Chapter 156: Snake Queen Raid (1)

Commander Aman gathered all thirteen representatives of the tribes.

"It's time to pick the elite warriors that'll join our Snake Queen task force."

The representatives were all ears.

"I'm in there, and so are the rest of you," Aman said.

The representatives were their tribes' greatest warrior/shaman. Thus, they were fully qualified to join the Snake Queen hunt.

They had 13 members thus far.

"Shila of the Yupir Tribe."

"Yes?" Shila replied.

"Pick four of your best healers. They'll be coming with us, giving us five healers in total."

The Yupir Tribe had several skilled healers, so they were called the Healing Yupir.

"Understood."

Adding in four more healers brought their number up to 17.

"I'm bringing in two skilled Nedav warriors too. I can assure you that they're up to par."

Two more made 19.

"The eleven remaining tribes will bring their greatest warrior/shaman too."

"Yes sir!"

They brought 11 more soldiers, bringing them to 30.

"The thirty of us will hunt the Snake Queen," Aman announced.

Bang-bang.

Krohn raised his hand.

"Commander Aman."

"What is it?"

"Do you know who Mr. Kang Oh is?"

"Kang Oh! Yeah, I do. He's one strong guy."

Aman clearly remembered the one who'd defeated him; he couldn't forget Kang Oh's strength either!

"Mr. Kang Oh wanted me to let you know that he wishes to participate in the Snake Queen hunt."

Krohn was an honest man; he'd done as Kang Oh had asked.

"He was a part of this expedition?"

"Yes sir. Chieftain Shula recommended him."

"Hmm."

Aman briefly thought this over.

'Kang Oh, huh...'

He'd be really helpful. Aman had fought him firsthand, so he was well aware of this.

"I want to know what the other representatives think. Are you ok with Kang Oh joining our task force? He and I are evenly matched."

He couldn't tell them that Kang Oh was more skilled than he was; his pride wouldn't allow it.

"If he's as strong as you, then he'll be of great help to us," Sundra's representative, Koong said.

"I watched Mr. Kang Oh as I led our troops; he was incredibly strong," Krohn said.

"If you two are going to go that far, then... I'm fine with it."

"Indeed."

Several representatives were in favor of Kang Oh joining them.

"Fine. Then the 31 of us will hunt the Snake Queen!" Aman declared once more.

"Yes sir!" the representatives simultaneously replied.

Thus, Kang Oh was allowed to participate in the Snake Queen hunt.

* * *

"Yes, yes!"

After he returned from the meeting, Krohn gave Kang Oh the good news. In response, Kang Oh clenched his fists and gave an uppercut to the sky.

'To think me beating Aman would be so beneficial here.'

As expected, Aman was interested in him due to his strength.

"What about me? Hmm? Hmm?"

Sephiro clung onto Kang Oh.

"Maybe next time."

Kang Oh pushed him away.

"You traitor! You're the only one going!" Sephiro reproached him.

"Heh."

Kang Oh just laughed him off.

"Grr."

Sephiro's face was furious.

"Brother."

Eder patted Sephiro's back.

"Mr. Kang Oh!"

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Shin Hye Rim, who wore priestess robes, quickly approached him.

"What did you do?"

She stared at him intensely.

"What do you mean?"

"How did you get into the Snake Queen hunting team!"

She'd been a part of the eastern expedition force, which was led by Commander Aman.

Hye Rim had tried everything, from flattering to charming them, but she couldn't change Aman or Koong's mind.

She wasn't the only one. Several players had tried persuading their representatives to let them join the hunting party. However, none of them had been successful.

"I just did my best," Kang Oh said.

"Ah, so you're saying I couldn't get in because I sucked?" she quipped.

"Don't you need someone to record the Snake Queen hunt?"

'I'm the only one who can get you the footage!'

"Ugh."

She looked completely downtrodden. As he said, she needed that footage no matter what.

"You knew this would happen, didn't you? That's why you let Mr. Sephiro film the expedition."

Kang Oh grinned, seemingly saying, 'And? What are you going to do about it!?'.

"Fine. Let's talk business, shall we?"

"Sounds good."

"Please film the Snake Queen hunt. I'll give you 1..."

"Thousand?"

"1 million won ($1,000 USD)!"

"Are you kidding me?"

"What do you mean? Do you know how much 1 million won is..."

"I'm good. I'm friends with GBS producer, Park Jin Cheol. I'll do business with him instead," Kang Oh interrupted her.

Hye Rim bit her lip.

"You've friended me already, so send me a message after you've thought about it."

Kang Oh had all the power here.

"I'm going to tell everyone who you are."

She used her last resort.

"Sure, go ahead. It's not like I'm anyone special. I just didn't want other people to see my face. So do what you want. But remember, if you do, then you can kiss the Snake Queen footage goodbye."

Kang Oh smiled.

"Hoo. Let me discuss it with my superiors. I'll get back to you."

Ultimately, Hye Rim raised her hands in surrender.

"I hope you're not too late. You see, I have an appointment with Mr. Jin Cheol soon."

"Hmph. Yeah, good for you."

Hye Rim quickly departed.

"Man. You completely owned her, Mr. Kang Oh."

Sephiro, who'd been watching from beside him, gave him a thumbs up. He was clearly kissing up to him to get something out of him.

"Just give it up already. That ship has already sailed."

Maximum occupancy has already been reached, so please try again next time, sir!

"Tch."

Sephiro clicked his tongue.

A short while later...

Krohn came over to him.

"We're assembling the hunting party. Please come with me."

"Alright."

"Die!" Sephiro yelled.

"See you later."

Eder waved his hand.

Kang Oh followed Krohn to the location where the members of the hunting party were gathering. By the time they got there, all of the members were present.

"Hey, come over here."

Aman gestured for him to come over.

"Let's have another bout after this is all over," Aman said abruptly as soon as Kang Oh came over.

"No thank you."

'Why would I?'

"Hmph. You're going to take the coward's way out? You won once and you're just going to leave it at that?"

"Yes."

"Tch. Did you find Grande's sword."

"Of course."

"Be careful with that thing. With great power comes great responsibility."

"Yeah, yeah," Kang Oh replied nonchalantly.

"These are my men, Rio and Riesen. You, me, and them are responsible for dealing as much damage as possible."

Rio and Risen were twins.

"Understood."

Once he was finished with Kang Oh, Aman took a look around.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Yes sir."

"Then let's head out."

Aman took the lead, and stepped through the giant entrance. The warriors followed him with grim expressions.

Only Kang Oh's expression was different. The further they went in, the more it stunk; he had no choice but to scowl.

* * *

Once they made their way out of the passageway, they found themselves inside a large room with a high ceiling. There was a mound in the center of the room.

They saw a giant snake's head resting on the mound. A forked tongue lashed out of its mouth.

"Halt. That's the Snake Queen."

At his word, everyone stopped.

"Don't forget your roles."

Aman was able to raise others' morale with just his voice.

"Don't worry," Modrak's representative, Bardona said, smacking his square shield with his hand.

He was their main tank, which meant that he would draw the Snake Queen's attention and be the target for its attacks.

The rest of them drew their weapons, fired up and ready to win at all costs.

Kang Oh was facing a raid boss, so he wielded Ubist instead of Blood.

"Let's go!"

Aman led the warriors up the hill.

Shihiau!

The Snake Queen let out an unpleasant cry. How best to describe it? It was like it drew out the primitive fear that all human beings had.

[You have heard a fear inducing cry.]

[You have become afraid.]

[You have overcome your fear via the Indomitable stat.]

An unconquerable heart, Indomitable!

Moreover, Kang Oh's Mental stat was high, so his abilities weren't reduced either.

However, the shamans and a few of the warriors shrank away in fear.

"Kuhang!"

Aman roared like a lion.

"Don't be afraid!"

Aman's charismatic form reinvigorated the demoralized warriors and shamans. Now they were no longer afraid.

"We're in position," Sundra's representative, Koong said.

Koong wielded a longbow.

"We're ready to unleash our spells," the shamans said simultaneously.

"Attack! Everyone else, advance!"

War!

Whizz!

The archers let loose their arrows, and the shamans unleashed cold, biting wind and fireballs.

Clink, clink, clink.

The arrows hit their target, but they bounced off the Snake Queen's skin. The Snake Queen's skin was extraordinarily tough.

Not only that, but the chilling wind and the fireballs barely had any effect.

Aman, Rio, Riesen, Krohn, Bardona, Kang Oh, etc. rushed towards the top of the mound.

The Snake Queen tilted her head back. Then, her throat quivered.

Kyaahk! Ptoo!

It pushed out its head and spat out something.

That something was a gooey green, disgusting liquid that resembled phlegm.

"Spread out!" Aman yelled.

Splurt!

It spewed green liquid all over the floor. Nothing was melting away, so it clearly wasn't venom.

"You can't allow that to hit you. It's a powerful adhesive, so you can't escape if you get caught!" an old warrior shouted.

He was one of the few that had participated in the last Winged Snake Nest Expedition.

Ptoo! Ptoo! Ptoo!

The Snake Queen relentlessly spat out the green liquid.

"Tch."

In order to dodge the green liquid, those running up the hill moved around hectically.

Because it was on top of the hill, the Snake Queen had a huge geographical advantage.

"Get farther away from each other! Advance when it turns its head! Whoever's in the way of its liquid, focus entirely on dodging!" Kang Oh assessed the situation and shouted.

"Get farther away from each other!" Aman repeated.

The Snake Queen had only one head. If they were far away from each other, then they'd be able to scale the mound without fear of all of them getting hit.

This method worked like a charm.

The warriors couldn't run up simultaneously, but they could still advance to the top.

Plus...

"Keep up the long-range support!"

"Don't stop!"

"Oh fire spirits!"

The archers and shamans didn't pose much threat to the Snake Queen. However, they still managed to divide her attention.

Ultimately, a veteran warrior from the Yakunru Tribe managed to make it to the top.

"You bastard!"

The Snake Queen was attempting to spit out its green liquid someplace else, so it wasn't aware of the warrior charging at it.

He kicked off the floor, leaping high into the air, and forcefully swung his sword.

The sword instantly doubled in length and width. This was the Giant Attack that the Yakunru Tribe specialized in.

'You're doing good, old man!'

The old man had found a weak spot and had pounced on it. Kang Oh really wanted to give him some applause.

But then...

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Something huge appeared, and devoured the veteran warrior.

"Jirga!" Yakunru's representative yelled.

"W-What is that!?"

"T-That's impossible!"

The troops began to panic.

"Holy shit!"

Even Kang Oh couldn't help but curse.