Chapter 181
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Baranoras' Forward Base
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"Everyone, get your heads in the game! When the gust pattern hits, just run to the center or grab onto the obstacles on the ground—that's all there is to it!"
Han Minguk's shout cut through the air like a blast of icy wind, striking the heroes. Those who had plummeted off the cliff during the trial so far hung their heads in shame.
"Stay away from the cliff edges. When Kasara spreads her wings, everyone cluster in the center. Is it really that hard to keep this in your heads?! Are you all goldfish?!"
The raid leader's words left everyone clamping their mouths shut.
It wasn't difficult at all, really. But in the heat of battle, it was easy to lose track of your positioning.
Especially against a monster like Kasara that darted through the air—it made predicting your own location a nightmare. On top of that, Kasara's nest wasn't exactly a spacious battlefield.
DPSers, meanwhile, had to chase Kasara relentlessly to make up for their lacking damage output, leaving no room to think about their footing. After berating the team like this for a while, Minguk cleared his throat deliberately.
He'd cracked the whip; now it was time for the carrot.
"Everything else is solid. But we're not gonna be stuck on this boss forever, right? Let's at least avoid the cliff falls, no matter what. Deal?"
"Got it."
"Yes, Raid Leader!"
As Minguk's feedback wrapped up, everyone rose to their feet.
His tone had been a bit rough, but he was right—they couldn't farm this boss for life. And they weren't failing due to gear deficits; it was their own mistakes.
Ultimately, it came down to skill, and no one liked hearing that.
'Damn it.'
Sure enough, Shiranui Mai—who had fallen off the cliff twice while focusing on DPS to play to her strengths—bit her lip hard and pulled herself together.
In a situation like this, her title as Japan's top prodigy felt downright embarrassing. The other women who had experienced the drop felt the same.
"Alright, back to the trial."
While the members checked their gear, Minguk eyed the Harpy Queen flapping around her nest.
Their gazes met briefly. Her eyes narrowed, showing interest in him. If he were in her range, she would've charged without a doubt.
"Kyarruk!"
Confirming Minguk's position, the Harpy Queen scoffed and flapped her wings again. The ten humans could hurt her, sure.
But after driving them to the brink of death multiple times, she no longer saw Minguk or the others as real threats. Naturally, that attitude poked at Minguk's pride.
"Today, you're mine."
There were monsters who'd taunted him like that and ended up deep-fried. This one apparently hadn't heard the rumors. With Minguk's mutter, the battle began.
Kwarung! Boom!
From the jump, the DPS barrage erupted in a frenzy.
In a DPS-check raid like this, they weren't holding back on mana at all.
That meant tanks Hyun-ah and Tanya were scrambling to hold aggro too. To be precise, Tanya was less about taunting and more about bashing the Harpy Queen with her shield.
Main tank Oh Hyun-ah had the boss's aggro locked down tight.
"Aggro's stable—go wild!!!"
Hyun-ah's Legendary class, Phoenix Knight, had specs that dwarfed any lower-tier tank class.
Plus, her Flapping Wings of Flame trait added extra damage, letting her build threat not just from taunts but from raw DPS as well. That was why top raids threw money like water at Legendary class stones.
"Harpy feathers incoming!"
"Flame positions—check!!!"
"Six o'clock! Six o'clock!"
Someone yelled urgently.
Hyun-ah, holding the Harpy Queen's aggro, shifted to the center of the nest. No way was she risking the edges if a gust sent the team flying.
"Kendall! Move! Gust's coming right up—prep to sprint center! Giselle, if it comes to it, Kendall might have to dash through flames, so shield her on sight!"
"Got it!!!"
Minguk's urgent call was followed moments later by a sizzling chiik echoing in everyone's ears.
Kasara's feathers burning in the flames. Furious at her own plumage igniting mid-attack on the heroes, she screeched at the fire monster interfering.
Soon after, Kasara flapped her wings, whipping up a gale.
"To the center!"
"Thousand Jin Anchor! Thousand Jin Anchor!!!"
Those caught in the gust tumbled like twigs.
Grabbing at floor protrusions or dropping low, they scrambled toward the center, desperate not to fall.
Minguk was no different.
As soon as the gust hit, he flattened himself and crawled centerward, clinging to a jutting rock.
When it passed, everyone popped up fast. Main tank Hyun-ah immediately taunted to reclaim aggro.
'No deaths. Good.'
Minguk scanned the raid as he stood.
Sixth trial in. Any falls now would've been crushing. They pressed on, Minguk leading through Kasara's attacks.
But with the GGW raid's mix of 5- and 6-star heroes, downing Kasara was no cakewalk.
The DPSers were skilled, but not top-of-age-bracket elite. Upper 5%? Close enough. Still, solutions existed.
"I'll swap to Blade of Malice."
If the DPS averaged top 5%, the healers were another story.
Brazil's Budsen sisters ranked 24th and 38th worldwide—prime prospects.
Kasara raid didn't demand massive heals if feathers were flame-managed. Two healers sufficed.
Minguk stowed Guardian of Order, checked his daggers, and cleared his throat.
"Trial restart. DPS, you cool if I out-DPS you?"
"Uh, um..."
"Pardon?"
Ten eyes locked on him.
Not his first rodeo as Blade of Malice. Last time, his sky-piercing DPS had stunned the team.
"But no falls from gusts, obviously."
Minguk wagged a finger at the tense crew, his vibe sharper than before—like an assassin.
The trial kicked off again, six DPSers now charging Kasara.
"Aim, fire."
Shin Nayun's orb unleashed destructive light. Kasara swatted it skyward with a wing.
In that gap, a shadow slipped close.
"Opening!"
Minguk's dagger slashed a long gash in Kasara's wing membrane. Barely a scratch, but valid damage.
"Kyaaaaak!!!"
Furious, Kasara swung at Minguk.
But he slipped out with Blade of Malice's unique skill, Shadow's Edge. Circling the field, he called out.
"Swinging behind!"
"I'll draw her eyes!!!"
So-jeong led with her flame greatsword, appearing before Kasara and swinging wide to grab attention.
"Covering!"
Choi Yuna loosed arrows, harassing Kasara despite her tough feathers and skin resisting real damage.
Meanwhile, Minguk slashed away.
'Blade of Malice is broken, huh?'
Opposite the Budsen sisters, he couldn't get instant heals if hit.
But positioning wasn't an issue.
The Unique class Blade of Malice passively healed on vital hits.
'And vitals...'
Trained in mobile VR GGW, Minguk had no trouble. He'd snagged Uradius's World First Kill on controller alone, no pay-to-win.
"Kyaaaaak!!!"
Harpy Queen's screams, gale winds, hero assaults—sounds blended as time ticked on. Early fall deaths? Experience fixed that.
DPS shortage? Same deal.
Minguk joining as Blade of Malice wasn't just +1 DPS. Hero Pads updating live proved it.
His damage topped the six DPSers.
Shiranui Mai and Shin Nayun trailed, but by over 10%—dominant.
"Got her!"
"I'm dying here..."
"Guess it really does take overworking the healers to down a tough one."
Kasara fell the instant Minguk swapped classes.
Everyone knew her patterns; only DPS was lacking.
GGW raid moved on, tackling 【A - 6】 named bosses with the fire monster's aid, in order.
Facing the apparent final boss, Minguk's face hardened.
'Gale Baranoras.'
Blue drake vibes, but different aura. Hero Pad had zilch on it—unexpected for Garai's minion amid the long war with darkness.
"No Hero Pad info. New monster."
"Two unknowns with the Blue Drake already. This isn't gonna be a huge problem, right?"
"Don't overthink unknowns. Happens every dungeon break."
GGW members voiced varied takes on first-time Baranoras.
One shared vibe: drop it.
"Treat it as Blue Drake superior. Zero intel, so defensive strat."
Revival Stones at the ready, raid began.
GGW wiped in under a minute.
Ppuu's gimmick downgraded it to 6-star, but Gale Baranoras was true 7-star. Patterns aside, raw attack power crushed expectations.
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