“Orange Gate.”
Normally, this rank is considered quite dangerous.
An A-rank player alone cannot defend it, and even an S-rank with low level or without combat specialization struggles.
If you factor in class matchups, unless you’re a formidable force, you’re bound to have a hard time.
However, this time, we decided to trust our three-minute standby team.”
The moment the bell rang, they rushed straight toward the Gate area.
The shimmering orange light.
Without a moment’s hesitation, skeletons were deployed inside.
Unlike the usual method of confirming the interior with drones, here they had no choice but to check in person.
First, they sent scouts ahead to assess the situation.
But somehow, no opponents appeared.
In this case, there was only one possibility.
An enormous boss monster was waiting.
The absence of surrounding monsters meant the opponent was particularly powerful.
It was already dominating the area.
Anyone underestimating the Orange Gate was bound to suffer a serious blow.
Ding-dong!
Soon, a skeleton that discovered the boss sent a signal.
The creature revealed itself.
Its true identity was the Twin-Headed Ogre.
Two heads.
A massive frame and thick skin.
No ordinary blade could leave a scratch.
Did magic work well against it?
Not likely.
It was one of those notoriously difficult bosses with high magic resistance.
Moreover—
Ziiing—
If unlucky, one head could use magic.
The giant mouth opened wide, and a crimson magic circle appeared.
Then—
Fwoosh—
It spat out a stream of fire.
Unfortunate, and not common.
A creature capable of magic use.
Of course, it stood no chance against Bbyak or Toto.
But for now, let’s see.
We needed to test how well our three-minute standby teams performed.
Go!
From the cold frost, the Skeleton King drew his sword.
Though he could no longer use the magic sword Avalance, he was far from lacking.
It was a clash between two monsters of level five.
A battle of strength and technique.
When the Ogre swung its huge wooden club, the Skeleton King easily dodged with graceful movements.
Then came the counterattack.
First, a normal strike was insufficient to pierce the Ogre’s thick skin.
Second, a subtle psychological battle.
Both knew this wouldn’t end easily.
But battle isn’t just about strength.
Technique, speed, and strategy.
In fact, preparations had been made since last night.
Not only for fighting multiple monsters but also for battling large bosses like this one.
The Elf Guardians’ assistance was activated, prepared for any unexpected situation.
Having fought corrupted magical beasts for a long time, they possessed various tactics to overcome mental and physical limits.
Among those, the method used this time was one where many warriors would take on a giant beast.
Churarrak—
From behind, dozens of skeletons waiting in ambush launched spears at the Ogre.
Specially forged iron spears, designed for battling giant magical beasts, pierced precisely around the Ogre’s neck.
Even the strongest armor couldn’t ignore spears wrapped around the neck.
The Ogre had to breathe.
In pain, it struggled.
But the Skeleton King was not one to watch idly.
Warrior’s pride?
Did such a thing exist for an undead skeleton?
He only knew that winning was everything.
With both hands immobilized while trying to free himself from the spears, the Skeleton King leapt high.
With his giant greatsword, he struck down one of the two heads.
Thwack—
The Twin-Headed Ogre’s few weaknesses.
Right at the head.
The head that had been annoyingly using magic was slammed into the ground.
From now on, things got smoother.
What made the Twin-Headed Ogre more difficult than other ogres was exactly those two heads.
Not just because it used magic, curses, or buffs.
But because of shared vision.
In a split second life-or-death battle, angles are critical.
One, the Ogre had two heads.
Meaning it had no blind spots.
But now?
It was no different from a big dumb brute with just size and strength.
The Skeleton King readied another strike.
He planned to end the fight with this blow.
That moment—
Crack—
A chilling sound echoed.
Pop—
A defensive magic shield was cast.
In that brief instant, the severed head regenerated.
No matter how tough an ogre was, a cut-off head wouldn’t grow back.
At best, a wound might heal in moments.
What unfolded before their eyes defied common sense.
Kuwaaaah!
The Ogre, its wounds healed, let out a roar.
With one head severed, the spears constricting its neck loosened.
Soon its whole body started glowing red.
Berserk mode.
From now on, phase two.
The Ogre charged at high speed.
The Skeleton King swiftly dodged.
However—
Kuaaaang—
The noticeable increase in speed was visible to the naked eye.
Until now, the Skeleton King had the speed advantage, but it was narrowing.
One slip, and it was over.
Taking a step back, the Skeleton King analyzed the situation.
Because it was a boss monster, its intelligence was higher than ordinary skeletons.
A thorough analysis.
Why did the Ogre’s head regenerate?
The conclusion came faster than expected.
That club.
It was suspicious.
Could it be an item?
If so, the next plan was clear.
Just sever that, and it would be over.
The Skeleton King ordered his subordinates.
They intended to cut off the club by grabbing it at the wielder’s wrist.
But that required more time.
That’s why there were 500 soldiers in the three-minute standby team.
Was the fight dragging?
That was because there were too few warriors.
Undead skeletons, unafraid of death, charged at the Ogre.
Hundreds of arrows rained down, and fireballs were hurled.
The berserk Ogre swung its club, knocking down the skeletons who dared approach, but it couldn’t stop even the slowest yet persistent undead.
The longer the thorough skirmish dragged on, the more exhausted the Ogre became.
Then—
The finishing blow was finally ready.
White sword energy gathered around the greatsword.
Then—
Pat-ching—
With a sharp sound cutting through the stand-by air, the Ogre’s wrist was severed.
Now.
The exact moment it dropped the item was targeted.
The razor-sharp blade pierced the Ogre’s neck.
The fully staggered momentum.
The Ogre, having given up fighting, began to flee.
Of course, the Skeleton King wasn’t one to let that happen.
He chased the fleeing Ogre and delivered the final strike!
***
After watching the skeletons’ perfect attack and exiting the Gate, Silvia cautiously approached.
She had also checked the skeletons’ alert system thoroughly.
Where else could there be a safer attack?
Not a single Elf was injured.
And the results?
Needless to say.
Without borrowing the power of the Seghyesu, no Guardian could match the Skeleton King.
“Thank you so much. You went this far for our Elves.”
“Hahaha, no problem. It’s a mutual help situation after all.”
That was about right.
Thanks to the 10,459th dimensional shift, future rewards had doubled, so helping the Elves was easy.
I was already feeling uneasy about monopolizing the rewards, so this was perfect.
With this, everyone would live peacefully as usual.
More pressing was what to do with the newly acquired item.
After defeating the Twin-Headed Ogre, they had gained more than expected.
First, the skin.
The tough Ogre skin was highly valuable for crafting player equipment.
These creatures rarely appeared in Gates, and they usually acted solo.
Plus, the Twin Heads.
Its value was multiple times higher.
However, the real treasure was something else.
The club.
It looked ordinary and slender, so it seemed insignificant, but it was a legendary item.
[Lightning-Struck Millennium Ancient Oak Club] — A club tougher than diamond with incredible durability. It drastically boosts the wielder’s regeneration.
Unfortunately, it had no added offensive abilities.
No electric shock like Lightning Staff or the cold attribute of Avalance.
But its durability was exceptional.
Much tougher than diamond.
It could withstand anything without damage.
The main effect was the regeneration boost.
That explained the head’s regeneration.
Only then did it make some sense.
But here, no one was really suited to wield the club.
At best, Britael, who handled spears.
Of course, he had a spear he preferred, so no reason to use the club.
Using it as a spear wasn’t an option either because of its durability.
It couldn’t be reshaped.
Its size was ridiculously large; most couldn’t wield it.
What should be done?
While pondering, someone came to mind.
The former Korean rank 1 before the winter season.
Close friends with James, the American rank 1, and a political prodigy.
That was Dohyun.
I heard his abilities were monstrous.
If not for his injury, he might still be rank 1.
However, he seriously injured his ankle while climbing the 42nd floor.
With timely treatment, potions, and regenerative medicine, he could walk or even jog in daily life, but he could no longer scale the treacherous tower.
He stayed around the 20th floor, maintaining only his abilities.
Thanks to that, I met Dohyun and gained a reliable supporter, but the injured leg never recovered.
Since that was the case, maybe I should give it to Dohyun.
He was always a bit scatterbrained lately, and oddly enough, he never received a gift from me.
To Suharin, I gave a flower bracelet.
To Seo Rin, I facilitated her connection with Chun San Gun.
But Dohyun?
Nothing special.
Not that I intended it, but somehow I never had anything suitable.
Sure, he had plenty of money, but he firmly refused any gifts while sitting on the council.
But this?
This was an item.
If I gave it to him outright, he’d refuse again.
There was a way.
Hurrying back to the original dimension, I headed to the rest area where Dohyun worked.
Dohyun sat in his log cabin home, working on his laptop.
Seo Rin seemed to have returned to the council.
“Team leader, or rather, now vice-chairman.”
“Hahaha, that sounds so formal.”
Dohyun laughed awkwardly at the new title.
“Are you busy right now?”
“Well, I’m always busy, but thanks to Seo Rin, I have a bit of breathing room.”
Perfect timing.
I worried about interrupting his work but came just at the right moment.
“I have something to give you.”
“To me?”
Surprised, Dohyun smiled.
Then I pulled out the huge club from my inventory, and his eyes widened.
“Wh-What is this?”
“I just got it. With this, you’ll be able to climb the tower again.”
Dohyun looked at the club in disbelief.
It was clearly extraordinary.
And—
“Really?”
To be able to climb the tower again.
His heart, which had stopped, seemed to start beating anew.
How devastated he had been when told he could no longer ascend.
He felt as if he’d lost his own value.
Of course, now he held a seat on the council and was vice-chairman.
No pressing reason to climb the tower anymore.
But still, the excitement was real.
Cautiously, as if hopeful, he gripped the item, and vitality surged throughout his body.
“Really!”
The aching ankle suddenly felt as good as new!
The feeling as if he could leap to the skies!
The world’s rank 1 had returned.
And with a legendary item in hand!