108. Warriors of Liberation

"Hoo... This ain't easy."

Owen, having booted Jerard from the fixed roster, reviewed the raid join applications provided by the Management Office with a heavy heart, selecting members one by one.

Checking every single application from the nearly 500 explorers each time was practically impossible, so they only skimmed the rough spec summaries compiled by the Raid Management Office.

Mages were accepted on sight regardless of specs, while archers and martial artists were filtered by minimum thresholds—so in practice, the only ones really getting scrutinized were the Jeonbung-i types.

That came out to about 200 people.

Warriors were currently the most undervalued class in raids, yet paradoxically, they made up the largest proportion of applicants.

Sure, they couldn't deal big damage to bosses right now, putting warriors at a disadvantage, but without them, raids flat-out wouldn't work.

Firepower shortages were secondary; maintaining the front line was something only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠warriors could handle.

Owen mechanically scanned the specs and checked the approval box.

Names were anonymized on the forms, only revealed once accepted into the raid party. Raid leaders couldn't see applicant details either.

It prevented crowds flocking to certain people or the same members getting cherry-picked repeatedly.

As Owen flipped through sheet after sheet, he noticed an unusually high number of weird entries in today's summaries.

"...?"

There was something off in the usual one-liner summary.

The last field was for special notes...

Typically, it'd be minor stuff like good hearing or medical knowledge.

But what the hell was this Super Strong Taunt?

"Someone messing with the form?"

Falsifying special notes got you banned from raid apps for the week on first offense.

Repeat it, and you'd hit the permanent blacklist—no more raids, period.

That's why weird crap like 'Super Strong Taunt' had weeded itself out early on...

"Hmm... Gotta verify if it's real, so maybe accept for now..."

To report the guy, Owen would need to let him in, check the skill firsthand, and record video evidence.

He flipped to the next sheet.

"Ha... Another one..."

What was with today? Everything felt off.

Taunt? Maybe he could claim it grabbed boss aggro somehow.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

But area buff? What nonsense was that? Mages or priests, sure—rare cases existed.

A warrior with an area buff?

"I'm losing my mind... Warriors griping about raid job shortages, did they all snap en masse?"

Owen shook his head and flipped again.

Flip—

"Hah..."

Words failed him now.

*

Two days later, raid day.

Owen entered the raid dungeon first.

"Hoo..."

A barren highland plateau, utterly featureless.

Light shimmered there, and people began trickling in.

"Hey, raid leader." "Let's do this, everyone!"

Team leads had met beforehand at the park dungeon for briefing.

This raid's boss: Giant Rock Lizard.

Balanced offense, defense, and mobility made it the textbook large monster—and thus a pain.

Goseongji's stream had it getting pummeled by a starlight mage, but that was outlier strength.

Its tough scales and agility for its size weren't mid-layer fodder.

High intelligence meant it sometimes targeted backline mages, demanding careful strategy.

Popularity? Obvious: Hot Spring Golden Tickets.

Elixir baths weren't just R&R—they boosted realms directly, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠always packed.

Most popular meant longest waits on failure.

No plans to fail, though.

Failure screamed casualties.

Explorers risked life by trade, but that didn't make it cheap.

Owen planned a slow, low-risk clear.

Mid-vow, commotion erupted.

Most had entered; they'd ditched prep to crowd one spot.

"Ooh..."

"No way, a dragon knight? Been ages!"

"Chimera labs back? Where'd he snag a dragon?"

Owen checked it out.

The dragon was rhino-sized—even visible from afar—but rider was...

"...Jerard? That you?"

"Owen, small world. Didn't expect your raid."

Booted him last raid, now this? Old friends, but awkward.

No... not the point.

"What the... that dragon? Explain."

"...Fortune smiled. Don't worry about me. I know better than anyone I fell short."

"...Jerard."

Owen sensed massive growth.

"Haha... Kid you sang about being a dragon knight nonstop, and here you are."

"Yeah... You always crushed my dreams, saying no real dragons."

"What could I do? You kept wanting boring dragon knight play."

Childhood tales eased the tension.

"Dragon got a name? You said Milabo-something as a kid?"

"Milaboreas."

"Was?"

Jerard looked enlightened.

"Son named him Dragonny."

"Gyaoooo-!!"

"...See? Thinks that's his name."

Raid-short version: Dragon shrank puppy-sized in shelter. Dungeon-born, powerless outside—power source cut off? Unclear.

Brought "puppy dragon" home; son thought magic pet, named Dragonny.

Was considering Magic Tower pet for son's dog wish...

No need now.

All in, prep done...

30 minutes: Giant Rock Lizard respawned.

*

Giant Rock Lizard strat: Warriors advance, poke boss first.

Premature spells pulled aggro to mages—backline crushed by charge.

Frontline needed to rile it up for safe mage DPS.

Mages/archers told to hold...

Fwoom—

Fireball on lizard's head.

Mage TL panicked at culprit.

"Wh-what?! I said hold!!!"

"Did I?"

Offender scratched head.

Damn... oblivious type? Skipped briefing?

Disaster from go...

Rooooar—!!!!

Lizard charged backline.

"Uwaaaah, Domhwangcha-!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Retreat! Scatter!!! Clump and you're dead!!!!"

Backline scattered in panic.

Redirecting aggro/reforming? Tough.

Too long, tickets expire—fail.

Worse: No block for charge now!!

Thud thud thud—!!

Screeech—!!!

"Stop!!!"

"Guh... Can't approach!!"

Charge? Warriors harass like flies—but blind rush? No dice.

"Uwaaak!! Save me!! Bad joints, can't run!!!"

"Crazy geezer, leggo my pants!!! We'll both die!!!!"

Mage-raid leader Owen despaired at approaching lizard.

Shit... Fail already...!

Was about to pull with his own spell...

Look at me-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One warrior's shout boomed.

Won't stop it, but...

Next words stunned:

Orphan ugly lizard with no parents-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lizard halted.

Sudden stop baffled all.

"Huh...?"

"Wh-what...?"

Lizard turned to source.

Yes-!!!!! Orphan lizard-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shield Jeonbung-i stood arms-crossed at spawn, bellowing.

"How...?!"

Aggro didn't work like that. No language, shouts no threat to that bulk.

Special skill then...

Owen recalled the form.

"No way... Super Strong Taunt... was real...?"

Lizard retargeted, charged shield guy.

"Damn!! Run!!!"

Avoided wipe, but now his life at risk. Boss locked on.

Thud thud—!!

Rooooar—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jerard on dragon arrived behind; shield hopped on.

Pre-charge: Skyward.

Taunt continued aloft.

Short-leg lizard no wings can't touch~?!!!!!!!!!!! Evolve to variant if mad-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Screeeeech—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Didn't understand, but raged skyward.

Attacks missed flying dragon.

Aggro fully theirs.

Owen seized it:

"G-good!! Now!! Hit the boss!!!!!!"

Sudden drums:

Dong- dong- dong- dong-

"What now...?"

Owen spotted topless frontliner drumming with club.

Weird, but...

Drums pumped him up. Mana cycled faster...

"Something's... boiling...!!!"

"Gozuaaa-!!!!!!!!!!"

Not just him—warriors, ranged all surged.

Panic raid rallied, reformed, attacked fiercely.

Not overwhelmingly stronger, but peak performance: No hesitation, sharp dodges.

Owen shivered again.

Form flashed:

"Holy...!! Area buff...!!!"

Dong- dong- dong- dong-

That day, Jeonbung-i's Liberation Drums echoed through the dungeon.

And Goseongji, streaming raid sneak-peek, captured it all...

"Holy..."