Chapter 203

5.

Starting from the third town where raids opened up, each town or city had its own famous raid boss.

Naturally, Pentamir also had such a raid boss.

It was none other than the ‘Emerald Predator, Muelion’.

It was a raid boss that was a mix of a spirit and a monster, in the shape of a lion made of wood.

The majestic lion-like appearance of Muelion was quite cool, and it was also the strongest in Pentamir, making it a famous raid boss.

Also, unlike other raid bosses, its raid took place in a location that was spread out like a field, which played a part in its fame as it allowed other users to watch.

Of course, it only looked like an open field. In reality, the channels were separate, so other users couldn't interfere.

Perhaps because the reactions of the onlookers could be seen in real-time, in the past, just being a raid video of Muelion was enough to garner a significant number of views.

Its fame was certainly something to be acknowledged.

Of course, because it was strong, successful parties were quite rare.

Was that why?

The queue to attempt the Pentamir raid was unusually long.

Those who wanted to watch the raids of strong parties also lined up.

Since they couldn't clear it anyway unless they were exceptionally strong, their intention was just to watch.

“Has any party cleared it today?”

“No, there haven’t been any.”

“Hmm, should we just go do some quests today?”

“Let’s just watch a little longer before we go.”

It wasn't that they were watching because they had plenty of time.

Rather, there were more users who felt that this was the only way they could overcome their burnout from the excessive leveling grind.

Today, too, many were lined up, but since there were no particularly noteworthy parties among those challenging the raid, the atmosphere was one of waning interest.

It was then.

“Huh?”

“What is it?”

As Bipung reacted, his friend Winloong, who was watching with him, asked back.

Wondering if he had discovered something, Winloong turned his head in that direction, but he couldn't see anything of note.

‘What did he see to react like that?’

As Winloong asked again, Bipung pointed in one direction.

There was a user there, next in line.

Just as Winloong was about to say something, as if asking what the big deal was…

“That user isn't in a party.”

“Huh? Really? Is he trying to do a solo clear?”

At Bipung's words, Winloong looked.

Indeed, there was a single user standing alone, not with any companions.

Was he trying to defeat it alone, what they commonly called a "solo clear"?

But looking at him from the outside, his appearance was nothing special.

It wasn't to the point of being shabby, but he was wearing a plain-looking black robe and an old black mask.

At a glance, it was an appearance that was reminiscent of the Demon King, but the prevailing thought was, surely the Demon King wouldn't be here.

There was no reason for the Demon King, of all people, to be in the raid party for Muelion, a boss who had lost all his internet hype.

To make an analogy, it was similar to thinking that a famous idol group wouldn't be standing in line at a local bungeoppang stall.

And so, the two of them chattered and snickered as they looked at the user.

“Oho? If he's for real, it'll be fun even if he fails, right?”

“Right. It's impossible without a certain level of confidence, after all.”

“Muelion is a bit old news, but still, a solo clear of Muelion is tough.”

“Puhaha, I know, right. Still, his effort is commendable, so should we watch?”

At the pair's conversation, the people standing in line around them frowned.

Some of them were there to spectate, just like them, but there was no need to be so openly rude.

It was bad manners.

A few people frowned at them openly, but the two, as if completely oblivious to such things, just laughed and looked at the user.

“It'll be embarrassing if he tries a solo clear and fails by a huge margin~”

“I know, right. Still, should we cheer for him so he won't be embarrassed?”

At the sincerity with which they uttered such words, a few people openly moved away from the pair.

They didn't have the courage to stop them, but they knew they wouldn't see anything good if they got involved.

As they were laughing and chattering away, the user's turn finally came.

“Ooh, is it finally starting?”

“Let’s just watch this user lose and then go do our quests.”

In the scene that the pair, who had now been reduced to their source of entertainment, were watching, they could see the black-robed user walking onto a hill that looked like a mound in the middle of a wide forest.

In front of the user, tree trunks shot up from the ground and began to form a single shape.

The trunks gathered into one, transforming into the shape of a lion with a size of at least 10 meters.

As it gradually began to emit a verdant green light like an emerald and life filled its two eyes, the Emerald Predator, Muelion, let out a roar towards the high sky.

“Keoheong-heong-heong-heong!!!”

The majestic roar shook the surrounding earth.

Bipung and Winloong watched with an unfazed expression.

It was the sight of Muelion they had seen countless times before.

However, the user in the black robe raised his head as if he found the sight of Muelion fascinating.

As soon as they saw that, Bipung and Winloong's expressions were tinged with ridicule.

“Puhehe. Looks like he's scared.”

“It's his first time facing it, he looks like he's about to wet his pants.”

“Well, Muelion isn't just some run-of-the-mill boss.”

“That could happen.”

They hadn't even attempted the challenge themselves.

The sight of them, mere spectators, laughing and chattering was ugly.

The user in the black robe, whether he knew of this or not, prepared his skills.

‘What kind of display will he put on.’

Just as the thought that they would like to see him defeated in a pathetic manner bloomed in Bipung and Winloong's minds, the ground beneath the black-robed user was instantly stained with darkness.

The darkness soon grew thicker, and as it became darker than pitch black, the abyss blossomed.

Ssssss---.

The darkness, which began to spread ominously, enveloped the entire area without discriminating between friend or foe.

It wasn't just the mound where the Emerald Predator, Muelion, was, but also the users who were waiting.

The users, faced with the thick, ominous darkness spreading at their feet, had no choice but to take a step back as if by agreement.

They didn't know what it was, but something extraordinary was happening.

Perhaps sensing that, Bipung and Winloong swallowed hard and stared at the user in the black robe.

And beneath the black-robed user's feet, a monstrous black eyeball, which had appeared at some point, floated up.

At first, it was hard to recognize that it was an eye.

They had thought it was a lump of flesh covered in flesh made of darkness, but when they discovered the black pupil pushing its way out from between that flesh made of darkness, everyone froze as if they were petrified.

A visual that was lacking even if described as monstrous or horrific.

As that terrifying eyeball, which one would be afraid to see in a dream, stared at Muelion, the creature's lively eyes, which had been shining with a green light, gradually turned black and murky, and its body trembled.

“Krrrrrrr.”

Although Muelion let out a low growl, everyone present could feel it.

The fact that Muelion was now gripped by fear.

However, it didn't end there. The user in the black robe snapped his fingers.

Snap---!

As the almost cheerful sound of the finger snap spread, the head of a pest that sucks the sap of trees, the very form that Muelion dreaded most, popped out from under Muelion's legs.

Horribly large and long antennae popped out disgustingly and prodded Muelion's right front leg.

Tap, ta-tap, tap.

The pest's antennae tapped as if it were something delicious.

However, Muelion could only tremble, unable to escape from the pest.

The pest soon began to drool greedily and pulled its large jaw from underground, opening it wide enough to tear, towards Muelion's wooden right front leg.

Inside the large jaw, which was like a pair of scissors, were sharp, serrated teeth.

Before they even had a chance to get goosebumps at the sight of the protrusion-like teeth, which gave the feeling that anything caught in there would never be released, the pest slowly put Muelion's front leg into its mouth as if savoring it.

Crunch!

At first, it was a biting sound.

And the sound that followed was…

Jjwab-jjwab-jjwab!

A sound as if the pest were sucking on Muelion's leg as if it were something sweet was heard.

And the biting sound was heard again.

Crunch!

Muelion's right front leg disappeared.

“N-No way…”

“…Wh-What is that!?”

“…Gasp!”

Even among the users who were not afflicted by the fear status effect, some were horrified, covered their mouths, or turned their heads away from the sight.

It was a scene that went beyond monstrous and disgusting, a perfect breeding ground for fear.

It was the same for Bipung and Winloong.

‘What on earth is that skill?’

At a time when they couldn't even comprehend it, the user in the black robe, as if he wasn't finished, snapped his fingers again.

Snap---!

As if reacting to the sound, Muelion stared at something larger than its own body that had appeared.

Muelion, staring at it, gulped and looked at the specter that had appeared before it.

It met eyes with the specter, which had a gaping maw like an endless pit.

As it met those eyes that reached beyond the void into the abyss, the specter's body began to transform.

Bbeu-deu-deuk!

Bbeu-deuk! Bbeu-deu-deuk!

A bizarre and grotesque sound.

When the sound stopped, the specter had transformed into the form of the pest that Muelion feared so much.

And it was even bigger than Muelion's own body.

A pest of a size that could tear Muelion's throat out in a single bite if it moved its jaw.

Just as it had swallowed Muelion's front leg a moment ago, the pest slowly and deliberately touched Muelion's entire body with its long antennae.

Tok-to-tok-tok-tok.

At the touch of those antennae, as if checking if it was indeed prey, Muelion desperately wanted to escape, but it couldn't.

Because of the Eye of the Abyss near the black-robed user who was staring at it.

It couldn't even move.

And when it briefly looked away and then back at the specter, no, the pest, the pest rushed at Muelion with its jaw wide open.

Kaaaaaaah---!!!

“Kyaooooh!”

In front of Muelion, which let out a roar filled with fear, the specter dispersed its large body into what seemed like a small locust's body, numbering in the thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of millions, and headed for Muelion.

Padadadadada---!!!

The insects covered the sky.

And from the sky, which had turned as black as the darkness covering the ground, the pests poured down like rain and sucked Muelion's essence.

“Uwaaaaaaah!”

“R-Run!!!”

“C-Crazy!?!?!”

Just as the users, momentarily terrified, were about to flee…

By a stroke of sheer luck, the swarm of locusts only headed for Muelion.

“Th-They’re n-not coming for us?”

“S-Still, just in case.”

“C-Crazy, wh-who the hell is that?”

“Was there a user who used skills like that?”

As the users trembled and talked amongst themselves, the user in the black robe snapped his fingers again and opened a teal portal, summoning his vassals.

Seeing that, a few users recognized him and shouted.

“D-Demon King?!”

“C-Crazy!?”

“Wow, so those two were talking like that after seeing the Demon King?!”

As the identity of the black-robed user was revealed, the people looked at Bipung and Winloong, who had been spectating, with a sense of satisfaction.

The faces of the two turned deathly pale.

‘Should we run away now?’

The moment that thought occurred to them, the raid was over.

Muelion had collapsed helplessly at the hands of the specter and the Demon King's vassals.

The moment a new record was set, the Demon King emerged from the raid boss field.

Thump, thump.

“H-Heo-eup!?”

“H-Heo-eok!?”

The two trembled simultaneously.

And in that moment, Helena, with her luscious red hair, snapped her fingers with a mischievous smile.

Snap---!

Then, with a rustling sound from Bipung and Winloong's legs, they felt the sensation of bugs crawling on them, and the two screamed.

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

“P-Please spare us!!!”

Watching the two, Helena smiled brightly and said.

“It's just a simple illusion, you know?”

At Helena's words, the two, who had been freaking out, swallowed hard and fled the scene.

Seonghyun didn't say anything either.

The users around them each spoke with a sense of satisfaction.

“Yeah! The Demon King is amazing!”

“Crazy, that was so satisfying!!!”

“Wow, that raid earlier really felt like watching the Demon King!!!”

“We’re cheering for you!!!”

Seonghyun couldn't stand the enthusiastic reaction of the users and quickly escaped the area.

He arrived at a place quite far away.

It still felt a bit strange to be praised like that face-to-face.

He left quickly.

As Seonghyun escaped from among the users, the presence he had been feeling since before drew closer.

Seonghyun looked in that direction, and there was the branch manager of the Over Palace Pentamir branch, Penelope, bowing her head and carefully speaking to him.

“I have a message from the Black Star.”