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119
“Son of a——!”
“What the hell was that guy doing just now?”
“Why is this madman pulling troll moves!”
The players poured out their criticism of Section Chief Lee Hojoong.
Because he had wiped out the crucial time they should have spent formulating a strategy.
Now that the Snow Drake was awake, there was no room for any slack.
-We’re done;
-Knew that guy would cause a mess.
-The instant kill was hilarious. Lol.
-So what do we do now?
-Technical term: screwed.
-But why isn’t it moving?
Grrk—
The Snow Drake adjusted its neck and shifted its gaze toward the players.
But for some reason, it showed no particular movement.
“Wh… what?”
“Can it not see us?”
“It just seems uninterested?”
A few players subtly shifted their bodies and watched for the Snow Drake’s reaction.
Even repeated several times, the creature produced no response.
“Could this mean……”
“Does it only matter if we touch that hammer?”
The people who had been tensed up formed one hypothesis.
The reason the Snow Drake had woken was because someone had tried to steal the hammer.
The reason was unknown — but without that, there was nothing to provoke it.
“That settles it.”
A male vanguard with daggers gave a nod.
He turned his gaze and addressed the other vanguards.
“None of you are planning to just charge in headfirst either, right? Let’s go back to the fortress entrance first and form a strategy. A level 500 boss isn’t something we can take down straightforwardly.”
“…Well, we can’t just rush in blindly.”
“We’ll have to handle this with our own strength in the end, so let’s draw the bigger picture first.”
More than half the vanguards gave nods at the man’s persuasion.
Even vanguards who had faced all manner of monsters had no experience fighting a level 500 boss.
“If we’re cooperating, let’s properly sort out the reward distribution first. You’re all obviously going to say something different.”
“You’re one to talk. You scooped out all the good stuff in that dungeon raid.”
“Gathering intel is also a skill. Blame your team for having no eye for items.”
-UFC starting.
-Cooperating vanguards? Not a chance.
-These are people who’d step on each other to get ahead. Lol.
-Still, right now it’s a bit reassuring……
-For real, twenty of them is a lot.
Growling at each other as they were, they were the most meaningful combat power here.
And the man holding the highest standing among the vanguards present opened his mouth.
“Do not move.”
Mars, shield held to the front, rumbled in a measured voice.
Blood, standing beside him, fingered her bracelet and stayed focused on the Snow Drake.
“Mars, we have no reason to follow your orders.”
“Does he think this is a proper raid?”
The vanguards who had heard the command expressed their discomfort.
Even if they ranked lower than him at 4,300th, vanguards were an absolute symbol of power.
These were not people who would take orders from another in this kind of pure competition.
“The reason is simple. My orders are worth more than your foolish judgment.”
“What?”
“Are you done talking?”
A few vanguards raised sharp voices at Mars’s critical words.
On the other hand, some reacted as though they were used to it.
“Come on, let it go. That’s just how he is.”
“Let’s hurry to the entrance.”
-Shut up and move. Lol.
-The tone is incredibly grating;
-Living legend of authoritarianism.
-The number one person you’d least want as a workplace superior.
-Lucky Ranger.
The vanguards who gave up on conversation focused only on their original decision.
First get away from the Snow Drake, then form a detailed strategy and attempt subjugation.
This was the most rational call.
“I’ll say it one last time. Do not move.”
Mars stubbornly repeated his warning.
But more than half the vanguards had already finished preparing to head back.
“Hatsken, your team take the left side of the map on your way back. We’ll take the right.”
“We’ll cover behind the boss.”
“There might be a mechanic. I’ll check that area.”
Once the decisions were made, the vanguards quickly divided roles.
A resolve to extract as much information as possible even while on the move.
“…….”
Mars, whose two commands had both been ignored, fell silent.
An expression showing neither anger nor anything else.
“Alright. Then let’s go.”
The players who had wrapped things up split into several teams and finished their preparations.
And the moment they kicked off — the Snow Drake’s eyes flared.
Crack crack crack—!
Simultaneously, dozens of ice spears appeared in the air above.
They were crystallizations of cold that the creature had generated.
“What——!”
“Hell! Run!”
Thump—!
Caught off guard, players urgently scattered in every direction.
At the same moment, the ice spears were launched, scattering their chill.
Whoosh—!
Magic flying at tremendous speed toward the fleeing figures.
Players tried to hide their bodies using cover scattered throughout, attempting to escape.
But those efforts came to nothing.
Boom boom boom—!
Ice spears that pierced straight through cover continued rushing forward with their full force intact.
By the time the fleeing players realized this, it was already too late.
Bang—! Bang—!
Explosive sounds rang through the fortress interior one after another.
The sounds of people struck by ice spears disappearing like explosions.
A mere three seconds.
That was how long it had taken for the vanguards and players who had been leaving to die.
-What the——
-People exploded;
-Vanguards dying like that in an instant?
-A drake that uses magic? How do you beat that?
-Mars was right.
-Papa Mars, I understand now.
“What the——”
“Did everyone just die?”
“There were more than ten vanguards!”
The players who had watched frozen let out shocked voices.
The sight of vanguards dying so anticlimactically was that shocking.
“Now this is a fight worth having.”
Liwei grinned as though he was enjoying it.
Not a trace of intimidation at the Snow Drake’s overwhelming strength.
“Did I not call it foolish judgment.”
Mars let out a sigh at the expected outcome.
The pathetic sight of ignoring even warnings and meeting death.
It felt as though the dignity and reputation of vanguards was audibly falling.
Grrk—
Just then, the Snow Drake, having killed half the players, shifted its gaze to face forward.
All four legs were still planted on the ground, but there was no need for it to move.
Its ice spears alone could produce power of that magnitude.
“That thing is toying with us.”
Blood, who had been quietly watching the situation, read the enemy’s disposition.
Despite possessing the strength, not attempting to kill the intruders at full force.
A sadistic tendency seen in certain monsters.
In that case, there was now nothing left to do but fight.
“Uncle, open it.”
Blood, having made her decision, spoke to Mars.
The light radiating from her bracelet was becoming a black mist, staining from her wrist to her arm.
“Only for a very brief moment.”
“I know.”
After the brief exchange between the two, Mars raised his shield a little higher.
At that moment, a golden radiance burst forth.
Flash—!
The light was intense enough to obstruct the others’ vision.
When it gathered to the face of the shield, Mars kicked off.
Thump—!
His massive frame leaped and plunged straight toward the Snow Drake’s front.
The field’s debuff had been covered as much as possible with items, but he couldn’t fully escape its influence.
Now was the time to summon every nerve and apply quick thinking.
Mars drove the shield he gripped firmly straight toward the creature’s head.
Bang—!
A thunderous sound as though striking a solid wall.
The result of the Snow Drake raising a foreleg and blocking the attack with ease.
But Mars’s plan did not end there.
Flash—!
The golden radiance erupted once more, enveloping the shield.
Eyes blazing, Mars raised his fist and drove it down hard against the shield.
Boom—!
At the same moment, light exploding outward.
Seeing a small crack in the scales of the foreleg, Mars raised his voice.
“Now!”
Thump—!
Blood, despite some debuff remaining, shot out at tremendous speed.
Closing on the Snow Drake in an instant, she immediately extended her hand.
Shhk—
The black mist wrapping her arm transferred itself like a living thing onto the Drake’s foreleg and clung there.
And a change occurred.
Swoosh—!
A sudden stream of red blood spraying into the air.
Blood swiftly moved her hand to draw that blood toward her.
Hiss—
The red blood converging in her palm gradually took shape.
When it formed into the shape of a great scythe, Blood gave a slight grin.
“Blood this rich is hard to come by.”
Her hidden skill ‘Bloodletting’ showed an enormous difference in power depending on whose blood was used.
Blood’s specs as a vanguard and the blood of a creature as significant as the Snow Drake.
The synergy this would create was difficult to even predict.
“Let’s see who dies first!”
Thump—!
Calling out boldly, Blood kicked off again and charged at the Snow Drake.
Grrk—!
Slightly more irritated now, the creature moved to raise its foreleg and swing.
But Blood’s skill activated first.
Shhk—!
Blood droplets radiating from the scythe became sharp lines that greatly enlarged the weapon.
She spun her body and drove the scythe down with speed and force behind it.
Boom boom boom—!
The blade driven into the scales scattered blood as it slowly sank in.
The unexpected strike drew a counterattack from the Snow Drake.
Whoosh—!
The creature twisted its body nimbly and swept its tail.
Just before it came down on Blood, Mars with his shield appeared.
Smack—!
The massive man flying sideways with a tremendous sound.
Bang—! Bang—!
His body crashed through several broken icebergs and buried itself in the outer fortress wall.
That was the power of a single casual tail swing.
-Insanely strong. Lol.
-What do we do?
-Blood’s attack seemed to be doing damage?
-Probably took 0.001% health.
Blood’s seemingly promising attack was buried under the impact of the tail swing.
That was how far beyond scale the Snow Drake was as a monster.
Tap—
Mars, who had not died, quickly pulled himself up.
Then once again charged toward the Snow Drake with tremendous momentum.
“We’re supporting too.”
“We need to chip away while there’s an opening.”
“For now, try pouring damage into the opening those two create.”
Other vanguards and players joined the battle as well.
They too knew well that the only option left was to attack.
“…Shouldn’t we not be here?”
“We’d probably die the moment we got nicked.”
Kim Jaeha and Avantgarde sighed watching the intense battle.
Certainly a situation where dying at any moment would not be strange — but the plan was completely unaffected.
Shhk—
Hanbit took out two red cards bearing an hourglass design from his inventory and handed them over.
Transfer cards received as a gift from Avantgarde.
“Avantgarde and Jaeha-hyung, please take Gorik and retreat to the back over there. I’ll send the plan through a message.”
“These… you’re using them?”
Avantgarde asked with puzzlement.
Because in the end, these cards were items that could only be used for a random teleport.
“I know what you’re worried about, but that’s been resolved.”
“…Pardon?”
“Now, please move quickly.”
Hanbit promptly sent the three of them to shelter.
What remained were Liwei and Zenon.
The people who had to engage in battle from here.
“Zenon, you’re skilled with a bow?”
“It is my primary weapon, but…… I don’t think my strength would make any difference.”
Zenon shook his head, looking down at his bow.
When facing a boss like that, being overwhelmed was only natural — but this time was different.
Hanbit said in a small voice:
“Dragon-type monsters have something called the reverse scale.”
“The reverse scale… you mean?”
The reverse-growing scale beneath a dragon’s jaw.
This was an element that enraged the dragon while also serving as a weak point.
Naturally, killing it was impossible — but it was sufficient to change the current momentum.
“I’ll shoot first, then please keep attacking the marked target.”
“…Understood.”
The subtle misalignment visible beneath the Snow Drake’s jaw.
Focusing his gaze, Hanbit confirmed the target.
Shhk—
Pulling out a supply-grade bow, Hanbit drew the bowstring.
Whoosh—!
Flames blazing alongside the immediately activated Elemental Manifestation.
Extensive preheating was not needed.
One stimulus to rouse the Snow Drake’s fury was sufficient.
Bang—! Bang—!
The target engaged in fierce battle kept moving.
Hanbit focused on his aim without even blinking.
With that preparation, as the heat swelled for a moment—
The Snow Drake’s movement finally paused as it swung its tail.
Twang—!
Releasing his fingers immediately, the arrow left the string and flew scattering flame.
Whoosh—!
The arrow cutting through the air closed on the Snow Drake’s jaw in no time.
And then.
Thud—!
It finally struck the creature’s reverse scale.
