"Don't forget, you need to take the side path at the next turn."
While listening to Muljom's instructions, I fired off skills at the incoming monsters.
Even though I was in the Discord voice channel, I had no reason to talk since it was my first time in this dungeon and I was basically getting carried. Talking would only interfere with the commands.
[Party] Dorahee: Got it, haha
Maybe she felt the same way, since after greeting earlier, Dorahee had only been replying through chat instead of using her mic.
Yoo Chae wasn't saying anything either, so the only voices I could hear were Muljom, Haereun, Park Seungjin, and "MonsterHunter."
"Oh? But Sleepy, isn't that staff different from the one you usually use?"
Park Seungjin asked with a puzzled tone after watching my skill damage closely.
"It even looks kinda janky…"
"Huh? You're right."
MonsterHunter agreed with Park. I understood their reaction — they didn't know my staff had been taken from me.
'So most of the guild must know Yoo Chae gave me that Lux-engraved Solis Staff, huh?'
Everyone else in the guild knew, and I was the only clueless one using it? Fine. Just wait until this raid is over.
[Party] SoSleepy: Didn't like the guy who gave me the staff.
[Party] SoSleepy: So I'm just using something else.
[Party] Yoo Chae: T_T??
Too lazy to come up with a proper excuse, I just threw something out, and Yoo Chae jumped in immediately.
[Party] Yoo Chae: If you don't like me,
[Party] Yoo Chae: Should I buy you a new one?
[Party] Dorahee: Maybe it's not the staff,
[Party] Dorahee: But the guild leader he doesn't like? lol
[Party] Yoo Chae: ?
"Pfft!"
Muljom burst out laughing at Dorahee's uppercut of a message. I also had to cover my mouth to hold back a laugh.
[Party] ParkSeungjin99: LOLOLOL
[Party] ParkSeungjin99: Is the guild leader crying now? T_T
[Party] ParkSeungjin99: Ease up a bit, lol~
[Party] Haereun: I turned off my mic and I'm laughing like a maniac omg lololol
[Party] Yoo Chae: Why
[Party] Yoo Chae: are you all ganging up on me.. shaking rn
[Party] Dorahee: I mean,
[Party] Dorahee: That's just what it looked like to me
[Party] Dorahee: Sorry lol
[Party] SoSleepy: LOLLLLL
[Party] Yoo Chae: Bro...
[Party] Yoo Chae: They're saying mean things to me ;—;
Since I didn't take his side, Yoo Chae whimpered like a wounded puppy.
Serves you right. You brought this on yourself.
"Alright, enough joking around. Focus. Mid-boss is about to spawn."
Right as Muljom finished speaking, the ground rumbled with a loud boom. The mid-boss, Master Lycan, had appeared.
"A new prey has arrived."
With a guttural growl, the deep voice of Master Lycan echoed out.
Master Lycan, in werewolf form, didn't have much HP, but his defense was extremely high and he had a charging attack, making him tricky for ranged damage dealers to handle.
"Let's go in."
Muljom stood in front of Master Lycan and pulled out a shining white shield. Light poured down brightly from above. It was the Pure White Shield — a weapon used by Holy Knights, a notoriously difficult tank class.
"Sleepy, for this one, melee and tank roles are more important, so you can just stay near the support."
As MonsterHunter explained, I moved over to stand with Dorahee, the buffer, and Haereun, the healer, and started casting magic skills.
"I'll devour every last one of you!"
That line signaled the start of the mid-boss's first phase. Master Lycan's body swelled up and he got down on all fours like an actual wolf — the pose he takes before using his charge skill.
"Don't stand in a straight line."
Muljom pointed out the critical detail.
Most of the first phase was filled with charges. Unlike the Kirunt dungeon boss, Master Lycan's aggro could be drawn by tanks or melee DPS with their attacks.
However, he always charged in a straight line toward his designated target, so if others were standing behind the aggro-holder, they could take heavy damage. That's why ranged DPS and support roles had to be especially careful to avoid standing in his path.
Yoo Chae, a mid-range DPS, drew his weapon and swung once. The sound of clashing chains rang out, and a golden chain sparkled brightly.
"RAAAWRGH!"
Struck by the chain, Master Lycan screamed. Yoo Chae, who had taken initial aggro, dodged the boss's charge with a quick evasive move and kept attacking.
'His damage is insane.'
While my skills were barely hitting for 5,000, every swing of Yoo Chae's chain did at least 20,000. A critical hit even pushed it past 30,000.
Master Lycan had pretty high defense, yet Yoo Chae's damage was still exceeding 20,000… He really was impressive in every way.
"I'll grab aggro now."
At just the right moment, MonsterHunter cut in between Master Lycan and Yoo Chae. True to his class as an Infighter, the golden gauntlets equipped on both of his character's hands stood out vividly.
If one person held aggro for more than three turns, the boss's charge speed would increase toward that target. So it was better to switch off like a baton pass.
MonsterHunter, who took over aggro from Yoo Chae, pummeled Master Lycan quickly with his gauntlets, then pulled back with a backward tumble just in time for the charge. Despite the class's light and agile movement, their attacks had heavy impact — a signature trait of the Infighter class.
'Hm? It's going to be dangerous over there.'
While adjusting my position to match MonsterHunter's aggro pulls and keep attacking, I noticed Dorahee moving toward a risky direction.
"Dorahee, not that way — come over to me."
The situation was too urgent for typing, so I had no choice but to use my mic. Saying "Dorahee" aloud felt a bit awkward, so like Muljom earlier, I just shortened it to "Rahee."
[Party] Dorahee: Ah, okay okay!
Hearing that, Dorahee quickly changed direction and dashed over to my side. At the same time, Master Lycan came charging and snarling right into the spot where she had just been standing. Called it.
[Party] Dorahee: Thank you! lol
[Party] Haereun: Nice awareness, Sleepy, good job~
That could've been bad — we almost lost a valuable buffer. Thankfully, Dorahee wasn't stubborn or slow to react, so she made it out in time. Muljom wasn't exaggerating when he said she was a solid newcomer.
Relieved, I continued dodging Master Lycan's charges with Dorahee sticking close behind me. That's when Yoo Chae, who'd been quiet this whole time, suddenly called me.
"H-Hyung…"
"Huh?"
I reflexively answered, blinking in surprise. Why was he calling me in that pitiful voice?
"What?"
"…It's nothing."
Yoo Chae responded weakly, like a withering plant that hadn't been watered. What the heck was that?
'Seriously… I'll never understand this guy.'
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I dodged the charging Master Lycan with an evasive move. He said it was nothing, so I couldn't really press him about it. I should just mind my business and do my role.
[Whisper] Haereun: Is it just me
[Whisper] Haereun: or is this situation kinda terrifying lol
[Whisper] Haereun: hahahahaha
After reading Haereun's whisper, Muljom lowered his mic slightly and let out a quiet sigh.
Despite his earlier worries, this raid dungeon run with the new recruits — SoSleepy and Dorahee — was going surprisingly smoothly.
As expected, things started getting weird once SoSleepy began looking out for Dorahee.
[Party] Dorahee: Sleepy,
[Party] Dorahee: You're really good at this game
[Party] Dorahee: bb (thumbs up)
[Party] SoSleepy: lol
[Party] SoSleepy: thanks thanks
Maybe saving her earlier had broken the ice, because the two of them started casually chatting back and forth.
And each time they did, Yoo Chae would viciously swing his chain at Master Lycan like a man possessed.
[Whisper] Muljom: I can't lie...
[Whisper] Muljom: it's getting to me a bit, lol
[Whisper] Haereun: for real
[Whisper] Haereun: Sleepy's great and all
[Whisper] Haereun: but he's kinda... weak when it comes to girls
[Whisper] Haereun: what if he ends up treating her the same way he did that CottonCandyFox girl?;;
[Whisper] Muljom: ugh, that'd be a nightmare
If that happened, just having to witness it would be torture — and then there was Yoo Chae.
He was already mad enough watching them casually chat. If things escalated? The thought alone was exhausting.
"You fools! The real battle begins now!"
Master Lycan, having been thoroughly beaten down, roared as he entered phase two and summoned dozens of wolves.
But before anyone else could react, Yoo Chae's chain attacks wiped them all out instantly.
'What the hell—did that lunatic boost himself?'
His power seemed to have spiked — no doubt he'd used attack and speed buff potions.
Why waste such rare potions on a normal-difficulty mid-boss in Seltern?
'I didn't think Yoo Chae would hate seeing Sleepy getting along with another player this much…'
Even Park Seungjin and MonsterHunter, who had barely managed to land any hits thanks to Yoo Chae's overwhelming aggression, seemed to notice something was off. They whispered Muljom quietly:
[Whisper] ParkSeungjin99: What's going on??
[Whisper] ParkSeungjin99: Why's the guild leader like that?
[Whisper] MonsterHunter: Is this some kinda carry party for the guild master?
As always, cleanup duty fell to Muljom. Wearing a deadpan expression like a Tibetan fox, he started typing.
[Whisper] Muljom: Nah, same old crazy behavior
[Whisper] Muljom: It's not a carry party, but best to just stay out of it
[Whisper] ParkSeungjin99: lol
[Whisper] ParkSeungjin99: Honestly, even better this way~
[Whisper] MonsterHunter: Got it
Despite the vague explanation, the guild members got the hint and took a step back. It didn't really matter, anyway — it was a normal raid and just a mid-boss.
Eventually, Yoo Chae, having gone on a rampage like a rabid dog, managed to kill Master Lycan.
SoSleepy, who had helped with some magic attacks, expressed his admiration.
[Party] SoSleepy: Whoa
[Party] SoSleepy: You're seriously strong
[Party] Yoo Chae: Really?
[Party] Yoo Chae: hehehe
'Oh boy…'
Muljom shook his head in disbelief as he watched Yoo Chae, who had been pouting the whole time, brighten up from that one line of praise.
'He's hopeless.'
Muljom didn't care what sort of mess the two got themselves into — he just begged silently that whatever happened, it wouldn't blow back on him.
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : http://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]