What? What Quest Is This?

Baek Yiheon stared in shock as the scroll burned away, his face paling. "What the hell? What quest is that?"

"Can't you see the details? Not sharing?"

"Huh...? Nothing's showing up."

"Hm."

I nodded at his words. World Quests weren't your run-of-the-mill tasks—they were game-changers that could rewrite the entire future of Dimension World. It made sense they'd be hidden from everyone except the acceptor, even party members.

Thankfully, adding members was one of the Party Leader privileges. They couldn't see the quest details, but I could bring Baek Yiheon in.

"Don't you dare hog it solo, got it?"

"Depends on how you play it."

"Urgh...."

Baek Yiheon shut his mouth at my response, no more arguments. He was eyeing me warily, scared he'd piss me off and get left out.

"Check the items."

I nodded and grabbed the reward chest items, triggering the alert.

The contribution rankings for item distribution popped up, revealing the chest's contents.

"Holy shit... two Legendary items?"

Baek Yiheon's eyes locked on the golden text for [Viper Bow] and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠[Green Circlet] at the top. He swallowed hard, drool practically forming.

"Jackpot! One of those bad boys is mine for sure!!"

Grinning ear-to-ear, he rubbed his hands, eyeing the loot greedily.

"Hic... Whoa, fuck. These are insane."

Baek Yiheon hiccuped in shock reading the descriptions. No wonder—even as the eight major clans' leaders just started snagging Legendary hidden classes, Legendary items were priceless treasures.

"And Unique items too...? Only one in the whole server?"

"Probably."

I nodded nonchalantly at his question.

White Knight's on par with a world boss. No surprise its drops are Unique.

While he was drooling over the loot, my mind wandered elsewhere despite the Legendary gear right there.

"Huh? What's up?"

"Something off, right?"

"What?"

"We killed the White Knight, but no EXP? Baek Yiheon, you get any?"

"Oh, yeah... Nothing here either? Weird. Monsters that don't give EXP even when destroyed are summons only... But drops mean it's not a summon, right?"

Gaining EXP from kills was standard. His "summon" mention sent a chill down my spine.

Something's more. This ain't over.

I hurriedly pulled up the quest window.

"...Huh?"

The mismatched survivor count jumped out first, then the rescued number made me frown again.

Rescue done already?

In my dreams, Motram saved tons of Muhar citizens, becoming a hero. Saving 100 wasn't odd. But that number...

The Four Knights of Silence each had symbolic numbers. 99 was White Knight's.

Overthinking? Or...

If he's tied to White Knight, not coincidence. These citizens might be sacrifices for it.

But 100, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not 99. One extra.

"...Baek Yiheon."

I turned, voice shaky. "Yeah, Master."

He grinned playfully, but my glare wiped it off. "What's wrong?"

"Grab the items and follow."

"Wait, distribution?"

"No time. Take everything. We gotta go now!!"

Baek Yiheon shoved the chest items into his inventory in a frenzy.

The red warning flashed, but he ignored it, stuffing gear in.

"What the fuck's going on?!"

He yelled as we raced up the basement stairs.

100 survivors. One past 99.

Red Sickle's in danger.

***

KABOOOM---!!

"Wh-what?!"

Explosions rocked as we surfaced. Baek Yiheon scanned frantically.

"There!! Front!!"

Whoosh-!!

I launched forward without hesitation.

"Motram......!!!!"

At the castle gate, two figures faced off. I hurled my sword with all my might.

CRASH...!!!

It slammed into the ground, shards flying.

"Aaaagh!!"

Motram crumpled left, screaming.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah. But what the hell..."

Red Sickle across from him eyed me, mildly surprised.

They both looked baffled by my sudden strike.

"Handled the basement? Seemed like people down there... You good?"

Motram staggered up, asking.

Shing-

"H-heek?!"

My blade at his throat made him reel back.

"You're the one selling leaf. What'd you plan here?"

"Huh? No, that was..."

His face darkened.

"Selling leaf's illegal, sure... But no law against foreigners. They wanted quiet spot, I guided 'em. Didn't expect this... My fault."

Motram bowed low before me.

"..."

I sheathed my sword, watching him.

Low-level Motram hurting Red Sickle? 35 level gap. Only top dogs on continent could beat Red Sickle now.

Overthinking?

Still, I didn't drop suspicion. Selling leaf to players marked him dirty.

"No ties to this incident, right?"

"N-none!!"

He nodded furiously, but the exaggeration fueled my doubts.

No hard proof.

I clicked my tongue, sheathing fully.

"Halt!!!"

Sharp voice, footsteps from the gate.

"Hm?"

I turned, frowning at the unexpected face.

"Kasar Merchant's Motram!!"

"Me? Y-yes!"

Motram raised a confused hand at the lead man's shout. Two behind grabbed his arms like they'd waited.

"...The fuck is this?"

"Kasar Merchant Motram, Duke's House orders investigation for illegal leaf sales. Come with us."

"Asked what you're doing?"

Thud-thud-thud-

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠advanced on the leader.

"Deaf? Kasar Merchant Mo... Mmph?!"

I crushed his face in my palm; he flapped uselessly, breathless.

"Didn't ask you."

He knelt, crushed. Red-faced, he glared up painfully.

"That look?"

"What else? 'What bullshit is this?' Kingdom Clan Master. Dayena Hazel."

My gaze locked on her amid the group—Kingdom Clan's Master. Lisa Kim from the duchy beside her.

"Kingdom Master and Vice-Captain grace this dump. Scavenging what?"

"As you heard. Duchy quest. Kasar Merchant Motram illegal leaf sales—arrest. Found he's here during probe."

"You personally hunting? Duke's direct quest, then."

"None of your business."

She sneered.

Thwack-!!!

My thrown Amur shortsword grazed her cheek, embedding in the wall.

Drip...

Blood trickled her cheek.

"..."

"Arrest? My eyes broken? Looks like escorting. You're the one out of line. Bullshit? Piss off."

"You... crazy bastard!"

"Whoa, stop. Actually, I'm crazier than him. Master, no overlapping characters?"

Cold steel kissed Lisa Kim's throat as she yelled.

"...!!"

Baek Yiheon had slipped behind her, sword boldly out amid them.

"Master? Kim Do-hyun, after that mess, you took in the mad dog again?"

"None of your business."

Like I hadn't expected Dayena, she hid shock at Baek Yiheon calling me Master.

Timing screams 'save Motram from duchy' quest...

I eyed Dayena. Her Leoric Ducal House led the Sword Demon Soldiers.

Leoric quest to save Motram... Means calamity ally exists?

Like scripted play. Muhar's hero might be manufactured.

"Kim Do-hyun. We don't want big trouble. Dunno what you're doing, but Motram's for our quest. Yield him?"

Dayena spoke softly.

Rerto Karen tipped her off.

Los Clan shattered—eight clans knew, explaining Kingdom's full force.

"Baek Yiheon. Stand down."

"For real?"

He withdrew reluctantly. Lisa rubbed her neck, sighing.

"Hear conditions first. I yield him—what you offering?"

"Conditions? Your position..."

Thud-!!

"...!!!"

"...!!!"

Flash—group gaped at Lisa Kim.

"Gack... Hack..."

Chakram in her throat dropped; blood gushed as she clutched it, collapsing.

"Stop interrupting. No second chances."

Red Sickle's single strike killing Kingdom's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Vice-Captain spoke volumes. None dared block; they parted like the Red Sea.

"..."

He casually retrieved his chakram, nodding to me amid them.

"Fine."

I faced pale Dayena. "Hear the conditions."