I Became a Raid Boss

In front of Justina’s house, there is a moderately sized plaza.

A long time ago… a very long time ago, the entire clan would often gather in this plaza to discuss important matters or ask after each other’s well-being.

Actually, calling it the “entire clan” is a bit misleading.

Back then, the number of the Purifier Clan was so large that they couldn’t all fit in this plaza.

‘I never thought I’d see this sight again since those days….’

The plaza was filled with people.

Although they weren’t lined up in a perfectly orderly fashion, the sight of so many people gathered together was enough to stir Justina’s emotions.

“Chieftain?”

“…Hm? Why are you calling me?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Had she lingered too long in her thoughts?

Hearing the voice calling her, Justina came to her senses and noticed the concern in the faces looking up at her.

“It’s nothing, so go on down.”

“Yes.”

With a firm dismissal, the man stepped down from the platform. Justina watched with satisfaction as he obeyed her without question.

‘Artisha always disliked this sort of thing.’

She had said it felt too authoritarian.

But Justina believed that proper authority was essential for leadership.

Being close with the clan members was nice, but there were times when a leader had to show their gravity.

It was more reassuring for people to think, ‘This is someone we can trust and follow.’

Justina remembered Artisha saying,

‘I don’t want to be respected for things I didn’t achieve….’

“Such a cute thought…”

Artisha believed that the respect and treatment she received were because of her parents.

But Justina thought that Artisha fully deserved the respect she got.

This wasn’t just because she was Artisha’s mother.

Having grown up watching her parents’ actions, Artisha had always been concerned for the well-being of the clan.

When the Dimensional Creatures appeared, she was the first to fight them, which was proof of her dedication.

Finishing her brief reminiscence, Justina swept her gaze over the crowd.

As her gaze reached them, the murmuring gradually subsided until it finally stopped completely.

“I trust everyone is aware of the situation.”

Justina got straight to the point without any preliminaries.

Despite the abrupt start, no one shook their heads.

“If there is anyone here who opposes this plan, speak up now. Although, I won’t withdraw it even if there is opposition.”

Her joking tone brought a few small laughs from the crowd.

As Justina, smiling, looked down, her expression grew stern.

“Also, I won’t be repeating every detail again. We’ve already discussed this once before. It would only be tedious to say it all again.”

Just after being persuaded by that cheeky child, Justina had gathered the clan to explain the plan.

Of course, even then, she wasn’t seeking their approval.

“Since this decision has been made, you must follow it.”

There were no objections.

“When this is over, many things will change.”

Whether those changes were good or bad, they would not be able to return to their current lives.

But…

Justina recalled the face of the young girl who had spoken so confidently to her.

There had not been a hint of doubt on the girl’s face.

Was it because of Edel’s words?

That didn’t seem to be the case, considering how she spoke—she didn’t seem particularly devout.

Perhaps, Justina cautiously speculated with her wisdom from many years, the girl’s belief lay in her own strength.

On the other hand, Justina and her clan believed in the words of their creator, Edel.

The reason Justina was ultimately persuaded by the girl was because of something Edel had said, so there was no need to elaborate on their devotion.

They might believe in different things, but they were headed in the same direction.

So, there was no reason not to join forces.

“It seems no one has changed their mind.”

Even after a considerable time had passed since Justina finished speaking, none of those gathered in the plaza opened their mouths.

Instead, as she quietly observed their faces, which now showed more resolve than before, Justina nodded.

“Then, let us begin.”

Justina raised her hand.

The massive barrier that enveloped the village slowly began to dissolve.

***

Haven’t you had experiences like that, maybe once in your life?

Like when you pull on a loose thread on your clothes, only for the whole garment to unravel, leaving you flustered?

What I was seeing right now was exactly like that.

The barrier was like the clothing, and the magi was like the threads that made up the cloth.

The strands of magi that detached from the barrier fluttered in the air.

If left alone, they would surely disperse into the atmosphere without a trace.

But the Demonic Race, including Justina, skillfully guided the magi and gathered them into a single place.

“It’s getting a bit hard to breathe…”

As the barrier was halfway undone, Celine, who had been observing, spoke up.

Considering that Celine rarely voiced discomfort even when things were tough, the pressure she felt must have been significant.

“It is indeed.”

I felt it too.

Even though we were some distance away, I could feel this much pressure.

It felt like all the magi in the air were trying to force me to submit.

…As much as I hate to admit it, it’s a feeling similar to when I first encountered that snake-like creature.

A few days ago, before the Ascension Ritual, the magi in the air was supposedly at least twice as dense as it is now.

How many days could someone endure in such an environment?

‘Well.’

Even I wasn’t confident in that.

Honestly, I had been underestimating things a bit until now, but seeing the magi gather like this made me truly understand why Laxia is called the ‘Magi Continent.’

“Of course, humans named it that because it’s the homeland of the Demonic Race.”

Cough…!

“…Are you okay? If it’s too much, you can go inside.”

“N-No… I can still manage….”

Among us, I have the highest level of mastery.

And though not quite at my level, Celine’s abilities are far beyond those of an ordinary person.

Since both of us were feeling the pressure, there was no way Da-eun, with the lowest mastery, could be fine.

Even though Celine’s holy power was enveloping Da-eun with a strong glow, Da-eun’s complexion was pale, like she could cough up blood at any moment.

Gulp.

Da-eun pulled out a bottle from her pocket and downed its contents.

She gulped down a potion as red as blood in one go, giving her a brief moment of relief.

If she’s struggling like this already, it wouldn’t be surprising if she collapses later.

‘Grasid.’

—…Why are you calling?

‘…Are you sulking?’

For some reason, Grasid’s voice sounded curt.

Oops, it’s not a voice—it’s a thought.

—Not particularly. It’s just that I find it irritating when you ignore me and only call on me when you need something.

‘Hmm.’

He did have a point.

I couldn’t deny it because my actions spoke for themselves.

Most of what he says is trivial, so I had been intentionally ignoring him, but now I feel a little guilty…

‘Then why don’t you go find someone else?’

…Not really.

He sure has a lot of complaints for someone who’s freeloading.

Besides, if anyone should feel bothered, it’s him, not me—so I have no reason to back down.

—Ahem. It wasn’t that irritating.

‘That’s a bit disappointing.’

—…Sigh. So, why did you call me?

‘Oh, right. Can you help ease the burden Da-eun is feeling?’

—Are you joking? That’s quite an amusing joke.

‘So it’s not possible after all.’

—If you plan to overwhelm her with mana instead of magi, then sure, it’s an interesting idea.

Of course, Da-eun wouldn’t be able to endure Grasid’s mana.

It would only make things worse rather than better.

I suppose I could take off the ring and give it to Da-eun.

—No.

‘Yeah. I thought you’d say that.’

His reaction was exactly as expected, and I nodded.

It couldn’t be helped.

“…Huh? Kana?”

“This should make it a little easier, right?”

I grasped Da-eun’s hand with the hand wearing the ring.

“Although it’s not as effective as wearing it directly, it’s an item crafted by a Dragon, so it should have some effect.”

When I suddenly grabbed her hand, Da-eun, who seemed visibly flustered, let out a shy smile.

“Yeah, it’s definitely better.”

“Right?”

“Kana, you’re the best. Heh, it’s so soft….”

“…Are you sure you’re okay?”

I meant for her to feel its effects, not the touch of my hand.

I was certain it would be helpful, but her reaction made me a little skeptical.

…If things get worse, I might have to forcibly send her back home.

Meanwhile, the barrier continued to unravel quickly, and the pressure in the surrounding area intensified.

And finally, the barrier completely disappeared.

“…Phew.”

Even though Celine’s sacred power had been radiating strongly for a while now, it was hard to stand straight and keep my back upright.

Celine, though staggering, managed to hold on, but Da-eun had completely collapsed onto the ground.

Beside Da-eun, empty potion bottles lay scattered.

“…Everything is ready now.”

The Demonic Race members also looked much paler, but Justina, the only one who appeared unaffected, approached me.

She gazed at me silently for a moment before suddenly smirking.

“You don’t look too comfortable. Have you thought about retreating now?”

“Can I retreat just because I want to?”

“Of course not.”

“Then stop joking around.”

“…Ah!”

I let go of Da-eun’s hand as I chided her.

Realizing a moment too late that I had let go, Da-eun made a disappointed sound, reaching out at the empty space.

“I’ll be back.”

“Can… Can’t I come with you…?”

“You know you can’t.”

“…”

I pointed to the swirling black vortex that raged continuously.

If Da-eun stepped into that, she wouldn’t just succumb to Magi poisoning—her whole body would be torn to shreds.

That’s why even Celine had to help from a distance.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”

“Ah…!”

There was no need to drag out farewells that weren’t even final.

Ignoring the sighs coming from behind, I strode forward.

“Small in size but with the heart of a true warrior.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“That depends on whether you succeed or not.”

“Then I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Brushing off Justina’s remarks lightly, I took another step toward the Magi.

“Just in case you forgot, I’ll tell you one last time.”

“No, that’s not necessary. Once I go inside, I need to empty all the Mana in my body and accept the Magi that you release, right?”

“That’s correct.”

I had heard about how the Ascension Ritual worked several times already. Now that I had confirmation that my memory was accurate, there was no need to delay any further.

“I’m going.”

“May you succeed….”

With Celine’s brief farewell, I stepped into the vortex of Magi.

“…Ugh!”

A pressure incomparable to anything I had felt before pressed down on me. If I let my guard down even for a moment, I would be crushed by the pressure and never rise again.

Realizing this, I clenched my teeth and drew out my Mana.

Crack!

The pink Mana in my body mixed smoothly with the golden holy power, clashing against the sharp blades of Magi.

One step, then another. As I pushed forward, enduring the pressure that weighed down on me like a mountain, the unpleasant noise in my ears suddenly vanished.

However, the suffocating presence of Magi remained.

‘Not exactly the eye of a storm…’

I grumbled inwardly for a moment. Realizing what I needed to do, I immediately released the Mana from my body.

As I let out a significant amount, the surrounding Magi seemed to dilute, making it feel like breathing had become slightly easier.

Maybe there was no real difference, and I just felt that way.

“Haa.”

I had already said many times that there was no turning back….

Now, it’s truly, really irreversible.

With all my Mana emptied out, leaving was no longer an option.

So instead of wasting time on unnecessary thoughts, I spread my arms wide.

“…!”

The moment I resolved to accept the Magi, the wandering Magi around me began flooding into my body.

It was different from the violent Mana of Grasid and from the Mana I had wielded.

Thick, sticky, tainted Magi.

“Gah!”

Before I could even feel the pain, my body reacted first.

In the faint light, the blood I vomited onto the ground was not its usual red but pitch black.

“Ah…”

Thud!

In the next moment, I found myself on my knees, staring at it.

I tried several times to force myself back up, but my limp body refused to obey.

…No.

‘…Do I really need to stand up?’

As that thought crossed my mind, a calmness settled over me.

Yeah. There’s no need to struggle to get up.

It’s not that hard, right?

I just need to close my eyes and let myself be carried away by the darkness that pulls me.

That way, I won’t have to feel this pain that’s eating away at my body.

“…Yeah. Let’s do that….”

I quietly sank into the comforting darkness that welcomed me.

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