“Man, they’re doing great!”
The vivid scene of Vulcanus Guild’s Gate raid unfolded before me.
Guild Master’s privilege: Shared Vision.
With the guild members’ permission, I could see through their eyes as if I were there.
- No need to fear Rank 6 monsters! Without poison, they’re no different from Rank 5!
- Magic, ready!
- I’ll take the opening! Hup! Now!
Boom!
Was it because they’d operated as a tight-knit team since the guild’s founding?
Their coordination was impeccable.
To think they’d show this much combat prowess against Rank 6 monsters.
I felt a surge of pride being their Guild Master.
When a monster counterattacked, I’d jump up in shock, but—
- Cloaks up!
Swish.
- Switch to offense!
- Yes!
They raised their cloaks like shields, blocking the poison completely and continuing the fight.
Barely used to the cloaks, they wielded them expertly in battle.
Incredibly reliable.
But—
“The attacks aren’t landing well.”
Even if poison was nullified, were Rank 6 monsters still Rank 6?
Team 1’s attacks weren’t effective.
Were the monsters immune to physical damage? They endured focused assaults tenaciously.
Watching, I grew worried.
“They’re holding up well now, but…”
Regular monsters? They could handle two or three.
Rank 6 monsters were manageable with poison countered.
But a boss monster?
Even with perfect poison immunity, could they damage it?
If the boss was an upgraded version of these monsters, attacks might not work.
So—
“Prepare.”
I decided to craft an item for emergencies.
If it wasn’t needed, I could sell it at the auction.
[Using Production Skill.]
[Select the shape of the item to craft.]
What weapon?
Watching the battle via Shared Vision, I decided quickly.
Slash!
The fastest and strongest attacker was, as expected, Park Sang-hyun.
Activating his Rank 5 Werewolf ability, he slashed with sharp claws.
Even monsters resistant to physical attacks faltered under his rapid strikes.
If I was making a boss-killer weapon, it should be for him.
“Claws.”
[Specify the details of the claws’ shape.]
I kept it simple.
Details weren’t critical.
[Choose the material for the claws.]
Here’s the issue.
I’d made poison-immune items, but—
“What’s poison’s weakness?”
I searched urgently.
“Earth and Esper? How do I use those?”
Some games listed those as poison’s weaknesses, but they didn’t seem practical here.
How would I imbue a weapon with those attributes?
Other weaknesses: fire and holy.
Fire burns poison; holy purifies it.
“Fire and holy…”
Which was better? I didn’t know.
So, both.
For fire, I used Ignition Stone, as before.
And—
[Mithril]
With Zone 1 golems’ strengthened drops, I added some mithril.
Mithril, or “true silver,” was lightweight, highly mana-conductive, and excellent for purification.
Like using silver spoons to detect poison.
[Crafting begins.]
Clang!
I hammered, checking the raid’s progress.
Rank 6 Gates required caution, slowing their pace, but they were steady.
Blocking poison reliably, defeating enemies methodically.
[Progress: 35%…]
Traps like sinking ground and ambushing monsters appeared, but Park Sang-hyun led calmly, handling each situation superbly.
Even I could see he was an exceptional leader.
Rank 6 Gates made time fly.
- The gas has fully engulfed Hamak Mountain’s villages!
- Spreading relentlessly, it’s predicted to reach the city soon.
- The Hunter Association is supplying antidotes and healers, recruiting raid guilds.
- However, no guilds have accepted due to the widespread gas…
- Separately, Vulcanus Guild, raiding the Gate, hasn’t emerged.
- Experts say Vulcanus’ growth is remarkable but doubt they can handle a Rank 6 Gate, cautiously predicting a wipe…
The news blared on.
“Who’s wiping?”
This is why they call it fake news.
Why do so-called experts speak so recklessly?
To be fair, a guild just tackling Rank 5 Gates jumping to Rank 6 could raise doubts.
I’d be anxious too without Shared Vision.
Then—
[Crafting complete.]
[‘Scar of Sacred Flame’ obtained.]
A weapon to aid the Gate raid was done.
[Scar of Sacred Flame]
Type: Claws
Grade: SSS
Restriction: Level 40+
Description: Crafted by Hephaestus’ heir to burn the corrupt, imbued with sacred flames.
Attack: 300
Abilities:
- Purification – Purifies undead and amorphous monsters, dealing bonus damage.
- Flame – The left claw burns with constant fire, dealing flame damage.
- Holy – The right claw radiates holiness, dealing holy damage.
- Sacred Flame – When flame and holy overlap, they combine into sacred flame, dealing amplified damage.
An SSS-grade weapon.
Even if unused today, it’d fetch a good price at auction.
Claws were niche, but if they didn’t sell, I could disassemble them for mithril.
Satisfied, I heard—
- Master, we’ve found the boss monster.
“Leave the Gate to me.”
- Understood. We’ll prepare and engage.
After brief preparations, Team 1 advanced toward the boss.
Hamak Mountain’s Rank 6 boss.
What was it like?
Rumble—
The boss’s form wasn’t much different from other monsters.
Rotten food, rusted cans, polluted rags—an irregular body of garbage and sludge.
Tentacle-like arms sprouted from its writhing form.
Even with numbed noses, the stench was nauseating.
Yet Team 1—
- Prepare for battle!
Grimacing but composed, they readied for combat.
The boss’s first attack, after bloating—
“ROAR!”
Was no different from others.
Poison gas.
I worried the boss’s poison might pierce the masks, but it didn’t.
The gas, laced with wind pressure, blocked Team 1’s approach, but—
Dash!
Under Park Sang-hyun’s lead, they scattered, dodging the gas.
His attack followed.
Slash!
What skill was that?
A giant wolf’s shadow appeared behind him, tearing the boss’s hide.
But—
Splatter!
“Grr!”
No significant damage.
Sludge burst from the wound, attacking Park Sang-hyun.
He dodged with his cloak, but subsequent attacks didn’t land either.
The boss’s attacks were poison-focused, blockable and avoidable, but its Rank 6 defense and regeneration made it hard to chip down.
“This won’t do.”
Using my Guild Master authority, I sent Park Sang-hyun the new item.
The Scar of Sacred Flame.
It could deal enough damage to this amorphous, poison-based monster.
- This is…
In Shared Vision, a pair of claws appeared.
The left blazed with red flames; the right glowed with holy light.
The claws were properly delivered.
“Switch to the new weapon. It should work.”
- Thank you, Master!
Park Sang-hyun swapped weapons.
His original claws were cool, but these looked even better equipped.
Seeming pleased, he crossed the claws, swiping them.
Growl! Flames and holy light merged, sparking white fire.
- Engaging!
A wolf’s howl echoed around him.
Likely a Werewolf-derived skill.
His physical abilities surged, and he lunged, arching back dramatically.
SLASH!
Like releasing a taut bowstring, he crossed the claws in an X-shaped slash.
Flame and holy strikes—
“ROAR!”
Carved a massive wound into the boss.
Normally, sludge would’ve burst out, healing it, but not now.
Flames and holy light lingered, hindering regeneration—no, consuming the boss’s body.
Whoosh!
Park Sang-hyun darted in, slashing again.
ROAR!
The claws’ abilities—flame and holy—merged into sacred flame, engulfing the boss.
Just swapping weapons transformed his impact.
- Now!
- Target the wound!
- Pour everything in!
BOOM!
Team 1’s attacks focused on Park Sang-hyun’s wound.
A team barely at Rank 5 was overwhelming a Rank 6 Gate’s boss.
The boss must’ve been livid.
None of its poison attacks worked.
It tried physical sludge waves, but they were too slow to hit.
“ROAR!”
Entering Phase 2, the boss made a final stand, erupting sludge in a storm.
SLASH!
Park Sang-hyun pierced the storm, claws slashing.
Splatter—
The boss’s body collapsed, unable to hold together.
As the Rank 6 Hamak Mountain Gate was cleared, the spreading gas began to dissipate.