Chapter 185
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: Baranoras's Forward Base
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You have completed the subjugation of "Helm Plains."
6 Achievement Points have been awarded to your Hero Pad.
"This much is a piece of cake..."
You have completed the subjugation of "Albatross."
6 Achievement Points have been awarded to your Hero Pad.
"【A-6】 isn't so tough either."
As the gate vanished, the Hero Pad's unique notification chimed, updating the information.
Having taken down "Gale Baranoras" at Baranoras's forward base, Minguk kept hunting dungeons between 【A-6】 and 【A-9】.
Unlike before, most were 【B】-rank due to the lower dungeon break stages, but Team GGW ignored the easier 【B】 dungeons and pushed for the tougher 【A】 ones, even if it strained them. This was the complete opposite of the other raid teams operating out of Hoa Bin.
But Minguk had his reasons.
'No point in 【B】 dungeons. Nothing to gain.'
Lower-grade crystals like orange or yellow couldn't boost his team members' mana power.
To prepare for the eventual clash with Garai, he needed to get everyone to 6-star as fast as possible. That meant more green-grade crystals.
Fortunately, the whole team was nearly there.
The tanks were all 6-star, with just one dealer and one healer still at 5-star. Even they seemed poised for 6-star on the next run if luck held.
Checking his team’s mana status on the Hero Pad, Minguk reviewed his own stats too.
"My mental power's shot up a lot. Recovery's a bit faster thanks to it, but..."
He'd absorbed the blue-grade crystal from Baranoras himself, as it boosted mental power—the most vital stat for healers. The diamond ticket item, a shield, went to Hyun-ah. Its 740 gear score was a letdown, but still miles better than her current one.
The raid team's power was inching up, but even after dismantling Baranoras's base, neither Garuda nor Garai showed any special moves.
"That's what makes it more unnerving."
Minguk stayed vigilant.
Their silence screamed they were plotting something. His gut told him so, even if it wasn't certain. Still, priority one was powering up.
"Whew..."
He checked the Hero Pad again and sighed.
All nearby 【A】 dungeons were already in progress. With revival stones, failure was unlikely barring unknown monsters. It was just a matter of time.
Progress in Vietnam was slower than hoped. The dungeon breaks spawned too many low-rank temporary dungeons.
'Taking out Baranoras's base was good, but...'
The aftermath left only 【B】-level dungeons popping up.
【A】 ones appeared rarely, like rain in drought, and about 40% of Hoa Bin's raids could handle them anyway.
Vietnamese citizens and the World Hero Association cheered the progress, of course.
China, meanwhile, was chaos.
Top raids worldwide clustered near Qingdao. Over a million Chinese troops deployed.
Rumors swirled of White House clashing with Baicon's minions.
《They probably didn't win, of course.》
'Underestimating them? White House cleared 【S】 dungeons.'
《Not underestimating—fact. The 12 Disasters' minions are far stronger. Baicon's forces, unlike weakened Garuda, wield full void mana.》
'So...?'
《In human terms? 10th-rank special monsters.》
"Whoa."
Minguk whistled at Ppuu's explanation.
Purple-grade absorbers reaching 9-star numbered just four worldwide. A 10-star monster? No tactics or hero skills could solo that.
And this was just Baicon's minion, not one of the 12 Disasters.
'Are the 12 Disasters idiots? They'd wipe everyone if they showed.'
Even their minions could end the war in a month for the darkness.
Evidently infighting or schemes kept them back.
No room for complacency.
They needed 【S】-dungeon readiness before the 12 stirred. Minguk itched to head to China now.
《Remember the quest, Minguk.》
'I know.'
That's why Team GGW was here.
Down Garai, and they'd snag the Yggdrasil class, mana crystals galore, and two selectable diamond tickets.
"Oppa!!!"
A frantic voice called. He turned—Yuna sprinting from the armored bus, probably with radio news.
'Support request from another raid?'
Not common, but it happened. They'd aided twice already from Hoa Bin.
"A support request came in!"
"Rank? Which team?"
As expected. But Yuna's face held inexplicable fear. Maybe a 【A-5】 with 7th-rank monsters?
Still uneasy, she stammered,
"The requesting team... France's Imperial Guard. Monster's no-name, estimated 【S】 to 【A-1】."
Before she finished, Minguk's heart thumped. Ppuu jiggled urgently.
《Garai, huh.》
'Garai.'
At least two ranks above Gale Baranoras.
No other explanation for an 【S】-level beast amid Vietnam's 【B】-heavy tainted lands.
"Let's move."
Minguk bolted for the bus.
Imperial Guard's call went to all top nearby raids. They'd know it was the outbreak's core and converge.
'Too soon, but...'
Garai spotted: two outcomes.
Clear it, collapse the temp dungeon, avert break—or timer expires, boom, another explosion.
《You sure?》
'No clue. But our power can't take Garai. Damn, if we had time...'
The early appearance grated.
But ignoring Imperial Guard's plea? No choice. He rallied the team for Garai's dungeon.
Boom! Clang!!!
Ten women battled a bird-headed humanoid monster. They were the Imperial Guard—France's pride, humanity's shield.
【A-1】 veterans, but this fight repeated endlessly. The foe was no pushover.
"Raid Leader!"
"...Damn."
Celes dodged the monster's glare reflexively.
But its blitz attack smashed her into a rock wall amid screams.
Healer reacted fast—else instant death. Her real crisis was just starting.
- You'd best brace yourself.
"Hey! Snap out of it and dodge!!!"
The monster charged Celes thunderingly. One hit, and she was done. Team members had died to this pattern repeatedly.
"Disrupt it even a little!!!"
"Ankles! Target the ankles!"
Dealers struck desperately, but the beast didn't budge.
"Urk!"
Celes dragged her crushed body amid agony. But it closed too fast.
"Kyaaak!"
Its massive hand seized her roughly. A squeeze, and she'd be pulp.
"Everyone, charge!!!"
Chloe yelled. Tanks and dealers rushed to save her.
But wings flared, repelling them. The monster grinned sinisterly. Celes sensed her doom. Her death meant trial failed.
'I'll land one hit at least.'
Resolve hardened her face for next time. But its words diverged wildly.
"Submit to me, human. I'll grant pleasures this world can't match."
"Hurry and attack! Cut a finger off at least!!!"
Chloe's unease fueled frantic swings.
Others too. Celes couldn't see, but his genitals stirred erect.
"Fuck...!"
"Save her somehow! Quick!!! Celes! Bite your tongue! Suicide if you have to!!!"
Celes was their vital raid leader—worth any sacrifice. Grasping the peril from their cries, she moved to act.
"Mmph?!"
Bird-man fingers jammed her mouth, halting her. Then...
"Gaaack!!!"
The worst unfolded before Imperial Guard's eyes.
"Ah, aaah...?!"
Celes's thighs quivered as the monster's colossal member pierced her.
Knobbed girth plunged in. She bit her lip hard.
But rebellion crumbled fast.
The invading behemoth's mana dominated, arousing her.
"Haaaangggg!!!"
"We're fucked..."
Her moan shattered morale. Heroes froze in despair, forgetting to fight.
The Imperial Guard's raid leader corrupted by an unknown powerhouse—the nadir.