Yeon vs. Yeon

The raid, having resolved all previous issues, resumed.

Wipes and retries continued in a loop.

Wiping during the first try wasn’t shameful at all.

It wasn’t a mistake either. Just a part of the process to move forward.

As the raid time lengthened, the number of retries increased exponentially.

But we were definitely moving forward.

Shadow Yeon’s remaining health: 60%

Number of survivors in the raid: 25.

The healer dedicated to the main tank was alive, but all the other healers who were supposed to cover the damage dealers and sub-tanks had been wiped out.

The situation wasn’t good. But we didn’t give up.

We had to shave off even a little more, more health, to see the next pattern.

,Hayyaaah!”

With a great shout, I swung my sword.

The ominous crimson magic sword slashed across Shadow Yeon’s back, but Shadow Yeon didn’t flinch or cower from my attack.

Rather, she pressed on, mercilessly swinging her sword at Dogric, who stood in her way.

Kaang!

Kwang!

The lower Shadow Yeon’s health became, the stronger her attack speed and the power contained in her sword became.

It was due to the Berserker’s [Rage] skill.

,Keeueuk!”

Dogric’s strained groan escaped his lips.

I frowned and checked Dogric’s condition.

Because with each swing of the sword, his health was being shaved off in chunks.

There were three healers dedicated to caring for the main tank, but even that seemed insufficient, judging by his dangerously fluctuating health.

Amidst that precarious situation.

Shadow Yeon’s health finally reached 50%.

In Deron, boss monsters often start their second phase when their health drops below 50%.

Shadow Yeon was no different.

[Keeueuk…]

With a small groan, Shadow Yeon slumped down and reached her hand towards the sky.

The moment I thought that posture looked somehow familiar.

Black clouds began to form in the sky, and from within them, a huge lightning bolt poured down and struck Shadow Yeon.

Kwaaaang!

I stared blankly, mouth agape, at the flashing black light.

The effect was different from the [Lightning of Destruction] skill I had used to attack a wide area.

This is…

Jjeojeok-!

A small hand began to grow, and pale skin gradually began to discolor.

The moment the hand began to turn black and black lightning surged, sharp nails grew.

The lower body also began to change in the same way.

The soft thighs revealed beneath the skirt turned black, and the form of a demon appeared on them.

Pajijik-!

[Awakening]

Shadow Yeon’s second phase change was the use of the Awakening skill.

Awakening is a transformation skill that greatly increases overall stats.

Among ordinary users, Awakening is one of the most highly regarded buff skills.

A boss monster using such a skill, not just an ordinary user?

It was hard to predict what kind of terrible situation would unfold.

,This bitch…!”

[A decent form, indeed…]

Shadow Yeon, transformed into the form of a Demon King, smiled in satisfaction at her appearance, then swung her sword at Dogric, who was blocking her path.

Shuaaaak!

The speed was incomparably faster than before.

The moment the crimson sword aura stretched out, Dogric quickly raised his shield.

Kwaang!

,Keeueuk…!”

Dogric had definitely raised his shield at the correct timing.

But the health that was shaved off was so significant that it was hard to believe he had blocked it with his shield.

Health was being greatly reduced by a normal attack, not a skill.

This wasn’t good. If he were to be hit by a powerful skill, the main tank might die in one hit.

More than ever, reliable health management was needed.

I shouted at Dogric.

,Dogric-nim! Dodge the attacks! You can’t get hit!”

,It’s not easy!”

I know. I know it’s not easy.

But what can I do?

It’s hard to endure with just three healers.

The main tank, Dogric, had to exert even more effort.

Pressing my frustrated feelings into my sword, I swung it as if to shake off those feelings.

But Shadow Yeon didn’t seem to care about my attacks, focusing solely on attacking Dogric.

,Keeu, keeueuk!”

Kwang!

Kwaaaang-!

Each time the sword and shield collided, a tremendous roar echoed as if a bomb had exploded.

,Dodge!”

The attack was clearly visible.

But Dogric didn’t dodge.

Or rather, he couldn’t dodge, would be a more accurate expression.

Kwaang!

As Dogric’s health fluctuated greatly, the healers’ mana also drained significantly.

Since they couldn’t drink mana potions with cooldowns like water, continuing this difficult battle would lead to the healers running out of mana and resulting in a wipe.

At that moment, Shadow Yeon crouched down and her eyes gleamed.

The first pattern to appear in the second phase.

No one could predict what would come out.

Shadow Yeon, having stopped attacking, pulled her magic sword behind her back.

Since I and Shadow Yeon possessed the same class, I could immediately recognize what the preparation stance of that skill was.

The strongest skill possessed by the Berserker.

A blood-red whirlwind that sweeps away a wide area in an instant.

[Whirlwind] was cast.

Chwaaaaaak-!

Even screams couldn’t be heard.

The widely spread blood-red blades instantly shredded the nearby melee dealers and the main tank, Dogric, as well.

,Ah…”

Since I was also within the attack range, death was unavoidable.

After 3 seconds of invincibility, strength drained from my body and I collapsed to the ground.

In that corpse state, I watched Shadow Yeon’s actions.

With the main tank, who had been holding aggro, dead, Shadow Yeon was approaching the nearest healer.

While maintaining that huge blood-red whirlwind.

Chwaaaak-!

Everything is shredded like the blades of a mixer.

And so, another wipe came.

The raid members, resurrected outside the named room, maintained a heavy silence.

Especially the main tank, Dogric, had a dark expression.

The atmosphere of the raid was somber.

A change of atmosphere was needed.

Jjakjjak!

,10 minutes! Let’s take a break!”

I clapped my hands and declared a break.

It wasn’t time to rest yet, but no raid member refused the break.

While the raid members vacated their seats.

I sat down in my seat with a serious expression.

We can’t clear it in this state.

That was the conclusion I came to.

The problem was with the main tank.

Dogric.

The main tank of our raid.

An ajusshi who inadvertently took the main tank position when I switched to a damage dealer.

Frankly speaking, Dogric’s physical skills weren’t at a level that could be called good.

The reason Dogric was able to maintain the main tank position was thanks to his diligent personality and attitude towards the game.

He was a constantly striving person, diligently running simulations by reviewing his own gameplay videos even during work hours for the named raid.

Raiding a dungeon boss wasn’t that difficult.

When the boss monster presents a problem, the players come up with the appropriate answer to that problem.

That’s the basic way raids progress.

Individual physical skills were a matter for later.

But Shadow Yeon, whom we encountered this time, was different.

The situation demanded higher physical skills from the main tank than any raid boss we had met so far.

Dogric himself must have felt it too.

That we could never overcome this named boss in the current situation.

A change of main tank was needed.

We needed a tank who could react to and dodge the attacks of Shadow Yeon in her awakened state.

Considering the skills she possessed, her attack speed would only increase as her health decreased.

It was impossible for an ordinary user.

Someone with excellent physical skills and a sense for tanking.

We needed such a person.

I thought of one user in my head.

A tall, blonde beauty.

Arthur.

She was a person who met the conditions I had in mind.

But I shook my head.

The raid already had 40 members.

I couldn’t just kick out existing members to bring in an external member, so I erased the idea of recruiting Arthur from my mind.

What can I do?

For now, we have no choice but to try among ourselves.

The promised time is slowly approaching.

I stood up from my seat and gathered the raid members.

,Dogric-nim.”

Before resuming the raid, I called out Dogric’s name.

,Yes?”

,Can we continue?”

Dogric hesitated and couldn’t answer my words.

Judging by the way he was looking around, it seemed he still had the will to try.

I nodded and opened my mouth.

,We’ll proceed as is!”

Maintaining the refreshed atmosphere, we started the raid again.

But the result didn’t change.

Wipe.

Wipe.

Wipe.

Wipes were repeated.

As this situation repeated, Dogric’s expression gradually darkened.

When the number of tries that had started again exceeded 10.

Dogric finally opened his mouth first.

,Raid leader-nim…”

,Yes?”

,Is it possible to change the main tank…?”

I had been waiting for those words.

I nodded.

As per Dogric’s request, we changed the positions of the sub-tank and main tank.

The try started again in that state.

But the result didn’t change.

Another wipe.

Wipe.

Wipe.

,Again!”

We had only shaved off a little more of Shadow Yeon’s health.

Even if we tried again, the result was the same.

All the tanks in the raid took turns rising to and falling from the main position.

But we couldn’t move forward.

,Ah…”

By now, the raid members must have gradually realized it.

That we could never clear it in this state.

I sighed and thought.

Should I really bring in external manpower…?

I used the short break time to look at the raid members.

Some were sitting down, letting time pass, while others had switched to an AFK state and gone out for a smoke.

Among them, Helena and Snow Mage stood out.

Fire and ice.

The contrasting two mages were talking to each other.

Snow Mage was constantly laughing, as if something was so funny.

Helena maintained her usual expressionless face.

It was then.

A memory I had forgotten in a corner of my mind came to mind.

Rank Reset Ticket.

A cash item that completely resets the class you’ve built up and allows you to choose again from the beginning.

It was also an item that Snow Mage, who enjoyed both PVP and PVE, bought every month.

I can’t give up on the raid members.

If we can clear it by changing classes.

If we can continue to move forward with these 40 people by doing so.

I purchased a Rank Reset Ticket from the cash shop.

There was no hesitation in that choice.