Regional Quest (3)
Dohyun had visited the Mart many times before, but this was his first time stepping inside. He'd only ever chatted with Hana Yoon or Jaehoon out front. From his perspective, the first floor felt slightly chaotic—not quite a mess, yet not orderly either. Everything looked jumbled at first glance, but somehow it all fit together. It reminded him of an old-fashioned market. In any case, it was unrecognizable compared to before the world changed.
"So this is how they've been living."
Chickens were being raised on the first floor. Some people were maintaining equipment after returning from hunts, and a makeshift shower area had been set up in one corner. Following Jaehoon, Dohyun took in the scene before climbing the motionless escalator to the second floor.
The atmosphere on the second floor was completely different. Tents were pitched everywhere, giving it the feel of an indoor campground. They'd practically built a whole village of tents. Quite a few faces looked familiar—people who'd asked for help during hunts. They seemed to be getting by, but… Dohyun kept his thoughts to himself and followed Jaehoon.
Jaehoon stopped in front of a large tent. "I've brought the boss."
"Come in."
Hana Yoon's voice came from inside. Outside, she felt like the neighborhood big sister, but here she was every bit the soldier and former gangster. When Dohyun stepped inside, Hana Yoon rose from her desk to greet him. The tent served as both her office and bedroom.
"It's been a while."
"Yeah… it has."
She looked far more exhausted than the last time they'd met. It wasn't the kind of fatigue that came from physical exertion. Still, she didn't let it show and continued speaking.
The first thing that caught Hana Yoon's eye was Kim Doogang, who had followed Dohyun in.
"And who is this…?"
"Ah, pleased to meet you. I'm Kim Doogang."
Doogang stepped forward first, offering a polite greeting and extending his hand. Hana Yoon accepted the handshake.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Hana Yoon."
At least she still shows respect to her elders… Dohyun thought.
Without preamble, Dohyun explained why they'd come, addressing both Hana Yoon and Jaehoon directly.
"Time's short, so I'll get straight to the point. I've come to warn you about a danger!"
"A danger…?"
Just then, as if to elaborate on Dohyun's words, a message appeared before Hana Yoon and Jaehoon. They weren't the only ones. Every person in the Mart received the exact same quest notification that Dohyun and Doogang had seen earlier.
Regional Quest (3)
📍 Location: The Mart and surrounding area
🎁 Reward: Mana Stones, Skills, Possible Class Acquisition
"What is this…?"
"Boss…"
"What the hell is this quest…?"
"The boss said she'd received one before."
"The rewards are pretty generous… even skills?"
"If we're lucky, maybe we can get a class too?"
"Idiots. Bigger rewards mean it's going to be harder!"
Those who had fought monsters before accepted the quest notification with relative calm, even without knowing the full details. Still, unease lingered. It was only natural that greater rewards would come with greater difficulty.
The real problem lay with those who had never fought monsters and still hadn't adapted to the changed world at all.
"W-what is this…?"
"Dad… I'm scared…!"
"Don't worry, Daddy will protect you!"
"Isn't this a huge deal?"
"Still, that soldier will protect us, right? There are gangsters too…"
"Can we even trust them…? What the hell is the government doing in this mess?!"
"How long do we have to live like this?!"
For now, it was just complaints, but those complaints would soon turn into fear. How that fear would manifest remained unknown.
A man rushed into the tent where Dohyun and Hana Yoon were and reported that everyone had received the quest. After hearing the report, Hana Yoon gave a brief order and sent him away. Then, looking at the quest, she asked Dohyun:
"Is the danger you mentioned related to this quest?"
"It is."
"Allow me to explain the rest," Kim Doogang said.
He spread the map he'd brought onto Hana Yoon's desk and carefully explained what was happening, pointing to locations as he spoke.
It wasn't easy to believe.
"Is the monster really that strong?"
"Yes…"
"Boss, if this is true, it's a massive problem!"
"Yeah. A very big problem…"
What could Dohyun possibly gain by lying about something like this? He'd paid with mana stones without hesitation, and she'd continued supplying him with goods in return. There had never been any complaints. She'd also heard that Jaehoon and Dohyun had grown close, calling each other brothers. More than anything, Hana Yoon trusted Dohyun.
But as someone leading nearly a hundred people, she couldn't make decisions based solely on someone else's word. It wasn't that she didn't trust Dohyun.
"I need to confirm this myself."
"Boss, I'll go with you."
"You need to stay here and calm everyone down!"
"Then it would be better if I went to check. The people here follow you, not me."
"No. If it's a strong monster, I have to go."
"……"
You're too weak, so you can't come. That was what she meant. How could that not be humiliating? But what stung Jaehoon more was the fact that he wouldn't be able to help her.
He'd grown much stronger while with Dohyun, but he was still beneath Hana Yoon. The gap only seemed to widen, never close. Still, Hana Yoon wasn't the type to say "you're weak, so stay behind."
"People are starting to follow you now. When I'm gone, you're the only one who can take care of this place!"
The only person Hana Yoon could trust with the responsibility was Jaehoon. Though reluctant, he had no choice but to obey.
"……Understood."
Jaehoon added his concern at the end. "But it's too dangerous for you to go alone, Boss!"
The only one here who could match Hana Yoon in strength was Jaehoon. Yet he'd been ordered to stay and keep the people calm in her absence. Since she wasn't going to her death, she considered his words carefully.
Then her eyes landed on someone.
Both of them turned to look at Dohyun.
"Dohyun… can you help…?"
"……"
Faced with Hana Yoon's apologetic tone, Dohyun gave a wry smile. He'd come all this way to warn them precisely because he wanted to help. He'd been waiting for her to ask.
"Yeah. I'll help."
"Really? Thank you so much!"
"It's nothing. Neighbors should help each other out. And if the neighbor's in trouble, our place won't stay safe either!"
If the monster attacked the Mart, no one knew what would happen. This wasn't just the Mart's problem. That was why it was called a regional quest.
"Thanks, Dohyun."
"Don't mention it, sis. …Doogang, stay here for now. We'll be back soon."
"Be careful. It's a truly powerful monster."
"Got it."
Dohyun and Hana Yoon quickly prepared to head to the location Doogang had marked and departed amid the people's farewells. Their pace was swift. Dohyun could have gone faster, but he matched Hana Yoon's speed—she had lower agility and carried a heavy greatsword.
"You really can run that well with something so heavy?"
"I'm used to it now. It's easier than when I had to march dozens of kilometers with full gear, thanks to my stats."
"Ah… I wouldn't know. I never served in the military."
"You would've done fine in the army too."
"Don't say stuff like that…!"
They chatted as they ran, never slowing down. They were heading toward danger, yet their expressions remained relaxed. That didn't mean they weren't worried, though.
After running for over an hour, they reached a point more than ten kilometers from the Mart. Monsters had tried to attack along the way, but anything that could chase them was dealt with on the spot, while the rest were ignored.
From there, they slowed their pace. They didn't know where the monster might be. As they walked carefully, a large number of monsters approached from ahead.
"Monsters incoming! Quite a few of them!"
"……Wait, something feels off."
"What do you mean?"
Creatures that normally didn't travel in groups were clustered together. Monsters that clearly distinguished between species were acting strangely. Still, as they drew close, they had to prepare for a fight.
Dohyun looked at the lead monster.
They're scared… but not of us?
The monsters passed by without attacking Dohyun and Hana Yoon. They hadn't been charging at them. Which meant…
"What the…?"
"It looked like they were running away from something…"
The identity of that "something" became clear soon enough. A faint vibration could be felt through the ground. In the distance, a massive figure was visible. Even though it was roughly three hundred meters away, its sheer size was overwhelming.
If it's that big from here…
"That thing is…?!"
"For now… let's get inside a building!"
"R-right…"
Dohyun scanned the area and led Hana Yoon into a suitable building. The monster moved at a frustratingly slow pace. Its direction was exactly toward the Mart, where Dohyun and Hana Yoon had come from. Doogang had been right—if it continued this way, it would reach the Mart.
The monster approached within a hundred meters of their position. They waited a long time. Up close, its size was even more impressive. It looked larger than a dump truck. If it were an elephant or giraffe, that would make sense—but an insect? The size was insane. It resembled a bean worm, crawling slowly on hundreds of legs. Most caterpillars looked like they'd burst if you poked them, but this one was like an armored vehicle. Even without touching it, its hardness was obvious.
"I've never seen a monster this huge before…"
"Me neither…"
They checked its name and level.
It was larger and higher-leveled than any monster they'd seen so far. They'd never encountered anything above level 20, yet this one was level 35. Doogang had been shocked and perhaps exaggerated a little—but if anything, he'd understated it. The creature's presence was overwhelming.
And there was one more thing that bothered them…
If this is the juvenile form, what does the adult look like…?
They could only hope it wouldn't suddenly pupate and transform right there.
The Acid Tentacler pushed cars on the road aside like a tank. Hana Yoon estimated how long it would take to reach the Mart at its current speed.
"At that pace… it'll arrive at the Mart in three days…"
"You can tell just from that?"
"It's nothing special. Just a skill I picked up in the military."
"Looks pretty special to me. Three days, huh…"
Would three days be enough to prepare…?
That monster… can I… no, can we even beat it…?