Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 260

“Ah, before we start, dealers, make sure to grab some Surprise Party Potions!”

Before entering the Named Room, I paused and addressed the dealers.

Deron had a variety of toy items, among which was the item called [Surprise Party Potion].

[Surprise Party Potion]

An item created for event purposes.

It’s a special potion infused with the alchemists’ secret arts.

※ When used, your appearance changes to that of a similar-shaped NPC.

※ Duration: 20 minutes.

As you can see, the item description wasn’t particularly special, but the secret was that using this item to change gender would unlock the gender lock.

In other words, if a female character transformed into a male NPC, she could wear costumes designed for males.

If my predictions were correct, this Surprise Party Potion would be the most crucial strategy item for this raid.

“Oh…”

The party members nodded, as if they had just recalled the potion’s existence, and began purchasing it through the Auction House.

I glanced at the top-tier dealers in the party.

Yerin.

Hwarang.

Helena.

Snow Mage.

Iyap.

If female characters were drawn into the vampire pattern, they could simply change into male forms.

Iyap and Hwarang were already male characters, so they were fine without the potion, but Yerin, Helena, and Snow Mage had to grab one for sure.

And I was in the same boat.

The first to down the potion was Yerin.

The young knight’s appearance, clad in light armor, began to vanish in an instant, replaced by that of an old wizard radiating a faint light from her eyes.

“Oh…”

A woman’s voice that didn’t quite match her appearance.

The effect of the item only changed her appearance, so her voice stayed Yerin’s.

“Is it uncomfortable to move?”

“Not too uncomfortable, I think it’s because my body is a similar shape.”

Yerin nodded at my question, swinging her sword back and forth.

Next up to use the Surprise Party Potion was the Snow Mage.

The image of the wizard in a blue robe gradually faded, transforming into that of a knight clad in silver armor.

“Wow! She became a knight!”

The knight became a wizard, and the wizard became a knight.

There were no set formulas; changes happened randomly, so this wasn’t just a coincidence.

I looked at Helena with sparkling eyes.

“Hmm…”

Helena stared hesitantly at the potion in her hand.

It seemed changing her appearance was quite uncomfortable for her.

But this item was essential for successfully tackling the raid.

If Helena got dragged along by a slight mistake, all the health we had carefully whittled down would be restored in an instant.

So, I nodded beside Helena.

I wondered what kind of appearance she would transform into.

“Ugh…”

As if drinking something horrific, when the potion slid down Helena’s throat, her expression twisted in an instant.

Then the change began.

The image of the wizard in a red robe began to vanish, only to be replaced by that of a gloomy-looking Warlock.

Pale skin and deep dark circles under her eyes.

The dense navy hair cascading downward instinctively provoked revulsion.

However, this was merely a superficial impression; in the end, she was still Helena.

I wouldn’t let my friend suffer.

Swallowing hard, I carefully approached the transformed Helena.

“How’s it? Is it uncomfortable to move?”

“Yeah…”

Could it be that she didn’t like changing into a male appearance?

Helena barely nodded with a weak voice.

It was a different reaction compared to Snow Mage, who was admiring her new look.

Now, it was my turn.

I rummaged through my inventory and pulled out a large potion.

What kind of appearance would I transform into?

Gulp

I had no aversion to drinking the potion.

“Wooah…”

The moment the cold liquid flowed down my throat, my body began to change.

The red robe I was wearing started to disappear, and my long hair began to shorten.

The final result was the appearance of a [Lost Boy] you might commonly encounter near the capital.

“Perfect.”

With this, our preparation was complete.

As I nodded, confirming the transformed looks of my party members, Helena, standing next to me, muttered in a gloomy voice.

“I hate it… Yeo changed… Yeo’s… Yeo’s appearance…”

I let out an awkward laugh at Helena’s voice.

Helena really despises it when I change my appearance.

Had she once said it felt like losing her precious friend?

“Helena, it’s just a temporary change.”

“But…”

“If I don’t like staying like this, then we should clear the raid quickly, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Then let’s start.”

Saying that, I signaled Dogrik.

The raid strategy begins with the main tank’s charge.

“Hyahh!”

With a loud shout, Dogrik charged forward.

I keenly observed the DPS numbers from behind.

The Duck Bomb build was incredibly powerful. Thus, once I started dealing damage, it was only natural for my rank to shoot to the top.

I didn’t want to experience being swept away again.

Quack, quack!

Of course, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t deal damage.

I also summoned some ducks to throw bombs.

As I watched Iona’s health dwindle down.

The massive arms with crimson skin hammered Dogrik’s shield mercilessly.

Bang! Crash!

“Ugh!”

A pattern we hadn’t seen before appeared.

Iona raised both hands high and slammed down at Dogrik.

The sheer destructive power smashed his shield and temporarily rendered Dogrik unable to use it.

This pattern weakened the main tank’s defense.

We had to be even more cautious now.

“Hyahh!”

Dogrik bravely faced it.

Even without a shield, he was still a tank.

If he activated various damage reduction skills, he could survive without a shield for a short time.

[Ugh…]

While steadily whittling down Iona’s health.

Finally, that pattern emerged.

A pattern where Iona changed her attack style and selected a sacrifice to summon the Goddess Lunaris.

As Iona’s massive body knelt to the ground, pale moonlight poured down upon her.

[Ah… Moonlight that guides me…]

“That pattern is coming!”

“Deal as much damage as you can!”

I shouted to the dealers while throwing out ducks.

Quack, quack!

Ducks flew through the air, sticking to Iona.

Immediately after, the magical engineering bombs that soared in followed, causing a series of explosions and pummeling Iona.

Boom, boom, ka-pow!

When the boss is stationary, it’s crucial to funnel in as much damage as possible for an easier transition to the next pattern.

The party members unleashed all their skills upon Iona’s body, as if to empty their reserves.

[Right… in that world, I was a warrior…]

With the designated lines spoken, the twin blades of moonlight descended from the sky.

Iona grasped the twin blades and began dashing at terrifying speed.

In my direction.

I panicked and shouted, “Why, why meee!”

I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The top DPS was sure to be Hwarang.

I adjusted my damage output, staying stuck at 5th place.

“Doesn’t seem like it’s based on damage rank…?”

“Is she going for the smallest target?”

“Yikes!”

There was no escape. I used Blink, Time Acceleration, Ice Shield, and all my survival skills, but Iona wouldn’t stop.

Crash!

“Ugh!”

The pale moonlight pierced through my shoulder.

The Holy Sword that sprang out along with my blood shook me brutally.

“Eeeek!”

“Yeo!!!”

Helena was truly the only one genuinely worried about me.

Despite her gloomy Warlock appearance, hearing Helena’s voice didn’t feel too bad.

“Ughhh!”

Iona wouldn’t stop.

Just like before, she roughly dragged me along and threw my body onto the altar.

Crash!

The remaining Holy Sword pierced through my other shoulder.

Pinned on the altar with both shoulders skewered, I was once again subject to Lunaris’s divine summoning.

[Ah… Lunaris, I offer this flesh for you…]

The sensation I felt earlier resurfaced.

The first-person view of the world shifted to third-person, allowing me to see my own body floating in the air.

The body transformed into a [Lost Boy] beginning to absorb the pale moonlight.

Flash!

[Fallen Moonlight Lunaris is attempting a divine summoning.]

[Imperfect summoning! Lunaris’s health decreases by 10%.]

[This, this body…? Iona… this useless thing…!]

[Ah… Lunaris…]

Totally different lines from before popped out.

The party members exhibited puzzled expressions, sensing something was off.

“Could it be her transformation state causing this?”

“Maybe?”

That seemed somewhat plausible.

Party members who took the story seriously mentioned that the Goddess Lunaris gets queasy if it’s a guy.

It seemed like she was displeased with the body to be summoned not being a girl.

[Get out of the way!]

[Ughhh…]

The completed Lunaris, after her divine summoning, unleashed moonlight energy, blasting away Iona, who had been praying before her.

Flash!

In the body of a small boy, Lunaris extended her hand toward us, her face twisted in apparent displeasure.

Starting with a vampire pattern.

“Yiiik…!”

Floating in the air was Helena.

Helena in her gloomy Warlock appearance was taken by Lunaris without resistance.

[Become my blood!]

With the designated lines of her vampire attack.

I gazed at Lunaris with a sense of dread.

Here was Lunaris, weakened after divine summoning in the form of a boy.

Surely something should happen since she had drunk Helena’s blood, which was currently in a male form.

[Ughhh… this blood… this… filthy thing!]

Splat!

Having absorbed Helena’s blood, Lunaris began to vomit it up and rapidly wither away.

Like the corpse of Helena lying on the ground.

[Clean… pure yet strong virgin blood… ugh…]

From then on, Lunaris continued to use her vampire attack pattern.

However, it was only the dealers disguised as males who got dragged away.

After three rounds of vampire attacks, Lunaris collapsed on the ground, vomiting up all her blood.

[Kwaaarrrk…!]