Chapter 182
Chapter 182
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 182
>Chapter Title: The Hijacked Boss
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Though he played it cool, Do-hyun hadn't done it without thinking.
When he encountered Luidra, a message had popped up about achieving a hidden condition.
It clearly named him the Apostle of Prophecy and the others the Savior of the Forgotten Spirits.
Since he was the Apostle of Prophecy, the Hero Guild guys must be the Saviors of the Forgotten Spirits.
'The Forgotten Spirits... Judging by their reaction when I took the ember, they were after the ember too, not a clear. But our routes were different, so that can't be it.'
More likely the opposite role.
In other words, they were meant to either aid in the clear or destroy the ember.
Either way, there was no way to know for sure right now.
[How is it, my paradise? It's the Nightmare Swamp made just for you.]
Wasting time on unknowns was pointless. Better to focus on Luidra, who was smirking leisurely ahead.
That was when it happened.
Luidra, approaching slowly, tilted its head as if something was off.
[Hmm...? What an odd one. Not only are you resisting the Mark of Nightmares, but you're taking no damage at all.]
Anyone entering the Nightmare Swamp was supposed to wither away gradually.
The countless deathly energies permeating the swamp were meant to slowly erode the flesh, rotting it from within.
Unable to inflict any fatal wounds itself, it made the intruder self-destruct.
That was the Dream Witch's gift to those who entered her Nightmare Swamp.
Yet this human wasn't just nullifying the mental manipulation—he was completely unscathed by the deathly energies too.
There was only one reason.
[Poison King's constitution activates due to continuous damage from a single attack.]
[Saturation is treated as poison damage.]
[Immune to poison due to Unassailable effect.]
The Poison King's constitution from Dark King Har was blocking the damage.
'Really useful.'
A truly legendary option.
At the same time, utterly absurd.
'And no fatal wounds plus DoT damage? Basically a guaranteed win if you bring him along?'
No freebie trait was this broken.
Without Hero trait and Poison King's constitution, he'd have been helplessly awaiting death.
A boss designed to forbid solo raids.
Designed to force group raids—but now, meaningless.
'And all that's gone?'
All those cheat abilities nullified.
[Thousand Changes transforms into 'Radiant Taksinel's Blue Sword.']
'Ah, just can't be helped.'
He'd hesitated on boss stealing, but with no escape unless someone died, what choice was there?
He couldn't just meekly die.
Do-hyun smirked, raising Thousand Changes now morphed into a blue sword.
"Ah, I really didn't want to, but looks like I have no choice but to take you down."
-...Master, you're drooling. Maybe lower that smirk when you talk?
-Liza Li...
-...I saw nothing, my lord.
This was unavoidable.
Do-hyun squeezed his eyes shut at the pitiful situation.
'First clear reward was definitely guaranteed gear drop, right? For an 18-man raid boss, how many pieces?'
Imagining the radiant gear.
* * *
Meanwhile, as Do-hyun busily drooled for unavoidable reasons.
The Hero Guild's broadcast from Luidra's lair was in chaos.
-No way, are they insane lolololol
-Boss kidnapping for real lolololol
-Wtf? Just came in, what's going on? Where's the boss? Heard Kaiser showed, why's everyone gone?
-It's a thing lololol missed it? What've you been doing, tsk life wasted.
-True. Total loss if you missed this.
-Wtf happened? Someone summarize.
-TLDR: Hero Guild starts raid, Kaiser Hero Lands in, hidden phase triggers, boss kidnaps Kaiser.
-...? What kinda bullshit is that.
-Lololol sounds like total BS but it's real, dying rn.
Chats flooding wildly.
[Viewers: 71.83 million]
Viewers skyrocketing insanely.
They'd hit the 100 million goal at this rate, but Jerpak wasn't happy at all.
Far from it—he was deeply troubled.
Gulping as he eyed Berze on his muted friends list.
'...Should I not unmute?'
He lacked the guts.
He knew what screams awaited. Total meltdown.
But he was Berze's subordinate.
Aiming for top exec, he couldn't ignore him.
Might end up bearing all the wrath.
'Screw it.'
Better early than late.
After agonizing, he unmuted—and a eardrum-shattering roar hit immediately.
[Berze: Arrrghhh!!! Kaiser, that dog bastard!!!]
[Berze: What the hell? Kidnapping? Did he feud with me in a past life or what, Kaiser! With all those people, no one stops him?!]
'......'
......Shouldn't have unmuted.
Jerpak swallowed dryly, hand creeping toward mute.
[Berze: Hoo... Jerpak.]
"No, it's nothing!"
[Berze: ? Nothing what?]
"...Nothing. What is it, Master?"
Berze had calmed just in time, his cold voice making Jerpak flinch guiltily as he pivoted.
Luckily, Berze didn't press and continued.
[Berze: Sorry for the unsightly display.]
"No need. What now? Rally the guild?"
[Berze: I lost it briefly, but the situation isn't all bad.]
"Pardon?"
Jerpak tilted his head, baffled.
Their 6-month prep raid turned into a boss kidnapping circus—how was that not bad?
Made no sense, but Berze's raid-specialized brain worked differently.
[Berze: Think, Jerpak. Kidnapped means he's forced into a 1v1 with Luidra.]
"...Yes."
[Berze: Realistically, what's the odds that mutt Kaiser... ahem, that guy solos Luidra?]
"Ah."
True.
Raid bosses were leagues beyond regular ones.
Requiring groups, they were at least several times tougher than dungeon bosses.
Especially Luidra, a 'Named' and 'Hidden' raid boss.
[Berze: And it triggered hidden phase. Even our proud execs were struggling—him soloing? Ha, not even Kaiser's grandpappy could.]
"Indeed... Spot on, Master."
[Berze: Plus, the pattern is Nightmare Chamber's enhanced trait. Near-invincible on a target, so the upgrade's tailored for 1v1s.]
Berze was right on every point.
Irrefutable logic.
-So Kaiser vs Luidra 1v1?
-Yep.
-Hmm. But can Kaiser really win 1v1? Hidden Named already, now hidden phase makes it stronger.
-Psh, Kaiser lose? Guy smashed Lawless King.
-Different. That was field boss, not raid.
-True, 18-man raid, how? Plus own space, tailored to it.
-Still, Kaiser's form lately, maybe.
-Maybe my ass lololol no way in hell. You're the only clueless one here.
-Kaiser cult treating him like a god. Keep coping.
Even calmer viewers mostly agreed with Berze.
[Berze: See? We just use Kaiser. Recover HP, fill ranks in the time he buys.]
They'd chipped some HP already—easier finish.
And more.
Hero Guild takes down boss Kaiser failed to steal!
Perfect publicity fodder.
[Berze: Process doesn't matter. World only sees results. History remembers winners for a reason.]
Regaining composure, Jerpak admired.
Knew it, but Master had lost some cool lately.
Moment realizing his brilliance anew.
"...My shortcomings. Thank you for broadening my view, Master."
[Berze: Sending people your way. You got this?]
"Yes, of course!"
[Berze: Good. I'll trust you. Become top exec.]
"Yes!"
Eyes burning with resolve, Jerpak ended whisper, fist clenched.
Felt like he could down Luidra now.
-Jerpak what? Eyes sparkling all sudden.
-Got pep talk from Berze probs.
-Our otome game gay shitting bricks lololol
-Why bricks, grinning ear to ear. Kaiser meat shield buying time, how grateful.
-Fr tho. Generous Kaiser.
Viewers mocked his sudden enthusiasm, but Jerpak didn't care.
As Berze said, people only saw results.
Relax, wait for Kaiser to die, focus on recovery.
That's what he thought.
[The ember's energy fades, weakening the stele.]
[Hurry and offer the Ember of Purification as sacrifice.]
[If Luidra dies before offering, the lingering lair energy vanishes completely.]
[If energy vanishes fully, stele crumbles, Forgotten King's spirit never awakens.]
[Stele crumbling deletes 'Savior of the Forgotten Spirits' quest and all 'Forgotten King's Spirit' related quests.]
"......Huh?"
Until the sudden messages.
Instinctively turning— the stele was visibly dimmer.
-What was that message?
-Quests deleting?
-Wait, if Kaiser kills raid boss, Hero Guild quests all gone?
-Wtf real?
-Only raiders win then? They cleared quests already, just munch popcorn live.
-Damn, exciting af. Deathmatch.
-I'm betting reverse on Kaiser!
"...Master."
[Berze: ...Saw it. No need to say.]
Both voices grew grave.
No choice.
It meant not just the ongoing hidden quest, but the empire's planned 'that'—all gone.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Berze, watching live, tapped his desk faster.
'No way, but.'
If by some miracle Kaiser killed it?
High stakes made even slim odds anxiety-inducing.
'No, impossible no matter how you slice it.'
Even Berze himself in that spot couldn't be sure.
30% HP left? So what.
Balance forbade soloing 18-man raid boss.
'Boss raw specs maybe doable somehow, but Luidra's designed anti-1v1.'
By design.
Normally, sure—but enhanced traits?
Pointless to argue.
'Yeah, needless worry.'
Impossible. Fact.
Even if Kaiser had hero traits like in videos.
Not enough.
'No upsets.'
Right.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
But why?
Logic said so, yet lingering unease in his chest.
Shaking it off, Berze refocused on broadcast.
-No way he takes it. 18-man raid?
-Lawless King was hidden field boss. Luidra's hidden 'raid' boss. Different tiers even as Nameds?
-Fr, reverse bet is braindead.
'Yes, perfect judgment.'
Calming with agreeing chats.
Berze cautiously upvoted the main bet.