Chapter 145
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 145
Chapter Title: Sisters? Mother and Daughter?
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"No, Team Leader! I'm not asking for much—just one word, okay?"
"Why are you doing this, Reporter Kim? I know absolutely nothing about Han Minguk the hero. Even as team leader, he's managed by the higher-ups."
The woman in semi-formal attire, sporting the Rose Shield emblem on her chest, spoke in a frustrated tone. She'd lost count of how many similar requests she'd fielded today alone.
"And as you know, Team GGW is on vacation after resolving the Vietnam outbreak. They aren't even coming to the clan house."
"Come on. There has to be some schedule, right? Team Leader, we're better than this. Please. Just one interview. Yes? If I can't even snag a single comment, my section chief will kill me. Or maybe the clan leader..."
"Clan Leader Oh Hyun-jung isn't at the clan house either. She's at headquarters."
Ever since Team GGW returned from Vietnam, countless reporters had swarmed Rose Shield's clan house.
All of them were after an interview with Minguk. Some were even staking out near the Rose Group building owned by a certain corporation. Yet not a single one had gotten even a scrap of info related to him.
The best they could glean was the recent contract renewal buzz that had rocked the nation, along with word that Team GGW's renewal was going smoothly.
"This is ridiculous. Seriously. Even if he's a male hero, isn't he being way too standoffish? What's so hard about saying a few words?"
One persistent reporter, who'd clung on stubbornly but come away empty-handed, spat out the words in a raspy voice and hocked a loogie. It was ironic, though—he still couldn't bring himself to leave the clan house area.
Han Minguk was currently the nation's hero in Korea. Landing even one interview with him would yield massive fruits.
Just the fact that he was a male hero was front-page material on its own, but this hero was basking in praise from other world-renowned heroes.
It meant his skills were the real deal. And the praise from those other heroes wasn't just lip service because he was a rare male hero.
Proof of that? Minguk had even shared strategies for dealing with the avatars of the Twelve Calamities that had plagued humanity.
No one thought he'd actually take down one of those monstrous Twelve Calamities, but that fact alone was enough to draw massive public interest.
"He's the national hero, right?"
"I hear it's tough for him to even move around outside because people swarm him."
"He was already a famous raid leader before. But stopping the Vietnam outbreak was huge. A first-year hero pulling that off? Imagine how insane he'll be in a few years."
But interviewing Han Minguk wasn't easy.
Rose Shield's defenses were so ironclad that people were grumbling it was easier to cover Kang Chae-young, Korea's busiest hero.
And the Minguk that all those domestic reporters were dying to interview was currently deep in a dungeon with his team.
It was a [B-1] difficulty dungeon—not managed by R's, but by Ewha Clan. To dodge the excessive media attention, they'd decided to raid another clan's dungeon.
Ewha Clan had secretly accepted R's proposal and granted Team GGW clearance to tackle their [B-1] dungeon.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, we can raid in peace."
Minguk's eyes turned to the short-haired beauty. As a hero who'd awakened mana, her looks were stunningly youthful despite being in her thirties.
"We're the grateful ones. You're clearing [B-1] for free, right?"
"Still, [B-1] is managed by a Revival Team, isn't it?"
"A few Revival Stones are nothing. More importantly..."
For a split second, their eyes met, and the short-haired beauty flashed Minguk a sweet smile.
Minguk inwardly grinned at the subtle affection in her gaze. This body's popularity was no joke... Long live the gender reversal.
The woman chatting with Minguk now was Ewha Clan's Raid Leader, commanding their first string.
She was a hero he'd briefly crossed paths with during the Vietnam outbreak—too busy watching Kang Chae-young back then for much conversation.
They'd exchanged greetings in passing, though.
"You will have Revival Stones, but be careful with the final boss, the Corpse Harpy. Her patterns are tricky. You know the strategy, right? Want me to explain in detail?"
Ewha Clan's Raid Leader sidled right up to Minguk, her tone laced with concern. At the same time, her hand lightly brushed his shoulder—a cute move to close the distance. Instantly, flames erupted in the eyes of the women on Team GGW.
"Yawn..."
Giselle Budsen, yawning boredly at this hour, was the exception. As long as she could indulge in pleasure, she didn't care.
In any case, that touch on Minguk's shoulder from Ewha Clan's Raid Leader was deliberate, with clear intent. Or at least, that's how it felt to Hyun-ah and the rest of Team GGW.
And the one who voiced objection to the senior hero's blatantly flirtatious behavior was Kim So-jung, the oldest in the team. Even so, she was five years younger than Ewha Clan's Raid Leader.
"We appreciate Senior's and Ewha Clan's consideration. But we've prepared thoroughly, so no further briefing is needed."
"R-Really?"
Ewha Clan's Raid Leader mumbled awkwardly at the icy tone, like frost falling from the sky.
It was infuriating how they were babying this rare male hero. But since she wasn't close to Minguk, she had no excuse to push further.
As the awkward moment dragged on, Revival Stones were set up in the dungeon.
Minguk, receiving word that preparations were complete, bowed his head to Ewha Clan's Raid Leader.
"We'll never forget Ewha Clan's grace. I'd love to chat about raids sometime later."
"Just give me a call anytime."
A short reply, but brimming with interest in Minguk.
"Party 1, left side! Choi Yuna! Pull back more!"
"Tank swap in 5 seconds! Sub-tank Tanya!"
"Yes!"
"Stay sharp on entry! The enemy's attacks will chain right after!"
"Entering in defensive stance!"
With monsters right in front of them, Minguk's orders flew nonstop.
Each time, Team GGW's heroes swung their weapons relentlessly, unleashing their abilities in perfect sync with his commands.
Despite being a [B-1] dungeon, Team GGW carved through the monsters like a hot knife through butter. Plenty of new foes, but no major issues.
Minguk's leadership was flawless as ever, bolstered by their Vietnam combat experience.
Plus, Team GGW's specs had surged since leaving for Vietnam. Even 5-star special entities were no problem.
"Kyahaha! I'll burn them all!"
Oh Hyun-ah, now wielding the Legendary class Phoenix Knight, held aggro steady for single and AoE tanking alike with her unique skill, Wings of Flame.
Even if she died by mistake, the S-rank double-wing flap revived her once.
And Tanya, the Siberian Grizzly Bear Tank, could switch seamlessly between pure tank and damage tank using her shield stances.
Her hero star rating was still low, preventing top-gear Score gear, but their tank line's skills and prowess rivaled any first-string team.
Especially Hyun-ah's Phoenix Knight—a rarity coveted by America and China alike. And this power boost wasn't just the tanks. Dealers and healers had leveled up too.
- My chicks! Peck to death those who invade our nest!
As Ewha Clan's Raid Leader had warned, the Corpse Harpy's patterns were tricky enough.
Of course, that was by this world's hero standards. To Minguk, seasoned from countless raids, they were run-of-the-mill.
"Eggs! She's laying eggs!"
"Fuck! Who the hell did that bitch mate with to pop out this many?!"
"Hermaphrodite, maybe!"
Dealers cursed at the oval eggs spawning everywhere, but per Minguk's briefing, they swiftly located and smashed the Corpse Harpy's eggs.
"Shin Nayun! Focus more on the eggs!!!"
"Y-Yes!"
Whenever eggs appeared, Team GGW prioritized them over the harpy itself.
Leave them unbroken, and chicks would hatch, chirping and dealing massive damage to heroes.
"Siranui Mai, keep hitting the Corpse Harpy!"
Thanks to that, all dealers except single-target specialist Siranui Mai were busy channeling mana to smash eggs popping up everywhere.
"Get down here already!!!"
Tanks Hyun-ah and Tanya kept provoking to hold the harpy's attention. And when it touched down...
"My sword can hold the universe."
The ponytail woman gripping her longsword charged the Corpse Harpy like the wind.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Siranui Mai's DPS exploded on the heroes' Hero Pads.
- Kyaak! Kkak!!!
The harpy chicks went berserk at their parent under attack but met the other dealers.
And...
Minguk, with his Focused Healer class, orchestrated the raid flawlessly. The Budsen sisters healed reliably, keeping everyone topped up.
With tanks, dealers, and healers in perfect harmony, even the [B-1] final boss Corpse Harpy stood no chance.
- Kyaaaak!!!
As the harpy screamed and collapsed, cheers erupted from all sides.
One-try clear. A fresh dungeon, cleared on the first go without a single death.
"Kyaaa! We got it! We got her!!!"
"Bravo! That's Team GGW for you! Absolutely top-tier!"
Minguk shook his head helplessly at his screaming teammates.
He got the excitement, but honestly, it wasn't a tough dungeon. Even the harpy—those three chicks from the Twelve Calamities' avatar in Vietnam felt stronger.
Compared to the Galaxy Girl War he'd played back then, this didn't even hit average difficulty. Beginner farming easy-mode at best.
But even easy dungeons dropped goodies.
"It dropped!!!"
Cheonho-dong Lucky Girl's shout rang out—she'd already opened the reward chest.
The yellow crystal in her hand sparkled. A Yellow-grade mana crystal, only from 5-star specials.
"What is it? Agility? Gotta be agility, right? I trusted you, Unnie Hyun-ah."
Yuna rushed to Hyun-ah.
Team GGW's heroes were mid-4 to 5-star. Some had hit 5, others needed crystals to get there.
To tackle [A]-rank dungeons, 5-star minimum was required.
Only then could they equip Gear Score 450+ gear to dent the 6-star entities inside.
"Strength for girls!"
"Strength's not bad. Honestly, all that talk about needing agility to draw a bow? Lies. Feel how heavy this pull is?"
Yuna joked.
Her eyes gleamed with greed at the mana crystal in Hyun-ah's hand. She wanted 5-star status ASAP. So-jung shared the hunger.
"Neither."
Hyun-ah teased So-jung and Yuna, then dangled the crystal close.
"Mental Power!"
A stat only healers and related specials needed.
"Minguk's."
Hyun-ah claimed it. As she said, the Budsen sisters were already 5-star, so in Team GGW, only Minguk needed a Yellow-grade Mental Power crystal right now.