Build Composition (3)
Orion Corporation's chairman's office. There, Orion Corporation's chairman, Jesfin, was meeting privately with Executive Director Choi Eosa.
"...What the hell is going on right now?"
A low, gravelly voice echoed through the room. Jesfin had summoned Choi Eosa upon hearing news of Damian.
Choi Eosa pushed up his glasses and spoke. "Not long ago, there was an incident where the lab Damian was in exploded. He vanished then, so we've been searching..."
Thwack!Boom!
Jesfin's fist slammed into Choi Eosa's face. The executive, over level 90, tumbled across the floor from a single blow.
"You worthless worm. Can't you handle even one damn thing properly here? What the hell have you learned under me?"
"...S-sorry, sir."
"Do you have any idea what Damian means to me?!"
Rumble. The office shook with the chairman's roar. Choi Eosa wiped the blood from his mouth and staggered to his feet.
"Find him. Now. By any means necessary!"
"Understood. We need to act immediately, but... because of what he did, there are too many eyes on us now."
"What? Too many eyes?"
"Yes. Word is, multiple guilds have made contact with him. As you know, the corporate war is coming up soon..."
"You worthless worm."
Jesfin sank back into his chair. He swallowed his anger and gazed at the sky reflected in the window.
"Hoo... Leave him be for now. He's just an NPC anyway—he'll fizzle out after a few rolls. If he grows even a little, it'll benefit me. Focus on the corporate war for the time being."
"Yes, sir. I'll keep that in mind."
"...You know how crucial the corporate war is, right? This is when Orion truly rises. Miss it, and we're in deep shit."
"...Yes, sir."
"And reach out to the companies that'll be joining us—get them prepped. Now go."
The chairman waved him out without even looking.
We headed to the village where the grotesque bird had appeared. It was a small settlement in the mountains near Brockton. The path was rough since it was so remote.
"I see the village!"
After half a day's trek, we arrived. Mansions lined the unpaved roads on either side. By game lore, it was a tiny village of a few dozen people, so there weren't many houses. It felt straight out of a Western flick.
"A church this big in such a small village?"
The church dominated the village center, filling it entirely. What stood out was the massive T-shaped iron cross on the roof, drenched in fresh blood.
'That's the spot. Where the grotesque bird has its meals.'
I knew exactly what it was for. The grotesque bird was like a god to the villagers, and they offered sacrifices willingly.
"Ah, Dad! I don't wanna!"
"Tch! Listen to your mom and dad!"
"Why me? I hate it!"
That's when it happened. A kid was being dragged down the main path toward the mansion center. The child resisted fiercely, but the parents—clutching tight—hauled them along.
"The kid doesn't seem interested in church at all, but they're forcing them. Sigh, poor thing. Must be so boring. I had similar stuff when I was little... (omitted)."
"......It's starting."
"Looks like it."
While April just thought the kid was being dragged to church, Kethar and I knew better what was coming.
Dong!Dong!
The church bell tolled. Villagers poured out—farmers mid-work, merchants mid-trade—all rushing together like they'd planned it.
Creak!
The church's front doors burst open. A gaunt man with hollow eyes emerged in black priest robes. A level 50 tamer.
"He comes."
"Ooooh..."
"God, bless us..."
"We beseech thee. We beseech thee..."
The villagers dropped to their knees at his words, praying fervently. Yeah, I knew it intellectually, but seeing it? Total zealots.
"Waaah! No! I hate it!"
By now, the dragged kid appeared on the roof. The parents prayed madly with the crowd.
Whoosh!Whoosh!
A 3-meter-tall beast with 10-meter wingspan. Black feathers, pelican beak jutting with razor teeth. A massive, grotesque bird indeed—level 50 monster.
"We offer this tribute and pray for your blessing!"
The man at the gate chanted like a prayer toward the bird. It hovered, responding. Tamed by the tamer. Tough for me right now. But I didn't need to handle it myself. It'd die soon anyway.
Flap!Flap!
The grotesque bird slowed, landing on the T-shaped iron. It snatched the screaming kid in its talons and flapped again.
"Sh-shouldn't we save that kid?"
April eyed the snatched child. No rush yet. The bird didn't eat immediately—it waited. Plus, before flying off for real, it circled until the prey tired, which took time.
"Let's go take the quest first."
Quest first.
What a bizarre ritual. Watching left a bad taste. Anyway, time to do what we came for. First, claim the quest directly. Then, gear for the build.
'This should be it.'
A rundown house on a hill outside the village. If memory served, the quest giver was here. Let's check.
Knock knock.
No answer. Lore: quest to slay the bird in villagers' stead. So...
"Here for the quest."
"......"
Creeeak.
Recognizing "quest" opened the door. Gaunt woman in a hooded veil.
"...You're the quest taker?"
"Yes. You posted the grotesque bird quest?"
"Yeah... but..."
Trailing off. I knew why.
"Pay's fine. Just want to take the quest you registered."
"...Really? Others always took the reward. Someone else already came for it."
"Someone else?"
A bit early, but this quest normally lingered. So, someone took it before but failed? Gotta check.
"Whatever, it's fine."
"O-okay. Please, then. One sec."
She invited us in. Sparse: table, old bed. There sat the other quester—a bald black man in a long mustache, round shades barely covering his eyes. Suit shirt, slacks, suspenders. Stylish. Rifle on shoulder—ranger type.
'...Level 25. But the vibe's no joke.'
He lowered his shades at us, staring silently. Kinda intimidating.
"Quest taker?"
"Yeah."
"Ooh, nice to meetcha."
...Huh? Accent's thick.
"I'm Teison. You?"
"Uh... April."
"...Kethar."
"Nice! Me too, quest taker! Haha!"
Bit off-putting. Looks tough, talks like a foreigner mangling Korean. Esperro had foreigners, maybe tribal?
'...Outfit says no.'
Another possibility, but timeline didn't fit. Introducing himself first felt off. Definitely not local...
Meanwhile, the woman brought papers—the official quest form. I signed. My name glowed gold, then red.
"...Why's it like this? The name's fading?"
Perfect. Red meant unauthorized. Avalor'd notice now.
"It's fine. Quest details first."
Quest secured—time to proceed properly. Unauthorized completing it? Avalor'd flip.
"Simple quest. Save kids taken by that grotesque bird. It doesn't eat right away, so many're still alive."
"Family taken?"
"My little bro's probably... gone. But others can be saved. Villagers ignore me. Used all my savings for this."
Sad eyes continued. "Please... save them. My bro would've wanted that."
I knew the backstory: villagers sacrificed her sibling; she wants to rescue the rest.
"Got it. Then..."
We stepped out. Bird still circling church roof—kid not fainted yet.
"Waaah...!"
Cries echoed skyward. Parents still bowed, praising it. Utter lunatics...
"...Wanna save that kid fast."
Kethar's hand trembled at the sight. Kid about his sibling's age—must've hit home.
Right then, the circling bird veered off.
Teison muttered, "Desir."
Desir? Rune tongue?
His eyes glowed.
"Grotesque bird heads east. Teison guide. Follow."
Confirmed. He'd used Rune of Farsight. Third expansion class.
A room with hundreds of typewriters. Magic-powered, auto-running. Purpose: scan quests.
Clack. Clack-clack-clack.
One sped up. Keys typed themselves; gold text filled the paper.
No. 1203323, Grotesque Bird Extermination Quest.
• Requester: Bill Ellis.
• Handling Office: Brockton, Van Hemmer Request Office.
• Quest Details: Exterminate grotesque bird.
• Reward: 2 million bells.
• Notes: Unauthorized quest taker intrudes besides assigned performer Teison Balma.
• Target: Damian.
Click. Click.
High heels—red shoes—approached. She tore off the sheet.
"Hmm."
Sipping coffee, she scanned it and stamped.
"Send to executioners."