Former Hero, Solo Play Oriented-Chapter 124
**[Title]**
Current "Tree of the Abyss" Raid Progress for Each Team.txt (+1554)
**[Content]**
This is the progress report for the first *Astria Online* raid, "Tree of the Abyss."
We’re now past the first weekend since the dungeon opened.
Here’s the progress as I know it.
- *Red and White* team cleared the 2nd named boss.
- *Skada* team is still progressing through the 2nd named boss.
- *Dajeongdosha* team is also working on the 2nd named boss.
- *White Bone* team is still fighting the 2nd named boss.
- Other teams are still working on the 1st named boss.
**[Comments]**
- Really? How do you know?
The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёnovelkiss.com.
ㄴSome people are posting screenshots of their progress.
ㄴYeah, I also know some people in those teams.
ㄴRaid strategies haven’t been released yet, but it’s possible to hear about their progress.
- This is so frustrating. All the streamers are stuck on the 1st named boss, so we haven’t even seen the 2nd boss. Now you’re saying some parties have already cleared it?
ㄴIt looks like *Gyugam*’s team might clear the 1st boss today.
ㄴJo Hyun-soo’s team, LOL.
ㄴKekeke, LOL.
ㄴThe *Couples Guild* also reached the final phase of the 1st boss.
ㄴNice~
ㄴThe rivalry between *Couples Guild* and *Jo Hyun-soo* is the most entertaining, LOL.
ㄴFor real, LOL.
- So the *Red and White* team has already seen the final boss? D:
ㄴNot yet. There’s no news that they’ve reached the final boss.
ㄴWhat’s blocking them?
ㄴNot sure? Maybe they cleared the 2nd boss late and took a break?
ㄴNo way. They should’ve extended the raid time to study the patterns and plan a strategy.
- There’s likely a mid-boss.
There was one before the 1st boss, so this makes sense.
Here’s the breakdown.
**1st Area**
- Mid-boss: "Corrupted Ant"
- Named Boss: "Black Dragon"
**2nd Area**
- Mid-boss: "???"
- Named Boss: "???"
**3rd Area**
- Mid-boss: "???"
- Named Boss: "???"
ㄴThis seems right.
ㄴClean and clear.
ㄴThe mid-boss Ant in the 1st area felt like a named boss too.
ㄴBasically, we’re fighting 6 bosses.
ㄴBut isn’t it strange? Three teams have cleared the 2nd boss with a total of 48 players on the main server, yet we haven’t heard anything about the mid-boss in the 2nd area?
ㄴIsn’t *White Bone* one of the *Gallery Guild* teams? Don’t they post videos?
ㄴThey’re an advanced team. Why would they post yet?
ㄴSome areas might have a mid-boss, while others don’t.
ㄴSince there’s no news of the 3rd boss, we can guess there’s a mid-boss before it.
ㄴBut wow, *Red and White* is really far ahead.
ㄴFor real, they might clear the entire raid in just the first week, LOL.
---
**[Title]**
I’m a member of *White Bone*—we failed on the 2nd boss. (+2072)
**[Content]**
We’ve been trying since this morning, but after four hours, we still haven’t passed the regular patterns.
We’re the fastest *Gallery Guild* team, but we just can’t figure it out.
With permission from our raid leader, I’ve uploaded a video.
Let’s figure this out together.
I don’t know what we should do.
(Video)
**[Comments]**
- Wow.
- This is insane.
- What the hell? No attacks are visible.
- It’s too fast.
- "Death Knight Zakham"?
- 5 billion HP, LOL.
- The Black Dragon only had 2 billion, LOL.
- Isn’t there a gimmick for this? Usually, when the HP is this high, you can reduce it with some kind of mechanic.
ㄴLook at the regular patterns. Do you think you’ll even survive long enough to find a gimmick?
ㄴIt’s way too fast. The tanks have to block and counter continuously.
ㄴYeah, there’s no time to deal damage. Melee DPS are dying from the shockwaves.
ㄴDo we need ranged tanks?
ㄴEven the *White Bone* tank is just blocking. If even the tank is like that, how can a ranged DPS tank, LOL.
- (Author) Yeah, ranged tanking is impossible. You can see in the video—if the aggro target gets too far, Zakham launches sword waves that sweep across half the battlefield. How long could anyone survive in that?
ㄴI see; I just noticed it. What’s with those sword waves?
ㄴHe sends them toward the tank and behind them too, LOL.
ㄴThis is crazy. His basic attack is an AoE, LOL.
ㄴThis feels like someone’s angry mom, LOL.
- I guess we just have to adapt to the patterns and hope to survive long enough to see the next phase?
ㄴBut can you even get used to these patterns...? I feel like I could try for a month and still fail.
ㄴThe regular patterns are brutal, and even if you survive the special phase, you still have to figure out the gimmick to reduce HP.
ㄴThe 2nd boss is a real wall.
ㄴ*Couples Guild* and *Jo Hyun-soo’s* team are probably trying the 2nd boss today. It’s going to be chaos on the streams, LOL.
- What about *Hindungi*...? Not streaming?
ㄴI cried because I wanted to see *Hindungi*, too. T_T
ㄴIsn’t it odd that someone as skilled as *Hindungi* isn’t raiding with the *Red and White* team?
ㄴYeah, people were talking about it on the first day of the raid. It seems pretty clear now.
ㄴThere’s a screenshot of the 2nd boss clear, and there were 12 people—*Hindungi* wasn’t one of them.
ㄴMaybe *Hindungi* is taking it easy with a more casual raid team after pushing too hard before?
ㄴHonestly, *Hindungi* might be raiding solo.
ㄴSuddenly, we’ll see the notification: ["Noname" raid group has cleared...].
ㄴLOL.
ㄴBut seriously, that would cause an uproar, right? Soloing a raid?
ㄴJudging by *Hindungi*’s past actions, it doesn’t even seem like a joke anymore.
---
Leaving the remains of the *Lancer of Flames* and the *Shieldbearer of Ice* behind, I stood before the door leading to the deepest part.
*Crack, creak.*
The blackened branches groaned, opening a path.
At last, I stepped into the vast circular chamber.
*Wooooom.*
A strange energy radiated from the center, spreading outwards.
It’s identical to the core of the *World Tree*.
Except, rather than the vibrant green energy of life, a purple aura of death surged from the center.
And from within that violet orb—
*Wooooom.*
A figure emerged.
"......."
I silently observed the demon.
He was dressed in a robe that wrapped tightly around his entire body, the fabric resembling raven feathers covering every inch of him.
Many demons don’t bother dressing properly. The martial demons often go shirtless. Female demons wear clothes, but they tend to be... barely enough. This one, however, didn’t seem like the muscular type of demon. The only giveaway that he was a demon was the horn protruding from his head.
His face was surprisingly well-groomed. What’s the phrase... "a foppish pretty boy"? He reminded me a bit of the *Dark Elf Quartermaster Galovan* from the second named boss of the Outpost.
I let out a breath and muttered.
"Oh, it’s a raven."
"Heh, you’re not wrong. But calling me a raven upon first meeting... You have quite the bold tongue, guest."
He let out a small laugh.
Quite the gentleman.
He opened his eyes slightly and introduced himself.
"I am *Crow*, commander of the northern forces of this world."
*Ding.*
---
**[Third Named Boss]**
[Level 53]
[Legion Commander Crow]
[HP ??? / ???]
---
I smiled in return.
"Oh, really? I’m *Rain*."
"The Hero of a thousand years past, the Silver Knight. I know who you are."
"...!"
Now that surprised me.
Other NPCs didn’t know me, but this demon did.
Could he be a demon who’s lived for over a thousand years? I don’t know much about the lifespan of demons, but all the ones I’ve met so far were unfamiliar. Then again, we did wipe out the demon leadership back then.
The existence of *Demons
* was born from pure dark energy.
Demons didn’t originally exist in *Astria*. They’re invaders from another dimension. There’s another world that could be called the *Demon Realm*, and they crossed over from there.
They tried to invade this world once before and failed. I suppose it’s because the gods are dead now. Destroying a godless world might be easier than eating cake.
As I eyed him cautiously, he continued speaking.
"I know that *Lucifer* fell at your hand in the past."
The name of the Demon King I defeated came from his mouth.
"Is that so? Is there a new Demon King now? It won’t be any different this time."
"The concept of a *Demon King* doesn’t truly exist for beings born from dark energy."
He shook his head.
What was that supposed to mean? They still have ranks and orders, don’t they?
Or maybe there’s something above the Demon King?
Seeing my confusion, Crow smiled eerily.
"The one you called a *Demon King*—*Lucifer*—was once an angel of this world. While he led the demons, his army was often referred to as the *Demon King’s Army*."
"...!"
The image of the two angelic statues from the *Ancient Temple of Berbeya* flashed in my mind.
Archangel *Dominion*, and—
Fallen Angel *Valiel*.
"Valiel?"
"As expected of a Hero, to know that name. Yes. Long ago, he was an angel. He rebelled against the gods and joined the Demon Legion."
Crow seemed genuinely impressed.
"The goddess’s mistake was in sharing her power with her angels. She wanted them to help guide this world."
I felt my face grow stiff.
The puzzle pieces were starting to fall into place.
The ancient Dwarves.
Why they had built the underground labyrinth to protect the "Unquenchable Flame."
The dwarves saw the image of an angel, which manifested in the form of golems in the Ancient Temple of Berbeya.
Before I arrived, there had been a war between angels.
And when the angels, born from the goddess’s essence, perished in that war, the goddess herself also lost her power.
It all makes sense now. During my time, there were no angels.
When I was reborn in *Astria*, the goddess gave me only the Holy Sword and left everything else to me. Once it was over, she vanished. This suggests that even before I arrived in this world, the goddess had already lost most of her strength.
If one of the gods who ruled over the world turned against us, then this dimension’s destruction is only a matter of time.
But there’s still one question that remains.
Why did they fall?
A divine being, supposedly a fragment of the goddess herself.
Why did they fall?
"Why...?"
I murmured absentmindedly.
"You, of all people, should understand. One who belongs neither to the higher nor lower dimensions."
Crow smiled brightly.
A pure being of darkness, Crow.
He knew far too much.
Team Leader Han’s words echoed in my head.
Higher dimensions, lower dimensions.
Normalization.
Simulation.
Overwriting.
The truth their mother never told them.
That their entire reality, everything they believed in, was just an ant society, overlooked from the higher dimensions.
We were all just chess pieces on a board.
Is that what the lower dimensions truly are?
