Chapter 54
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: The Complexity of Relationships
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Amid the public's burning interest, time truly flew by in the blink of an eye.
And during that time, Minguk had planned a raid on another [B-6] dungeon. Tackling a [B-5] one was still out of the question. Dungeons at [B-5], where 4-star special entities started appearing, would require at least 190 Gear Score across all team members before they could even attempt a clear.
With unlimited Revival Stones, maybe they could push it, but that wasn't their reality. They had to conserve Revival Stones as much as possible.
'For now, until then, focus on gearing up and gaining raid experience.'
Plus, just a few days ago, Ppuu had given him a quest after a long hiatus.
To the Hero of Reversal, Minguk!
The current dungeons must feel boring at your level, right? But you can't tackle high-level raids solo! Help your future heroic comrades grow!
[Goal] - Raise the average Gear Score of your four team members to 200!
[Duration] - Within 3 months
[Reward] - Five Orange-Grade Summon Tickets! (Using a ticket and clearing a 4-star special entity guarantees an Orange-Grade Crystal from the loot chest.)
As the proverb says, even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Prepare now to defeat the mighty Hordes of Darkness!
An average Gear Score of 200 as per the quest goal would theoretically suffice even for [B-6] dungeons. Of course, theoretically. Matching gear from loot chests alone could take months.
Damn duplicate drops were the culprit. But flipping it around, it was a simple quest: just buy the missing pieces at auction. Problem was, his team didn't have that kind of cash.
In the end, they'd have to raid dungeons for high-end gear they could use themselves or farm loot to sell for the funds to clear the quest.
"You're going to raid another dungeon?"
"Yeah. Ideally one with just five or six monsters."
"Those are a dime a dozen. We'll find a suitable [B-6] soon and let you know."
Finding a new [B-6] to raid wasn't hard. Seoul alone had dozens, all nuisances threatening public safety.
From the support team's dungeon list, Minguk picked one in Gwangjin-gu. No special reason. It was just near the "Tomb of the Condemned" they'd cleared before.
Maybe that's why? This [B-6] had a similar boss concept: all humanoid monsters.
Bwoooong!
A massive greatsword swung at the monster's legs. But the beast tanked Kim So-jeong's attack with raw toughness and charged at tank Oh Hyun-ah. Then an arrow plunged deep into the struck spot. And...
"Haaaaah!!!"
With a fierce shout, sparks of mana flew from Jeong Ye-rin's staff, unleashing a powerful freeze spell that iced and shattered the arrow's impact point.
- Groooaaarrr!!!
"...Huh?!"
An exclamation escaped Minguk's lips. The monster's health chunked away in an instant. Not a massive tens of percent, just around 1%. But for a boss's insane HP pool, that was shocking enough.
Hyun-ah was stunned too. Her eyes widened at the dealers' seamless combo. But only for a moment—she swung her sword at the incoming boss, mind blank.
'A combo?'
Minguk's eyes flicked across the dealers' faces. Pride shone on them after landing the hits.
'Not bad at all.'
He'd sensed a weird vibe among the dealers lately. They'd been hitting the practice room more, hungry for high raids. And now this in actual combat?
A grin spread across Minguk's face at their growth.
"Nice! Perfect! Keep playing like that!"
Ignoring the boss's eerie roar, Minguk clapped for the team. Higher dealer DPS meant faster clears.
Beep!
▶ Cleared "Rotten Swamp."
▶ 2 Achievement Points awarded to Hero Pad.
▶ Hero Compendium entries refreshed.
Minguk used three Revival Stones to clear "Rotten Swamp," which spawned six Grade 4 monsters. New foes, so their movements weren't perfect yet.
They scored three more from the loot chests. Revival Stones broke even, and selling the gear at auction would net a tidy profit.
"Still, we got some good stuff this time."
"Gear Score 200 items go for big bucks, but snagging them at 30% off is a steal."
Luckily, the run dropped three Hero-grade pieces for the team: a healer's accessory, dealer shoes, and gloves. Shoes for Yuna, gloves for So-jeong.
"Ah... Did we hit the auction house too soon? This Cheonho-dong lucky girl's power is unreal..."
"Dumped billions at auction for gear, and here's a tank who lucks into the same stuff in dungeons? Ppyung ppyung?"
Hyun-ah shot Yuna a glare at the teasing from behind.
This run poured out three Gear Score 200 tank pieces. Including prior loot, enough to half-armor a tank. No overlaps, even.
"...Hm?"
Exiting after the clear, Minguk spotted reporters flashing cameras at the dungeon entrance. At least a dozen.
"The star's fate... We'll head back and tidy up first. Take your time with the interview."
Ye-rin, following out, assessed the scene, massaged Minguk's shoulders, and nudged him forward. She led the team to the clan van. They were Team GGW too, but reporters ignored them, lenses locked on Minguk.
"No time for long chats, so quick questions only. Got a lot on my plate."
Minguk stepped up, and interview requests flooded in. Not a huge crowd, but their simultaneous shouts were dizzying.
"Whoa, hold up. Only one mouth here—one question at a time. You, ponytail lady?"
"Yoo Byul-hee from Harold Dungeon. Another successful [B-6] clear. Impressive for a rookie Ranker who just got raid cert this year. To achieve this..."
The question was standard, laced with intent to boost national morale. With the war on Hordes of Darkness raging, highlighting a Korean Raid Leader's feats made sense.
Minguk played along, giving soundbites. He didn't want to drag it out anyway, and wanted to spark hope for those riding heroes' highs and lows.
Then it came.
"Do you know Memoria's Hero Kim Sung-cheol?"
"Memoria?"
Minguk tilted his head at the sudden question. Vaguely familiar, but no strong memory—probably overheard once.
"Nah, no real ties there."
Short answer. Nothing more to say. He noticed the reporter's face stiffen slightly. Sensing something, words slipped out.
"Is there something about him I should know?"
"Uh, well... Know there are only four male Heroes active on the frontlines in Korea?"
"Yeah, heard from clanmates."
"That Kim Sung-cheol is the same Healer class as Hero Han Minguk?"
Ah... Now he remembered. The weirdo commenting on their SNS, the "GGW Diary," was Kim Sung-cheol. Questioning his choice of Rose Shield over Memoria.
And Minguk had replied with his ID.
As a senior male Hero, I'm proud you chose the risky path. But as Raid Leader, your judgment seems off. Rose Shield? Anyway, grow hard.
Yes. See you soon in [B-1].
Seemed innocuous: wholesome junior accepting senior advice.
But Minguk's intent was sarcasm at a guy who'd been backed by major clan Memoria for four years yet topped at [B-1].
Solid for otherworld raids—not top 1%, but top 20% maybe? Just not up to Minguk's standards.
Judging strangers on first glance? Shitty personality. Hyped as a rare male Hero?
"I know of senior Kim Sung-cheol's rep from team chatter. Cleared [B-1], right?"
"Yes. Recently, Hero Han Minguk's SNS post about him went viral. The one saying 'see you soon in [B-1]' where Kim mainly operates. Kim called it..."
"Uh... um."
Minguk cut in quick. No interest in needless drama. But ignoring a provocation? Not his style. As an aspiring villain extra, it was manners to clap back.
"Planning to hit top raids ASAP. But prep takes time. Our clan's finances are tight—no full support, even Revival Stones are a stretch."
"But Rose Shield's a Ranker clan? They give plenty compared to small ones, no?"
Topic shifted; another reporter jumped in. Minguk nodded.
"True. Exactly fifteen Revival Stones monthly. Not bad. But we've raided over thirty times this month alone."
"W-Without using them?"
"No way. Pre-settled next month's, actually two months ahead. These are our last lifelines. Burn 'em, and we're done raiding."
Reporters chuckled at Minguk's deadpan joke. Some didn't—ones tied to other clans.
"How's Rose Shield's gear support?"
"Can't disclose details, but we're buying personally now. I blew my signing bonus."
"Rose Shield's support seems poor for a Ranker clan. Any transfer thoughts?"
"Contract's sacred. Staying till it ends."
Of course, the interview aired that evening, lightly edited.
- How's Rose Shield's gear support?
- Rose Shield's support seems poor for a Ranker clan. Any transfer thoughts?!
And it caught the eye of Rose Group's third-gen heiress, Jo Soo-young, mid-fun with some guys.
"That's our clan's Hero?"
Spotting the interviewing man on TV, Jo Soo-young froze, mouth agape for five seconds. She shook her head, rubbing her eyes.
A guy with looks rivaling her current target, smiling at reporters. As Raid Leader, even his gestures exuded inexplicable grace.
Perfect match for a chaebol heiress like her.