The number of Slayers assigned to the front line was about thirty.
The Cyclops' main weapon was the massive club in its right hand.
Just the sight of the five-meter-tall monster stomping on the ground was already intimidating enough to be called a weapon, but when attacking humans, it primarily used that club.
The thirty Slayers immediately divided themselves into groups and began to move.
There was no way all thirty could block a single swing of that club together.
Six members formed a team, creating five total. These five teams would rotate in sequence, defending against the Cyclops' attacks.
Even then, six working together might not last two or three hits, or even one.
To safely slay a monster without losing HP, defense must reach about 300% of the impact value.
However, the Cyclops' impact force was at least 10,000.
Given that its magic stat roughly corresponded to its impact stat, safely defeating it would require at least 30,000 Defense.
Yet, due to sheer size, no more than six Slayers could block the Cyclops' club at once.
Even if more wanted to help, there simply wasn't space.
Park Sunghyung's face hardened grimly.
"Hyunseok, your team goes first."
"Understood."
"I'm counting on you."
Both Sunghyung and Hyunseok knew, if Hyunseok failed to block the blow, no other team could.
In that case, retreat was the only option.
Truthfully, Hyunseok was nervous.
Until now, every slaying had been easy. He'd never once faced true danger.
But this opponent, this time, was a real threat.
"Thirty Slayers have taken the front line. They are moving toward the Cyclops, risking their lives."
"The Cyclops is still asleep, and the squad of heroes of proud South Korea are advancing toward it!"
However, reporters, desperate for an exclusive scoop, were forcibly pushed back by soldiers.
"From this point onward, all filming and broadcasting are prohibited."
Despite protests, the soldiers were unyielding.
Broadcasts were canceled, and soon the stations recalled their reporters.
The public would no longer see the fight in real time.
The Cyclops, sensing the approaching group, suddenly opened its single eye wide.
Then, in a flash, it rose to its feet, its movements lightning-fast despite its enormous body.
It bent low, using both legs to charge forward at terrifying speed.
Hyunseok raised his shield.
The Slayers on the front line followed suit, lifting their shields as well.
From behind, the buffer team cast every buff they could.
Support Slayers further back clenched their pounding hearts, holding their breath as they watched.
Hyunseok's eyes narrowed.
It's coming!
The massive club rose high into the air, blocking the sunlight.
And then,
Whuuuuung!
The air howled as the club came crashing down.
Hyunseok and the six on his front-line team lifted their shields in unison, gritting their teeth.
The distance between them had to be precise.
Even taking the hit at the same time mattered, because simultaneous impact distributed the damage naturally.
Their teamwork was crucial.
Fortunately, all of them were highly skilled, veterans of many battles.
Hyunseok himself had accumulated considerable experience through cooperative slaying with the top-tier guild I'UET.
Kwa-BOOM!
The ground erupted like a bomb had gone off, dust and dirt exploding into the air, obscuring vision.
Park Sunghyung, commanding the operation, shouted—
"Healer team! Check HP! Check HP!"
"Yes!"
"Team Two, stand by!"
The Cyclops had halted momentarily.
Hyunseok can endure it, but the question is, how much damage did he actually take?
The dust began to clear.
Hyunseok's arms trembled.
He had never felt such overwhelming force before.
It was undeniable, this creature didn't belong in Normal Mode.
He wasn't unharmed either.
Normally, slaying assumed HP would not be reduced.
"300% Defense of Impact Value" was calculated based on losing only about 10% of total HP.
Losing a third of his HP meant the attack was exceedingly dangerous.
The Cyclops growled, glaring at the six who had blocked its strike.
It hadn't stopped moving, it was momentarily hindered by recoil.
Hyunseok's eyes glinted.
It's struggling because of recoil!
His analysis was swift.
Hyunseok wasn't just strong, his Intelligence stat was high too.
He could read the situation accurately.
Damage distribution depends on each Slayer's stats, it's a penalty!
There was no other explanation.
Even with perfect synchronization, this wasn't normal.
That thing, like me, carries a penalty. It exceeds the Normal Mode parameters.
Hyunseok's Defense stood around 55,000.
The others averaged 3,000–4,000.
That meant Hyunseok alone absorbed ten times more shock than the rest.
My HP pool dwarfs everyone else's, but I still took the same proportional damage. So the damage must be distributed by both Defense and HP! No doubt about it. That Cyclops is carrying a massive penalty.
Most Slayers had lost about a third of their HP, Hyunseok included.
But his one-third meant about 33,000 HP.
While others had only 2,000–3,000 total, he'd taken ten times the impact.
And even after successfully blocking the blow, losing that much HP proved it—
The Cyclops far exceeded Normal Mode parameters.
Hard Mode… maybe even higher.
A bug-tier monster.
But the problem is… I can only block it three times at most.
Now was the chance.
The creature was winded from the recoil.
Judging by that reaction, its Defense is low, far lower than its Attack and Speed. It's a pure offense-type monster with weak endurance.
The offensive team launched their attack.
"Over here, you freak!"
Hyunseok's front-line team struck back, each using their strongest skill.
The Cyclops roared, swinging its club again.
Whuuung! — KWA-KRANG!
Another shockwave.
Another explosion.
But they blocked it again.
Its offense was monstrous, but its defense was frail.
Park Sunghyung noticed the Cyclops' shield gauge dropping in chunks.
That's Hyunseok's doing.
While dozens attacked, it was Hyunseok's strikes that truly hurt the monster.
His blows shook the shield, allowing others' hits to land effectively.
But something was wrong—
Healing isn't working.
Sunghyung's sharp mind realized—
Hyunseok's HP must be several times that of a normal Slayer.
At least three times more, he guessed.
He was wrong, it was dozens of times more.
Even so, his HP was dropping at the same rate, meaning the healers' output was negligible compared to his enormous health pool.
Both men reached the same conclusion.
Good thing its Defense is pathetic!
Hyunseok went on the offensive.
Dozens attacked from all sides, and within minutes, the Cyclops' shield gauge was almost gone.
It roared, swinging again.
"Team Two, block this one!" shouted Jang Hyukjun, leader of the second front-line team.
Team One's HP was already down to half despite continuous healing.
A swap was necessary.
But switching all six fighters instantly wasn't possible.
Hyukjun started rotating them out one by one, except Hyunseok.
Every team leader knew, if Hyunseok fell, the line would collapse.
Hyunseok clenched his teeth.
If I step back now, they'll all die!
His HP was down to about one-third.
Two attacks blocked.
The Cyclops' shield was gone, its HP bar now visible.
Time's running out.
It was following a pattern, attack, pause, attack, pause.
Whether from penalty, habit, or Hyunseok's recoil effect, no one knew.
Still, it was an advantage, the Slayers could attack freely during those pauses.
We have to kill it before the next swing.
Hyunseok shouted:
"I'll block one more!"
Someone yelled, "Check your HP! You're nearly out!"
But Team Two's leader, Jang Hyukjun, stopped him.
He looked at Hyunseok briefly, with awe.
Hyunseok was the key to this raid.
"Teams One and Two, switch! Three members change positions!"
No time to replace all six.
The Cyclops was already raising its club again.
Its HP was almost gone.
So was Hyunseok's.
If he took one more hit, even his special shield skill might shatter.
Without that skill, he wouldn't even attempt to block again.
But with it, he had a lifeline, "Upholding the Sea."
I won't die. I'll block it one last time.
Even if his HP hit zero, he had insurance.
Losing thirty bonus stat points and achievement points was a small price for survival.
He looked up at the massive club blotting out the sun.
Please… just die already!
He could dodge—
But if he did, the other five in the front would die.
And if the front collapsed, the rear and support lines would be slaughtered.
He tightened his grip.
I won't die. I'll block it again.
He raised his shield.
Both HP bars, Hyunseok's and the Cyclops', were nearly empty.
If this hit landed, his shield's special skill might be wasted.
Still, he stood firm.
The Cyclops roared, its greenish body now glowing red.
Whuuung!
A massive pressure wave tore through the air, stronger than before.
[The Enraged Cyclops's strike is incoming.]
[This is an Out-of-Parameter Special Attack exceeding Normal Mode limitations.]
[All special defensive abilities of Normal grade or below are nullified.]
[This attack cannot be blocked by conventional means.]
The alert rang out—
A polite warning that this was an Out-of-Parameter Attack, disabling all Normal-grade defensive abilities.
That was at least useful information, if they survived to use it.
But there was no time to react.
The club was already upon them.
Hyunseok gritted his teeth.
Damn it!
The special effect of "Upholding the Sea" should nullify any attack—
But the system message was clear:
The Cyclops' strike nullified all Normal-grade defense skills.
And "Upholding the Sea" was—
Normal grade.
Meaning, it wouldn't work.
For the briefest moment, Hyunseok regretted joining the raid.
The special attack, impossible to block, came crashing down above his head.
(End of Chapter 28)
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