Inside the Deep Sea Flood Dragon Palace.

The tyrannical Sovereign Blade-Carp unleashed its final roar. Seven cracks spiderwebbed across the floor, each a fissure on the verge of rupture. If they weren't sealed, the ocean would surge in and drown the eight sorcerers still fighting within the chamber.

In this raid, players had to seal the holes using their own lives as the price. Yet, even if all seven were plugged, the trial wasn't over. The boss was already chanting its berserk Miracle. If they failed to kill the Sovereign-Blade Carp in time, it would overturn the palace, resulting in a total party wipe.

Carp-Slaying Sacrifice. This was the "berserk check" mechanic present in every Extreme and Fantasy Raid in Epic. It served as the ultimate test for any team. If the players failed this trial, every ounce of their effort would be rendered utterly meaningless.

Ashe hadn't expected the random pickup group he'd joined to be this competent. They had reached the berserk phase with a clear in sight. Along the way, their execution had been so flawless and precise that it almost inspired a sense of gratitude within him.

As the healer with the lowest damage output, Ashe was the natural choice for the first sacrifice. When the boss's Miracle locked his character into one of the fissures, forcing him to endure the crushing weight of ten thousand tons of seawater, his active role in the raid ended. The remaining damage was now in the hands of his teammates.

The Sovereign Blade-Carp had 12% health left. As long as Ashe stayed in the instance to maintain the mechanic and prevent a wipe,...