Top Ranker's Second Chance: I Am the Lord of Passive Skills
Chapter 25: Evolution

Chapter 25: Evolution

We’ll juggle the monster’s aggro between our Rooks. That won’t make life easier for the damage dealers—too much damage will break its taunt. Phase One is simple: hit it the second it gets taunted, then duck behind the next tank who can pull it off you. Don’t deal more than you can handle. If you’re hurt, go straight to Mercer or Marko.

Phase One echoed in Chaewon’s head like a mantra, and she followed it to the letter. She slipped behind another tank so fast she looked as though she glided.

When the Silvervest Bear lumbered up, the second tank popped his provoke and ate the first hits. His shield screamed under the bear’s paws, but he held.

The rest darted past him, tagging the beast and trying to peel it toward the next tank, but the bear wouldn’t budge. That rotation was supposed to keep everyone’s stamina, health, and mana in the safe zone.

But not everyone was Alex or Chaewon. Two damage dealers stabbed the bear, yet only shallow cuts opened. The bear stayed locked on the second tank.

Fuck! Why is this monster still going at me?! What are they doing?!

Crimson light flared around the monster’s paw, then it slammed down on the second tank.

In a blink, the shield shattered into four pieces that clattered across the stone. The tank stared up into the bear’s stinky breath. He staggered back, but claws closed around him.

He screamed.

"SAVE ME!"

The Silvervest Bear dipped its head and bit into the tank’s neck. Blood burst like a broken pipe, painting the cave walls.

The beast jerked back, swallowed a chunk of flesh, and its claws flared red. The Don Capo Gang member dropped like a broken toy.

He was dead. The gang lost a man in a heartbeat. His closest friends froze, staring at the blood dripping from the bear’s snout.

The Silvervest wheeled and charged the nearest frozen human. Its huge bulk hid its rapid speed, but a long katana slid between claw and victim.

Chaewon gripped the hilt in reverse, blade flat to catch the full weight. Her boots cracked the stone beneath her as she braced, white aura blazing—her new item’s burst of strength tripled her stats.

"Stick to the plan unless Ace calls an audible," she said, voice flat, machine‑like.

"Y‑Yes..." the saved man gasped and bolted.

Chaewon never blinked. Her Danger Zone ability spiked, letting her trace the next threat. A moment ago the whole cave glowed red; now the danger aura hugged the man she had saved.

That brief evolution let her beat the bear’s speed.

While Chaewon evolved, the dead man’s story ended there.

In the Gates, they called it plain Natural Selection.

Ace shouted, "Chaewon tagged it! Burn that spot while we juggle aggro. Don’t solo DPS!"

I knew things wouldn’t go my way, but damn, that fell apart fast. And I thought the second tank was a cut above the rest—well, except Alex.

He turned to his Sixteen’s Rook. "Alex."

"Yeah, Don Capo?" Alex asked, calm.

"Can’t trust the other tanks here. Grab its aggro and keep Chaewon safe," Ace said. "The rest shift to Phase Two, so you’ll be tanking most of this."

"Fine by me."

"You sure?" Ace asked.

"Yeah. Because I know you’ll drop that bastard, Don Capo!"

Ace chuckled and tightened his grip on his daggers. "Swear on my name."

Following Ace’s orders, Alex ran toward Chaewon and lifted the aggro off her. He pulled the monster’s aggro onto himself and rooted himself to withstand the blows. Ace used this as a chance to put his daggers to the test, cutting deep into the monster’s flesh and spilling a torrent of blood, drawing a tremendous roar out of it.

Hurts, doesn’t it? Ace smirked.

Naturally, the monster’s attention easily fell on Ace. It ditched Alex and barreled after Ace. It was then that the third tank popped his provoke and lured the beast to his side. The third tank took just one hit before Alex replaced him. The fourth tank repeated it, and so the monster slowly but surely moved toward the cave’s boulder gate!

That was the goal of the second plan.

Once it’s wedged between those two boulders, it’ll throw everything into keeping the gate open. That’s our last shot to kill it!