Raid Preparation (2)
The post-siege broadcast viewing had become part of my routine. For the first time in a while, I cracked open a cool can of beer and stared at the TV.
The broadcast was pouring out stories about me nonstop, but today, I couldn't focus. My mind was elsewhere, lost in thought so deeply that no sounds reached my ears.
If I'd pushed harder back then, could I have caught him?
No... There was no way to close the gap, no matter what. If it hadn't been the Griffin King, maybe.
What if I'd summoned Luitus right from the first clash and overwhelmed him? Would that have been better?
Then he probably would've summoned Dainess and fought, or abandoned Gwell Castle early and bailed. He didn't know Burning Star was coming, so he summoned his titan first to fight Phoenix.
It had started as a simple siege—just breaking the inner gates with a titan and helping clean up the obelisks. But then I ran into Darius out of nowhere.
In this vast Tayen—and especially after getting the Demon Sword, when he avoided the fields even more—running into Darius directly was incredibly rare.
For me, who wanted to kill him as soon as possible, it was a stroke of luck. Missing it left a huge pang of regret.
So I replayed the battle, pondering better choices...
At my current state, killing him was tough. I could win in a straight fight. No—with a bit more growth, I could overwhelm him. That confidence was real.
But Darius was a pro gamer veteran, former Rank 1, practically the current supreme user. In that fight, I'd expected him to hold out until Taesung reinforcements arrived.
Instead, he boldly used his titan to escape at an unexpected timing.
A guy who's done it once... no guarantee he won't do it again.
Even if another perfect chance arose to corner him, he'd likely have an escape ready. To kill him, striking during normal times—exploiting a gap—seemed higher odds than in battle.
Betrayal by allies or subordinates? He'd been burned once, so he'd be on high alert.
The most effective remaining option: a backstab while he was hunting.
In the end... I need to seriously consider teaming up with Dodak Tong's assassin squad...
Burning Star members had banded together to take him down, but strictly speaking, our setup wasn't ideal for assassinations. For field hunting backstabs, no one beat stealth thieves.
After fighting and reviewing, I had to admit Dodak Tong's approach was better suited for killing Darius.
Beep!
Having seen enough, I hit the bed early for dawn hunting.
Catching up to top rankers took over 3 months. Their time hadn't stopped—they'd grown stronger, geared up better. And Tayen was filling with new titan forces.
Three months of solid growth, but solo rampages were now much harder than planned.
But I'd never expected it easy. Smash new obstacles and leap over—that's it.
Now strong enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with rankers, I could lead instead of chase.
A path no one had trod. The one rankers walked—now I qualified to challenge it.
I'd been hunting since dawn, waiting for everyone to log in. Lately, even night owl Hyunjung hunted with the guild, turning him into a morning person—made it possible.
I quickly one-shotted the giant troll I was on and continued.
Could a guild have members this selfless? Riding a titan was every player's dream, job be damned.
Everyone scattered hunting, so we'd hand over the titan core later. Then I dropped the big announcement I'd mulled over all night.
Whoa! No one typed it, but I could tell they'd all gasped.
The green dragon Tu Mertus. Discovered a year ago in Gartwell Mountains update by self-proclaimed 'adventurers.'
Since then, he'd been etched as Tayen's strongest field boss.
Beyond Wyvern Nest at Silence Forest's end lay his lair. Many risked lives to see a dragon, but the high-level zone meant few reached it. Even fewer survived viewing his majestic form.
Not just first kill—seeing him cost lives. The ultimate boss: a dragon.
I planned to claim his first kill.
To boost guild power fast, this is the best way now.
A raid others would call insane. Even I knew it was a huge stretch.
But reasons demanded a dragon raid now.
Dragon first kill. Recall Levendas rewards—Tayen was generous with instance first clears/kills.
Field bosses with higher drops? No contest. That's how rankers like Darius stayed ahead: lavish rewards for challenges.
I couldn't yield this dragon first kill. Burning Star gets it: rewards beyond any event. Darius's crew: gap widens.
He thinks no one can take Tu Mertus yet. Or hasn't even considered it!
Darius likely saw it as premature. But when titans hit double digits?
No. He'd recall the lofty dragon deep in the forest and launch massive tries.
Timing when he assumed no one could raid it—perfect window, no interference.
With titans still rising, the clock was ticking.
Not just divine items. Killing the dragon meant achievements rivaling 'Liberator of the 7 Divine Weapons.'
Achievements shared equally—guild jumps in power instantly.
Chasing bit by bit? You're too tall mountains. I'll take the shortcut up. Risky, sure.
Thus, I began dragon raid prep. First step: fill Taming Monster skill slots, sealed since Ferari.