Chapter 19
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Persuasion (1)
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Regardless of the hidden stage kicking off, the task for these four teams was set in stone.
"Let's cut to the chase. Our main goal is escape."
"Escape during a raid? That ever happen easy-like?"
After Colton gave his team a rough rundown, while they were catching their breath, Jun held a quick meeting with him about their next moves.
"Everything's got a process to it, right?"
"What's that supposed to mean, all of a sudden?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. No such thing as an impossible escape in a raid. Just something blocking the way out."
The common wisdom on raid escapes was that they were impossible until the boss was dead.
But that was just a symptom of the underlying process. Meaning, once you figured out the process, a solution existed.
"Proof of that? Every raid has a different reason you can't bail midway."
"Hm...? Yeah, that tracks when you think about it."
Colton nodded, recalling a few raids that came to mind.
"And the Black Forest raid? The entrance is sealed by that black barrier. Ring any bells?"
"...Ah! The one your buddy nabbed! Looks just like it!"
"Right. But killing the Fairy Queen isn't the only way to drop that barrier."
Get the Beast Knight inside, Pride's approval, and it'd vanish on its own.
Plenty of ways to clear the barrier, in other words.
"Hmm..."
"The way to break the raid's entrance barrier? It's with the Forest Guardian. Gotta kill it."
"So it's with the raid boss after all. Least that's something—no Fairy Queen showdown."
Colton shuddered, probably flashing back to her awakening shriek.
"That why you said not to kill those adventurers?"
"They're level 3 users either way. Bluntly, we couldn't take the Forest Guardian solo."
"Fair point."
Colton nodded there too.
"Gotta take down the Forest Guardian... Doesn't change what we've gotta do."
"Yeah. Clear the dungeon."
Beating the dungeon bosses would weaken the Forest Guardian.
So even with this mess, dungeon clear was the goal.
"Whew... Damn it all. Better head out now."
Three hours of dungeon crawling later, they reached the boss room.
Should've been an hour tops, but post-Fairy Queen awakening, monster spawns had spiked, slowing them down.
Faces weary, but no whining allowed.
"Listen up! We fight or we die like dogs."
"Then let's smash 'em and grab a beer, Captain!"
"When we ever had it easy?"
"Rip 'em all apart!"
Good news: merc morale held steady.
Fear bred uncertainty, but with a clear path forward, humans marched on.
Mercs, always risking necks, knew delaying helped nobody.
"Alright, let's go."
Jun's [Light] lit the cavern.
[Light]
Inside loomed a massive Steel Bug, gazing down imperiously.
"Ugly bastard..."
Giant Steel Bug.
Forest essence-mutated freak.
Dungeon boss—and their target to weaken the Forest Guardian.
Kiriririk.
Six of eight legs propped its grounded bulk; the other two were huge blades.
Unlike regular Steel Bugs from the jump, but Colton noted something else.
"Like the mage said, it's covered head to toe in mold."
Purple mold coated its joints.
New since Fairy Queen awakening.
Released toxic spores on any bump—annoying as hell.
But not for Jun.
Before it moved, Jun chanted.
[Aqua]
Image invoked: massive waterfall on a mountain.
Magic responded, summoning a torrent over the Giant Steel Bug.
Kirrrrk?!
"Good! Charge!"
As it shook off the surprise deluge, Colton barked orders.
Mercs, cloths over mouths and noses, rushed in safe.
Wet spores wouldn't fly.
'Whew. Hope those guys hold up.'
Jun prepped the next spell, eyeing the mercs warily.
Mutant Giant Steel Bug dangers went beyond spores.
Boosted physicals meant more strain on its distractions.
"Dodge no matter what! Don't overcommit—just hold aggro!"
Colton, briefed by Jun, danced around pulling focus.
Goal: buy time for Jun's next cast.
'One-shot it.'
Mercs had its eyes off him for now, but fail to drop it quick, and Jun was next.
Raging bug would overwhelm them.
[Interpreting Divine Words...]
[Interpretation complete.]
[Divine Words: Reducing influence of 'Odyssey of the Lazy Pilgrim' by 10%.]
Hand off choker, focus mana.
Merc clamor faded; only mana flow and mental image remained.
Image: relentless storm rain, striking lightning.
And lightning rods ringing it.
Heaven's unpredictable wrath slammed the rods on instinct.
[Dual Chant]
[Enchantment: Elemental Armory]
[Metal Attribute]
Metal enchants finished on spare weapons stabbed around the bug by mercs.
[Detecting Target]
Mana markers locked bug and grounded weapons for the follow-up.
Then.
[Lightning Whip]
Lightning burst from Jun's fingertips.
Kirik?
Bug glanced at mana pulse too late.
Thunder-lash struck instantly.
Prior waterfall spread the devastating shock through its body.
Jun poured more mana into [Lightning Whip], sustaining it.
"Ngh...!"
Overwhelming compared to Goblin Lord fight.
But mana drain exceeded tweaks—circuits burned red despite ocean reserves.
'Die already!'
Against wishes, it thrashed with tenacious life.
No escape.
Metal weapons around it channeled the whip.
Kiiiiiiii——!!
Trapped in thunder-god cage of pulsing blue, it screamed.
Cage faded only after it stilled.
Giant Steel Bug confirmed dead: blue gate spawned.
'Gotta check these out sometime.'
Jun eyed it.
'Fantasy tales back home had warp magic everywhere in games and comics.'
But in <Blackout>, spatial magic intel was rare as hen's teeth.
Even for current Jun, rumors were scarce.
'Spatial magic'd be prime for getting home... Tsk.'
Not even Lee Jung-jun era glimpsed it in-game.
Only chances: mystery dungeon warp gates like this.
'Saw 'em as game convenience then...'
Staring now tangled thoughts.
Colton spoke up.
"Not going?"
"...Gotta."
Mercs entered; Jun followed.
Scene: pre-dungeon clearing.
Camps still there, but vibe worlds apart.
"Get the raid leader out here now!"
"How the hell'd the dungeon turn into this shitshow?!"
"You know our losses?! No word from raid? Bullshit!"
First sights: rage-faced screamers, wounds galore.
Couldn't contain fury though.
'Numbers down... Casualties.'
Jun figured some losses inevitable.
Azure Cloud prepped, but two adventurers per team had limits.
Twins had poison antidote, but solo Giant Steel Bug? Nah.
Without Jun, heavy toll.
"I-I don't know! Monsters hit camp five times already!"
Guides left behind were dying inside.
Seemed clueless on incident; sweating bullets.
But hell-surviving mercs wouldn't buy it.
"Contact raid leader now. Or guild complaint post-raid!!"
"Ah, uh... Sirs, calm down first..."
"Calm my ass!"
Heat rising when a team lead grabbed a guide's collar.
Cold shift hit.
"He, herald...!"
Man at camp entrance, desperate cry drew eyes.
One arm mangled, gushing blood—gripped attention.
"V-Vice Captain?!"
Stares brief; grabbed guide shrieked, murmurs exploded.
"Vice Captain?"
"What's going on?"
"Raid wiped...?"
Another guide rushed potion from tent.
"Vice Captain! What the..."
"R-Raid fail... Wipe..."
"The raid wiped?!"
"Monsters... Heavy losses..."
Last words, then blackout.
Murmurs gone; icy silence crushed camp.
"...No way to spill what we know now."
Post-vice captain report, camp was chaos.
Raid fails usually meant death.
Wipe = your doom; panic ensued.
"No way! Me, die here like this?!"
"Impossible! Everyone else clears this level 1 raid fine...!"
Some babbled, others fretted families.
Denial, rage-fueled yells.
"Yeah, no shot like this."
"Our crew's jittery too."
Colton's men hid shakes poorly.
Colton stern, no despair.
Curious, Jun asked why.
"Why not? Mage looks chill. Got an ace?"
"Doubt it."
Even with main force wiped, Jun had no fix.
Aiden return same.
"But probably not total wipe."
"Meaning?"
"Gotta talk to that vice captain first."
Left those words, entered vice captain's tent.
Healer-type inspected arm.
"Potions won't cut it."
"Wh-Who're you? Can't just barge in!"
"Arm's cursed. Won't wake. Potions and holy water useless."
Holy icon on clear vial shelf: Aricrotos, healing god.
"How'd you...?"
"Save him first."
Vice captain key to breaking deadlock.
Jun rolled sleeves.
"Do exactly as I say."