I Became a Raid Boss

“Sorry! I accidentally released a swarm of flies! They’ll be crashing into your house soon, so take care of it!”

In the same vein, I was reluctantly headed down the mountain with my fly swatter—the ultimate insect-fighting gear—after receiving a job from a client I didn’t even want to see.

I thought it was odd that the apostles fighting at the mountain base were unusually quiet, only to realize the insect swarm the client mentioned had already arrived.

There’s no way they made it here all the way from the Empire’s capital, so they must have used a Teleport Gate…

“Looks like they got plenty of cash.”

I bet it’s definitely not a small amount unless something groundbreaking happened while I was holed up in the mountains.

While I was clicking my tongue at the Empire’s reckless economic sense, an apostle that looked like the head of the knights started talking to someone I recognized.

I couldn’t hear their conversation from so far away, but knowing the Empire, it can’t be anything different, right?

Blah, blah, glory of the black sun, greatness of the Empire, yada yada…

I’m so tired of this! Isn’t it time to change up the repertoire?

Well, even if I felt that way, an ordinary person would probably feel some intimidation.

As annoying as they are, the Empire’s power is real.

“Oh?”

I thought the apostles would also be like that, but to my surprise, Joanie and the apostles started getting into a battle stance.

I couldn’t help but shine my eyes at the sight.

“Oooh…”

An unexpected development.

They must know the power difference is overwhelming; yet they courageously drew their weapons. Whether it’s because they can resurrect after dying or not, still, it’s not easy to decide to fight.

“Well, I guess it makes sense considering they kept charging at me even after getting sliced up.”

Thinking that way, I felt somewhat convinced.

I wish I could have opened some popcorn, but since that’s not happening, I just sat on a cliff halfway down the mountain and watched the little chicks peep-peep around.

Little chicks bravely fighting against the swarm.

“…That sounds a bit weird.”

According to the food chain, aren’t the chicks at the top?

Anyway, as expected, the situation for the chicks wasn’t looking great.

Before the enemy even showed their heads, every time a knight’s sword glinted, the apostles were busy backpedaling without even managing to counter properly.

Still, not all apostles were being completely pushed around.

Some fought tooth and nail to maintain the front line.

Among them, one girl swinging a great sword stood out the most.

Although the opponent looked like a low-ranking knight with little experience, it was impressive how she pressed forward and continued the offensive.

At first glance, she seemed like she was just swinging mindlessly, but there was a certain finesse that set her apart from the others.

On the other hand, my shuttle… I mean Joanie was—

“Yeah, she’s done for.”

She was watching from a step back while others fought.

I wish she could muster at least half the courage of the brave chick.

I felt a bit proud when I saw her stand up to the commander of the knights, but then again…

Of course, given Joanie’s skills, she wouldn’t really help if she joined, but standing there frozen in fear means she won’t be able to react even if danger approaches.

Just like now.

Seeing the commander of the knights gathering mana after shooting out a sword energy, I sighed deeply.

I then shook off my butt and stood at the cliff’s edge.

“I thought there’d never be a time I’d raise my sword to protect something again.”

I’ve gotta protect my precious shuttle… I mean, disciple.

I’m getting my words mixed up again.

I stomped my right foot on the edge of the cliff.

The scenery around me twisted and contorted like a smeared watercolor painting.

A momentary burst of acceleration.

Before I knew it, I was standing tall right in the middle of the battlefield, where I had just been far away.

Before me, a crescent-shaped sword energy gleamed with bluish mana as it came crashing down.

The power of the sword energy was significant enough not to have been given the commander’s title for nothing, but on the flip side, that’s exactly all it was.

No need for fancy sword energy.

I raised my sword and severed the connection of the sword energy.

Two precise strikes were enough to negate the attack that had claimed countless little lives.

“Oh no, my cape got torn.”

My cape, which was already tattered, couldn’t keep up with my movements and finally ripped.

I bought this at a high price…

While I was absentmindedly fiddling with my cape, Joanie, standing behind me, called out with joy.

“Kana…!”

“…I definitely said it was a secret.”

Why is she saying it so boldly?

But seeing her stand and face the Empire instead of running away, I didn’t find her voice that annoying.

Also, given the circumstances, it didn’t really matter anymore.

With my sudden appearance, the battlefield was engulfed in silence.

The knights who had been overwhelming the apostles and the apostles who had been retreating under the knight’s pressure all stared at me with vacant expressions.

Well, it’s not a new sight.

The last time I appeared on a battlefield, the ones I met had the same faces.

And the next reaction was usually—

“K-Kahaha! The identity of that crimson reaper is this little brat! How utterly ridiculous! You mean to say you were scared of this little brat?!”

“…What are you saying?”

Mocking and disdain.

The crazed snake understood enough to speak but this guy was rambling on in words only he understood.

Even though I couldn’t understand what he was saying, judging by how he looked me up and down with a contemptuous gaze, I could get the gist of it.

As soon as the commander finished speaking, laughter began to spread among the knights.

One by one, the knights who had been clashing weapons stepped back and joined the commander, but the apostles didn’t have the guts to stop them.

They seemed to realize that rushing in carelessly would mean death for themselves.

“Hmm…”

Those crooked smiles peeking out between their helmets weren’t anything new, so I didn’t feel much excitement.

“Just like your pathetic self, your rusted sword matches you perfectly!”

“So why don’t you say something I can understand?”

It sounded like he was trying to insult me, but it doesn’t matter if I can’t catch the drift.

You snake brat, you can’t even manage your lackeys properly, huh?

“A knight should speak with their sword.”

Instead of trying to talk to someone who wasn’t listening, I raised my sword.

“I see you were trying to do something fun here.”

I lifted my sword high, just like the commander did.

As if I were about to pierce the sun hanging up high.

“That’s not how it’s done, you know.”

Though it was quite powerful, at its essence, it was just raw mana being clumsily thrown around.

Simple, mindless swordsmanship without any techniques at all.

Using 100 mana for 50 efficiency and feeling proud of it—it’s just laughable.

“I’ll teach you a move, so watch closely and learn.”

In the blink of an eye, the sword I had pointed skyward was already facing the ground.

Shudder!

Swish!

“Now do you understand?”

Just how pathetic you really are.

*

It was a dramatic entrance reminiscent of a comic book protagonist.

Joanie stared blankly at the back of Kana, who had miraculously appeared to save her.

Though she couldn’t see the front, just from that back, it was clear Kana was in girl form.

-????????

-??????????

-what?!?!?!?!

It wasn’t just the viewers who were shocked by the delicate figure that didn’t match her incredible strength.

She appeared almost as if she had been on the battlefield all along, effortlessly erasing the sword energies that had consumed countless players, drawing all gazes in the battlefield towards her.

Pine’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Is it real? This is really happening…?”

Is this for real?

The chat was buzzing like it was voicing his feelings.

Her drowsy-looking pink eyes blinked slowly.

The wind tousled her hair, making onlookers want to stroke it.

How soft would it be if I wrapped my fingers around those strands and pulled them down?

Her round face and gently curved eyes created a soft impression of a girl.

At that moment, it was a cute face that left one speechless.

How could someone who looks like they couldn’t even catch a single bug exude such terrifying strength?

Pine’s mind went blank, facing the shocking truth that the Gravekeeper who had killed him countless times was a cute, small girl.

However, Joanie, who couldn’t see Kana’s face, was simply filled with worry.

“I know Kana is strong but…”

She didn’t think Kana would win against so many knights.

It’s hard for a few to beat many, but it’s no surprise for many to beat a few.

Moreover, the more there are, the less damage they take when they win.

In fighting, numbers were that significant.

“The Raid Boss resurrects upon death, but if this isn’t a raid…?”

I have no idea why Kana, who was stuck in a corner of the mountain, suddenly appeared here.

She had already run away once before, so I was willing to overlook it.
But unlike that time, this situation wasn’t like when entering a raid—there was no instance channel separation, and the lack of a health bar indicated she wasn’t classified as a boss.

That means she was just like any other NPC.

“Run… Run…!”

Unlike herself, who could resurrect after death, Kana wouldn’t come back if she died.

Realizing that, Joanie urged Kana to run away, but her body, gripped by the fear of death, couldn’t even manage to produce a voice.

Unaware of Joanie’s warning, Kana raised her sword.

Just like the commander had done.

“I’ll teach you a move, so watch closely and learn.”

Kana’s arm turned blurry.

“…?”

In the next moment, the sword that had been pointed skyward was now directed downward.

Had she missed the swing due to tired eyes?

Just as Joanie was about to rub her eyes in confusion,

Shudder!

The air.

The knights.

The ground.

Everything that was in the trajectory of the sword was split in half.

Crash!

The knights, who had been laughing at Kana, disappeared into the gaping mouth of the underworld, still with their mocking faces split in two.

The battlefield fell into silence once again, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.

“W-What is this…?”

Whether it was sheer luck or if he intentionally spared them, the commander’s eyes stirred with fierce waves as he lost more than half of his subordinates in an instant.

The faces that had been laughing just moments before turned pale with fear.

“…You were trying to catch something like that?”

Haha, what a failed game.

Pine let out a hollow laugh.

So up until now, he had just been toying around.

That depth looked to be over 10 meters.

Not to mention the length.

To catch a monster that could split the ground with just a single swing of a sword?

“Yeah, no way.”

Actually, it couldn’t be done.

As of today, Kana’s raid service is officially terminated…

While Pine resolved himself like that, Joanie was also in shock.

She knew Kana was strong, but she never thought she would be this strong.

The knights who had been easily overpowering players had suddenly lost more than half in an instant.

The condition of the knights who barely survived wasn’t good either.

The combat spirit that had soared into the sky suddenly faltered, and they wore expressions that screamed they wanted to turn and escape right away.

“How could it not waver after seeing something like that?”

It was strange that the knights, who only felt terrifying until just recently, now seemed pitiful to Joanie.

Seeing little Kana’s back felt as massive as the mountain itself.

“A-A monster! No! A monster girl!”

“That reaction is getting old.”

Whether the commander yelled in fear or not, Kana leisurely brushed off her sword-wielding hand.

Swish.

“Oh.”

“Huh?”

“…!”

The sword in the girl’s hand turned to powder and scattered.

Kana let out a short gasp, Joanie let out a bewildered sound, and the commander’s despair turned into excitement as his eyes sparkled.

“It’s an opportunity! Charge everyone, charge now!”

“You think you can just charge in like that? I made sure to buy an extra…”

With a hump, Kana started rummaging at her waist.

In and out, in and out…

…In and out.

Kana’s hand began to slow down and eventually halted.

“…Well, I didn’t bring it.”

The knights quickly approached right in front of Kana.

They instinctively realized that if they didn’t take their chance now, it might never come again.

Desperate steps and faces twisted with malice surged forward, and Joanie anxiously grabbed Kana’s hem.

“Kana!”

Feeling the presence, Kana turned around, and for the first time, Joanie saw her face and inhaled sharply, but quickly regained her composure and held out her sword.

“I-I’ll give you my sword! Use this!”

But Kana didn’t accept the sword.

“I’ll give you my sword!”

Was it because she didn’t understand from speaking in Arkish?

She tried again in Granic, but Kana still wouldn’t take it.

Despite the knights advancing closer and closer, the girl merely gazed quietly at Joanie.

In her seemingly indifferent gaze, Joanie saw a whirlwind of emotions swirling with various colors.

Red, blue, black, bright feelings.

A vividness that was hard to express, a suffocating whirlpool that Joanie couldn’t name.

But if she dared to name it, perhaps it would be longing.

Snapping out of her daze, Joanie realized it wasn’t the time for daydreaming.

“If I keep this up, I’m going to die!”

I might be fine, but you would truly die!

As Joanie fidgeted and paced in a panic, Kana finally opened her mouth.

“Kana Grasis.”

“…Huh?”

“That’s my name.”

In her usual indifferent tone, the girl took Joanie’s offered sword.

Swish.

With a quiet slicing sound, the world was split in half.

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