RTGR 178

Chapter 178 ….

Back Gate of the Castle

Having exited the castle, Dohyeon let out a sigh of relief.

“Wow… I almost died.”

Jihad clicked his tongue at him.

The master’s way of speaking is strange.
Lizariza.
Even this humble sword agrees with you this time, my lord.

For once, Charlie and Eliza chimed in with Jihad’s comment. Even seeing the loyal Charlie admit it was a blunder, Dohyeon nodded, recalling the earlier events.

‘Gilberun is definitely a righteous king.’

What could have been a catastrophe—accused of treason for coveting the queen—was luckily avoided, because Gilberun was a just ruler.

“No, I mean… I need Lady Angela’s abilities to complete the necklace.”

“……”

Dohyeon hastily explained, over thirty minutes, why he needed the necklace and Angela’s help. Thanks to that, he wasn’t thrown into prison.

Although Gilberun seemed slightly irritated, he had enough patience to restrain himself without any punishment. If the king had been a little more violent, Dohyeon might not have even been allowed to explain.

“Just to be sure… this really is a misunderstanding, right? Angela is very beautiful, after all.”

“Absolutely not. It’s a misunderstanding.”

“What? Are you saying Angela isn’t beautiful?!”

“It’s definitely a misunderstanding… Luriel, help me.”

“Hmmm~ I don’t really know.”

Even Gilberun hadn’t completely shaken off his unease, but after a few more exchanges, he finally calmed down. Then, in his usual solemn voice, he spoke:

“Hmm… I understand. If that’s the case, it’s not difficult. I’ll give you the necklace. I’ll also ask Angela for you.”

“Thank you.”

“So… you’re granting the request?”

With the misunderstanding resolved, the king willingly agreed to Dohyeon’s request. Having confirmation from the king himself, there was no reason to hesitate.

“All right. I’ll help.”

“Really! Thank you, prophesied apostle!”

That was it. Dohyeon had escaped the crisis thanks to Gilberun’s magnanimity. Hours had passed since entering the castle, and now it was finally time to proceed with the quest.

Dohyeon, finishing his recollection, stared at the scroll he pulled from his inventory.

[Old Unknown Teleportation Scroll – Saved Location]

Grade: Quest-exclusive item.
Description: A teleportation scroll presumed to have been made by a master of spatial magic. Despite its worn appearance, it contains advanced magic, allowing it to be used repeatedly as long as mana is replenished, unlike ordinary one-time scrolls.
Effect: Teleports the user to the last saved location. (Cooldown: 120 minutes)
Saved Location: Luidra’s Lair

‘I’ve never had a quest give something like this before.’

Gilberun handed Dohyeon the scroll as he left. Teleportation scrolls themselves are rare, and while high-ranking players might carry a few, a scroll with a predetermined location is extremely uncommon—especially one that’s reusable rather than single-use.

‘It was sold for a fortune in Demrock too.’

Only a handful were ever discovered in Demrock’s three-year history, and auctions would see collectors go crazy. One sold for tens of millions, more expensive than most high-grade equipment. Considering the price differences between God of Se and Demrock, Dohyeon couldn’t even guess its value here.

‘Perfect for use and sale.’

But as a quest-exclusive item, it would disappear after clearing the quest. Still, the fact that it was given freely showed the scale of the quest.

‘This stage… probably an 8- to 15-player raid.’

Since 30-player raids typically involved legendary-level bosses, this was likely a 15-player raid. But at least Dohyeon didn’t have to kill the target outright.

Just to be safe…
Gilberun had one last warning when handing over the scroll:
Never kill her.
Of course?
She is the Witch of Dreams. Even if she dies, it’s not truly death. If killed, she falls into a long slumber, requiring a long wait. If you must kill her, ensure you secure the Purifying Flame first. Remember that.
……Understood.

It was crucial advice. Failing to obtain the Purifying Flame before her death would trap Dohyeon here, forced to wait until Luidra awoke.

‘Ugh, that’s horrifying.’

It simply couldn’t happen. Fortunately, this quest wasn’t about defeating a boss. Otherwise, the sheer number of subordinates in a raid would have been overwhelming. Luidra’s raid was no exception.

I recommend forming a raid party. Even if you just need the item, Luidra commands legions of subordinates.
I wish I could assign the knights… but with this mark, I can’t do anything.

Even Gilberun advised forming a raid.

Huh? Why me, master?
Liza?
“Nothing.”

But here, there were only four of them. During the outlaw raid, subordinates were few and the undead army made up the difference, but no matter how many undead there were, they couldn’t cover Luidra’s army. That was the problem.

‘Should I form a raid party?’

Raid parties are standard, but Dohyeon’s goal wasn’t a typical raid. He only needed the Purifying Flame first. Relying on strangers to help, with the risk of only securing the flame, was risky. And how would he even know where it was?

Master, aren’t there fewer people in the city?
Lizariza.
Hmm… it does feel emptier than before.

Worse, few players were visible in the city. It was unusual, as if no one had taken the group quest.

‘I miss Ssamdak, Swordmaster, and Bora aje.’

Back then, the four of them had done everything together. Even Ssamdak, once annoying, now felt nostalgic.

Sighing, Dohyeon made a decision. Jihad, startled by Dohyeon touching the scroll, exclaimed:

Huh? You’re going straight there?
“Of course.”

Whatever happens, he needed to meet the boss directly. Thinking without information wouldn’t help. In life and in RPGs, you need to face it directly to gain anything.

Excellent judgment, my lord! A man should never fear a challenge.
Lizariza!
Y-Yeah, I thought the same.

The best part: he could reuse the teleportation scroll after the cooldown. Dohyeon gripped it firmly.

[Using ‘Old Unknown Teleportation Scroll – Saved Location’]
[Teleporting to saved location: ‘Luidra’s Lair’]

Light burst from the scroll, and

‘Let’s see what kind of fool we’re dealing with.’

Dohyeon’s vision flickered.

Luidra Mountain Range

Wow, insane! Crazy!!
All monsters are new! Are these the raid boss’s minions?
Each one is elite rank!
They have target immunity. No wonder the raid is capped at 100.

The forbidden area of Luidra Mountain Range, usually untouched by players, was now a battlefield. The Hero Guild’s 100-player raid party faced off against subordinates and elite 15-person trial squads.

Rustle—Crack!

Ugh! Are these trash mobs? They’re practically bosses!
Push harder! We have the numbers!
That one is targeting me and the swordmaster. Don’t waste DPS; hit another.
Everyone, focus! We can do this!

The 115-player party faced only 50 monsters. Outnumbered, yes, but the raid team panicked slightly. The unfamiliar golem-type monsters had elite traits, adding difficulty. Terrain also contributed.

Rumble—

The mountain had steep, narrow rock walls with an open path below. Though it seemed like the golems would come straight at them, they emerged unpredictably.

Ugh! They’re coming out of the rocks!
This is brutal.

Golems emerged from the rocks, attacking from all sides, keeping the raid team on edge. Meanwhile, the elite trial squads were unbothered, merely observing from the rocky heights.

Are we allowed to do this?
Zerpak said stay put. In a raid, the commander’s orders are supreme.
I mean, it’s convenient for us… but public opinion… huh, the public is fully on our side?

Even though they were conserving health, it felt almost unfair. But checking chat, guild members were surprised:

Why is the guild fighting casually?
Managing stamina. We need to save energy for the boss.
This is fine. The raid party was gathered for this purpose.

The Hero Guild’s image recently was rough, but now, their behavior seemed angelic. The live audience already numbered 13.54 million in just two hours. Even Berze would struggle to reach that.