Chapter 171
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: Garuda's Praetorian Guard
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"There's a damn ton of them."
From atop the hill, Hyun-ah muttered while staring westward.
Just as she said, countless dungeons beyond the horizon were spewing dark mana to announce their presence. It wasn't infinite by any means, but there were easily over a hundred visible to the naked eye.
"Still, aren't we better off than China? I heard it's hell over there right now."
"We got really lucky. That one blew up near Xinglong Lake, right? Man... In this situation, it's a blessing the Twelve Calamities haven't shown up yet."
"Yeah, tell me about it."
Hyun-ah shook her head at Yuna's words.
The dungeon break in China had spiraled into the worst-case scenario. A temporary dungeon spawned from the Land of Darkness had ruptured again, unleashing a massive monster horde and causing untold casualties.
Governments were all hush-hush about it given the circumstances, but it seemed the heroes had taken heavy losses while holding them back.
Because of that, the mood in Hoa Binh's fortress city was grim.
China at least had the mighty Chinese military and raiding parties deployed in force, but Vietnam was a different story.
If one of these new expansion-spawned temporary dungeons exploded? There'd be no one to stop the monsters. Vietnam's forces had been decimated in the last expansion and hadn't rebuilt properly yet.
"So, we're tackling the [A-7] dungeon again today?"
Minguk shook his head at Kim Sojeong's question.
"No. We're prioritizing the ones with dangerous timers, including [A-8] and [A-9] difficulty."
"Because of what happened in China?"
"Exactly."
The temporary dungeon explosion in China had happened just two days ago. It lit a fire under the Vietnamese government.
If something like that hit Vietnam, it'd be literal hell on earth. Airports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were already chaos with people fleeing abroad.
To prevent a repeat of China, the Vietnamese government had mobilized every soldier to recheck timers on temporary dungeons.
They'd run into monsters unexpectedly, costing lives, but there was no helping it under the circumstances.
'And on top of that...'
Minguk checked the quest he'd received.
France's Imperial Guard had taken down one, and his team had slain three Blue Drakes, crippling the arm of Baranoras the Gale. Or so Ppuu said.
They'd also destroyed the supply depot guarded by the Blue Drakes. Baranoras must be fuming.
Step into the dungeon Ppuu pointed out, and they'd face Garuda's subordinate, Baranoras the Gale. But Minguk hesitated on assaulting the [A-6] dungeon.
'Even after cutting off Blue Drake support, it's rated a 6th-grade special entity. Probably a real 7th-grade monster... And if it's earned Garuda's trust, it has to be tough.'
In other words, the raid difficulty was sky-high.
To take it on, they needed thorough prep. At minimum, one Tank, Dealer, and Healer each at 6-star Hero level.
《But Minguk can't afford to drag this out. Baranoras's orders from Garuda are surely to establish a forward base.》
'I know. But the supply depot's wrecked.'
《That doesn't mean it can't build one. Once the base is up, it'll swarm out with flying dragon soldiers. Game over.》
Ppuu's tone was urgent, and Minguk knew why—he'd heard it plenty.
《When that happens, you need to evac Vietnam fast. You're not ready to stop it yet.》
A 7th-grade special entity loose outside? Catastrophe. Every multinational raid party in Vietnam would need to pile on.
'So, how much time do we have?'
《Not much. Five days tops? Take it down in three or four.》
Minguk pulled up his Hero Pad while listening. He checked mana levels for himself and the team. Some had absorbed enough Green-grade Crystals to hit 6-star soon.
'That should do it.'
Tighten the schedule a bit, and they'd reach 6-star before facing Baranoras.
Of course, just leveling up Stars didn't boost power. They needed high Gear Score gear for 6-stars.
But that was already handled.
"How many pieces of Gear Score under 800 do we have in the clan?"
"Huh? 800?"
Oh Hyun-jung's sudden question made her secretary rack her brain.
"790s? Four pieces? Including auction listings, maybe five or six."
"Down to 750? One set each for Tank, Dealer, Healer."
"...740 at best. But they're mismatched—no set bonuses. Pure stats. Weapons... swords only."
The secretary nodded after checking her laptop.
Rose Shield's history was long, but 800 Gear Score gear came from Diamond Tickets, dropped by 7th-grade entities in [A-5] dungeons.
"Okay. Prep them fast and ship to Vietnam. GGW Raid Team needs them in three days."
Oh Hyun-jung urged urgently after hearing the secretary.
800 Gear Score gear cost a fortune—major clan loss. But boosting raid power paid dividends.
"Urk!"
A monstrous weight crushed her shield arm with a sickening crack.
Drop it now, and she'd die. So Hyun-ah gritted her teeth through the agony. Her body reeled from the impact.
"Kick's done! Tank swap—Kim Sojeong, pull main tank back NOW!"
Stunned by the golem's hit, Sojeong dragged Hyun-ah away fast.
Left there, the aftershocks would've killed her. They'd lost main tanks that way too many times already.
"Alright! Come at me!"
While Tanya covered, healing Hyun-ah's broken arm.
She didn't block outright—just dodged max, parrying only unavoidable strikes. The power demanded it to survive.
Each swing of the stone golem's massive arm kicked up dust clouds. Through the yellow haze, Shiranui Mai's blade flashed.
"My sword holds the cosmos itself."
Boom! Boom! Crash!
Mai's longsword clashed with the golem, sparking flames nonstop.
But the Hero Pad showed its HP barely dented. Still, Mai swung faster, refusing to stop.
Then it happened.
Chunks crumbled from the golem's chest. A red glow inside caught every eye.
"Attack!!!"
"Attack! Attack!!!"
Ranged dealers unleashed mana blasts.
Yuna in Sharp Shooter mode fired endlessly. Ye-rin's ice magic and Na-yeon's mana orbs hammered the chest.
"Groooaaargh!!!"
Trails from three dealers blurred vision.
Yet the golem shrugged them off, reforming its chest with fallen debris.
"...What the hell is this thing?!"
Giselle grimaced at it. No room to retreat.
"HP bar's dropping, though. Keep repeating!"
"Stone Breath incoming! Watch out!!!"
"Small golems too! On kick, tank swap—Tanya, ready to agro small ones!"
Minguk scanned surroundings, barking orders. Simple patterns for a 6th-grade special, but deadly power demanded high specs to clear.
'Without Chinese Hero Association gear...'
Tanks couldn't tank it. Lucky break.
Full 600 Gear Score sets would've taken ages—or top raid support.
"Small golems!"
Yuna's shout hit Minguk's ears.
Scattered stones stirred under the golem's mana, forming 2-meter small golems charging the group.
The big golem was mid-kick at Tanya.
"Oh Hyun-ah! Agro smalls—Giselle, Kendall! Save Tanya!!!"
Minguk dodged as he ordered. A small golem's fist smashed his spot.
Kaboom!
The ground cratered. Direct hit? No mere pain.
'But those big telegraphs...'
Buy time till tanks grabbed agro.
"Who the hell you touchin'?!!"
"Hey! Hyun-ah! Boss! Boss agro—snap out of it!"
Seeing Minguk hit, Hyun-ah nearly taunted before reeling in her mana at his call.
Thud! Boom boom!
Dealers hammered the agrod small golem.
Stone Golem raid was simple: smash the core. But exposing it? Hell.
Simple patterns, insane power. One punch left tanks at 30% HP—no body-tanking possible.
Dealers/Healers? Any graze = death. Giselle and Kendall couldn't blink from start to finish.
But heroes had Revival Stones.
Minguk burned several, trialing till they downed the [A-7] final boss, clearing the dungeon.
"Whoa... Why's it so brutal?"
"Think about the difficulty. And it's a big mob?"
Giselle shrugged at Yuna's fuss. Raw power, sure—but patterns were easy.
Proof: Only ten Revival Stones used.
Sounds like a lot? Minimal. Normie raids would've burned multiples more on a first 6th-grade special.
'If patterns were trickier...'
Giselle eyed the corpse. Ten stones wouldn't cut it. Though it'd bump to higher grade then.
Reward chest: Two Green-grade Mana Crystals.
"Whoa?!"
"They dropped!!!"
Team cheered at the types.
Stamina and Spirit Crystals—perfect for Dealers and Healers.
Not just that. Absorbing one each made two 6-stars: Hyun-ah and Minguk.