Chapter 94
Chapter 94
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 94
Chapter Title: Swallowed by Darkness
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A sudden, icy chill crawled across the surface of my skin, carrying with it a primal terror that permeated every corner of the room. An overwhelming pressure descended, crushing the very air until it felt thick and suffocating, making it difficult to even maintain a steady footing. To the players present, this atmospheric shift felt utterly alien, a level of environmental storytelling that transcended standard game design.
The private soldiers were already succumbing to the weight of it, their bodies trembling violently as they collapsed to the floor in heaps. The cause of this collective paralysis stood directly before them: Drauder. His body was undergoing a grotesque mutation, his bulk swelling to more than double its original size while his entire form was stained an inky, pitch black. Eight massive, muscular arms protruded from his torso, twitching with a life of their own. He was no longer something that could be defined as human; he had become a nameless beast consumed by shadow.
Thud!
The silence of the room shattered as Hawk Knight Captain Alcareto, who had been standing closest to the transformation, crumpled to the floor. His earlier air of triumph had long since vanished, replaced by the hollow gaze of a man accepting his imminent demise. He watched blankly as the monster approached, a grotesque arm raised to strike.
But the hulking beast suddenly halted its advance. Its head snapped around with a sharp, predatory click toward a player who stood awkwardly with a blade embedded deep in the monster's leg.
[Silence has been cast!]
[Action Failed!]
[The opponent's ability is not recognized as a skill!]
[No silencing targets available!]
[......]
The iron mask covering the player's face glinted in the dim light. "Damn it all," Luke muttered under his breath.
* *
I had sensed an anomaly long before the transformation began. Drauder’s condition had turned bizarre without warning, prompting me to preemptively attempt a Silence spell to block his abilities. Unfortunately, the worst-case scenario had manifested: his mutation was a physical state rather than an active skill, making it impossible to suppress with standard debuffs.
I looked at the creature’s information, or lack thereof. Name, Type, Level, and Status were all listed as "Unknown." Even the red HP gauge had vanished from my vision. "What the actual fuck!" I cursed. A level 154 Named NPC was already a nightmare to face, but this hidden monstrous form broke all the rules of regional balance.
-GRRAAAAAHHH!
A hope-devouring roar echoed through the stronghold, causing some of the soldiers to lose their grip on sanity. The players reeled in confusion, paralyzed by the unforeseen twist. Luke realized that if they didn't act now, they would be slaughtered individually.
"Barrier—!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs.
"On it!" came the immediate response from Rookie Rank 3, the Holy Knight Baek Eun. He thrust his hand toward Luke, and a shield-shaped wall of light erupted from the ground just as Drauder's massive arm smashed into the space. The protective wall shattered instantly under the force, but it bought Luke the necessary seconds to retreat and rejoin the group.
Baek Eun was already rallying the others, exhibiting the quick thinking of a top-tier player. Beside him, the Fist Master Roxie dropped into a combat stance, her eyes fixed on the monstrosity. "This thing is disgusting," she noted. "No level, no health bar... Rover Company is really pushing their luck with this bullshit. Do they actually expect us to kill this?"
"What is the plan?" Baek Eun asked, turning to Luke.
Luke looked at the creature. After its initial roar, it had become dormant, closing in with an excruciatingly slow, dragging gait. A thief in the crowd, thinking he saw an opening, stepped forward to test the beast’s reaction speed. "This bastard won't even—"
CRUNCH!
The thief’s sentence ended along with his life. The creature’s speed was deceptive; while its movement was sluggish, its striking power was instantaneous. The players began to argue amongst themselves—some wanted to DPS the monster from range, while others thought the risk was too great. All eyes eventually turned to Roxie, Baek Eun, and the Iron Mask Guy.
Luke scowled beneath his mask. He had no desire to lead this ragtag group. If it were up to him, he would have bolted from the stronghold already. Unlike the others, he didn't have the luxury of a respawn; one death meant a permanent return to the Sentinel mega-prison. He was eyeing the escape routes when a sharp, high-pitched siren began to wail in his head.
Whirr. Whiiiir!
The field began to tint a deep crimson, and shimmering barriers erupted around the perimeter, sealing the room. Most players panicked, but the three experts knew exactly what this meant.
‘A raid?!’ ‘Fuck, we are truly screwed!’
* *
[The Raid Boss 'Drauder Devoured by Darkness' has appeared!]
[A Boss Raid has been initiated!]
[The Raid Field is now forming!]
[Escape is impossible until the Boss is defeated or the party is wiped!]
[Target: Drauder Devoured by Darkness (0/1)]
[Time Limit: None]
[Rewards: ?]
A raid was specialized content where large groups were forced to work together to hunt high-level monsters. The crimson barrier meant there was no way out except through victory or death. Usually, raids were high-risk, high-return events that players prepared for weeks in advance. A forced, sudden raid like this was every player's nightmare.
Luke counted the forces: twenty players and roughly fifty NPCs, including a few knights. He realized he had to lead them; he couldn't afford to lose his hidden class or his single life. 'Calm down,' he told himself. 'If the system triggered a raid, there has to be a mechanical way to win. There must be a weakness or a pattern shift.'
He felt a wave of regret for not bailing the moment his Steal attempt failed, but it was too late for that now. He had never participated in a raid in his life—he was a thief who specialized in stealing raid drops, not earning them. He sighed deeply, raising his kukri and the Braincleaver.
Roxie and Baek Eun moved to flank him. "I knew you would step up," Roxie said, her voice steady.
"I don't know if I can tank that thing," Baek Eun admitted, "but I'll give you everything I've got."
The three of them advanced, and the rest of the survivors locked their eyes on their backs. Luke raised his voice, his tone authoritative and cold.
"From this moment on... we are taking that bastard down."