A week passed in the blink of an eye.
Between devoting himself to leveling up and researching the boss strategy and sharing opinions, there hadn't been enough time.
But the promised time had arrived, and it was impossible to stop a running train.
"Today, we found the boss of Area 2."
Finally, Emily, standing on the podium, declared to the players on the front lines.
"Tomorrow, we will liberate Area 2!"
The commencement of the Area 2 boss raid.
It was right after Ian had reached level 16.
***
Once again, Ian belonged to the party of Emily, the raid leader, for this raid.
As she mixed among the people heading toward the cave with the altar, Naira wrapped her arm around her shoulder.
"Hey, what's with that outfit? It's super risqué. Yeah. Suits you."
"Go away."
"Why've you been hiding something like this all this time? Ah, could it be? Did you develop a crush on someone or something."
"It's not like that."
"Hmm… well, I'll believe you."
"Sigh…."
Ian was wearing her cloak as usual, but unlike before, she hadn't wrapped it tight and had left the front open.
Thanks to that, the daring outfit—the Mark of the Savior—was fully revealed.
Not only Naira, but also Mugi and the other members going to hunt the boss kept glancing at Ian.
'I know it can't be helped, but….'
Ian had been a man in reality, so he could understand the feelings of those looking at him.
He had never imagined women would stare too, though he wondered how many of them were actually women.
But even though he knew it in his head, the constant gazes kept grating on Ian's nerves.
He felt like he might collapse from high blood pressure before they even fought the boss.
But today, he couldn't use only magic like before.
Setting aside the fact that Mugi was a mage, if an intense battle broke out, he would inevitably have to use his sword.
When that happened, no matter how much he tried to hide it, it would be revealed.
The boss wasn't an easy enough opponent that he could afford to pay attention to keeping it hidden.
So he thought it would be better to show it now in a relaxed situation rather than in a desperate battle.
Because stimuli usually dulled with time.
Besides.
'There's no way I'll play along with what that woman wants.'
She said she'd reveal what I'm wearing underneath if I don't call her unnie?
Rather than that, he'd show it himself and leave her speechless.
That was what he thought as he boldly undid the front, but.
"Wow, look at those firm abs. Your legs are super toned too. Can I touch?"
"As if."
"Come on, why are you like this between girls? It's not like it'll wear out. Here, let me slip my hand between your chest just once."
"Be honest. You're not a woman, are you?"
"Come on, where would you find a heavenly beauty like me? It's your fault for being born so sexy in the first place."
"What bullshit is that?"
Pestered by the relentlessly clinging Naira and the continuously pouring gazes, Ian had no choice but to admit his judgment had been wrong.
Though he had absolutely no intention of calling Emily unnie either.
While enduring Naira's teasing, Ian and the others' steps halted in front of the cave with the altar.
She subtly turned around and surveyed the people participating in the raid with her.
A total of 60 people.
Originally, the maximum number of participants in a raid was 40 people, 10 parties, but this time they had chosen a method where they took their time and attacked in rotations to figure out and memorize the boss strategy and minimize casualties.
However.
'Their expressions still don't look very good.'
Everyone's faces were stiff with tension.
No matter that they had reached an average level of 15, fear wasn't something easily overcome.
'I guess I'm not one to talk.'
Ian placed a hand on his chest.
His hand was drenched in cold sweat, and he could feel his rapidly beating heart.
That's right, I'm scared.
There's no way I wouldn't be scared.
Because from the beginning, Ian's goal hadn't been to clear the dungeon.
"Hoo…."
But she let out a deep breath.
To overcome his fear even a little, to survive this time as well.
Ian steeled his resolve once more.
"Let's go in."
Emily's voice rang out.
People carried their respective resolves in their hearts and moved toward the inside of the cave.
Having defeated the bats lurking in the cave and pushed through the darkness, the people reached the entrance of the altar.
Emily pointed to a spot slightly away from the entrance and spoke.
"Let's make this our base camp."
The base camp construction was completed quickly.
They lit a bonfire, and when the surroundings were brightly illuminated by flames, a fairly decent base camp was created.
Staring into the blazing fire.
Before those who had finished their final preparations, the raid leader Emily strongly struck her shield.
-Boom!
"Is everyone ready?"
People listened to Emily's voice and nodded.
They had done everything they could.
All that remained now was to clash with all their might.
Emily pointed at the altar.
"Our opponents are the heroes of the past. This will be a difficult battle once again."
But.
Her shield struck the ground powerfully once more.
With a determined expression, she declared before the players.
"We will be victorious again. Let's all survive and advance to the next area."
Emily turned around to face the altar entrance.
And raised her shield forward.
"All forces, charge!"
-Waaaaah!
People rushed into the altar with battle cries.
[Humans. You human bastards….]
At the same time, the sleeping stone slab awakened.
Streams of light extending from the stone slab seeped into the seven stone statues.
-Rumble rumble!
The stone statues began to move.
The heroes of the past raised their weapons.
The sharp blades were aimed at the players standing on the ground.
Finally.
"Everyone! Prepare for battle!"
[I shall kill you all!]
Emily's voice and the boss's voice announced the commencement of battle.
***
The first statue to swing its weapon at the players was the savage Beo with the head of a bear.
His axe, imbued with a yellow glow, was swung at the players.
"Crazy! It's really using a skill!"
Someone's voice.
But the possibility of it using skills had been anticipated since they discussed the strategy.
Emily shouted calmly.
"Shields! Everyone to the front!"
At her command, shield users moved to the front in perfect order.
Their most basic skills created sparks.
-Claaaaang!
It was a powerful attack that couldn't be blocked alone, but the barrier created by their combined strength blocked the axe with ease.
And this meant an opening had been created in Beo.
Emily gritted her teeth and shouted.
"Now!"
Arrows poured down like rain.
A raging storm of flames and blooming flowers of ice.
-Crack!
Cracks formed on the sturdy stone statue.
"Nice! It's working!"
"Hurry up and smash it instead of celebrating!"
Then the melee dealers' weapons began to hack away at the statue.
Beo's statue tried to resist even a little, but.
-Crash!
In the end, the statue collapsed.
Confidence bloomed on the players' faces that had been full of tension.
[You human bastards! I will not forgive you!]
As the statue fell, the stone slab's rage-filled voice echoed.
Intense light was released from the stone slab once more, and this time the statue of Vidor with the head of an eagle and the statue of Brunhild wearing gauntlets moved.
"This time it's gauntlets and a bow! Everyone, Formation C!"
As promised, the 10 parties adopted a two-row horizontal formation against the approaching statues.
In the meantime, Brunhild's statue approached right before the players' noses.
The violet-tinged statue's fist hovered over the players' heads.
Five shields blocked the descending fist.
-Boom!
Brunhild's fist and the shields clashed.
"He-heavy!"
"Still, hold on!"
It was a powerful blow that made their arms tremble.
Fortunately, the formation didn't collapse, but holding on was all they could manage.
Then, powerful arrows and magic poured toward the statue from the 10 parties once more.
-Boom boom boom!
Brunhild's statue urgently crossed both arms in front to block the players' attacks.
The players' attacks failed to deal meaningful damage.
But the aftermath remained, creating cracks in the statue's arms.
It was then.
-Whoosh!
Vidor's green-glowing arrow, which had been waiting for an opportunity behind Brunhild, rushed toward the rear of the player formation.
An attack to take out the troublesome archers and mages.
This time, shield users in the rear created barriers to block the arrow.
-Claaaang!
It felt like stopping a car rushing at full speed.
The players gritted their teeth and blocked the arrow.
The statues of Brunhild and Vidor unleashed quite a troublesome combination.
Shaura, surveying the battlefield, proposed to Emily.
"Shall we stop the first try around here for now?"
"I think we need to clear at least this phase."
"...Let's do that."
Though they said that, blocking attacks flying from two directions wasn't easy.
A time for choices.
"Everyone except shields, focus your attacks on Brunhild! Party 5 shields, fall back to the rear!"
Emily gave the order, choosing to endure the arrow attacks as much as possible while destroying Brunhild's statue first.
Of course, with one person missing, blocking the ensuing fists was no easy task.
"At this rate, we'll be broken through!"
"Hang in there a little longer! Is your skill ready yet?!"
"It's ready!"
"Okay! Everyone scatter!"
The players finally pushed Brunhild to the brink.
A festival of skills poured out from seven weapons onto the statue.
-Crack!
"One down!"
The players' morale soared in an instant.
And the rear guard that had lost its vanguard was bound to inevitably collapse.
"Everyone, push!"
Without a single casualty, the players toppled even Vidor's statue.
Now, four statues remained.
Tyr of Condemnation.
Sigurd the Indomitable.
Eira the Merciful.
And even the nameless spear warrior.
But after checking the party's condition, Emily shouted.
"First try concluded! Everyone retreat!"
Burdened by the pressure of it being the first try, and having already expended much strength, they were considerably exhausted.
If they continued the attempt like this, there might be casualties.
It was regrettable, but now was the time to refine their strategy.
The people's faces brightened.
Without anyone needing to be first, everyone turned around and began running before the statues could move.
But.
[You cannot escape!]
In that instant, a barrier of light blocked the exit.
People were horrified at the fact that their only escape route was blocked.
Adrian and Shaura's voices trembled.
"Th-there wasn't anything like this last time?!"
"Could it be because the phase changed?"
But no one could explain why this change had occurred.
However, one thing was certain: everyone was trapped inside the altar.
"We have to clear it somehow…."
To get out, they had to defeat the boss.
However.
[This shall be your grave!]
The master's rage-filled cry echoed throughout the altar.
Tyr, Sigurd, Eira.
Sword and shield and staff.
Three stone statues approached the players.
To claim the players' lives.