Whether it was a misfortune or a blessing, no one had yet managed to subdue Gangcheol.

The majority lay collapsed on the ground, groaning in pain.

Beside me, Shin Sooa coughed a few times before speaking.

“It’s even more horrific up close.”

The area around the poison dragon Gangcheol had already been reduced to a scorched wasteland.

The heat boiling over from its body had withered all surrounding vegetation.

Unable to contain the heat surging from its own body, Gangcheol itself was suffering.

“Mr. Kangrim, what’s your plan now?”

“First, I’d like to reach Gangcheol’s face, but…”

Gangcheol’s face was positioned so high that its massive features appeared small from below.

I lacked any flight-related special ability, making approach difficult.

Rini could probably make the climb, but she hadn’t grown enough to carry me.

That was when Shin Sooa strode toward me and spoke.

“I’ll send you up. Hold on tight.”

“Excuse me?”

Before I could even react, Shin Sooa grabbed my waist with one arm.

With her other hand, she pulled my arm around her shoulder.

“Here we go!”

The moment she finished speaking, the ground began to fall away beneath us.

[The special ability ‘Void Leap’ is activating!]

As Void Leap activated, Shin Sooa held me tight and bounded upward, stepping on the air itself.

The speed was remarkable—sharp wind whipped past my face.

With each powerful leap that trampled the empty air, Gangcheol’s face drew closer.

“Ugh…!”

As we closed in on Gangcheol, Shin Sooa’s brow furrowed in pain.

I, too, felt my senses searing from the toxic miasma and scorching heat.

[Flame Resistance is active!]

[Poison Resistance is active!]

Even with my abilities, every breath felt like my lungs were burning away.

For Shin Sooa, who possessed the wood attribute, this air must have been even more unbearable.

“Don’t push yourself, Ms. Shin Sooa. We can turn back!”

“No. I can handle it.”

She said so and carried me closer to Gangcheol’s face.

The higher we climbed, the thicker the toxic miasma grew.

Gangcheol’s eyes swiveled toward us.

-Keureureung…!

For a moment, I sensed it hesitate upon seeing me.

Did it recognize me?

Gangcheol’s pupils seemed to slacken—then immediately sharpened into needle-thin slits.

And then, a massive gust of wind hit.

-Huuwung!

Gangcheol twisted its body and swung its tail, sending a blast of hot wind crashing down on us.

The impact felt like being struck by a flaming mace.

Caught in the thermal blast, we began plummeting.

“Ugh…! Hold on tight!”

Even as we fell, Shin Sooa kept her grip on me.

Just then, her eyes flashed green.

[The special ability ‘Tree Leaf Seed Technique’ is activating!]

As the Tree Leaf Seed Technique activated, trees began rapidly growing from below.

When she cast a glance at me, I immediately understood her intent.

I drew my sword and drove it into the tree.

-Gagagagak!

With a screech of friction, the blade began splitting the tree in two.

After sliding for what felt like an eternity, we finally came to a stop near the base.

Shin Sooa, her body mottled red and purple from burns, gasped for breath as she spoke.

“A frontal approach is definitely too difficult. If someone could draw its attention, or weaken it a bit…”

-Keuaaaa!

Just then, Gangcheol began shrieking wildly.

Someone was firing Water Bullets from a distance.

The attacks were feeble, dealing almost no damage, but they were enough to grate on its nerves.

Enraged, Gangcheol opened its jaws wide toward the humans below.

-Geureureureung…!

It was the preparatory motion for a Flame Bullet.

Earlier, the Flame Bullet had shot skyward, giving us room to dodge—but this time, it was clearly aimed downward.

I grabbed Shin Sooa and sprinted toward Father Yohan.

“Father! The barrier!”

“Y-yes!”

Father Yohan clasped his hands together and assumed a posture of prayer.

At the same time, the inside of Gangcheol’s mouth began to shimmer with intense heat.

Red flames and a blue glow erupted simultaneously before my eyes.

[The special ability ‘Barrier’ is activating!]

The moment Gangcheol’s flames poured down, a bluish barrier enveloped us.

The barrier took the form of a dome, sealing us in from every direction.

I could see the heat being blocked right before my eyes.

But soon, cracks began spreading across the barrier.

“Urgh…!”

Father Yohan threw everything he had into blocking the flames, but the sound of splintering cracks filled the air.

It couldn’t be helped.

Father Yohan’s barrier was simply too low a grade to withstand a Dragon-grade flame attack.

I shouted toward Rini.

“Rini! Support Father Yohan!”

“Uwung!”

[The special ability ‘Harmony of Five Elements’ is activating!]

When the Harmony of Five Elements activated, the barrier’s blue glow intensified, and the cracking gradually slowed.

While Rini and Father Yohan held the line—

The flames ceased before the barrier could shatter completely.

“Hah…!”

Father Yohan dropped to one knee, gasping for air.

I hurried to support him.

“Father, thank you. We survived because of you.”

“N-no, not at all. I’m just glad everyone is safe…”

He said that, but his magic power must have been severely depleted.

As I hastily pulled out a mana recovery potion and handed it to him, the voices of survivors reached me, filled with horror.

“D-damn. What the hell was that?”

“The forest is gone!”

Everywhere outside the barrier had been reduced to a scorched wasteland by the flames.

Not a single ember remained—the forest had simply been obliterated.

“Let’s just run! We only need to survive today to win anyway!”

“R-right. Let’s hide the snakes in the water and head to the lobby…!”

The Zone 2 personnel began hesitating and backing away.

No matter how good the bonus rewards were, they weren’t worth more than their lives.

I turned to Father Yohan and Shin Sooa.

“You two should head to the lobby too. There’s no need to get caught up in this on my account.”

Gangcheol’s attack power had exceeded my expectations.

My mission was important, but if others died or failed their missions, it would all be for nothing.

But Shin Sooa shook her head.

“No. I came prepared for this.”

“I-I’ll help as long as I can too…! Gangcheol looks pretty exhausted as well…”

After unleashing its flame attack, Gangcheol’s body hung limp and sagging.

As people began fleeing one by one, the rest moved to follow.

But someone blocked their path.

“Wow, I got here too late. Missed the fun part.”

The person standing before them was Dokgo Jun.

He looked as casual as someone who’d simply arrived late to an appointment.

Dokgo Jun, who had been observing Gangcheol, asked with an unruffled expression.

“So, where’s everyone headed?”

“D-Dokgo Jun… please move! We need to run!”

There was no telling when Gangcheol might regain its senses.

The moment a few people tried to push past him—

-Seogeok!

Dokgo Jun’s sword cut across their path.

The person whose clothing had been sliced stumbled backward.

Dokgo Jun flashed a grin and said:

“You’re all so uncooperative. This is a boss raid. Having extras like you around makes it more interesting.”

The word ‘extras’ sparked fury in one of them.

“What the hell are you talking about? Get out of the way! We’re going back!”

But Dokgo Jun wasn’t the type to be swayed by words.

He stepped toward the man with a light, casual stride.

Then seized him by the collar with a firm grip.

An incomprehensible madness glinted in his eyes.

“How boring. Survive one more day and the mission’s done? Then I’ll give you a new mission.”

“What are you—huh?”

At some point, an orb rested in Dokgo Jun’s hand.

He must have pulled it from the man’s possession.

It was an orb containing a sleeping snake.

-Jjaenggang!

Dokgo Jun hurled it to the ground, and the orb shattered, releasing the snake.

Abruptly roused from sleep, the snake looked bewildered.

When Dokgo Jun grabbed the snake by the scruff and lifted it, the man cried out in alarm.

“W-what are you—!”

-Chwaak!

Blood splattered in an instant, soaking Dokgo Jun’s hands and the ground.

Dokgo Jun had twisted the snake and torn it in half.

The bisected snake’s body still writhed, seemingly unaware it was dead.

“Now you have no choice but to take down Gangcheol, right?”

Dokgo Jun tossed the snake’s remains to the ground and grinned at the man.

“Y-you lunatic…! Why would you do something like this!”

Unable to contain his outrage and fury, the man screamed and lunged at Dokgo Jun.

But the outcome was already decided.

-Kwaang!

“Keok…!”

Dokgo Jun seized the man’s head with blood-soaked hands and drove it straight into the ground.

The man’s body convulsed like the severed snake.

“Why am I doing this?”

Dokgo Jun asked back, as if genuinely puzzled.

“Because you’re making the story boring.”

After saying that, Dokgo Jun turned to look at the rest of the group.

Several of them were still traveling with their snakes.

Dokgo Jun released the man’s head and slowly rose to his feet.

“I need to give you all a new mission too.”

“E-everyone, run…!”

The people tried to flee from Dokgo Jun, but he wouldn’t allow it.

As Gangcheol roared, snake blood was scattered, and the dismembered remains of snakes littered the ground.

“You may be extras, but you should at least be of some help. Stay and assist the protagonist.”

“P-protagonist…?”

The people wore blank expressions, unable to comprehend what he meant.

What a mess.

I let out a low sigh and addressed Dokgo Jun.

“Dokgo Jun, that’s enough.”

Hearing my voice, Dokgo Jun turned to look at me.

His eyes gleamed with an emotion I couldn’t quite read.

Killing intent? Amusement? Interest?

“I said that’s enough.”

When I repeated myself, the intensity in his eyes dimmed slightly.

Dokgo Jun glanced at the people and spoke.

“Well, since Seo Kangrim is asking this much, I suppose I have no choice. Either way, don’t run. Fight here.”

Those who had lost their snakes glared at Dokgo Jun, jaws clenched tight.

One of them spoke up, voice thick with indignation.

“That’s cowardly. You kept your own snake safe while only taking ours…”

“Hm? Oh, my snake?”

As if it were nothing, Dokgo Jun pulled an orb from his Storage Pouch.

The orb shattered, and the snake was dragged out into the open.

-Seogeok!

Without a moment’s hesitation, he cleaved the snake in two.

The Token of Friendship attached to the snake was severed along with it.

He smiled radiantly, his face drenched in blood.

“There. Satisfied? I have no choice but to kill Gangcheol now either, so let’s fight together.”