Chapter 194
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Garai Raid
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The Imperial Guard announced their re-assault on the spreading phenomenon upon returning to Hanoi after departing Thailand.
"We should be cheering them on to nab it no matter what, but if they pull it off without me, I'm gonna feel all salty for no reason?"
Celes cracked the joke toward her comrades, whom she hadn't seen in a week since staying put in Hoabinh. Her face bore a light smile, but she looked like hell—clearly worn down from battling her corrupted mana.
Perhaps because of that, the Imperial Guard's expressions soured into grimaces as they looked at her. All except one, that is.
"Heh! Celes sis could retire now, don't you think? From today, France's Imperial Guard will take down the darkness monsters with a new raid leader system... Uwubububop?!"
Bridget, mid-jest, had her lips squished duck-like by Chloe's hand.
Bridget teared up from the iron grip, struggling to break free, but Chloe wouldn't budge. Celes burst into laughter, clapping at her comrades' comic antics right before a grueling battle.
"You two are always the same, always the same. But was it that good? Guess Han Minguk really caught your eye as raid leader?"
"He's definitely got that genius hero vibe."
Chloe replied while still clamping Bridget's lips. Celes froze at her words.
"Oh ho? Not just some guy-candy bonus, then?"
"Yeah. His leading was beyond expectations. Vision, judgment—flawless across the board."
She flashed a faint smile while speaking to her longtime friend.
In truth, Minguk's brilliance wasn't limited to the leading he showed while trialing monsters. And everyone present knew about that exceptional talent.
"If even you're saying that, Chloe, now I'm jealous..."
Celes said in a voice tinged with genuine seriousness.
Bridget might've been joking, but the Imperial Guard needed to scout a successor raid leader regardless.
The biggest reason was the corruption of raid leader Celes's mana from this Vietnam dungeon break. Even without that, her retirement loomed near, but considering her experience, skill, and bound gear, she could've run a few more years active.
But with corrupted mana, leading a raid into a dungeon was like dousing herself in gasoline and charging into a burning house.
"Think we can recruit him?"
"Dunno... A raid leader that capable? Rose Shield won't let him go easy. Korea's not dumb enough to let him slip either."
Celes's response to her friend's question dripped skepticism.
Even without that, Han Minguk led GGW. Given GGW's potential and his teammates, a transfer to another clan seemed unlikely.
"How about leaning on the government? Politicians are kinda dim by nature."
"Problem is, that applies to our country too."
"Anyway, I'm all for recruiting Han Minguk to the Imperial Guard. Hell, the whole raid team would welcome it."
"Then we should at least inquire. If the damage dealer lead wants him that bad, it's my duty as former raid leader to make the effort."
But their chat didn't last.
A report came in: all preparations for the Garai assault complete. Watching her comrades head off to the dungeon with Minguk, Celes prayed this expedition would succeed without fail.
'Not that I love Vietnam or the Vietnamese people...'
As a hero protecting humanity, she couldn't stand by while they died to monsters. That made her sidelined status sting even more.
* * *
"Monsters we've already cleared? We'll brief 'em quick and push fast."
"You sure? Their patterns?"
In the transport bus en route to the dungeon, Chloe asked. Minguk tapped his temple with an index finger—a gesture saying he had it all memorized.
A raid leader had to know the patterns of monsters they'd face. Besides, excluding Garai, these were already conquered beasts, so info was easy to find.
'Had to pay the uploader a viewing fee, though...'
That cash came from the Vietnam government and Hero Association anyway.
The assault kicked off right after arriving at the dungeon and setting up revival stones. No clearing peripheral monsters or prepping campsites like other raids.
The Vietnam government and military handled that...
"98 hours left, right? Why's the dungeon timer at 71?!"
"It was 98 just this morning!"
"It dropped over a day in three hours?! Shit!!! Gear up and enter NOW!!!"
The timer check killed even brief rest time. Entering the dungeon, the Imperial Guard grimaced unanimously.
"The interior's changed."
"Damn... We really drew the short straw? It's a full fortress now?"
The forward base looked worlds apart from their prior assault. Minguk was shocked too.
'Dungeon difficulty ramped up?'
Baranoras's forward base, where Garai was found, originally ended with 'Gale Baranoras' as final boss. And Minguk was the one who'd felled that Baranoras.
'But back then, it was...'
Practically nonexistent.
Assaulting Baranoras felt like raiding a fortress under construction. Now? Fully completed. Even the wyvern docks they'd trashed were pristine.
Changes didn't stop there. The dungeon name shifted from 'Baranoras's Forward Base' to 'Garai's Forward Base.'
Small mercy: the path to Garai remained largely unchanged. Thus, the blockers ahead were familiar foes.
- Kyaaaak!
- Kiekek!!!
"Combat ready! Once tanks grab aggro, AoE sweep 'em!"
Monsters appeared; responses locked in. As attacks flew, the flying beasts shredded into oblivion.
"Monsters don't seem stronger?"
"Good news then. Imagine that horror beast powered up on top of its old self."
"Uh... Yeah, don't wanna picture that."
With that, the Imperial Guard carved through the fortress path.
Unlike before, the darkness monsters had prepped heavily—numbers surging compared to prior runs. And not just that.
Whoosh!
Fire arrows, scalding oil traps blocked their way.
"Ack?! Burned! Heal! Heal me!!!"
"Ranged dealers, snipe properly?!"
"They keep ducking into the walls! Ah, shit! Miss!"
"That's why I said practice sniping!"
Breaching the fortress proved arduous.
"Fuck. If we don't smash this, we're totally screwed."
"Sis, saying that doesn't change it's been dire from the start."
Even mid-tier named-grade beasts popped up—stronger than expected—forcing attack blooms and hero roars.
After twists and turns, first named. Seeing it matched their prior kill, the Imperial Guard sighed relief.
Minguk gave the team a brief breather, then asked Chloe.
"Last assault here—how many named-grade?"
"Six, including that one."
"Six..."
When he'd led GGW through, it was six to Baranoras too.
'Named count same, but time's too tight?'
Timer read 71 hours, but it'd plummeted on entry—max extra maybe half-day to two days.
Honestly, under that? Slim odds of resolving this, even to Minguk.
'Looks like half-day to punch to Garai...'
Fortress completion jacked the effort needed.
Just first named, and the team—Imperial Guard no less—was drained. True Garai trials? 30 hours max line.
Assuming minimal food/sleep.
'Trial attempts limited then.'
Even with Ppuu and Qyuu♡ quests done for 7-star prep, time squeezed tight.
Now he got why they pushed quests so hard. Without, he'd miss 7-star even post-explosion.
"Not like we're chasing World First Kill or anything..."
Way graver than WTK—lose, and it's lives lost, not just second-place jabs.
- You idiots!
"You're the idiot!"
Ten heroes charged the taunting monster. Size gap like kittens vs. elephant.
But heroes' mana bridged it.
Boom!
Blast rocked the monster's shield. Minguk's lead kicked in.
"Party 1 hold! Party 2, positions!"
"Give tanks aggro time, then DPS!"
The Imperial Guard trialed per Minguk's calls.
Time crunch, sure—but botch from rush? Better clean one-shot.
Bang! Crash!
Dealers' blasts. Monster's roars, hero pressures. Unreal clashes boomed.
"Move! Move!"
"Right side—watch it! Incoming!!!"
Ten heroes danced desperately within.
"Healers, top off dealers first! Main tank's mine!"
Minguk commanded nonstop, surging mana to heal allies.
7-star lagged others' ranks, but gear score solid, passive from Focused Healer kept his heals competitive.
Parsing monster info, analyzing, countering—beast down before he knew.
"Whew... Good work. On to next named."
Normally, savor victory, check loot chest with pounding heart. No time now.
Thus, Minguk and Imperial Guard minimized breaks, blitzing the dungeon. Word of the human raid reached Garai on its throne.