Chapter 204
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Fun Broadcast Filming
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‘It's already the 50th episode... Who on earth could today's guest be?’
Even though filming was underway, Sodam—the leader of the idol group Confidential and a regular panelist on My Precious Hero—couldn't focus on the show at all.
The heroes who fought darkness monsters for humanity were practically her idols.
That's why this time, when she could meet a hero still active on the front lines, felt like pure bliss to Sodam.
‘A ranker? Top 10 clan? Well, it's the 50th episode, so they probably booked heroes from a ranker clan. If possible, someone from Memoria or the Strong Women guild would be amazing.’
It was clear the PD had lined up a special guest for this milestone episode. Her intuition told her so. The atmosphere on set was markedly different from usual. Even the main MC, known for being so chatty the cast called her a gossip, had her lips sealed tight—nothing ordinary about that.
"Our precious program has already hit 50 episodes! Heroes with worries have come to us for help, and we've banded together to support them. Plenty have said it made a real difference, right?"
"Exactly. Some of those guests are now getting recognition for their talents, honing their skills in ranker clans."
"You mean Hero Lee Se-young? Every time I read about her, my heart swells with pride."
Including the main MC, the other hosts felt the same buzz as Sodam. But as pros, the MCs and panelists smoothly powered through the opening.
"Yes, she's active in Ewha Clan these days. And speaking of which, Hero Han Dami from Ewha Clan is here with us today. You're practically a full-time broadcaster now, aren't you?"
"Hey! I still clear an 【A】-rank dungeon every single week without fail."
"Don't you skip training for shoots? Think the raid leader will let you trial in?"
"I'm a veteran in my own right, you know?"
The one host wearing gear score equipment—a stunning beauty—pouted her lips playfully.
With the small talk wrapped up, it was time to introduce the guest. Main MC Sua glanced at the PD and writers before speaking.
"Finally, time to introduce today's guest. Sodam's favorite moment, right?"
"Hahaha..."
"Anyway, I felt something off the moment I arrived on set today. The vibe was all tense."
"Totally, I got that too."
Everyone nodded in agreement at Sua's words. The set's atmosphere was worlds away from normal.
"But when I checked the cue cards, the guest slot—which is always filled—was completely blank? We usually greet guests lightly before filming, but the writers hid everything like there was no one coming."
"No way... Is Hero Han Dami filling in as advisor solo today? No guest?"
"Oof. I can hear the ratings dropping over 10%. Is this the finale? We should throw a wrap party after filming."
The panelists burst into laughter at the cheeky joke, tossing lines back and forth with the easy rapport of long-time collaborators.
"Not impossible, but our PD would bet his life on ratings. Feels like they snagged someone huge..."
"N-No way! Her?!"
Sodam's eyes widened at Sua's words. If it was a huge guest, only one name came to mind.
"You mean... from Memoria?"
"K-Kang Chaeyoung?"
As the moment for the milestone 50th-episode super guest arrived, the set heated up. They all sensed a hero with an utterly different presence was about to appear.
"Alright! Please welcome the hero here to help our precious ones today!"
The guests craned their necks amid applause.
And soon, their faces twisted in shock. A completely unexpected hero was approaching them slowly.
"Hello."
It was Han Minguk.
"Gasp?!"
"Wha... Wha...? Huh?! Kyaa!"
Dami shot up from her seat without thinking upon seeing Minguk's face.
She slammed her knee hard into the studio table, wincing in pain. Naturally, the cameras caught every bit of it.
Minguk, settling into the empty seat, asked Dami cautiously.
"That looked like a nasty bump. You okay?"
"Y-Yes, yep. This is nothing."
"Whoa, damn! PD Jo! What the hell did you do?! How'd you even book him?!"
The studio erupted into chaos at Minguk's entrance.
Including hero Dami, all the female cast couldn't tear their eyes from his face. Even the sole male panelist, Choi Seonwoo, was no different.
"I-Is this really our show? You're actually here?"
Main MC Sua, who had freaked out at his appearance, stared wide-eyed.
No matter her status as a top veteran MC in entertainment, Minguk was the hero of heroes—who'd crushed one of the Twelve Calamities' minions in the expansion and saved Vietnam. He'd even commanded the Imperial Guard—one of humanity's last bastions as raid leader—to resolve the crisis. In terms of domestic fame, he surpassed even Memoria's Kang Chaeyoung; he was an idol among idols.
"Whoa... No wonder the writers were so tight-lipped. I should've known. The set felt weird from the start."
Another panelist, Jisoo, who had frozen in shock, spoke up excitedly.
Sodam beside her just stole glances at Minguk's face, saying nothing. His handsome features left her mind in a whirl, unsure what to say.
"You know what? Ever since Hero Han Minguk arrived, Sodam hasn't said a word. That's not our Sodam..."
Sua naturally spotted it.
"Right? Sodam unnie, aren't you being too shy?"
Male panelist Choi Seonwoo chimed in. His behavior toward Minguk was a total contrast to how he acted with others.
At their words, Minguk turned to Sodam.
‘She's an idol, right?’
He didn't recall the group name well, but she was from a hugely popular one. And on the show, she drew fans with her broad raid knowledge, seeming like an active hero herself.
Under the panelists' teasing, Sodam glanced at Minguk again and murmured in a trembling voice.
"Q-Quiet. He's so handsome it's hard to breathe."
The studio dissolved into laughter at Sodam's mutter. Yet they all nodded understandingly—his looks were that breathtaking.
Then, the maknae and male panelist Seonwoo fired a question at Minguk.
"Hero Han Minguk, out of everyone here, who do you think is the prettiest?"
"Who’s the prettiest?"
The question came out of nowhere, but his instincts kicked in.
His gaze had already shifted to the four women present. Those laughing in various poses instantly straightened up, striking cute ones.
‘Hmm...’
Main MC Sua was out first.
Pretty name, but that was it. She had overflowing human charm, but the question was about prettiness.
Dami was out too. Simple reason: she was a hero.
‘That leaves...’
Jisoo and Sodam.
A model and an idol, both beautiful and alluring. But the choice wasn't hard.
"Sodam."
His tastes aligned more with her looks.
"...Pardon?"
Seonwoo, who'd asked, blinked in surprise at Minguk's straightforward answer.
He'd expected Dami. It was a slight curveball. Minguk replied calmly.
"I excluded Hero Han Dami. She's mana awakened, after all."
Dami, who'd seemed indifferent, broke into a wide smile. Sodam, chosen, covered her face in disbelief.
Various questions followed for broadcast filler, and Minguk answered each one. Then the main recording kicked off.
"Today's heroes for coaching include a lot of 2-stars."
"Oh? This one's been licensed for a while."
"Yeah? Hero Choi Byul. Twenty-three years old—awakened early, huh?"
A party of three 2-stars and two 1-stars.
One was a full seven-year veteran hero. But with gaps in activity, her dungeon clears weren't numerous.
They looked fine at a glance—no obvious issues.
But every hero on this show had some flaw. Fixing it was the point.
"First, we'll air one broadcast. Footage of them tackling a dungeon with the film crew. We'll watch and spot their problems."
"Man... Today's got me hyped. Hero Han Minguk's a raid leader—bet he has a killer eye."
"We'll see. I'll do my best, anyway."
Minguk smiled and shook his head at Seonwoo's words. The footage rolled.
‘A 2-star dungeon?’
The video showed a tank, a melee dealer, two ranged dealers, and a healer cautiously entering.
Soon, monsters emerged at the heroes' approach—ghoulish undead. Combat began.
[Kill it! Two on the left!]
[One straight ahead!]
Minguk watched intently. Sure enough, the fight was a mess.
The tank only held aggro on monsters right in front. Dealers dumped raw DPS without managing their own threat.
The healer did decently, but lacked crowd control for chaotic melees— a glaring gap.
Still, the heroes won.
The undead couldn't withstand the DPS. Against tougher foes, it'd be a wipe guaranteed.
‘But the immediate issue...’
Nothing glaring.
The visible chaos screamed inexperience. Accounting for that, this coaching seemed straightforward.
Next, the named boss fight.
A lich-like monster summoning undead, exploding corpses for damage when minions fell. It fired dark arrows at a party member.
[Explosion?! Argh!]
[Wha?! Kyaa!]
The party wiped on the first named. They DPSed hard but had zero pattern prep. No one to call it out either.
‘Total disaster. Zero preparation.’
A letdown.
They ignored raid basics and showed no study.
Even GGW's bottom-tier 1-star heroes fought better than that—purely relying on mana, charging blind.
"DPS is solid, but the fight feels sluggish. Tunnel vision much?"
"Tank's defense looked fine, though?"
"Healer's recovery was good too. This too easy?"
Surprisingly, panelists gave positive takes.
"Tech needs work, but no big issues. Experience, maybe?"
Dami agreed.
She figured the PD booked near-top heroes—they fought better than expected.
"What do you think, Hero Han Minguk?"
All eyes turned to him at Sua's question. What would the man who'd led the Imperial Guard to fell Garuda's minion think of this fight?
‘How to put this...’
After a moment's thought, Minguk gathered his words.
"Not a single raid prep from A to Z. What did they even teach at Hero Academy?"
Since he was on the show, he'd make them pull their weight.