Chapter 865

EP.865 [Light Novel Side Story] Death Dinass of the Sky Creator Vol.1 012

“So, we’ve arrived in front of the boss room.”

Xian looked around at the gathered team members seated cozily around the central bonfire, each displaying a screen pulled out from their magical gear.

“What do we need to do before entering the boss room?”

“Gather information on the boss. Guild leader.”

At Raon’s calm reply, Xian snapped her fingers and unfolded the monster compendium on the screen. A grotesque giant slime appeared on everyone’s screens linked with Xian’s.

“<King Slime> As you see, it’s the king of slimes wearing a crown. The attribute varies randomly by dungeon, but the magic output—meaning level—is the same across all instances. Yuna, what’s the exact number?”

“10. If red, Fire Attribute Level 10; if gold, Light Attribute Level 10. It’s D Rank.”

“Right. That’s why this isn’t just any tutorial dungeon. So then, newbie Kim Nori.”

Xian pointed her finger at Nuri.

“How about telling us our current power levels?”

“…Uncle here is an adult male, so I’d estimate around 7. He can kill slimes with that weird gun, and I’ll admit that much.”

“Admit…?”

Raon’s expression turned strange. Not only was being called “uncle” bothersome, but how dare she talk about “admitting” things to the guild leader?

“Kim Nori, no matter how much S-Rank potential you have, those kinds of remarks…”

“Onee-san, that’s not right.”

Yuna quickly stopped Raon. While Xian understood, Raon still didn’t get the nuance. Nuri smirked, pointing her finger at Yuna.

“Onee-san has Light Attribute, right? Current output 10?”

“Yeah.”

Yuna glanced at Xian, who shrugged. Nuri frowned for a moment as if they had some deep secret, then turned her gaze to Raon on the right.

“What’s your level?”

“…My current magic power is around 20 for both Wind and Water Attributes. Mid-D Rank.”

Xian pulled up the official ability classification chart provided by the Special Ability Association:

01~10: E Rank


11~25: D Rank


26~50: C Rank


51~75: B Rank


76~90: A Rank


90~95: S Rank


96~99: SS Rank

“So summarizing our current strengths, we’ve got an E-Rank healer, a D-Rank tank, and a C-Rank dealer.”

The order went Yuna, Raon, and Nuri. Nuri felt a sense of excitement knowing she ranked the highest among them.

“Uncle, am I not an S-Rank dealer?”

“You’d need to awaken Dark Attribute magic power too. Since you’ve only awakened Water Attribute and not Dark Attribute, you’re still C-Rank.”

“Ugh, this is way too complicated and annoying.”

As Nuri grumbled, she noticed the slime kill records Xian had posted below and became even more disheartened.

“Onee-san killed three already…”

It could be interpreted as self-deprecating or, more harshly, as mocking Yuna. Raon perceived it negatively and jumped in first.

“That kind of remark isn’t appropriate. You should focus on how many you’ve personally defeated, not on how many others have killed.”

“I’m a Hero Academy student, you know. If I can’t even defeat slimes with my core weapon, I’ll get kicked out!”

There was a difference between Raon and Yuna. Raon would point out flaws outright, while Yuna silently understood and comforted the other person. Xian, who had remained silent, finally spoke up.

“Kim Nori, it’s true you’ve only managed to defeat one so far. Do you acknowledge that?”

“…I acknowledge.”

“But considering you’ve just become aware of your awakening today and are already using magic power, it’s quite encouraging. Everyone grows at their own pace.”

Xian used both punishment and reward to motivate Nuri, adding words to boost her motivation.

“One interesting point is that your attack power seems stronger than expected. Remember when you killed that slime earlier?”

“Huh, yeah.”

“No matter how weak a slime might be, it’s not so fragile that it would die instantly from a sword strike. In other words…”

Xian smirked, pointing at Nuri’s growth limit.

“It seems like you’ve directly hit the Water Attribute cap with your ‘first awakening.'”

“…What, seriously? Incredible.”

Nuri gasped, staring at her hands.

The degree of initial awakening varies greatly from person to person. Some start with E-Rank power despite having A-Rank potential, while others achieve C-Rank power matching their C-Rank potential. Sometimes, differences in attributes cause issues.

“In my case, I started with Wind Attribute D-Rank at age 15.”

“…I began with Light Attribute Level 1, Nuri.”

Nuri had directly awakened to Water Attribute Level 37, which barely surpassed C-Rank. Even so…

“If your current stat is 37 and translates directly into magic power, you should be able to one-hit KO the King Slime.”

“As long as you can properly swing your sword, that is.”

Raon interjected unnecessarily, causing Nuri to puff out her cheeks and stand up.

“Hmph! Then bring on the King Slime! Whether it’s a King or Emperor, I’ll give it a proper slash right in its belly!”

“Good spirit. Guild Leader, why don’t we let Kim Nori handle it? Though whether she can fight properly remains questionable.”

The rivalry between Nuri and Raon continued. Xian stood up, and Yuna also grabbed her staff and wobbled to her feet.

“Let’s follow the plan. Raon will draw attention, Nuri will attack. We never know what might happen. Besides, I want to conduct various tests during this battle.”

Xian glared sharply at Raon, whose eyes twitched slightly as he averted his gaze.

Just as Nuri and Yuna were about to speak, Xian clapped her hands to regain everyone’s attention.

“After we defeat the King Slime today, let’s celebrate our first dungeon clearance with a feast!”

“With what?”

At Yuna’s question, Raon and Nuri immediately responded.

“Just a simple teatime with reflections-”

“Sake! Meat!”

Their gazes clashed again. Xian gestured toward the magical gear to mediate.

“Alright, let’s settle this with this.”

“Deciding the feast menu based on dungeon-clearing shares… Agreed.”

Raon, experienced, quickly understood Xian’s intentions from her actions. Only Nuri, completely inexperienced, tilted her head in confusion.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s a bet on who performs better.”

Understanding Yuna’s explanation, Nuri grinned but soon realized her disadvantage.

“I’ve only killed one so far! Let’s redo it! Void it!”

“And why should someone wave their sword around in thin air?”

“Raon-san… Cough, Nuri. If you manage to defeat the boss, your share will likely increase significantly.”

“Oh, really?! Then I’ll just kill it. Haha, one swing and I win, right?”

“Sake! Meat!” Nuri eagerly ran forward and immediately opened the boss room door. Raon leisurely swung his spear until he froze momentarily upon seeing the King Slime’s imposing figure.

“…Is that the ‘King’?”

Nuri asked with a puzzled expression. Raon shook his head.

“I said the King Slime is pig-sized, right?”

“So what is this thing?”

“It’s definitely not the King.”

Xian’s gaze briefly lingered on Yuna before pulling out her gun.

“Special creatures occasionally appear in E-Rank dungeons. If it’s the boss, it gets a bit tougher…”

“But how much greater is the reward?”

While reloading regular lead bullets from his pocket, Xian shouted.

“Spread out! The tank draws aggro first, dealers wait for the opponent’s attack and strike during their rigid state! Healer stays back!”

Startled by Xian’s sudden change in attitude, the group hesitated momentarily before Xian raised her gun and yelled again.

“What are you standing around for? This is <God Slime>! It’s just E-Rank Level 10!”

“B-but-”

“The bounty is ten million won if we defeat it!”

With that, Raon and Nuri sprinted forward.

* * *

<7 PM, Padre Juan>

“So, I propose we redistribute roles.”

“Rejected.”

Xian firmly rejected Raon’s suggestion.

“Kim Nori is our team’s dealer. Didn’t you see earlier?”

Xian replayed the battle footage recorded by magical gear behind her.

[GYAAAAAAH?!]

Upon hearing the high-pitched scream, Xian quickly lowered the volume after scanning her surroundings. Other customers, annoyed by the loud video sound from Xian’s table during evening hours, frowned. Xian stood up and bowed deeply to apologize.

“Sorry.”

“Sit down, Uncle. I’m embarrassed enough.”

The owner of the scream, Nuri, covered her face with both hands and bowed her head. Her face was as red as a tomato.

“You should feel ashamed, Nuri.”

“…That’s why you should shut up! Who doesn’t know? That’s why I’m like this.”

At Raon’s sarcasm, Nuri growled back. The discord between the tank and dealer, who should ideally work together seamlessly, worsened rather than improved. Xian, who should have mediated, couldn’t easily intervene.

“Ah, this macaron is delicious.”

Xian, with an enlightened expression, split a macaron in half, ate one piece, and handed the other to Yuna. Upon tasting the rich strawberry aroma filling her mouth, Yuna’s eyes widened.

“Isn’t this item missing from the menu?”

“The shop owner is developing a new dish.”

The shop owner, Huan, winked as he placed freshly baked pies in the glass display. Yuna politely bowed her head, and Xian offered another split macaron to the arguing pair.

“Have some.”

“Thank you.”

“Hmph.”

Raon devoured the macaron in one bite, and Nuri cut hers in half in front of him. Watching their different habits in eating such trivial snacks, Xian cautiously whispered to Yuna.

“If these two go to a Chinese restaurant and order sweet-and-sour pork, chaos will ensue.”

“Guild Leader, now is not the time for jokes.”

Reprimanded by Yuna, Xian hesitated to replay the video again. She scratched her cheek instead of pressing play and tapped the table.

“Hmm. Focus.”

The three team members focused on Xian. She replayed the video.

[Don’t dodge, block it at least!]

[Who stands firm against a direct charge attack? Nuri, try hitting properly with your sword!]

[Then at least immobilize it! Hey, is it looking at me?]

[Aggro lost, ugh!]

“Yuna, as an Academy student, what’s your overall evaluation of the <God Slime> battle?”

“Failing grade. Not worth analyzing.”

Yuna’s sharp critique left both Raon and Nuri deflated. Nuri clenched her fists in frustration.

“Onee-san-”

“The support player contributes less than 0.1 portion, acting merely as a backdrop. Unable to control from a distance and limited to healing, which itself is mediocre since no one actually got hurt. Essentially useless.”

Yuna’s cutting evaluation applied to herself as well. Like critiquing someone else’s result report, she judged coldly.

“First, Nuri. Your attack power is sufficiently proven. Killing the God Slime in one hit alone certifies at least C-Rank attack power.”

“Even earned an achievement. <Killed Boss in One Hit>.”

Adding to Yuna’s explanation, Xian chimed in. Nuri seemed thrilled with her accomplishments.

“One hit with the sword killed the boss. Isn’t that enough?”

“But Nuri, your attack is C-Rank. Everything else needs a lot of improvement.”

Yuna kindly consoled Nuri. Xian assigned her the role of ‘team leader,’ responsible for full analysis, identifying weaknesses, and situational guidance. Raon and Nuri quietly listened to Team Leader Yuna’s feedback.

“Thankfully the God Slime stopped mid-motion, otherwise you would have been injured by the charge.”

“My legs froze up, unable to dodge.”

Xian paused the video. During the five-second interval set for repeat playback, the God Slime charged at Nuri, who stood frozen with her sword extended forward. Unable to bear watching her own mistakes, Nuri turned away.

“Look closely now. This is reflection time.”

At Raon’s reprimand, Nuri turned her head. Unlike listening obediently to Yuna or Xian, her sharp glare towards Raon clearly showed irritation.

“Shouldn’t you be the one reflecting?”

“……Nuri.”

Yuna gently pressed Nuri, but overwhelmed by her emotions, Nuri stabbed her fork violently into a slice of cake.

“You claim to be a good tanker, right? Didn’t you say you were once an A-Rank hero? Why did you chicken out? Because of Onee-san, the aggro transferred to me. Onee-san got hit by the God Slime and was knocked out immediately.”

“……”

Speechless, Raon hung his head like a sinner. Although Nuri’s words were crude and vulgar, they weren’t wrong. While Nuri vented her frustration by stuffing her mouth with cake, Xian rewound the video ten seconds.

“Raon.”

“……Yes.”

“Is your proposal for role redistribution because you want to be the dealer?”

Raon lifted his bowed head and shook it.

“I believe assigning me as a dealer would be more ‘efficient’ and suitable.”

“Efficiency, sure. But Raon, you’re holding back.”

Xian displayed more recorded videos—not just the battle against the God Slime but also the fights with regular slimes on the way to the boss room, where Raon consistently dodged all enemy attacks without blocking a single one.

“You’ve never taken a single hit from a slime. Against the God Slime, you tried to evade recklessly and got counterattacked.”

“Hmph, that’s just overconfidence-”

“Because you got injured fighting a villain before, right? Trying to save someone against the villain <Earth Puppy>, your core broke.”

Interrupting Nuri, Xian directed her gaze at her. Nuri paled and stiffened. Raon’s eyes twitched faintly, but Xian continued speaking.

“PTSD. After suffering such severe shock that your core shattered, it’s understandable you’re trying to preserve yourself during battles.”

“……Then switch me. Or let me persuade Kim Nori.”

Looking determinedly at Nuri, Raon bowed his head.

“You can call me a coward or whatever. But I…”

Trembling, Raon’s fists on the table shook. Seeing the nasty scar on Yuna’s right hand, she sighed softly. Nuri turned pale as a ghost, unsure what to do, while Xian waited silently for Raon to continue.

“I…”

Plop. A tear rolled down Raon’s cheek like a large water droplet forming on a faucet. Gradually, tears welled up in his eyes.

“I’m still… scared to face enemies head-on. Please, switch me from the tank role.”

“Raon.”

Xian spoke very gently.

“Even so, wouldn’t it be difficult for you to be a dealer? You can’t attack from range, Raon.”

“Guild Leader!”

Whack! Yuna fiercely struck Xian’s back, and Nuri hurriedly comforted Raon with tissues.

“Ku, it’s okay. That uncle lacks tact. Gah, Onee-san? Don’t cry. We’ll find a way.”

“……”

Without saying a word, Raon continued to silently shed tears.

Ultimately, there was no feast. The reflection meeting ended awkwardly, leaving emotional scars.

They agreed to rest for a day and meet again in two days.