Chapter 213

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 213

Chapter Title: Spec Up

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"Focus a little more! Keeping your distance is key in fights against these guys!"

"Yes, sir!"

Yeong Ye-rin ignited her fighting spirit and rallied her resolve in response to Minguk's shout, their foreheads pressed together.

"Mana bursts are fine to take—just tank them with heals! But Fire Strike and Mana Bombs? Dodge those no matter what! Got it?!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Your damage output's solid! Keep it up, but pay more attention to the enemy's movements!"

"Yes, sir!"

Minguk smacked Yeong Ye-rin's cheeks hard, offering feedback laced with encouragement.

The sharp slap-slap echoed loudly, but it was nothing for a hero. Feedback from the others followed. Their lack of combat experience had led to too many mistakes.

But correcting those mistakes through feedback was what built skill. And the members of Team GGW were quick learners when it came to their errors—they'd been trained that way up to now.

"Hoo..."

After delivering intense feedback on the latest try to all nine heroes, Minguk caught sight of his sweat-soaked self and suddenly recalled scenes from sports matches.

The coaches yelling tactics at women's basketball or volleyball players looked a lot like him right now.

'No wonder they grab faces and shout...'

He'd been doing the same to his team. A raid leader wasn't just a commander—they were part coach, too.

That's why overseas, raid leaders were sometimes called captains or even managers. In the Imperial Guard, it was raid leader or just leader.

With that, the next golem squad try began.

"Three on the left! Two on the right! Kendall, Giselle—stick to the left!"

Boosted by the Vudsen sisters' focused heals, Oh Hyun-ah handled three golems while Tanya and the dealers cleared the subordinate golems on the right.

The tries weren't easy.

Fire Strikes and Mana Bombs rained from all sides, each attack potentially lethal to the heroes—especially if they hit tanks or healers, sparking crises across the raid.

Still, Team GGW learned to handle golem packs, sacrificing themselves as needed. Phoenix Knight's double wing flaps and Minguk's Yggdrasil revives proved huge helps, covering one or two team mistakes.

"Got 'em...!"

"Kya-aaack!!!"

After thirty-two tries, Team GGW downed the golem squad and pressed on through Stone Mountain Dungeon, venting frustrations along the way.

"You know Team GGW? They're tackling the Hanam Dungeon now?"

"Hanam? You mean Stone Mountain Dungeon?"

"Wasn't that managed by R's first string? Grade 7 monsters spawn there, right?"

Heroes everywhere were stunned to learn Team GGW had entered Stone Mountain Dungeon, rated 【A-5】 difficulty.

Of course, they acknowledged Han Minguk's stellar leadership and Team GGW's solid record from the Vietnam and China dungeon breaks.

But Team GGW's heroes, Minguk included, were all fresh licenses—barely two or three years in.

And now they were facing Grade 7 monsters, the top-tier beasts. For comparison, their license peers were barely clearing 【B-5】 or 【B-6】 dungeons.

"Their growth speed is insane..."

"They say Minguk's working them like mad."

"What's that guy's deal? Second life? Third?"

"How can we mortals understand geniuses? Anyway, impressive."

Even frontline top heroes marveled at Team GGW's pace.

If they'd been global prospects hyped pre-license, it'd make sense. But aside from Tanya Russo, the Vudsen sisters, and Japan's rising star Shiranui Mai, the rest had middling evaluations at licensing.

Shin Na-yeon from Memoria was the notable exception with high marks, but no one cracked domestic prospect single digits. The best barely scraped top 100.

Choi Yuna hadn't even charted—total no-name. Yet now she was a 6-star hero smashing Grade 7s with Minguk.

The public naturally cheered Team GGW's rapid rise.

In tough times with endless dungeon breaks souring moods, heroes strong enough to draw global eyes protecting home was pure good news.

And the show where Minguk was the sole hero guest, My Priceless Hero, naturally covered it.

"Team GGW's 【A-5】 raid is huge buzz lately—how's it feel?"

"...Not much. Just wanna clear monsters faster? The raid's dragging a bit, honestly worrying me. Need that Blue clearance soon, but Grade 7s are trickier than expected."

Main MC Su-ah's question got a head-shake from Minguk.

"Grade 7 beasts are no joke, yeah."

Han Dami nodded vigorously in agreement.

"You've faced Grade 7s too, Hero Han Dami—what's your take?"

"Like Minguk said, tough customers. Fail to down 'em in time, they charge Void Mana and wipe the raid—or suddenly power up fast. One slip for heroes means death, and fights drag so long that failed clears leave you cursing in despair. Happens a lot."

Footage rolled of raids vs. Grade 7s—looked like Memoria's first string.

Ten heroes bravely charged a screen-filling colossal monster.

The brutal fight followed: hero blasts exploding nonstop, monster attacks crushing with spine-chilling ferocity even through the screen.

The three civilian panelists watched mouths shut tight. Grade 7 fights were scarier than imagination.

"Whoa, incredible. Heroes like them fighting those dungeon horrors let us live safe."

So-dam, breathless till the end, burst with awe, eyeing Minguk with mixed emotions.

"Ah, but during the raid, there was that unfortunate crowd incident..."

Su-ah gingerly asked Minguk.

Everyone knew civilians mobbing Stone Mountain Dungeon had caused Team GGW headaches—it was true.

"Fans showing love generously, put nice—but yeah, messy. Frankly, trekking to Stone Mountain? Straight-up insane."

Su-ah paused at his viewer scolding.

"Dungeons are deadly. Your life's one and precious—cherish it."

Minguk looked genuinely pissed.

He was. A monster breakthrough could've been catastrophe. Military would've reacted, but people are unpredictable.

"Yeah, dungeons are real dangerous. Korea's still healing from breaks—Daegu's barely over a decade ago. Everyone, stay cautious."

Hero Han Dami backed him, slamming safety complacency.

Vietnam and near neighbor China's breaks meant Korea had to stay vigilant.

"But it got resolved fine, at least..."

"Nearly died signing autographs. Clan Leader Oh Hyun-jung suffered most—whipping up Minguk merch from thin air."

"Huh? Thin air?"

So-dam tilted her head. Weren't heroes loaded?

Minguk continued as if expecting that.

"R's isn't some moneybags clan. Sub-tank Tanya Russo was from Memoria originally—we eyed her recruitment but lacked funds, so Memoria loaned her big-picture style."

"Aha..."

This was all cleared with Oh Hyun-jung and Raon Group's third-gen, Memoria owner Kim Tae-yeon. Airing it? Sponsor bait, obviously.

More cash meant more talent and Revival Stones. Hero gear scaled exponentially with Gear Score. Even with parent Rose Group, couldn't dump all funds into Rose Shield.

"Heroes rake it in, we hear—so we checked. Vietnam break, downed Garai (Twelve Calamities minion), Vietnam's hero and world-noted raid leader Han Minguk's contract...!?"

The studio erupted in near-screams.

"Th-this can't be! $75k weekly? That's our clan's second-string pay!"

Han Dami shot up, yelling at the contract sheet.

The studio buzzed hot. Minguk's deal was slave-tier given his skill. Details were decent-ish, but still pathetic for him.

Prime controversy fodder. But while panelists raged, Minguk felt zilch.

'$75k a week? That's bank...'

Plus clan covered food, board, everything—no expenses. Loot splits? Post-Imperial Guard hunts, raids kept desired gear tax-free. Unused stuff split 2:8 clan-raid.

"Not a hero, can't judge contracts... Hero Han Minguk, satisfied with yours?"

"Hm... Yeah. Wish more Revival Stone support, but tied to clan's revival team schedule—limits exist."

"Beyond stones—your pay, raid bonuses?"

"No real spending, don't care. Most bank goes to stones anyway. Hero gear? Loot dungeons."

"Ah... Self-gearing hero raid? What cheat code...?"

Han Dami gawked.

Nonstop dungeon grinding like GGW? Brutal—akin to grinding the raid leader into dust.

PD, stocked on Minguk footage, moved to next site: film the five stars raiding in sync.

Minguk's My Priceless Hero stint? Done.