Divine-Grade Shield (1)
Clang!Clang!Kiiing!Kiiing!
Despite its size towering over two meters, the cries it let out every time it took a hit reminded him of some mangy village mutt. Thanks to that, even its ferocious appearance—with three heads that would terrify most female players—now felt almost endearing.
"Whoa! Dro, the holy sword's damage is no joke the more I see it!"
"What do you expect from a holy sword? It's made for shredding demons and undead! Even if another ten years pass in Taitonic, nothing's gonna outdamage it against these guys."
Among the divine weapons, it was one of the Seven Divine Treasures, and it had light attribute power to boot... Could any other weapon even compare to those two factors?
Sure, something might come close by some fluke, but the symbolic weight of the "holy sword" made it unlikely to have options that boosted damage against these pests quite like this.
In short, it's like wielding the world's endgame gear, but demon-exclusive!
Which meant their hunting speed was downright cheat-level—there was no other way to put it. And on top of that, Hyunjung's and Chuk Bing's auras and buffs were cranking it up even further.
Aura of Struggle. A paladin's signature skill that, at five stars, boosted attack power and speed by 15% for himself and all allies in range.
Paladins could use "auras"—multi-target special buffs—but only one at a time, so they swapped them situationally. Most invested skill points in at least two: one for offense, one for defense.
Then there were the healer's classic buffs: Light of Protection and Light of Vitality. The former cut all damage by 20% for 10 seconds on the target—a ridiculously overpowered effect. The latter bumped attack speed and movement speed by 10% each.
With a paladin and healer in the party, plus Taitonic's top DPS dealer? Even in a high-level zone, the mobs melted like butter.
"These things are late 300s to 400-level, right? How's this even possible? Demon mobs are infamous for their insane attack power."
"Huh? I've always hunted mobs 70 or 80 levels above me, so this feels normal? Is it weird?"
"Gasp! I've pulled high-level mobs relative to my gear too, but hyungnim, you've been doing that? Even with divine weapons, that's a whole different class."
"Ra Chan, just let that slide in one ear and out the other. He's an ecosystem-disrupting freak who makes everyone else's grinding feel pointless."
"Chuk-gul, you got a grudge lately? Mad 'cause I almost caught up to your level?"
Apparently, Hyunjung had helped Ra Chan with mob pulling a few times during his level-ups, and they'd gotten pretty chummy already.
"Everyone, hold up! Another one! Focus!"
Blessed Pabol—the party's mage, Chuk Bol unni—shouted the warning, halting their advance. Ahead loomed a lower demon: a Demon Follower.
These elite-tier demon mobs had popped up a few times already, and true to their fiendish nature, their AoE attacks were seriously threatening. So they'd practiced a special coordinated pattern.
"Holy Benediction!Consecutive Slash!"
"Heal!"
Hyunjung opened with aggro solely on him. Ra Chan and Chuk Bol unni chipped in from range, but Dro didn't land a single hit—watching Hyunjung tank and DPS under a storm of heals.
"Insolent humans! Taste the flames of hell! Inferno of the Abyss!"
Once its HP dropped enough, it unleashed its AoE. The party had spread out, so only Hyunjung ate the flames.
And that was Dro's cue.
Pssht!
After stacking his self-buffs, he Shadow Stepped behind it, unloading every instant skill into its skull in one brutal cycle.
"Gaaah! He will not forgive you!"
Just like that—even a demon monster—dropped in seconds.
"Kya! That DPS is insane no matter how many times I see it. It's just a regular mob, but as a demon, it's quasi-field-boss tier... and you one-shot it!"
"Hehe!"
Dro had never really considered party hunting before. Sure, hogging EXP for fast levels played a part, but his tech tree didn't need heals at all. Substituting MP for HP, his char screamed solo efficiency over parties.
But hunting like this? Parties might actually be viable. No MP recovery downtime—just chain kills.
"First party hunt and we're already this smooth. Teamplay's clicking. You guys are pros, so it syncs right up!"
Sure, he could've soloed the Demon Follower, but spreading damage like this? Practice for the dungeon's final boss: the titan. Teamplay prep.
A few Demon Followers en route to the temple, and despite being newbies at partying, they gelled fast. Hyunjung's crew—Blessed Family—had tons of group experience; adding two DPS was seamless.
Plus, Hyunjung's map reading was surprisingly sharp. They cleared methodically yet swiftly, reaching the temple front.
Columns that should've gleamed white marble now lay charred and toppled.
As they climbed the stairs toward the entrance, a lich materialized from thin air—an undead, floating silently.
"What? Mid-boss?"
"Nah, look closer! It's not a mob—it's an NPC!"
Perfect lich aesthetic, but overhead floated a nameplate straight out of NPC lore: Guardian Hesed.
Sub-quests or story NPCs in instances weren't rare, but one looking like a monster? First time.
It didn't aggro, so tank Hyunjung approached. The lich spoke.
"At last... the savior of this city... and us... has come. A millennium... such a long wait..."
"What? Who are you?"
"I was this city's guardian... but failed in my duty. A fool who chose poorly... and was trapped here for a thousand years... the cursed... Hesed..."
With that, a long-overdue cinematic mode unfolded.
It opened on a vibrant ancient city amid lush green plains—clearly this underground city's former glory, judging by layout and scale.
But verdancy was fleeting. Massive, ominous red portals erupted across the land. Demons and fiends poured forth.
A thousand years ago: the moment the Demon King's invasion of the mortal realm began.
Forests and plains withered instantly around the portals. The city and neighbors activated massive magic circles enveloping them, barely staving off the spreading "demonification" wildfire.
So this is Desra Desert's origin! Where the Demon King's first descent and demonification hit hardest... Explains the massive scale and ruins everywhere!
The barriers held against corruption, but not the Demon King's army. Walls crumbled fast; the city burned.
Citizens fled to this grand temple—where they stood now. The army razed everything, reaching the temple.
As the lead demon stepped forward, a massive hammer crushed its skull. A colossal steel knight in white-gray armor: a titan.
Focus lingered on the titan before the cinematic faded.
"We could not hold against the Demon King's invasion... But my proud son Fade... with his titan... defended this city to the end. No reinforcements came... We could not endure alone. In the end, my son fell honorably in noble battle... but a high demon's curse... turned him into a wicked spirit..."
Floating with glowing red eyes, it screamed monster. But after the tale? Even knowing it was AI, a pang of paternal tragedy hit hard.
Like tearing up at a sad movie despite knowing it's fake—this didn't feel silly at all.
"To lift my son's curse, I became a lich... Truly foolish. My power could not free him, no matter what... So I beg you... Liberate my son's soul, trapped in the titan... from the curse. Then I too can rest..."
Liberation of the Cursed Titan
Liberation of the Cursed Titan: One-Time Quest
* Clear Difficulty: A
* In the forgotten mage era, every city had a guardian titan.
* Save this city's titan—and its rider, Fade(!)—from wicked spirit possession(!).
* Quest Clear Condition: Defeat the Cursed Titan
* Quest Clear Reward: Titan Ownership (First Clear Reward)
"It... it's here!"
"Whoa! Jackpot! Dro was right!"
Cheers erupted from the party.
"Instance with first-clear rewards are rare, and we hit the big one! Heart's pounding—been ages!"
"First time in a dungeon like this, oppa!"
Even cool-headed Chuk Bing and loosened-up Chuk Bol unni couldn't hide their hype.
And why not? The quest confirmed it: Beat the boss, claim the titan!
"Still says 'First'—Taeseong failed. Even their elites couldn't clear it, so with me here or not, it'll be tough. Everyone, stay sharp to the end for that sweet reward!"
"Yeah! Cool the hype, focus up! Aja aja, fighting!"
Story done, quest secured—no more delays. They stepped into the temple.
A 20-meter vaulted ceiling. Roof intact, yet lit bright by light-magic pillars.
At the far end: a massive statue. Steel knight wielding giant shield and warhammer. Unmistakably a titan.