LS 124

The stress of having to go all the way back to 130 bars was definitely real, but Dohee trusted his raid team, it wouldn’t take long. Each reset saw them cutting through HP faster and handling mechanics more smoothly. Reaching 130 bars again was only a matter of time.

The real problem was that jade box mechanic from earlier.

[Raid] SoftRiceCake: T_T I didn’t even see the popup window last time…

[Raid] 4EvilPrettyGirl: That can happen when things get hectic

[Raid] SoftRiceCake: …Ha… losers have no right to speak… T_T

“What was it that Tando said again?”

— Collect the scattered energy of the orb. Only the power of a complete orb can disable the imprisonment device.

Tando continued.

— I think that broken orb floating above your head starts incomplete. If you collect the scattered energy, it turns into a complete orb, and you probably get a buff or something.

Dohee rewound the footage to the moment Yeohoo was first imprisoned. The raid members silently watched his screen, trying to figure out what they had missed.

“That mechanic seems to trigger at 130 bars.”

— That jade box? Yeah, it just pops out of nowhere. No warning signs at all. You get trapped and there’s nothing you can do.

— Exactly. Damn it, at least give us a heads-up. We were doing fine, and then suddenly it’s like, ‘You’re imprisoned!’ What the hell.

Yeohoo and Noodle grumbled. Dohee paused the footage right after the imprisonment began, focusing on the minimap, something he hadn’t caught the first time. As expected, there were green dots scattered around the map.

“Look at the minimap, see the green dots?”

[Raid] PrettyHealerHyung: Oh wow, you’re right!!

[Raid] PrettyHealerHyung: Are those… the scattered orb energies?? T_T

“Looks like it. When Yeohoo got trapped and when Noodle got trapped, the green dots spawned in different spots. I’m not sure if the person with the orb has to collect them themselves, or if someone else can do it, but I think it’s safe to say we need to head to those locations when they appear.”

Sighs echoed from the team. Dohee let out a small breath.

This was their first time in this raid. First time seeing these mechanics. DPS players trying to optimize their output naturally had tunnel vision on the boss. And now they were expected to check the minimap and go collect energy in the middle of all that chaos? It was no wonder no one noticed.

Once the team got used to the flow of the raid, it would become second nature. But for now, it was only natural they’d struggle to respond to unfamiliar mechanics. No one was at fault. Dohee completely understood why RiceCake was upset, but that didn’t mean he had to be discouraged.

“It’s our first time, how could anyone be expected to catch that while also focusing on damage?”

— Then let’s push to 130 bars and try the mechanic again. The person with the orb will check the minimap and go collect the energy.

Yeohoo’s energetic voice lifted the mood. As the team finished prep, Dohee threw out a suggestion.

“If someone else can collect the energy, maybe it’s better to split up and help out?”

— It might not work, but if it doesn’t, then only the orb carrier can disable the box. That means they need to stick close to the box to avoid taking damage. How about half the team spreads out to collect energy and the other half stays near the box, just in case? The time limit didn’t seem too tight.

Tando replied. His idea made sense, and the team agreed to split into two groups when the mechanic triggered again, except for the orb carrier and the imprisoned member.

“It’s tough, but we’re almost there. Let’s hang in there.”

At Dohee’s words, Moonhyuk gave a soft, tiny cheer beside him.

“Fighting!”

His whisper was so small it made the whole team burst out laughing, the tension lifting a little.

They re-entered the raid, only to be greeted by another round of lightning strikes. Honestly, they would’ve preferred the burn damage from the sun or even the rain. Paralysis was just plain annoying. But since everything would reset after clearing the first mechanic, everyone focused on surviving until the vortex phase.

This time, the HP bar dropped even faster. And thanks to RiceCake’s sharp observation about the boss’s head angle, the vortex mechanic was easier to handle.

— So much easier thanks to RiceCake!

Yeojin shouted deliberately loud, boosting RiceCake’s confidence.

[Raid] SoftRiceCake: T_T Even I managed to contribute…

[Raid] SoftRiceCake: I’ll get it right this time

[Raid] 4EvilPrettyGirl: You’re doing great

[Raid] PrettyHealerHyung: Frfr! You’re awesome!! [HeaveHoEmote]

Encouraging each other, they quickly reached 130 bars. This time, it was Dohee who got imprisoned, and Moonhyuk who had the orb over his head.

“Hyung, if you press the M hotkey, it expands the minimap. It’s easier that way.”

“Oh! I didn’t know that!”

Moonhyuk’s eyes widened as he hit M. Watching his surprise, Dohee was reminded again how hilariously new Moonhyuk still was. To think they’d made it all the way to Phase 3 of Demon Hunter with this rookie, it was almost emotional.

Moonhyuk, Tando, 4Evil, PrettyHealerHyung, and RiceCake split off toward the green dots on the minimap. The rest, who had lower defenses, stayed near the jade box where Dohee was trapped.

“Oh, I can absorb it!”

— It’s not working for me.

[Raid] PrettyHealerHyung: Doesn’t work for me either T_T

[Raid] SoftRiceCake: Same

It seemed only the person with the orb could collect the scattered energy. Tando, 4Evil, PrettyHealerHyung, and RiceCake ran back toward the box while Moonhyuk diligently gathered the orb energy. Maybe collecting the energy extended the timer, because this time, a lot more time passed and the explosion still hadn’t happened.

“All done!”

Moonhyuk ran toward Dohee.

[System] Scattered orb energy collected successfully.

[System] Imprisonment device neutralized by the power of the complete orb.

As Moonhyuk’s character reached out toward the box, a small bar appeared above it. Inside the horizontal bar, an orb moved back and forth. Then a prompt appeared: “Press SPACE BAR to stop the orb.”

There was a glowing yellow section inside the bar. It was clearly a minigame, stop the orb when it overlaps with the glowing zone. Watching his screen, Dohee quickly explained.

“Hyung, when the orb overlaps the glowing part, press the space bar. It’s a timing game.”

Moonhyuk nodded, eyes wide, then leaned toward his monitor like he was about to dive into it. His intense focus was so adorable that Dohee smiled involuntarily.

Moonhyuk nailed the minigame and straightened up proudly. The system alert popped almost immediately afterward.

[System] The jade box has lost its power.

[System] ‘Power of the Jade Orb’ is rapidly restoring HP.

As the alert appeared, the Demon Hunter twisted in pain. A strange jade aura began to radiate from its body. It wasn’t a new mechanic, but it was enough to put the team on edge.

Dohee’s character was freed from the box, and above every raid member’s head floated a now-complete jade orb. The team received a new buff: “Power of the Jade Orb,” which steadily regenerated HP, and surprisingly fast, too.

“With this much regeneration, we can afford to take a few hits.”

[Raid] SoftRiceCake: Yeah the regeneration is crazy fast

[Raid] SoftRiceCake: I can actually save some potions now

“Let’s push damage and conserve potions.”

— Man, I only had three potions left and was doing soft DPS. This is a lifesaver

— Noodle, that’s such a beta move. Disappointed in you~

Yeojin teased Noodle, who had sighed in relief. Each raid phase limited the number of potions you could use, and careless spamming often left players without potions, or healers, and resulted in a failed run. Veteran DPS were used to rationing their supplies.

With the orb buff active, DPS players could hit more confidently. Even when they got hit, the regen helped keep them up, letting healers and supporters focus on buffs instead. Their damage output picked up speed.

“Almost at 100 bars.”

The HP bar steadily ticked down: 103, 102, 101… and finally, at 100 bars, the Demon Hunter teleported to the center of the map.

— Looks like a new mechanic is coming. Stay sharp!

Yeohoo’s voice rang through the headset. The team stared at the boss, alert.

Just like the vortex mechanic, four statues appeared at 1, 5, 7, and 11 o’clock. But something was different, they all glowed purple.

Then Tando spoke up urgently.

— I think this is that wipe mechanic we saw in the teaser.