Chapter 199
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 199
Chapter Title: Garai Raid
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Kugh...! As expected, Minguk is the best! The abso-lute su-preme!
As Garai's end drew near, even Ppuu, who had been silent until now, made an appearance. It seemed eager to witness the fall of one of the Twelve Calamities' lieutenants firsthand.
'Cut the nonsense. Don't you know the words "set for failure"?!'
But isn't this battle basically over already?
'Well, yeah, it is.'
Garai's remaining HP was a measly 2.3%.
Hero attacks were pouring through the tattered shield, shredding his body to pieces. In contrast, the Imperial Guard hadn't lost a single member.
"As expected, first and last-try clears are gospel even in this world."
The raid had been tough due to gear specs, but the strategy itself wasn't hard. Taking it down in just two days felt almost anticlimactic. In the mobile VR game GGW, a single monster boss took over a week as standard.
Still, his heart raced at the fact that they'd felled one of the Twelve Calamities' lieutenants. Though the clear rewards excited him even more.
'Hurry up and cough up those quest rewards, yeah?'
No worries on that front, Minguk!
The raid was going so smoothly that the Raid Leader could casually chat with others.
No, it was as good as over. Then Chloe's powerful strike pierced Garai's heart.
"Woooah!"
"We got it! We got him!!!"
The birdman collapsed with eyes wide in disbelief. The Imperial Guard heroes erupted in cheers and triumphant shouts at the sight.
"Huh?"
Caught up in the victory high, a nearby hero suddenly hugged Han Minguk tightly.
She turned out to be Joanna, the Thai woman he'd hooked up with a few times. The sly curl of her lips suggested it was no accident.
'Cute.'
Any regular guy would've panicked. Joanna clearly aimed for that reaction. But not him.
"Hah?!"
Minguk's hand squeezed her ass firmly.
Then his fingers brushed her intimate spot. She was already heated; wetness coated his fingertips.
"Wanna strip? I can give it to you right now."
"...No."
He was tempted to show off his stamina right there, but the location sucked. With Garai down, the temporary dungeon would vanish soon. Plenty of chances later anyway.
"We got it! We freaking got it!!!"
Chloe, locking eyes with him, screamed in near-ecstasy.
"I told you I'd catch it."
"Yeah, but... I never dreamed you'd actually do it!"
"Anyway, remember our first deal?"
"Oh, right—the class stone from the loot chest is yours? Totally. Hell, take it all!"
"...You sure? Considering it's a lieutenant of the Twelve Calamities, the loot chest probably has some killer stuff."
"Then just leave me a few I don't need."
Chloe's response was cooler than expected.
Minguk glanced at the other heroes, and they all nodded in agreement. They were thrilled just to have beaten the darkness monster and saved Vietnam from doom.
No wonder—the Imperial Guard's fame would skyrocket after resolving this expansion incident unscathed.
Especially since the monster was a named among nameds: Garuda's lieutenant, one of the Twelve Calamities.
"So everything in the loot chest goes to our awesome Raid Leader?"
"I'm in. We'll get fat stacks from the Vietnamese government anyway."
With consensus reached, Bridget looked at Minguk and said,
"I'll pull something amazing for you, Raid Leader."
She strode to the loot chest. A brilliant pillar of light erupted.
"Wh-whoa!!! It's a light pillar?!"
"Why the fuss? Think who we took down. Garuda's lieutenant—one of the Twelve Calamities. A light pillar's the least it should give!"
The opened chest overflowed with treasures, including a 【Class Stone (S) - Yggdrasil】, diamond tickets, and mana crystals galore. True to their word, the Imperial Guard heroes cleanly forfeited everything.
"Th-thank you! Truly, thank you so much!"
The moment the Imperial Guard exited the gate, a Vietnamese official bellowed.
The middle-aged woman bowed deeply, tears streaming. Her anguish over the crisis was palpable.
The soldiers stationed nearby to protect the heroes reacted similarly. The instant the gate exploded, they would've been goners.
Soon, faint cheers echoed from afar—units informed of the success, roaring in celebration.
"We've cleared the forward base, the epicenter of the expansion. But dungeons remain, so don't let your guard down yet."
Minguk addressed the official.
Vietnam's expansion was effectively over, assuming no more of Garuda's lieutenants like Garai appeared.
With Garai gone, Garuda will ditch the expansion and hole up in the Tower of Birds like a dead rat from now on. Not only did he lose a lieutenant, but all his void mana too. Kehehe. Score!
Minguk already knew via Ppuu that Garuda had no spare lieutenants to send.
"Then we should tackle the remaining dungeons immediately!"
"The higher dungeons were cleared by existing raids, so the leftovers shouldn't be too tough. Vietnamese forces can handle them."
"Understood. Thank you again."
The official bowed once more, then urgently contacted someone—likely Vietnamese clan reps.
"Hah... We really took that thing down?"
"How the hell did they do it?"
English and German heroes at the gate gawked at Minguk as the Imperial Guard emerged with a first-try clear on Garai. Their stunned faces mixed awe, envy, and sighs.
Chloe, Vietnam's savior from the Imperial Guard, smirked at the familiar faces and boasted,
"Does this put France a step above Germany and England now?"
"What?!"
"That's ridiculous!"
Minguk shrugged at the bickering. They could afford such displays only because they'd cleared the dungeon.
[Humanity's Victory! A Lieutenant of the Twelve Calamities Falls!!!]
[Vietnam's Saviors: France's Imperial Guard! Led by Korea's Genius Raid Leader Han Minguk!]
[Has Humanity Begun Its Counterattack Against the Darkness Monsters?!]
News of Vietnam's near-collapse being averted exploded worldwide. The World Hero Association naturally capitalized on the good press.
Korea was no exception.
But domestic reactions were baffled by the association's sudden shoutout to Han Minguk for resolving Vietnam's expansion.
Once details emerged, responses detonated. Rose Shield Clan, home to the miracle worker, was swamped with calls, halting operations.
"Isn't it incredible?"
"We knew Han Minguk's leading skills were top-tier. But taking down a Twelve Calamities lieutenant? Never saw that coming..."
Oh Hyun-jung smiled at her secretary.
Rose Shield had lost its Ranker Clan status due to poor clears, but next year looked promising.
This Vietnam expedition alone warranted Ranker status. Parent company Rose Group cheered too.
Vietnam hosted their auto plant. Collapse meant massive losses. Not only saved, but with Minguk as savior, Rose Group stood to gain huge spillover benefits.
"Ugh... If only I'd been born to meet a hero like Han Minguk..."
"Quit daydreaming."
Hyun-jung chuckled.
But her gaze on the secretary screamed victor. She'd already slept with Minguk.
"Anyway, dig up Han Minguk's hero contract and the GGW friends' contracts. Fast."
"Re-signing?"
"Obviously. Hyun-ah says the Imperial Guard made an offer."
The secretary's head snapped up.
"On it!"
Rose Shield's prestige paled against a global powerhouse like the Imperial Guard, past or present.
To retain a star like Minguk, they'd need killer terms. Losing him overseas would weaken national raid defense, drawing public ire. Hyun-jung was all-in on this re-sign, with team owner Jo Soo-young on board.
Meanwhile, Minguk met a woman with Chloe.
"Hngh! Aaah!!! Pl-please, just... me...!"
Bound like a criminal, the woman writhed desperately.
It was Celes, mana corrupted by Garai. Her episodes worsened lately. Tainted mana kept her unhinged more than sane.
"You really have a cure?"
Chloe eyed Celes worriedly, half-doubting Minguk again.
She acknowledged his prowess, but restoring a fallen hero? Unheard of.
"Yes."
Minguk replied confidently. Ppuu had confirmed it beforehand.
He might've gotten a quest like Siranui Mai's, but no dice—overloaded from Thailand quests.
One thing was certain: his tool could purge the corruption. By overwhelming Garai's tainted pleasure with greater ecstasy.
"Then let's start the treatment."
Minguk approached Celes.
Spotting the man, her eyes flashed; she bucked wildly. Reaching her, he freed his massive member.
"That! Give me that! Quick! Now...!"
Celes shrieked like a madwoman, thrashing.
Chains held her back. She arched her ass instead, shaking it frantically.
Her dripping spot formed a puddle, ready for anything male-shaped. Minguk teased her entrance and murmured,
"Alright, real treatment starts now."
In Minguk's book, treatment began with an injection.