Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 181
>Chapter Title: Screwed
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We’re screwed.
No words captured this situation better.
This was a total shitshow like no other.
They’d blocked off every possible variable, and yet this absurd bullshit happens.
The guy who was supposed to be at the palace doing Luriel’s quest—why the hell was he here? It made no sense.
‘No, before that, the barrier was already at max capacity. How did he even get inside? And what’s he think he is, some kinda hero?’
Questions swirled in every direction, but the most ridiculous part was how he dropped straight out of the sky.
What was this, some hero landing bullshit? And of all times, right at the critical moment they’d spent six months grinding their teeth to prepare for?
No wonder the Master was losing his shit.
Jerpak felt the exact same way right now, but he couldn’t just stand there.
‘The top brass got caught. This won’t do.’
If anything, this could be an opportunity.
Handle this curveball right, overcome it, and he’d win the Master’s favor for good.
Tough, sure, but not impossible.
Jerpak knew the one way to break this crisis.
‘The mysterious ember that only Luidra possesses.’
Sacrifice it to awaken the specter slumbering in the stele.
That was their hidden quest to liberate the ‘Forgotten King’s Specter’—the final step in conquering Luidra.
It was meant for the end of the final phase, but now wasn’t the time to nitpick.
‘Gotta keep the headcount as high as possible first.’
Three were already dead.
Fortunately, Luidra’s health was at 30%.
Unleash the Forgotten King’s Specter to buy time, request reinforcements now that entry numbers were up.
‘The problem’s Kaiser… He’s after conquering Luidra too, no doubt. If worst comes to worst, team up with him.’
But Jerpak needed to realize something.
Why those two had entered Luidra’s lair through a different route.
Too panicked to think of it, he hesitated—meanwhile, Do-hyun assessed the situation.
‘Looks like Hero Guild got here first. Should I even butt in? Why’d the hidden phase trigger?’
‘Some condition got met, Master.’
‘Tch, “Savior of the Forgotten Specter”—that must be the quest they’re on. If I’d been a bit later, I’d have missed the main quest.’
First time encountering something like this mid-quest. It was disorienting.
To think he could get tangled up with other players like this.
With a billion players, overlapping routes weren’t that weird.
The real luck was dodging it until now.
‘Still, gotta count my blessings.’
At least he’d run into them before they took out Luidra.
If they’d killed her before he grabbed the Purification Ember, he’d be stuck here forever.
Of course, things weren’t great now either.
To them, Do-hyun was just an intruder.
Normally a headache, but right now, there was an opening.
Slash-!
Grahhh! Gack!
The sudden hidden phase had them in a bind too.
Leave ’em to it, and they’d wipe themselves.
‘Grab the Purification Ember and bail—that’s all I need. Let them handle the kill, give ’em a little help, and we all walk away happy… Huh?’
Ding-
Do-hyun, just as confused and holding back, was sizing things up when it happened.
[The Eye of Truth activates.]
‘Outta nowhere?’
He scanned around as the Eye of Truth kicked in.
There, diagonally behind Luidra as she mowed down Hero Guild members like weeds.
Leaking from beyond the wall a bit further off: a red glow.
‘No way…’
They say urgency moves the body before the mind.
By the time the “no way” thought flashed, he’d already used Backstab.
[Mark created.]
“Huh? Kaiser…!”
Closing in on Luidra with Backstab, the guild member’s eyes went wide.
Hoping for backup, a spark of hope in his gaze—but sadly, Do-hyun didn’t even glance his way.
Not worth a second thought was more like it.
“Grahk!”
[Kyahahaha!]
Caught off guard, the guy ate a wall.
A flicker of resentment and betrayal in his flying eyes, but Do-hyun had no choice.
Whoosh-
The Eye of Truth lit his eyes with a red hotter than the leaking glow.
Beyond red, edging gold—iridescent was the word.
Hovering over that brilliant ember: text.
[You found the flame that chases all evil, the ‘Purification Ember.’]
‘Jackpot!’
With his holy grail in sight, who gave a damn about some nameless Hero Guild scrub?
Do-hyun wasn’t that much of a saint.
‘Finding it this fast? Lucky break.’
Grab it and bounce—done.
Sucks about Luidra, but technically Hero Guild started first.
If they failed, fight her then—or team up. Whatever.
That was for later.
Priority one: secure the Purification Ember.
Thud.
Do-hyun, pumped, snatched the torch infused with the ember.
“Huh!?”
“Hm?”
A scream-like shout erupted behind him.
“H-How did you—!?”
Eyes bulging, mouth agape: a man.
It was Jerpak.
‘How’d Kaiser know about that?’
The mysterious ember hidden in Luidra’s lair at a specific spot.
The sacrifice needed to awaken the Forgotten King’s Specter.
He found it in one go?
It took them a week just to locate it.
‘No—actually, perfect.’
Faster the better—sacrifice it to the stele, done.
Jerpak was about to yell to offer it up when—
“No, why’re you inventorying it!”
Kaiser pocketed it before he could stop him.
Bewildered by the nonsense for a split second.
Then the alerts rang.
[The Prophet’s Apostle acquires the ‘Purification Ember.’]
[The Purification Ember vanishes from Luidra’s Lair.]
[The ember’s energy fades from the stele.]
[The ‘Forgotten King’s Specter’ slumbering in the stele cries out that this won’t do.]
Rumble rumble rumble—
The stele shook violently.
As the massive stone quivered, the ground heaved like an earthquake.
[What the…?]
“W-What’s that?”
“Huh?”
The freakout stopped players—and even Luidra—mid-fight, heads turning.
What they saw: one man.
Kaiser, frozen mid-motion after inventorying the torch, behind the wildly shaking stele.
Someone stared even harder.
[How dare you… How dare you steal my ember and brazenly try to leave, O prophesied apostle!]
None other than Luidra. Her eyes blazed black.
Her gaze ignored the guild members she’d been fighting.
Only one person.
Her eyes locked on Kaiser, the ember thief, as she raised her scythes with both hands.
[Hidden raid boss, ‘Nightmare Ruler Luidra,’ selects a target.]
[Trait ‘Nightmare Mistress’ manifests.]
[Forces designated target into inescapable Nightmare Swamp.]
[Current target: Player ‘Kaiser.’]
Normally, it interfered with the target’s mind to induce nightmares and mark them—granting target-limited invincibility against lethal damage.
Now amplified, it crashed over Kaiser.
Boom-!
Jerpak clenched his fist as ominous dark energy engulfed Kaiser.
Blessing in disguise.
Now Kaiser could never kill Luidra.
Everything was ruined, but at least they’d get the kill credit.
‘Plenty of viewers—stir the pot that we beat Kaiser, and…’
Broadcast success either way. Might as well salvage some good PR—hope wasn’t lost.
He’d have face to report to Berje.
Clinging to that thread of hope—
[Trait ‘Nightmare Mistress’ creates Luidra’s exclusive domain.]
[None but Luidra and her designated target may enter.]
[The Horrific Nightmare Swamp ends only when one of the two dies.]
“……?”
An incomprehensible message.
Moments later, the black aura cleared—to emptiness.
No raid boss Luidra.
No Kaiser. No guardians.
Just an empty, dreamlike landscape in Luidra’s lair, with his exhausted teammates standing around dumbfounded.
-? What did I just see?
>- Boss just got yoinked?
>-LMAO 😂😂😂😂😂 This is hilarious.
>-Stealing bosses I’ve seen, but kidnapping one? First time 😂😂😂
>-This ain’t Kaiser stealing the boss—the boss kidnapped Kaiser, right?
>-Luidra: You’ve been kidnapped.
>-Today’s stream is pure gold 😂😂 What is this, a comedy show? No wonder ShitX is tanking.
>The chat exploded at Godo’s first-ever boss kidnapping spectacle.
Jerpak, at a loss amid the chaos, couldn’t hold back his grievance.
“...Hey, give me my boss back.”
* * *
[Welcome to Luidra’s exclusive domain.]
[Entering special field: Nightmare Swamp.]
[Nightmare Swamp ends only when one of the two dies.]
[Mark applied upon entry to Nightmare Swamp. Marked targets suffer mental manipulation, preventing lethal damage to Luidra.]
[Trait ‘Hero’ nullifies mental manipulation.]
-Ugh… What is this, Master?
>-Hm… A sinister place.
>-Riza… Rizariza.
>Ignoring his minions’ voices, Do-hyun checked messages and scanned around.
Charlie was right—it reeked of bad vibes.
The outside was vivid with color; this place was grayscale overload.
Not just objects or scenery—even living things.
-Eek! What’s this? Why’s everyone’s skin like that? Eek! I’m turning black too!
>-…Weren’t you black already? Looks brighter, if anything.
>-Oh, right.
>-Rizariza.
>-Wow, Elly looks cool in grayscale. Even more badass?
>Charlie and Jihad looked black-and-white, everything did.
[Movement scrolls unusable in special field.]
‘What kinda bullshit is this?’
Just in case, he tried the other scroll from Gilberun.
City return scroll—no dice, as expected.
Hero Guild was there, so per Gilberun’s advice, grab ember and bolt.
But shit had veered off course.
‘Never heard of this ability.’
Gilberun would’ve warned him.
Probably from the hidden phase tweaking her traits.
What quest had those guys cleared to tangle everything up? Do-hyun shrugged.
‘Eh, not important right now.’
Jerpak outside, Berje watching the stream.
Do-hyun casually dropped blood-pressure bait they’d hate.