The Archmage’s Destruction Strategy - Chapter 61

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#061

 

Just as he had sent Seoa to participate alone in the Kyoto Dungeon raid, Sung-jun also dispatched a companion to the raid taking place in Nagoya Dungeon.

 

Though not a formal mage, as an Awakened who used Grimoire, a spellbook with its own will, Shirasaki Miyu also had the ability to use the scrolls Sung-jun created.

 

Of course, unlike Seoa who had to painstakingly calculate dungeon interior coordinates, Shirasaki Miyu didn’t need to perform such complex and troublesome calculations.

 

She had a faithful assistant attached to her who would handle the dungeon interior coordinate calculations and perform the computations in her place.

 

However, her Grimoire, Baphomet, who had to calculate coordinates for the summoning magic circles Sung-jun created instead of Shirasaki Miyu, had been endlessly pouring out complaints like a madman from the moment it received the scroll Sung-jun gave her.

 

[No, seriously, isn’t this bastard fucking insane?]

 

“Why again?”

 

[You’re not a mage, so it would be difficult to understand even if I explained it to you. No, if you were a mage, you’d feel exactly the same as me. There’s no other crazy mage in this world besides that guy who could implement large-scale summoning magic in this way.]

 

“Is it that amazing of a spell?”

 

[It’s not amazing, it’s insane.]

 

“But you can still do it, right?”

 

[…I can do it. If you asked me to design a spell like this, it would be impossible even if I were reborn ten times, but if it’s just activating an already created spell, I can somehow manage it.]

 

“Then that’s fine. Just don’t make any mistakes. There are no spares of the scrolls, so if you fail once, the number of base camps we can install will decrease by that much.”

 

[Wait… no spares?]

 

“They said there wasn’t enough leeway to make spares.”

 

[I definitely saw that guy’s disciple taking an enormous number of scrolls with her.]

 

“Ah, I remember. When you asked why there were no spares, Sung-jun had a message for you.”

 

[What is it?]

 

“He said Seoa gets plenty because he can’t beat her up even if she makes mistakes, but you get the minimum because he can beat you up if you mess up, so don’t make mistakes if you don’t want to get beaten to death.”

 

[Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!]

 

Leaving Baphomet to scream in anguish with sounds only it could hear, Shirasaki Miyu quickened her pace.

 

Since she was carrying the main body Grimoire anyway, she knew it would automatically fly to her side if the distance became too great.

 

Thus, she entered Nagoya Dungeon carrying a much smaller quantity of scrolls than what Sung-jun had given Seoa.

 

Together with Amano Jugo, the clan master of Yokohama Raid Clan who was participating as a backup clan for this raid.

 

And at the same time, the raid party of Osaka Dungeon that Sung-jun had joined was also preparing to depart.

 

***

 

“I’m really not sure if this will be okay.”

 

Kurosaki Ryusei, the clan master of Black Spear, the raid clan of Osaka Dungeon, looked at Sung-jun with an anxious expression.

 

Though they had pushed forward with this simultaneous raid due to Sung-jun’s strong insistence, the fact that there was no backup was making him feel uneasy.

 

Originally, raids of large dungeons required about 200 Awakened from other clans to join as backup.

 

So in most cases, when one dungeon was conducting a raid, other dungeons would wait, which was the established practice.

 

However, Sung-jun wanted to conduct simultaneous raids in three dungeons, even if it meant taking risks.

 

He even threatened that if they didn’t comply with his request, he wouldn’t help install base camps in those dungeons.

 

For this reason, the raid party of Osaka Dungeon that Sung-jun had agreed to participate in was currently composed solely of Black Spear clan members and their subordinate clan members.

 

“We don’t really need backup. If problems arise, I can handle them myself.”

 

“Then how about at least giving up on floor conquest? Like what we did in Tokyo Dungeon, we could just install base camps up to the already conquered floors and return to the surface.”

 

“Then we’d have to go up and come back down again. Considering the time it takes for round trips, it’s better to go as far down as possible in one entry.”

 

The root cause was Kurosaki Ryusei’s excessive enthusiasm.

 

Unlike Tokyo Dungeon which was conquered up to the 55th floor, while preparing base camp for Osaka Dungeon which was conquered up to the 60th floor, he had prepared additional unnecessary spare base camp equipment.

 

When Sung-jun discovered 4 spare camp equipment sets that could install additional camps up to the 80th floor, rather than just the equipment needed for 9 camps on the 60th floor, he immediately made the crazy proposal to push through to the 80th floor in this conquest.

 

And Kurosaki Ryusei, upon hearing those words, immediately looked at Sung-jun with an expression that seemed to say ‘Is this bastard really fucking insane?’

 

Then Sung-jun spoke with an expression as if asking what the problem was.

 

“Don’t we have enough supplies to go down to the 80th floor?”

 

“No, it’s not about the supply problem. In the first place, didn’t you just watch from behind during the Tokyo raid too? Raids aren’t such easy work. Of course, back then everyone was in good condition thanks to the baths you provided, so backup members didn’t have to join the combat, but conquering floor bosses is work where you have to be prepared for total annihilation in the worst case.

 

Even if we install base camps first before boss battles and enter boss fights after reorganizing, pushing through to the 80th floor with our current members is unreasonable. Most importantly, once we install camps, we need to leave members behind to guard those camps.”

 

As Kurosaki Ryusei said, the act called a raid didn’t simply mean hunting only bosses.

 

Forming parties composed of large numbers of Awakened and civilians to replace members who had been guarding existing base camps with newly descended members, and moving harvested goods collected at harvest sites to base camps through civilians to upper base camps.

 

Since all these complex processes were intertwined in what was called a raid, Kurosaki Ryusei’s reaction to Sung-jun’s suggestion to conquer up to the 80th floor in one go could be considered natural.

 

But despite Kurosaki Ryusei’s reaction, Sung-jun didn’t bend his stubbornness.

 

“Then let’s judge based on the situation. First, I’ll store all the equipment you’ve prepared in subspace. Then we’ll challenge the floor boss conquest of the 61st floor where the floor boss is located, and decide whether to proceed further based on those results.”

 

Hearing Sung-jun’s words, Kurosaki Ryusei looked around at the Black Spear clan members who had gathered for this raid.

 

Then he sighed toward Sung-jun and said.

 

“In my opinion, the 64th floor is the limit with these members. In the case of large dungeons, powerful bosses appear every 5 floors.”

 

“My thoughts are a bit different, but let’s go in first. Once the actual conquest begins, you’ll understand why I made such a claim.”

 

Kurosaki Ryusei eventually gave up trying to persuade Sung-jun.

 

He couldn’t understand what the basis was for Sung-jun’s bottomless confidence, but he was convinced that confidence would crumble instantly the moment they encountered the floor boss on the 65th floor anyway.

 

However, that thought was blown away exactly two weeks later, as soon as they met the dungeon boss guarding the portal leading from the 61st floor to the 62nd floor.

 

***

 

“I’ll take the first strike.”

 

When everyone was preparing for battle with tense expressions to enter the 61st floor boss fight, Sung-jun stepped forward and spoke.

 

While repeatedly making motions to loosen his body by spinning his arms in circles, as if he was about to do some light exercise.

 

Then Morishita Gengo, Black Spear’s main tanker wearing massive armor, blocked Sung-jun’s path and said.

 

“Stand back, rookie.”

 

“Rookie?”

 

“You haven’t participated in combat even once so far, yet as a porter you want to make the first strike? Someone who doesn’t even know the basics of raiding?”

 

Certainly, as Gengo said, Sung-jun hadn’t participated in combat up to this point.

 

Since the purpose of this raid was mainly base camp installation anyway, and Sung-jun’s assigned role was transporting materials needed for base camp installation, not fighting monsters encountered along the way.

 

Of course, Sung-jun’s material transport ability shown on the upper floors was at a level where even calling it overwhelming would be insufficient, so Morishita acknowledged Sung-jun’s abilities in his heart.

 

Just a few hours ago, all remaining personnel had been able to take pleasant hot showers using the base camp Sung-jun installed on the 60th floor and eat delicious meals incomparable to previous raids.

 

But that was only acknowledging Sung-jun’s material transport ability, not his combat ability, so he felt the need to give Sung-jun an appropriate level of warning.

 

“Of course, I acknowledge that your unique ability was very helpful. But that’s that and fighting is fighting. The most important thing in raids is that each person must be 100% faithful to their assigned role. Even a moment’s carelessness can threaten a comrade’s life in raids. At least as long as we’re fighting together, I cannot tolerate acting on your own.”

 

Basically, when encountering a boss of an unfamiliar type for the first time, raid clans perform a form of combat called ‘reconnaissance battle.’

 

Calculating basic attack patterns expected from the boss’s appearance to establish conquest plans, and drawing out patterns while maintaining the most stable situation possible.

 

For example, bosses with greatly swollen necks or bellies often attack with breath-type attacks through their mouths, and bosses with large blade-shaped parts attached to their tails often have patterns of attacking by swinging their tails.

 

Confirming those patterns one by one with their eyes while calculating the enemy’s strength in real time and finding weaknesses.

 

That was the raid basics that Morishita Gengo spoke of.

 

“In the case of our clan, which has experienced countless raids, we can grasp and respond in real time to what distance bosses react at, what attacks they find annoying, and what parts they try to protect. No matter how powerful your combat ability might be, I absolutely cannot tolerate acting on your own during combat.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“Because it’s an act that endangers not just your life alone, but the lives of comrades participating in combat together.”

 

If they had positioned themselves in advance expecting an attack to come at point A, but point B gets attacked instead, the tanking team would need to move urgently by that much.

 

Depending on the situation, attacks powerful enough to wipe out the party could even fly toward areas they couldn’t cover.

 

Therefore, most raid clans operated a clan member in the role of ‘raid leader’ who could control all clan members.

 

And in Black Spear, Morishita Gengo, the leader of the tanker team, was taking on that raid leader role.

 

“If what you want is combat, I’ll definitely arrange that for you. I’ll watch for the right timing and give you instructions on when to attack. However, only at moments when I’m certain that whatever attack you make won’t affect the boss conquest.”

 

“In simple terms, you’re telling me to land the finishing blow when everyone’s about to die?”

 

“Interpret it however you want.”

 

“Hmm…”

 

Sung-jun thought for a moment.

 

The reason he had stepped forward to make the first strike against this boss wasn’t simply to appeal that ‘I’m this strong.’

 

Sung-jun’s goal in this raid was to break through to the 80th floor.

 

To achieve that goal, he needed to preserve the stamina of the current raid party members as much as possible.

 

“Fine. The problem is that party members might get hurt because I act on my own, right?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Then everyone retreat.”

 

“What?”

 

“I’ll take down the boss alone. I’ll come get you when I’ve killed it, so rest at a distance.”

 

Looking at Morishita Gengo who couldn’t close his mouth at his absurd words, Sung-jun said.

 

“If there are no comrades to get hurt in the first place, there’s no problem, right?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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