Former Ranker's Newbie Life-Chapter 41

LOST had taken the world by storm, boasting a virtual world so real it felt more like reality itself.

It was so massive, people would say that the only ones who didn’t play LOST were either underage, saving up for a better capsule, or banned from VR games altogether. With that kind of popularity, it was only natural that Bloodshed Guild’s raid broadcast, hyped up with every possible ounce of clickbait, was drawing massive attention.

Sure, the whole “LOST’s first large-scale raid boss hunt” claim might’ve been exaggerated, but it didn’t matter. At the very least, it involved high-level players and a major boss monster, and that alone was enough to make the entire player base lose their minds.

└ When the hell is this starting? Why is it just a black screen with music?

└ Lol, chill out. Still a few minutes until the scheduled time.

└ Hurry up, my damn fried chicken’s getting cold!

└ Wait, aren’t these guys infamous for being toxic as hell? They caused a ton of drama early on, but now that they’ve leveled up, they’ve got actual fanboys.

└ Holy shit, you said it. I hope they fail this raid. Just thinking about how I got ganked by a Bloodshed Guild bastard and couldn’t log in for days makes me wanna douse their faces in gasoline and light a match.

└ Lol, imagine crying because you got wrecked. You lost in a game of survival of the fittest. Weak-ass washed-up gold farmers should just off themselves already.

└ [This message has been hidden due to offensive content.]

└ Gotta admit, though, LOST is on a whole different level. This raid isn’t just on MeTube. Every streaming platform is covering it, and even TV networks are picking it up. Big-name streamers and pro players are all watching.

└ Foreign streamers too. Not a single LOST streamer is actually in the game. They’re all on facecam, just reacting.

Suddenly, the chat exploded as the black screen flickered to life.

└ Oh shit, it’s starting!

The first thing that appeared was Bloodshed Guild’s leader, the Blood King himself. His voice was low and commanding. “Status?”

The guild member standing beside him responded immediately, “Everything is ready.”

The Blood King gave a sharp nod with a shift in his gaze. The gaping black maw of the cave looked less like an entrance and more like the jaws of a monstrous beast, radiating a bone-chilling aura that could be felt even through the screen.

“We have done everything in our power to prepare for this moment. I have no doubt that no matter how terrifying the beast before us may be, it will fall before our strength.”

The Blood King slowly turned his gaze, locking eyes with each guild member standing at his sides, acknowledging them one by one.

“There’s nothing more to say. Let’s go and win. That is our only purpose.”

“Yes, sir!”

The dramatic pre-fight performance, designed to hype up the audience, ended just as quickly as it began. Without hesitation, the Blood King took the first step, leading the charge into the cavern. At its deepest point, something massive lay in slumber.

[Chimera Haberkan]

Its serpentine head stretched long and menacing, while its thick, lizard-like body radiated raw power. Eight spider-like legs jutted from its sides, and a scorpion’s tail curled ominously at the back. Even compared to every other monster that had appeared in LOST, this thing was on a whole different level. It looked like pure death.

└ Holy shit! What the actual fuck?! Where the hell do these lunatics even hunt to find a monster like that?!

└ Damn... I honestly thought all that first-ever large-scale raid hype was just marketing bullshit, but I’ll give it to them. That thing looks terrifying.

Even the skeptical viewers, who had expected nothing but overhyped nonsense, were stunned into silence at the sheer presence of the beast.

“Any who stand in our way,” the guild members responded in perfect sync. “Will be reduced to nothing but blood and dust.”

And just like that, the battle began. The Blood King raised his massive greatsword and advanced with two tanks flanking him. The ranged attackers took formation behind them, covered by a dedicated guard unit, while healers positioned themselves strategically for full battlefield control.

As expected of a top-tier guild, every movement was flawless, precise, and calculated. As soon as all thirty elite members locked into their positions, the Blood King roared the command.

“Attack!”

At the exact same moment, every single guild member tore open their magic scrolls. A barrage of thirty Tier 4 offensive spells erupted all at once, streaking toward the sleeping monstrosity. It was a spectacle of pure, unfiltered money-burning. Every single explosion was the sound of wallets being set on fire. However, it was incredibly effective.

“ROOOOOOOOAR!!!”

Despite being deep in slumber, Haberkan still thrashed violently as the overwhelming firepower crashed against its body. The battle hadn’t even begun, yet the monster was already groggy from the sheer force of their combined attacks. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

“Now! Hit it with everything you’ve got!”

Magic scrolls had cooldowns. With their spells spent, Bloodshed Guild’s members switched to their class skills, unleashing everything they had on the groggy Haberkan. Of course, there was no way they could replicate the sheer devastation of thirty Tier 4 spells hitting at once.

Their weaker follow-up attacks weren’t enough, and Haberkan snapped out of its stunned state in an instant. Rising to its feet, the monster whipped its massive head around, locking eyes on the ones attacking it before charging forward in a wild frenzy.

The tanks stepped up to meet it head-on. A sickening crack rang out as Haberkan’s massive body slammed into their shields. The tanks, each wearing armor worth as much as a fucking luxury sedan, stood firm. Despite the sheer force behind the monster’s enraged attack, they held their ground like immovable fortresses.

The Blood King seized the opening. Activating the exclusive skill of the Blood Knight class, Bloodsword Technique, he lunged forward and targeted Haberkan’s spider-like legs, slashing away with brutal precision.

The battlefield was a relentless storm of attacks, defenses, and support magic. On one side, humans pushed themselves to the brink, fighting with everything they had. On the other, a raging beast fought to tear them apart. Even after countless attempts refining their strategy, the fight was still brutal. They had lost at least five members per run just figuring out how to get this far. And even with all that experience, the battle was still unforgiving as hell.

Despite the struggle, the tide was turning. The advantage was now firmly in Bloodshed Guild’s hands.

└ How much fucking money is getting burned right now? This is what real pay-to-win warfare looks like.

└ LMAO, see that potion the healer just threw? That shit costs fifty grand per bottle. Holy fuck.

└ Forget the money, look at their movement. No wasted actions. Did you see those healers dodging flying rocks?

└ And the tanks cutting down projectiles midair? Jesus. I’d actually enjoy healing if I had tanks like that. Unlike the dumbasses in my party who just spam ‘HEAL ME’ the second their HP drops.

└ Top guilds are literally just rich landlords flexing on peasants. Who cares how skilled they are? If you don’t dump cash, you’re never even touching endgame content. Pay-to-win garbage.

└ Says the dude who probably sucks at the game anyway.

└ Think whatever you want. Doesn’t change the fact that LOST is a money pit.

As the audience fought among themselves, Bloodshed Guild was fighting for their lives. Their target, Haberkan, was bleeding out, its dark green blood gushing as it inched closer to death.

“Just a little more! Almost there!”

“Fuck! It’s using a pattern I’ve never seen before! Keep hitting it!”

“Hey, Hosik, you dumbass! Why the hell is the tank protecting the healer charging forward?!”

At first, Bloodshed Guild members had been painfully aware of the massive audience watching them. They had carefully scripted their lines, forcing out awkward acting and rehearsed speeches to keep up appearances.

Now, they had completely forgotten all of it. They were back to how they really played, which was screaming each other’s names and cursing like lunatics. They swung their weapons with everything they had, rolling, dodging, bleeding, and sweating.

Crack.

Finally, the Blood King’s greatsword plunged deep into Haberkan’s chest, right beneath its snake-like neck. The monster let out a blood-chilling rasp, its body trembling violently.

With a massive thud, it collapsed. For a moment, an eerie silence blanketed the battlefield, the kind that made everyone’s skin crawl. Then, without hesitation, every surviving Bloodshed Guild member erupted in cheers.

“WOOOOAAAH!!”

It wasn’t for the cameras. It wasn’t for the audience. This was a real, raw moment of celebration. Even the viewers who despised Bloodshed Guild for their toxic reputation couldn’t help but get caught up in the hype of the moment.

A new system message flashed across the screen.

[Haberkan’s shell has collapsed.]

[The true Haberkan is awakening.]

A single line of chat scrolled past. “Wait a minute...”

Right on cue, Haberkan’s supposedly lifeless body twitched. The Blood King immediately moved in to finish it off. But before he could, a thick jet of venom burst from the monster’s wound, forcing him to retreat.

“What the fuck?! Wasn’t that thing dead?! Why the hell is it moving?!” His voice was filled with frustration and disbelief.

Haberkan’s massive body convulsed before its back split wide open with a sickening, wet crack. Something new was being born.

[Chimera Haberkan has shed its skin and completed its evolution.]

[The Cursed Abomination, Haberkan, has awakened.]

Whether it was snakes, lizards, spiders, or scorpions, every single creature that made up Haberkan had one thing in common. Haberkan had shed its old body and evolved into something even worse.

The Bloodshed Guild members, already pushed to their limits, could only stare in horror.

One of the guild members turned to the Blood King with their voice trembling with panic. “What... what do we do now?”

The Blood King’s expression twisted into a deep scowl.

Fuck. If this weren’t being streamed live, we could just run.

However, if they turned tail and fled from the newly reborn, slime-covered monstrosity, the entire world would see them as cowards. Back when they were still testing the fight and gathering information, they could have just cut their losses. But now, they had no choice but to at least put up a fight. A few “tragic sacrifices” would make for a good show, at the very least.

The Blood King made his decision. He opened his mouth to give the order. But before he could speak, Haberkan, still unsteady like a newborn fawn, suddenly snapped its head up.

“KRAAAAAAHHH!!!” A thick, black-green gas erupted from its maw, flooding the air.

The Blood King’s instincts screamed danger. He rushed to give the attack order, but he was too late.

“Ugh...!”

The moment the poison touched them, guild members staggered and collapsed one after another. One of them gave a strangled gasp before crumpling to the ground.

Shit...

Even the Blood King wasn’t spared. His vision blurred and before he even realized what was happening, he was already on the ground. His HP and stamina had already been pushed to the limit, and now, the poison gas had finished the job.

└ LOST really doesn’t give a shit about difficulty balance, huh? You go through all that hell to kill the damn thing, and then... Surprise, motherfuckers! Phase Two! Who the fuck designed this game? Mobius are some real sons of bitches.

└ I heard that once you hit Level 50, even regular mobs become ridiculously strong. But bosses? Yeah, they straight up threw the game balance out the window. Bloodshed Guild fought their asses off and still got absolutely wrecked.

└ Wait, does this mean they have to start the fight all over again? Does the boss reset?

└ No clue. LOST has different mechanics for every dungeon.

└ With Bloodshed Guild stuck on death penalty, they won’t even be able to log in for a while. Now every other guild is gonna be scrambling to find that dungeon’s location.

└ Not like Bloodshed Guild can complain. Wasn’t “Strength rules all” their favorite motto? They stole a hidden dungeon from a small guild by brute force, and people still shit on them for it to this day.

Everyone had something to say about Bloodshed Guild’s disastrous raid failure. While all the guild members lay collapsed from the toxic fumes, a lone figure stepped forward. They were dressed in a black robe and walked with an almost leisurely stride.

└ Wait... who the hell is that?

└ Oh shit, you’re right. Did one of them survive the poison?

Do-Jin had arrived. His gaze locked onto Haberkan, which was still spewing thick clouds of poison like a factory smokestack.

Slowly, he raised his hand. A powerful gust of wind exploded outward, pushing the deadly green fog away. Within seconds, he had cleared the entire area, creating a safe zone around the fallen members of Bloodshed Guild.

Everyone watching knew one thing for sure. The second the wind stopped, the entire cavern would fill with poison again. At that moment, most assumed he was just stalling for time. Maybe he wanted to buy a few extra seconds before dying like the rest.

Just then, Do-Jin clicked his fingers.

[Ignition]

It was a Tier 1 spell, which was the absolute most basic fire magic in the game. But the entire room was filled with highly flammable gas. Of course, the explosion was inevitable.