#39. Vanguard of Destruction (1)
Raid bosses are different from ordinary bosses or Sentinels.
They may not form a force like a regular boss, but they are much stronger.
Although weaker than a Sentinel, the damage they cause and their range of activity are greater than those of Sentinels.
Roughly speaking, if a typical boss requires about twenty players to defeat, a raid boss needs a number closer to one hundred.
Above all, if left alone, a raid boss will evolve into a Sentinel.
The scary part is, unlike Sentinels that can’t move beyond a certain area, there are no restrictions for raid bosses.
An untreated raid boss is essentially the same as a ‘disaster.’
In my previous life, the monsters that killed humans nearly as much as Sentinels were the raid bosses.
“332 hours and 27 minutes…”
Although there was still plenty of time marked on the map, I couldn’t afford to wait.
There are two raid bosses in Daejeon, but one of them will be killed by another raid boss within a few days.
‘Their stronghold must have been around Dunsan.’
Despite plenty of time still shown on the map, it’s always a fake.
The raid bosses had long emerged in each area, lying dormant.
The remaining time of 332 hours means that’s when they will start to actively move.
After all, the notification had already mentioned, ‘The fourth main quest will now begin.’
“Oppa!”
As I exited the station, I heard a familiar voice call out to me.
A woman in a black dress and matching black ankle boots, Jisoo, was running down from the second floor of the station.
“Hey, when did you get here?”
“That’s mean. We were on the same train, you know?”
Jisoo glared at me with narrow eyes.
On the same train? Why didn’t I notice?
More importantly, how did she know I was on that train?
“You can find the locations of party members, can’t you? Don’t act so surprised.”
“Right, that feature.”
I hadn’t used it in so long that I forgot about it.
And thanks to the newly added ‘map’ function, the locations of party members were being displayed too.
It was almost funny that I hadn’t realized Jisoo was nearby all this time.
“Didn’t you have some business you mentioned?”
“I did, but not anymore. I was planning to see my parents.”
Jisoo spoke calmly, prompting me to close my mouth.
I imagined a not-so-pleasant situation.
“Ah, it’s not what you’re thinking. My father has passed away, but… my mother is still alive.”
“Really?”
I wasn’t sure whether to consider this good news or if I should offer my condolences.
“So I was going to see my mother, but she didn’t want to meet.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t even tell me her location.”
Jisoo muttered as she kicked a stone on the ground.
“Anyway.”
Jisoo looked up slowly, her eyes sparkling.
“Why did you come to Daejeon? I almost missed you because you suddenly boarded a train to Daejeon.”
“Were you checking all the time?”
“Yes, all the time.”
“Then why didn’t you come sooner? It would have been easier for me.”
If Jisoo had been there, the fight with the crows would have been much smoother.
“I did want to come immediately, but on my way here, the third main quest started, so I rushed to finish that first.”
“Where was it?”
“I went to Gangseo District, and the quest suddenly started.”
That must have been a defense quest to prevent monsters from flooding in.
It’s a quest requiring cooperation among players, but…
“Weren’t there strange folks there?”
“Yes, there were. But not anymore.”
Her words carried significant meaning.
Receiving my gaze, Jisoo just smiled faintly.
Several unsavory factions and forces are known to exist in Gangseo District.
In my last life, there were many fatalities due to these powers trying to control players.
‘I wonder if something changed because Jisoo got involved?’
It seemed I needed to look into it later.
“Well, as you know, I’m here in Daejeon to hunt the raid boss.”
“I thought so.”
Jisoo nodded her small head as if she understood.
“Aren’t you going to ask more? Like why I came to Daejeon, which only has two, while Seoul has four.”
“When have you ever done anything that made sense? I just accept it as is.”
I had no response to that.
“Even if you said you came for Sungsimdang bakery, I wouldn’t have commented.”
I couldn’t tell if she thought well or poorly of me.
“So where should we go now?”
“Dunsan.”
The subway ride there was quick.
Although buses weren’t running, subways and trains were accepted as part of the game’s infrastructure and were available for use.
“I’ll explain in detail on our way.”
Jisoo nodded silently, seemingly indifferent to the destination.
***
Dunsan, Daejeon.
Previously a bustling district, the area now was in disarray.
Monsters were nowhere to be seen, but soldiers and police officers were visible, controlling traffic.
“Society seems to be recovering little by little.”
“It seems so since it became an open world. Can’t just proceed with quests haphazardly.”
While the main quests would still be assigned, there needed to be breaks in between.
Various side quests and events were also prepared.
For the game to remain engaging, some dispensable characters were necessary.
And for that, conditions had to be created in which non-players could also survive.
“Excuse me, are the two of you players?”
While I pondered which direction to go, a soldier approached us.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“…! Ah, I thought so. Could you give me your names and social security numbers, please? We’ve been ordered to document the existing players.”
The policeman’s face showed awkwardness. The orders must have come from above.
They were already preparing to control the players as soon as they caught their breath.
‘How foolish.’
Ordinary players might comply, but not all are so compliant.
And the more forcefully they try to control, the greater the resistance from the players.
Who’s going to stop those players, then?
‘It’ll resolve with time anyway.’
Military power is already meaningless to players.
They will soon see the unified power of players in this raid boss.
“You there, don’t just walk away without answering… your names and social security numbers… please!”
I ignored the policeman and walked on.
I had no hesitation because I needed to get inside the controlled area anyway.
“Stop! This is a controlled area! Even if you are players, you can’t enter!”
“If you don’t stop, we will shoot! Please, stop right there!”
Guns were aimed at me in unison.
Firearms were a meaningful deterrent against current players.
Unlike monsters that could withstand modern weaponry, players could not stop bullets.
However, even E(100) players are immune to bullets.
Simply put, I had no need to fear bullets now.
“Go for that building over there.”
“Okay.”
Shortly whispering orders to Jisoo, I slowly gathered strength in my legs.
I coiled like a spring and launched into the air.
Thump!
A faint vibration rang out as my body soared upwards.
I leapt meters into the air, stepped on a nearby pole, and then darted up the building’s side.
“Wow.”
The soldiers aiming at me could only watch as I fled like a dog that’s lost its prey.
No shots were heard.
Forcing an engagement against me and Jisoo, who were escaping by climbing the building, would only cause additional collateral damage.
Thud.
Upon reaching the rooftop, I realized the number of soldiers and policemen below was quite significant.
‘Let’s see…’
It was too cumbersome to search one by one, given the complexity of the streets and the abundance of buildings.
“Where is the raid boss here?”
“Wait a sec.”
I took a deep breath and concentrated.
This was my first time using this particular skill, so I wasn’t sure if it would work properly.
“Crow’s Eyes.”
My shadow flickered, and dark feathers surged upward.
Then, the feathers congregated in the air, transforming into several crows that took flight.
“Wow. When did you learn that skill?”
“Not too long ago.”
I wanted to increase the number more, but since I wasn’t familiar with it yet, five was my limit.
I sent two to the other side, while the remaining three scattered south and east…
My head throbbed, but the crows dispersed under my control.
The sensation was like moving my fingertips. I could share the crows’ vision if I concentrated, but I didn’t see the need.
Finding the targeted traces would be sufficient.
“I thought I had become quite strong, but Oppa, you are really different.”
“I still have a long way to go.”
I haven’t fully mastered the power of the crow’s position, so my words were not an empty boast.
‘Maybe I should check Jisoo’s stats while there’s time?’
I figured it wouldn’t matter since there was time to spare.
I proposed the idea, and Jisoo readily nodded.
‘Does she not know the word “no”?’
It’s convenient, but I was a bit worried if she was the same elsewhere.
However, my thoughts disappeared the moment I saw Jisoo’s stats.
“Wow.”
I let out an involuntary exclamation.
I had expected a bit, but I never thought it would be to this extent.
“What? Do I not meet Oppa’s standards?”
“No, it’s not that… It’s just…”
Jisoo edged closer, concerned by my reaction.
I was surprised not because her stats fell short, but because they far exceeded the average.
‘What have you been doing all this time?’
Her stats were evenly high across the board, with most over E-rank 50.
Strength and agility even surpassed E-rank 90.
Considering the limit only recently increased, it was astounding.
Her skills were equally formidable, filled with menacing abilities.
‘Why is Blood Celestial Asura Skill at three stars?’
At this level, it wouldn’t be surprising if she fell into demonism.
Considering how she could master Blood Celestial Asura Skill up to three stars without showing any premonition signs.
‘With an understanding of anatomy, precise strike skills, and regeneration up to C?’
My regeneration progressed to E-rank only recently, but Jisoo had already reached C-rank.
What kind of things has she been doing to get to this level?
‘Well, I didn’t raise my regeneration rank higher because there was little need for severe healing.’
Still, leveling it to C-rank so quickly was extremely fast.
“Hey, you.”
“What?”
Simply hunting monsters and clearing main quests wouldn’t result in this level of power.
Raising regeneration to C-rank must have involved seriously pushing her body to the limit.
Just as I was about to ask her what happened, I felt a sting.
“Ow.”
A signal came from the crow, making the nape of my neck tingle.
“What’s the matter?”
Jisoo approached, worried as I grimaced unexpectedly.
Seeing her expression made it difficult to press on about her past.
…Can’t help it. It’s not just about today.
“I received a signal. It’s over there.”
The direction of the signal wasn’t too far from here.
About 500 meters away in the back alleys connected to the residential area.
We found traces of the ‘Raid Boss’ present.
Inspecting it closely, we confirmed its nature.
“White feathers and claw marks. This isn’t an ordinary monster, it seems.”
“Yeah, it’s the trace of a raid boss.”
“What? A raid boss already? But there’s still a lot of time according to the timer.”
“Since when have you trusted the timer? Most of it is deception.”
“That’s true, but …”
Jisoo lifted one of the fallen feathers.
They were so large; a single feather was bigger than Jisoo’s torso.
“Large wings and claw marks—so, a bird-type and beast-type monster?”
“No, these are the traces of a single creature.”
“What? But these don’t look like the claw marks of a bird… Huh?”
As she spoke, Jisoo’s gaze shifted rapidly.
I also tensed up, shifting swiftly to the side.
Kwaang!
Crushing the adjacent building, a colossal animal’s paw swung toward us.
Individual claws were larger than an adult male, promising a gruesome fate if even grazed.
Ku-koong. Ku-woong.
“Indeed, it was a single creature.”
Avoiding debris from the collapsed building, Jisoo murmured to herself.
Seeing it for yourself leaves no room for doubt.
“The creature’s name is Qiongqi.”
Looking at the white-winged massive tiger before us.
“One of the four fiends known as a demon in Chinese mythology.”
「Grrr.」
Qiongqi exhaled a calm breath as its eyes gleamed intensely.
#39. Vanguard of Destruction (1)
Raid bosses are different from ordinary bosses or Sentinels.
They may not form a force like a regular boss, but they are much stronger.
Although weaker than a Sentinel, the damage they cause and their range of activity are greater than those of Sentinels.
Roughly speaking, if a typical boss requires about twenty players to defeat, a raid boss needs a number closer to one hundred.
Above all, if left alone, a raid boss will evolve into a Sentinel.
The scary part is, unlike Sentinels that can’t move beyond a certain area, there are no restrictions for raid bosses.
An untreated raid boss is essentially the same as a ‘disaster.’
In my previous life, the monsters that killed humans nearly as much as Sentinels were the raid bosses.
“332 hours and 27 minutes…”
Although there was still plenty of time marked on the map, I couldn’t afford to wait.
There are two raid bosses in Daejeon, but one of them will be killed by another raid boss within a few days.
‘Their stronghold must have been around Dunsan.’
Despite plenty of time still shown on the map, it’s always a fake.
The raid bosses had long emerged in each area, lying dormant.
The remaining time of 332 hours means that’s when they will start to actively move.
After all, the notification had already mentioned, ‘The fourth main quest will now begin.’
“Oppa!”
As I exited the station, I heard a familiar voice call out to me.
A woman in a black dress and matching black ankle boots, Jisoo, was running down from the second floor of the station.
“Hey, when did you get here?”
“That’s mean. We were on the same train, you know?”
Jisoo glared at me with narrow eyes.
On the same train? Why didn’t I notice?
More importantly, how did she know I was on that train?
“You can find the locations of party members, can’t you? Don’t act so surprised.”
“Right, that feature.”
I hadn’t used it in so long that I forgot about it.
And thanks to the newly added ‘map’ function, the locations of party members were being displayed too.
It was almost funny that I hadn’t realized Jisoo was nearby all this time.
“Didn’t you have some business you mentioned?”
“I did, but not anymore. I was planning to see my parents.”
Jisoo spoke calmly, prompting me to close my mouth.
I imagined a not-so-pleasant situation.
“Ah, it’s not what you’re thinking. My father has passed away, but… my mother is still alive.”
“Really?”
I wasn’t sure whether to consider this good news or if I should offer my condolences.
“So I was going to see my mother, but she didn’t want to meet.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. She wouldn’t even tell me her location.”
Jisoo muttered as she kicked a stone on the ground.
“Anyway.”
Jisoo looked up slowly, her eyes sparkling.
“Why did you come to Daejeon? I almost missed you because you suddenly boarded a train to Daejeon.”
“Were you checking all the time?”
“Yes, all the time.”
“Then why didn’t you come sooner? It would have been easier for me.”
If Jisoo had been there, the fight with the crows would have been much smoother.
“I did want to come immediately, but on my way here, the third main quest started, so I rushed to finish that first.”
“Where was it?”
“I went to Gangseo District, and the quest suddenly started.”
That must have been a defense quest to prevent monsters from flooding in.
It’s a quest requiring cooperation among players, but…
“Weren’t there strange folks there?”
“Yes, there were. But not anymore.”
Her words carried significant meaning.
Receiving my gaze, Jisoo just smiled faintly.
Several unsavory factions and forces are known to exist in Gangseo District.
In my last life, there were many fatalities due to these powers trying to control players.
‘I wonder if something changed because Jisoo got involved?’
It seemed I needed to look into it later.
“Well, as you know, I’m here in Daejeon to hunt the raid boss.”
“I thought so.”
Jisoo nodded her small head as if she understood.
“Aren’t you going to ask more? Like why I came to Daejeon, which only has two, while Seoul has four.”
“When have you ever done anything that made sense? I just accept it as is.”
I had no response to that.
“Even if you said you came for Sungsimdang bakery, I wouldn’t have commented.”
I couldn’t tell if she thought well or poorly of me.
“So where should we go now?”
“Dunsan.”
The subway ride there was quick.
Although buses weren’t running, subways and trains were accepted as part of the game’s infrastructure and were available for use.
“I’ll explain in detail on our way.”
Jisoo nodded silently, seemingly indifferent to the destination.
***
Dunsan, Daejeon.
Previously a bustling district, the area now was in disarray.
Monsters were nowhere to be seen, but soldiers and police officers were visible, controlling traffic.
“Society seems to be recovering little by little.”
“It seems so since it became an open world. Can’t just proceed with quests haphazardly.”
While the main quests would still be assigned, there needed to be breaks in between.
Various side quests and events were also prepared.
For the game to remain engaging, some dispensable characters were necessary.
And for that, conditions had to be created in which non-players could also survive.
“Excuse me, are the two of you players?”
While I pondered which direction to go, a soldier approached us.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“…! Ah, I thought so. Could you give me your names and social security numbers, please? We’ve been ordered to document the existing players.”
The policeman’s face showed awkwardness. The orders must have come from above.
They were already preparing to control the players as soon as they caught their breath.
‘How foolish.’
Ordinary players might comply, but not all are so compliant.
And the more forcefully they try to control, the greater the resistance from the players.
Who’s going to stop those players, then?
‘It’ll resolve with time anyway.’
Military power is already meaningless to players.
They will soon see the unified power of players in this raid boss.
“You there, don’t just walk away without answering… your names and social security numbers… please!”
I ignored the policeman and walked on.
I had no hesitation because I needed to get inside the controlled area anyway.
“Stop! This is a controlled area! Even if you are players, you can’t enter!”
“If you don’t stop, we will shoot! Please, stop right there!”
Guns were aimed at me in unison.
Firearms were a meaningful deterrent against current players.
Unlike monsters that could withstand modern weaponry, players could not stop bullets.
However, even E(100) players are immune to bullets.
Simply put, I had no need to fear bullets now.
“Go for that building over there.”
“Okay.”
Shortly whispering orders to Jisoo, I slowly gathered strength in my legs.
I coiled like a spring and launched into the air.
Thump!
A faint vibration rang out as my body soared upwards.
I leapt meters into the air, stepped on a nearby pole, and then darted up the building’s side.
“Wow.”
The soldiers aiming at me could only watch as I fled like a dog that’s lost its prey.
No shots were heard.
Forcing an engagement against me and Jisoo, who were escaping by climbing the building, would only cause additional collateral damage.
Thud.
Upon reaching the rooftop, I realized the number of soldiers and policemen below was quite significant.
‘Let’s see…’
It was too cumbersome to search one by one, given the complexity of the streets and the abundance of buildings.
“Where is the raid boss here?”
“Wait a sec.”
I took a deep breath and concentrated.
This was my first time using this particular skill, so I wasn’t sure if it would work properly.
“Crow’s Eyes.”
My shadow flickered, and dark feathers surged upward.
Then, the feathers congregated in the air, transforming into several crows that took flight.
“Wow. When did you learn that skill?”
“Not too long ago.”
I wanted to increase the number more, but since I wasn’t familiar with it yet, five was my limit.
I sent two to the other side, while the remaining three scattered south and east…
My head throbbed, but the crows dispersed under my control.
The sensation was like moving my fingertips. I could share the crows’ vision if I concentrated, but I didn’t see the need.
Finding the targeted traces would be sufficient.
“I thought I had become quite strong, but Oppa, you are really different.”
“I still have a long way to go.”
I haven’t fully mastered the power of the crow’s position, so my words were not an empty boast.
‘Maybe I should check Jisoo’s stats while there’s time?’
I figured it wouldn’t matter since there was time to spare.
I proposed the idea, and Jisoo readily nodded.
‘Does she not know the word “no”?’
It’s convenient, but I was a bit worried if she was the same elsewhere.
However, my thoughts disappeared the moment I saw Jisoo’s stats.
“Wow.”
I let out an involuntary exclamation.
I had expected a bit, but I never thought it would be to this extent.
“What? Do I not meet Oppa’s standards?”
“No, it’s not that… It’s just…”
Jisoo edged closer, concerned by my reaction.
I was surprised not because her stats fell short, but because they far exceeded the average.
‘What have you been doing all this time?’
Her stats were evenly high across the board, with most over E-rank 50.
Strength and agility even surpassed E-rank 90.
Considering the limit only recently increased, it was astounding.
Her skills were equally formidable, filled with menacing abilities.
‘Why is Blood Celestial Asura Skill at three stars?’
At this level, it wouldn’t be surprising if she fell into demonism.
Considering how she could master Blood Celestial Asura Skill up to three stars without showing any premonition signs.
‘With an understanding of anatomy, precise strike skills, and regeneration up to C?’
My regeneration progressed to E-rank only recently, but Jisoo had already reached C-rank.
What kind of things has she been doing to get to this level?
‘Well, I didn’t raise my regeneration rank higher because there was little need for severe healing.’
Still, leveling it to C-rank so quickly was extremely fast.
“Hey, you.”
“What?”
Simply hunting monsters and clearing main quests wouldn’t result in this level of power.
Raising regeneration to C-rank must have involved seriously pushing her body to the limit.
Just as I was about to ask her what happened, I felt a sting.
“Ow.”
A signal came from the crow, making the nape of my neck tingle.
“What’s the matter?”
Jisoo approached, worried as I grimaced unexpectedly.
Seeing her expression made it difficult to press on about her past.
…Can’t help it. It’s not just about today.
“I received a signal. It’s over there.”
The direction of the signal wasn’t too far from here.
About 500 meters away in the back alleys connected to the residential area.
We found traces of the ‘Raid Boss’ present.
Inspecting it closely, we confirmed its nature.
“White feathers and claw marks. This isn’t an ordinary monster, it seems.”
“Yeah, it’s the trace of a raid boss.”
“What? A raid boss already? But there’s still a lot of time according to the timer.”
“Since when have you trusted the timer? Most of it is deception.”
“That’s true, but …”
Jisoo lifted one of the fallen feathers.
They were so large; a single feather was bigger than Jisoo’s torso.
“Large wings and claw marks—so, a bird-type and beast-type monster?”
“No, these are the traces of a single creature.”
“What? But these don’t look like the claw marks of a bird… Huh?”
As she spoke, Jisoo’s gaze shifted rapidly.
I also tensed up, shifting swiftly to the side.
Kwaang!
Crushing the adjacent building, a colossal animal’s paw swung toward us.
Individual claws were larger than an adult male, promising a gruesome fate if even grazed.
Ku-koong. Ku-woong.
“Indeed, it was a single creature.”
Avoiding debris from the collapsed building, Jisoo murmured to herself.
Seeing it for yourself leaves no room for doubt.
“The creature’s name is Qiongqi.”
Looking at the white-winged massive tiger before us.
“One of the four fiends known as a demon in Chinese mythology.”
「Grrr.」
Qiongqi exhaled a calm breath as its eyes gleamed intensely.
