It was a little past 11:00 PM.
Thanks to nearly 12 hours of non-stop hunting, they had achieved results that far exceeded their expectations.
In truth, Choi Kang-hyuk wanted to continue hunting a bit longer, but the guild members were exhausted.
Most importantly, Seong-jun’s divine power was reaching its limit, forcing them to call it a day.
“What’s the current completion rate?”
At Kang-hyuk’s question, Vice Guild Master Jang Chae-seong replied with an excited expression.
“It’s a whopping 78%! Haha! Over the past few days, we only managed to raise it by 28%, but today alone, we boosted it by a full 50%! If we keep this up, we’ll finish clearing the interior of the dungeon by tomorrow!”
Choi Kang-hyuk had gone to the United States and returned just one day later due to a B-rank Dungeon Break.
Excluding that travel time, the total time they had spent on this A-rank dungeon raid was roughly three days.
The completion rate they managed during those three days was 28%.
However, the progress they made today alone was 50%.
This meant only about 21% remained before the dungeon’s interior was fully cleared, leaving only the boss.
At this rate, it was certain they would finish clearing everything by tomorrow, before the first-entry benefits expired.
Kang-hyuk glanced over at Seong-jun’s group, who were resting nearby.
“So this is all thanks to Kim Seong-jun’s buffs.”
“The buffs are one thing, but his healing skills are incredible. The continuous healing skill he placed on us was so powerful that our own healers barely had anything to do. Since they only had to use heals occasionally in emergencies, they consumed almost no mana. That allowed us to hunt with minimal mana breaks.”
In a dungeon, the primary reason for mana breaks was usually the healer.
If a party continued hunting while the healer’s mana was depleted, it could easily lead to a total wipeout.
However, thanks to the Light of Healing that Seong-jun provided, the healers’ mana consumption was practically nonexistent, which naturally minimized the need for downtime.
“Kim Seong-jun is impressive, but that tanker and archer are unusual as well. I expect as much from the archer since she’s a hidden class, but the tanker named Park Gwang-taek seems to be at an A-rank level even without the buffs. Plus, he’s even mastered the rare Light Chain. Is there any way to bring them all into our guild?”
While Seong-jun was undoubtedly the most desirable prize, Gwang-taek and Yu-seon were clearly exceptional talents in their own right.
If they could bring all of them to Changcheon, it seemed certain they could end their long-standing rivalry with Genesis and instantly rise to the position of the number one guild in the country.
And why stop at being number one in Korea?
Even if they expanded their stage to the world, they could become a powerful guild that wouldn’t be outmatched by anyone.
“Ha, actually, during the last Dungeon Break incident, most of the top ten domestic guilds made recruitment offers. However, he said he wants to remain independent for at least one year and work freely as he does now. If we push too hard and sour our relationship with Kim Seong-jun, it could backfire. For now, I plan to take it slow and try to win him over over time.”
Seong-jun had proven his value during the last B-rank Dungeon Break.
And if Changcheon successfully cleared this A-rank dungeon with his help, his value would skyrocket even further.
As such, it was a situation where the name of Changcheon alone might not be enough to gain the upper hand.
Chae-seong decided it was better to approach cautiously and build a relationship slowly.
“Is that so? Well, with that level of ability, the name Changcheon wouldn’t be enough to pressure him. But dragging it out too long isn’t good either. Foreign guilds will definitely show interest soon. Once the world’s top ten guilds get involved, we might not have another chance. It’s better to seal the deal before then.”
Videos of the B-rank Dungeon Break were already circulating on social media.
Naturally, prominent overseas guilds would have seen those videos, and the faster ones likely had scouts on the way.
The important players here were the world’s top ten guilds that reigned supreme across the globe.
Changcheon was a top-tier name within Korea, so they wouldn’t feel intimidated by most guilds.
However, if a massive entity like one of the world’s top ten guilds approached, even Changcheon would find themselves in a difficult position.
“Hmm, with Kim Seong-jun’s abilities, they might indeed make a move.”
“Well, don’t rush things too much regardless. Proceed slowly as planned, but try to move the timeline up as much as possible.”
At Kang-hyuk’s words, Jang Chae-seong nodded.
“Understood. I will approach with maximum caution while picking up the pace a little.”
Since they were currently raiding an A-rank dungeon together, they had established some common ground.
Utilizing this would make approaching Kim Seong-jun much easier in the future.
Chae-seong judged that they had a good chance of success even without waiting a full year.
***
While Choi Kang-hyuk and Jang Chae-seong were discussing Seong-jun’s recruitment, Seong-jun’s party was also talking as they reflected on the day’s hunt.
“I think we caught them much more easily toward the end compared to the beginning. At first, even Brother Gwang-taek seemed to find it a bit burdensome.”
Initially, Gwang-taek had struggled slightly with tanking the trolls, but he had adapted quickly as the hunt progressed.
Perhaps that was why his tanking became stable toward the end, and their hunting speed increased drastically.
“Brother Gwang-taek did well, but we also adapted over time. By the way, how was it for you? Was it manageable?”
At Seong-jun’s question, Gwang-taek nodded and spoke.
“Yeah, just like Yu-seon said, I felt it was pretty tough at first, but I started getting the hang of it. The trolls seem to have certain patterns to their attacks. I wouldn’t say it’s easy, but it’s definitely manageable.”
Other B-rank tankers had also managed to hold their ground against the trolls, but they were fighting much more desperately than Gwang-taek.
It couldn’t be helped. Unlike the other B-ranks, Gwang-taek had Holy Armor Enchant applied to him.
His light-attribute defense was a staggering 500,000, allowing him to withstand the trolls’ powerful strikes.
Furthermore, the enchant boasted 70% damage absorption against dark-attribute attacks.
Since Seong-jun’s darkness infusion turned the trolls’ attacks into the dark attribute, most of the damage Gwang-taek received was absorbed, meaning the actual damage he took was minimal.
As a result, he was able to handle the trolls much more comfortably than the other B-rank tankers.
“Then how many do you think you can handle at once?”
When asked how many he could tank simultaneously, Gwang-taek shook his head.
“Hey, no matter how manageable it is, more than one is tough. In an emergency, I might be able to hold out against two somehow, but I can’t guarantee how long I’d last. Three is absolutely impossible.”
The fact that a mere B-rank was tanking an A-rank monster like a troll was already a miracle.
What more could one ask for?
If pushed, he might manage two, but he couldn’t guarantee he could stay standing for long.
“Really? So that’s how it is. A-ranks are definitely different.”
Seong-jun realized once again that A-rank monsters were on a different level.
“Of course they are. Why else would they be A-rank? This is the first time I’ve had such a hard time tanking since I re-awakened as a tanker. It’s qualitatively different from dealing with B-rank monsters.”
Gwang-taek had remained stable even while tanking several Crimson Tigers, which were B-rank monsters, but the A-rank trolls were so powerful it was hard to believe they were only one rank higher.
“Still, I’m glad you’re holding up well. Since we’ve come all the way to an A-rank dungeon, we have to get something out of this, right? Let’s kill as many as we can.”
This was an A-rank dungeon.
Seong-jun had already contributed more than enough with just his buffs, so he could demand a fair share of the rewards, but Gwang-taek and Yu-seon were different.
For them to get something out of this, they had to prove their own worth.
That was why Seong-jun had requested that they be allowed to handle at least one troll themselves.
“Of course we should. And putting money aside, every moment spent fighting these trolls is an invaluable experience for me. When else would I get the chance to tank an A-rank monster? Hahaha!”
From Gwang-taek’s perspective as someone who fought monsters head-on, the experience of facing an A-rank troll was a priceless asset.
Everything he experienced here would undoubtedly serve him well in the future.
“By the way, it seems A-rank monsters give a lot of experience. You both said your class levels went up, right? Did your skill levels go up too?”
Gwang-taek and Yu-seon had already gained considerable experience and leveled up their classes during the B-rank Dungeon Break incident.
Hunting A-rank monsters on top of that had pushed their class levels up once again.
However, in Seong-jun’s case, despite raking in massive amounts of experience, there was still no sign of his level rising.
“Yeah, my Light Chain went up again to Level 4.
I can handle up to ten chains now.
Plus, my other skills all went up by at least Level 1.”
“Me too! My existing skills all leveled up, and more importantly, I gained a new skill when my class level rose near the end. It’s a sniping skill, and the damage is insane. I think our hunting speed tomorrow will be much faster than today.”
In addition to their levels, their skill levels had increased, and in Yu-seon’s case, she had even acquired a new class skill.
Since it was a powerful, ultimate-tier sniping skill, they expected tomorrow’s hunt to proceed much more quickly.
“Really? That’s great. It’ll be a big help when we run C-rank dungeons later too. Anyway, let’s get some sleep. I heard they plan to move out early.”
Looking only at the remaining completion rate, they might seem to have plenty of time, but the biggest problem—the boss—remained.
They had to discuss how to tackle the boss, and it was unknown how long the actual fight would take.
Therefore, they wanted to secure as much time as possible.
“I am starting to feel pretty tired.”
“Well, if I’m tired, I can only imagine how Brother Gwang-taek feels. Let’s sleep.”
Gwang-taek and Yu-seon found a spot and lied down.
Seong-jun settled in next to them and slowly closed his eyes.
***
The next day.
As the dungeon raid resumed early in the morning, the completion rate rose sharply.
Most of Changcheon’s guild members had perfectly adapted to Seong-jun’s buffs, and through constant battle with the trolls, they had figured out their own strategies.
This was no different for Seong-jun’s party.
“Kuoaaaah!”
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Gwang-taek was no longer just blocking the trolls’ attacks; he was now showing a composed side, dodging or parrying them.
Yu-seon was also delivering optimal damage by mixing skills and basic attacks while ensuring she didn’t draw too much aggro.
As for Seong-jun, he mainly used Sacred Arrow Torrent while simultaneously carrying out melee attacks with his mace.
As a result, his proficiency in Priest Combat Arts, which specialized in close-quarters combat, was rising rapidly.
*Whoosh! Whoosh!*
The troll swung its fists, raining down powerful blows, but Gwang-taek blocked every single one with ease.
“This guy is going wild now that he’s about to die.”
Just as Gwang-taek said, as its health dropped rapidly, the troll’s attacks grew more intense.
It was likely the final struggle of a creature sensing its impending death.
“Let’s finish this cleanly before it gets any worse. Yu-seon! Let’s wrap this up!”
At Seong-jun’s words, Yu-seon gave a thin smile.
“I was just about to.”
*Swish! Swish!*
Yu-seon unleashed a series of powerful skills, striking the troll across its entire body repeatedly.
Seong-jun also flooded the troll with melee mace attacks along with Sacred Arrow Torrent.
As a result.
“Kuoohhh…!”
Its health depleted, the troll slowly collapsed.
*Thump!*
The troll fell where it stood.
“Whew, we definitely got faster than yesterday.”
“Yeah. Tanking felt a bit easier today too.”
Acquiring a new ultimate skill played a role, but beyond that, there was a clear difference from when they first fought the trolls.
To be precise, they had realized the most efficient way to handle the trolls without pulling too much aggro.
Just as Seong-jun’s party finished killing one troll.
**[The dungeon’s completion rate has exceeded 90%, and the Elite Trolls are appearing.]**
The completion rate finally hit 90%, and as a result, the elites began to appear.
“Oh! It’s finally at 90%!”
“Wow, it’s only 9:00 AM and we’re already at 90%! Does this mean we can actually clear the dungeon?”
They had resumed the hunt at 7:00 AM starting from 78%.
In just about 2 hours, they had boosted it by 12%. At this rate, they might hit 99% before noon.
The hunting speed was significantly faster compared to yesterday.
“Chae-seong! Contact Team Two and Team Three immediately and have them join us. If we encounter elites while spread out, we might get picked off one by one.”
Meanwhile, Choi Kang-hyuk intended to call Team Two and Team Three, who were scattered, back to Team One, which was essentially the main force.
He judged that meeting an elite while separated could lead to them being defeated.
“Yes, sir!”
After summoning the other teams, Kang-hyuk looked at Seong-jun and spoke.
“Kim Seong-jun. Once we catch the elites, it’s the boss. In your opinion, do you think we can defeat the boss with our current strength?”
At Kang-hyuk’s question, Seong-jun shook his head.
“We can handle the elites. But I think the boss will be difficult.”
In Seong-jun’s view, even with his buffs, their current power seemed insufficient to take down the boss.
Choi Kang-hyuk felt the same.
“Right. That’s what I thought too. It was only thanks to your buffs that we could catch the regular monsters so quickly and that the elite raid seems possible, but the boss is a different story.”
Thanks to Seong-jun’s buffs, the A-rank dungeon raid—which they had thought would be difficult—was proceeding smoothly.
But Kang-hyuk judged that this was the limit.
No matter how incredible All-in-One and Roar of War were, they felt slightly insufficient for facing the boss.
“Then are you going to give up like this?”
When Seong-jun asked if he was giving up, Kang-hyuk shook his head.
“No, I can’t do that. We’re only one step away from clearing the dungeon, and it would be a waste to quit now. That’s why I was wondering… if you have a hidden card up your sleeve, perhaps you could bring it out? Somehow, I get the feeling you’ve tucked away a trump card.”
Kang-hyuk suspected there was something more hidden besides All-in-One and Roar of War.
That was why, with the boss raid right in front of them, he suggested Seong-jun reveal whatever he was hiding.
“If the conditions are right, I have no reason not to bring it out.”
Kang-hyuk showed an intrigued expression at Seong-jun’s words.
“Huh? Does that mean you really have a hidden move?”
“It’s a bit vague to say I ‘hid’ it, but regardless, I have a way to make the boss raid possible.”
At this rate, they might fall into a situation where they couldn’t move forward or backward despite being so close to clearing the dungeon.
Thus, Kang-hyuk spoke to Seong-jun with a serious expression.
“What is that method? Ah! No. I have the order wrong. What are your conditions?”
Before asking for the method, shouldn’t he hear the conditions Seong-jun would propose first?
When asked for his conditions, Seong-jun spoke with a knowing smile.
“I want one of the artifacts that comes out of the boss reward chest. Along with that, I want priority selection rights.”
Since this was an A-rank dungeon, defeating the boss would definitely yield an S-rank artifact.
With the first-entry benefits, they might even hope for an SS-rank if they were lucky.
Asking for priority selection rights in this situation was on a completely different level from simply asking for one reward.
“Priority selection? Hmm, aren’t you asking for too much? If it were just one artifact, it would be fine, but that might be a bit difficult.”
Handing over one artifact was something he could do anytime.
However, that was only if the choice belonged to Changcheon.
Thus, Kang-hyuk wanted to settle on just giving him one artifact.
Of course, Seong-jun was not one to simply accept that.
“I see. If it’s too difficult, it can’t be helped. It’s a shame, but let’s just act as if this never happened.”
When Seong-jun suggested that if the conditions weren’t met, there would be no way to clear the boss, Kang-hyuk’s expression slightly twisted.
“Aren’t you being too extreme? I think we could find a compromise through negotiation.”
When he suggested finding a compromise, Seong-jun replied with a stoic face.
“Guild Master Choi Kang-hyuk, you know better than anyone that the boss raid is impossible in our current state. I am offering to make that possible for you. I believe I have enough of a stake to ask for that much. Priority selection. I will not compromise on this part.”
The choice was Kang-hyuk’s: give up priority selection and take the remaining artifacts, or leave with nothing but regular monster corpses and mana stones.
And since Seong-jun showed no intention of backing down, Kang-hyuk’s decision was essentially already made.
“Ugh, really… you’d rather break than bend, huh? Fine. I have no choice. Since you’re the one with the upper hand right now. Fine. I’ll give you one artifact and the priority selection rights.”
Ultimately, Kang-hyuk had no choice but to accept Seong-jun’s proposal.
Even if he gave away priority selection, it was much more profitable to walk away with something rather than nothing.
Furthermore, he couldn’t give up the title of having completed a solo A-rank dungeon raid.
“Thank you for accepting my proposal. I’ll explain the details once the other A-ranks have gathered.”
The core of the boss raid would likely be the S-rank Kang-hyuk, Changcheon’s A-ranks, and Seong-jun’s party.
Thus, Seong-jun said he would explain the detailed method once all the A-ranks were present.