Chapter 83

-The Black Dragon that appeared in Thorn Bach is proving overwhelmingly powerful.

-A total of fourteen raid teams, large and small, including the Norn Raid Team, have been wiped out by the Black Dragon.

-The death of the Red Witch, Suzuki Hana, has sent shock waves through the global player community.

“Wow... What a frenzy.”

“It’s not just the community. The broadcasters are going crazy too.”

“At this rate, our interview about clearing the tenth floor might get buried.”

Gathered at their company building, the members of the [Phoenix Corps] watched the broadcasts on various monitors and the posts flooding the community with displeasure.

“The interview doesn’t matter anyway. We’ve already secured all the sponsorship we need.”

Unlike his teammates, however, Do Gyeonghun sounded largely uninterested as he sat down at the table.

“But shouldn’t we go too? If even the Norn Raid Team was wiped out... ordinary raid teams won’t stand a chance against the Black Dragon.”

Choi Gyeongsu, the raid’s Druid, cautiously addressed Do Gyeonghun. But the moment he saw the look in his eyes, he knew he had made a mistake.

“Go if you want. But if you lose a level doing something pointless, you’ll have to take responsibility for it.”

“Ugh... Sorry.”

“We’re here to prepare for the eleventh floor. The tenth took far longer than we expected. We can’t let that happen again on the eleventh.”

Despite his words, Do Gyeonghun was not entirely unconcerned about the Black Dragon’s appearance.

‘The Dragon Heart was probably part of why the Red Witch took the risk, but more importantly...’

It must have been the publicity.

Most top-ranked players had sponsors, not just them, and naturally, those sponsors wanted the players they backed to become more famous. That was why they invested in them.

The [Phoenix Corps] was unquestionably the most famous group in [Evil Tale], but after roughly ten repetitions, public interest in their Labyrinth Tower clears was noticeably waning.

‘We need something more exciting.’

That was why Do Gyeonghun was now considering a one-credit clear: conquering the eleventh floor in a single attempt.

For that very reason, he was being more cautious than ever about challenging the Labyrinth Tower.

“Kerga, Gyeongsu isn’t wrong. If we can kill the Black Dragon, that’ll solve your problem too. We won’t need to rush the tower.”

David spoke to Do Gyeonghun while patting the chastened Choi Gyeongsu on the shoulder.

“Besides, if we succeed, we might even have a shot at becoming the server’s first Dragon Slayer. It’s an Epic class, and all they’ve revealed on the website is its name.”

“Honestly, I thought it was a decent opportunity too.”

With Serin joining in, Choi Gyeongsu shook off his earlier dejection and nodded eagerly.

“Do you really think we can kill the Black Dragon?”

“... What?”

“Well... shouldn’t we be able to? They must have spawned the monster because it can be beaten.”

But Do Gyeonghun was skeptical of their answers.

“As far as I can see, that thing can’t be killed.”

“Then...?”

“It’s an event designed to force a wipe. Remember fighting the dragon-tooth soldier on the ninth floor of the Labyrinth Tower?”

“Of course. How could I forget that horrible thing?”

It was a monster that had wiped them out time and again.

“A dragon-tooth soldier is a monster made from dragon bones. If something made from mere bone fragments is that powerful... you think we can hunt an actual dragon?”

It was absurd.

“Kerga, if you’re right, they summoned a dragon specifically to kill people... But why would they need to?”

“Probably to set up the next stage.”

“Wait... Are you saying this event is for the second main scenario?”

“That’s what I think. There have been rumors about a scenario update for years.”

“True... It’s certainly possible.”

The others nodded at his words.

“Is that... your Forerunner ability? You know, the skill you received from that ‘special being’ you met when you reached the central continent.”

“No. This is just a hunch.”

Do Gyeonghun shrugged at David’s question.

The strongest species on the continent.

To preserve the weight of that epithet, the Black Dragon could not be allowed to die on its first appearance.

That was Kerga’s conclusion.

“If this is meant to introduce dragons, no one there will survive.”

“You mean... Thorn Bach will be destroyed?”

“Probably.”

The members swallowed, unable to help feeling tense at his words.

“If it’s a forced event, it’s simply part of the progression of the continent’s history. That puts it outside the players’ hands.”

“You mean the kingdoms will have to act.”

“Exactly. The NPCs will move things forward themselves. We can wait until afterward to act.”

‘Still...’

One thing did bother him.

Kerga frowned slightly at the monitor.

‘According to the posts from the raid teams that participated, the player still in Thorn Bach is the one who conquered the black fog.’

The player named Khan, who had sent him a Message.

Not only had he conquered an unexplored region, he had broken Kerga’s own records in the Dark Forest dungeons and claimed all the titles for himself.

‘If there’s a wild card, it’s him... But however impressive he is, there’s no way someone who just reached the central continent could hunt a dragon.’

“Going to Thorn Bach is suicide.”

After a moment’s consideration, however, he shook his head. A rookie like that could never accomplish something even he could not.

“No one will go.”

* * *

[Using Shield Charge.]

“Raaaaagh!!!”

Weden raised his shield to cover his face and began running with all his might.

[Grrr... Grrrr...]

As Dark Zone spread over the place where the Red Tower’s mages had stood, Nightfolk spawned there.

Unlike the ones they had fought so far, which relied solely on physical attacks, the Nightfolk made from the Red Tower mages’ corpses could use magic.

FWOOSH...!!

They raised their hands overhead, conjuring purple fireballs.

“Haaaaah!!!”

Rather than slowing down, Weden accelerated toward the incoming flames.

BOOM! BOOM!! KABOOM!!

The Nightfolk’s flames struck his dented shield.

[Medium Round Shield has been destroyed.]

When he blocked the fifth fireball, the shield in his hands shattered.

“Watch out!!”

“Not yet! Don’t come out, no matter what!!”

Having heard that Woojin was using as few potions as possible to maintain his Indomitable Trait, Weden blocked the Nightfolk’s flames with his own body in place of his lost shield.

SSSSSS...!!!

As a purple fireball struck his shoulder, an acrid smell like burning flesh rose into the air.

“Gaaagh!!!”

The Nightfolk’s flames refused to go out, slowly eating away at Weden’s body.

“Now!!”

Shouting, Weden cupped his hands together and bent at the waist. Woojin planted one foot in his joined hands.

“Raaaaagh!!!”

Weden heaved his arms upward with all his strength, hurling Woojin into the air.

BANG!! BANG!! BOOM!!!

The flames the Nightfolk hurled at Woojin exploded in midair without reaching him.

[Using Element.]

Flames sprang from Woojin’s sword.

[Using Spirit Channeling.]

The image of an ancient orc appeared and vanished, and his muscles swelled as though they might burst.

WHOOOSH!!!

Bolton Secret Art, First Form — Wind and Waves

Instead of waves, his blazing sword began unleashing surging flames.

KABOOOOM!!!

The flames pouring from his sword slammed into Bensina’s face.

“Aaaagh!!”

The Nightfolk had closed in on Weden and begun tearing into him with their teeth.

“Go!!”

At Weden’s shout, Woojin gritted his teeth, twisted in midair, and dove between Bensina’s legs.

At that moment, enormous claws closed in from both sides, threatening to crush him.

Woojin sprang upward over the claws on the right.

WHOOOSH!!

Landing atop the swinging foot, he struck the Black Dragon’s leg with all his strength.

CLANG!!

A clear metallic ring sounded.

‘Damn it!’

It was not the sound he had wanted. That crisp ring meant his attack had been blocked.

His sword rebounded, sending him staggering backward.

[ROAAAAAR!!]

Bensina raised his head and roared. At the same time, his eyes began turning pitch-black.

[Bensina casts Darkness Absorption.]

[The Black Dragon’s stats increase according to the number of Nightfolk created by Dark Zone.]

[Entering Berserk state.]

WHOOOOOSH!!!

Black orbs formed as the Nightfolk vanished, then were sucked into Bensina’s body.

CLANG! CLANG!! CLANG-CLANG!!!

Woojin swung his sword like a madman, but the scales, hardened by absorbing the Nightfolk, did not suffer so much as a scratch.

[Grrrr.]

With a low growl, Bensina looked down at Woojin.

KABOOM!!

His claws slammed down on him.

[...?]

Bensina tilted his head and lifted his foot. There was nothing where Woojin should have been.

[Trait: Black Guardian activates.]

▶ Black mist conceals your body.

“Huff... Huff...”

With his vision blurred as though he were underwater, Woojin began running toward Bensina’s blind spot.

[Health is at half or below.]

▶ Black mist heals your wounds.

‘If I’m not careful, I’ll lose Indomitable.’

Watching his Health slowly recover, Woojin picked up speed.

“Haaaaah!!!”

Dispelling Black Guardian, Woojin thrust his sword toward Bensina’s reverse scale from behind.

SHUNK!!!

The sound of flesh being pierced.

It was the sound he had wanted, but Woojin’s expression did not brighten.

It had come not from Bensina, but from his own body.

“... Guh.”

The Black Dragon’s claw had pierced his abdomen and protruded from his back.

“... Damn it.”

He had missed by a hair.

Woojin’s sword had stopped just short of Bensina’s reverse scale.

Raoul had killed a dragon with this swordsmanship.

The swordsmanship was not weak.

The one who was weak...

Was him.

‘Just a little... Just a little farther...’

He stretched his arm out with all his strength, but that only drove the claw deeper into his body.

Then Bensina pulled it out.

SPLAAASH...!!

Red blood began gushing from the hole in his body.

[Health is below 1%.]

[The threat of death looms over you.]

[Please recover immediately.]

[Vision is reduced.]

▶ This effect disappears once Health recovers to 50% or higher.

[Hearing is reduced.]

▶ This effect disappears once Health recovers to 50% or higher.

“B-boss...!!!”

Weden’s voice grew fainter.

“Damn...”

Staggering backward, Woojin took a potion from his inventory.

‘Do I have to give up Indomitable...?’

In truth, he was lucky simply to be alive.

‘... No. I’ll keep fighting like this.’

If he lost even Indomitable, he would have no way to hurt the dragon.

Even now, Woojin was thinking of a way to bring the Black Dragon down.

Clenching hard, he poured the potion over the claw wound in his chest and scanned his surroundings through his blurred vision.

‘Reinforcements...’

There were none.

A few spectators remained in the distance, but even they were fleeing one by one.

‘Of course... No one would come here just to die.’

That was when it happened.

“You’re working hard all on your own.”

A voice sounded behind him.

At that familiar manner of speaking, Woojin found himself letting out a faint chuckle.

“... You came.”

There were reinforcements after all.

Even if it was only one person.

“Of course.”

Someone braced his back as he teetered on the verge of collapse.

It was Peron.