He sank into the tub, and Isu-yeon asked, "Master, is the water temperature alright?"
"Good."
Seojun replied curtly, and Isu-yeon waited contentedly with soap and a washcloth. Once he emerged, she'd lather him up and wash him clean. In the city, Isu-yeon served him even more diligently, letting him enjoy the luxury of not lifting a finger.
After breakfast, Namgung Seojun headed to the Pharaemon Guild and entered further negotiations with Wang Bang.
"The four I mentioned yesterday have agreed to join the raid."
"Excellent! A wise choice!"
"And one more wants to join."
After hearing about Dmitri, Wang Bang nodded. "I can't offer much participation fee, but she can take a spot in the assault team. Just know her survival odds look slim—you'll have to prepare for that."
It was a resolution they had already accepted. Seojun agreed. With the raid participants finalized, they dove into serious negotiations.
"You told us yesterday what we'd get paid for joining. But honestly, it feels a bit low."
He had also shared the detailed specs of the participating party members with Wang Bang—hiding only some of his own, but revealing the others' key stats. Wang Bang's face brightened even more. Especially Lee Guho, a top-tier mage rare for the lower floors.
"How about 50 gold for Mr. Namgung Seojun, 60 for Mr. Lee Guho, 20 for Ms. Yuki, 30 for Mr. Li Zhangwei, and 15 for Ms. Dmitri?"
Seojun replied with a dissatisfied look. "Isn't that too low just in gold?"
"No ogre byproducts, absolutely. We already have buyers lined up."
Wang Bang firmly refused the ogre parts. Fortunately, what Seojun wanted was different.
"You said yesterday that even with just four participants, you'd waive passage fees for the party members, right?"
Wang Bang caught on immediately. "I know your party has 10 members, Mr. Namgung Seojun."
"No, our party has 30."
It was a metaphorical way of asking for passage rights for 20 more. Seojun knew this was less burdensome for Wang Bang than raising participation fees, so he proposed it.
"Hahaha!"
Wang Bang burst out laughing. An adventurer who had just arrived on the 19th floor yesterday was negotiating like a raid veteran. And for Wang Bang, this was the least painful bargaining chip.
"30 is too much, don't you think? Let's say 20."
"It's just a paperwork change. Make it 28."
They haggled and finally settled on 25. With the contract signed, Namgung Seojun returned and explained the Pharaemon Guild deal to his party members.
"The five we discussed yesterday are all joining the raid with fair compensation."
The faces of those participating grew slightly grim. Especially Li Zhangwei and Dmitri in the assault team—they were prepared to die.
"While we prepare for the raid, the rest of you will be under Gisohee's management."
"Got it."
Gisohee accepted her duty as if it were obvious. After the meeting, Seojun made a separate request to Jo Jaehun.
"Buy 15 slaves? Slaves are pricey in this city, you know?"
In this small city, slave prices were high. But they'd skyrocket even more on the 20th floor, based on 19th-floor standards. "Understood."
Jo Jaehun agreed to carry out the order after hearing the explanation.
That evening, Namgung Seojun dined at a high-end restaurant in Niznino with Gisohee and Isu-yeon. Gisohee savored a premium steak after so long, and midway through, Isu-yeon asked while eating, "Master, can I join the raid too...?"
"No."
Seojun cut her off firmly. "Absolutely not. Even if you beg like Dmitri, no. Drop it."
His Super Sense signaled that her participation would put her life at even greater risk than Dmitri's. So he refused vehemently. Isu-yeon's face flushed at his reaction—it felt like he truly cared for her.
The next day, Seojun visited the Pharaemon Guild with the raid participants for joint training with the other raid prep groups.
"Mr. Namgung Seojun, Dmitri, and Mr. Li Zhangwei are in the assault team. Mr. Lee Guho is in the magic team, and Ms. Yuki in the recovery team."
The three trained in the assault team, while Lee Guho and Yuki were in the relatively safer magic and recovery teams. No one from their group was in defense. From Seojun's view, that was fortunate—the defense team had to follow orders blindly, unable to dodge even in deadly situations. The assault team was riskier overall but allowed more autonomy, making it safer for Seojun with his Super Sense, Domain Insight, and Prediction.
After a brief briefing, the group followed the Pharaemon Guild members' guidance to the training site—a large clearing near Niznino.
"A high-level mage we invited from our guild will run the simulation."
A level 70 mage from the upper floors had been brought in to simulate the ogre. Many adventurers participating in the raid were already gathered in the clearing.
"Assault team, head to the right."
Namgung Seojun, Li Zhangwei, and Dmitri joined the largest group, the assault team of about 100. In the last raid, over 40% had died there—extremely high risk.
Lee Guho joined the attack team, Yuki the healing team. Once everyone was ready, training began.
"Summoning a life-sized ogre model."
The high-level mage summoned the model, and simulation training started.
"Assault team, charge! Lure the ogre!"
The assault team rushed forward on the leader's command, with Namgung Seojun, Li Zhangwei, and Dmitri charging alongside.
Eight hours later.
There were three sessions that day: live training, critique and fixes, lunch, more live training, critique and fixes, short break, then final live training and critique.
The assault team adventurers were utterly exhausted. They had taken the simulation deadly seriously to survive, experiencing many "deaths" among them.
"....."
Especially Dmitri—her expression was grim. She had died in the very first moments of training. The ogre's overwhelming speed and attacks killed her instantly.
Namgung Seojun, naturally, never died once. Li Zhangwei died from a mistake in the first bout but survived the second and third. Compared to that, it was a hopeless gap for her.
Seojun watched Dmitri's struggle with a bitter expression.
A month later, five days before the raid.
"Raid training concluded."
The Pharaemon Guild declared training over after achieving 100% success rate in the last five sessions. The raid would happen in five days.
Participants' faces varied—relief at the grueling training ending, anxiety over dying, despair at high odds.
Namgung Seojun showed no sign outwardly, but he was glad training was done and the raid imminent. In his 39 sessions, he never died once—thanks to Super Sense and Prediction. Even in unexpected peril, he had confidence his trump card, Sylph, would save him.
Li Zhangwei was somewhat worried. In his 42 sessions, he died 6 times, mostly early on. Later, he learned to avoid the worst. Anxious, but not hopeless.
The problem was Dmitri. She was in utter despair. In her 46 sessions, she died 38 times. No matter the training, her survival rate barely improved—due to lower level, lacking skills, and combat proficiency. At this rate, her raid death odds were extremely high.