The Call to Hunt the Dragon
"Aishira. Even I, who lived in the same era as you, can't completely deny your opinion.... But this kind of unilateral decision won't do. I'll contact each tribe right now."
On the silent ramparts of Lang-a Fortress, the Mokan tribe's chief glared at Aishira warily as he spoke. Like her, he appeared older than the other hunters, one of the four with a higher level than Kawara.
"Narand. I have no intention of stopping you. Moreover, anyone who doesn't wish to follow me is free to leave. The ritual is already complete with the offerings placed on the altar. Even if you return to your tribes and report my actions, I won't hold it against you."
Aishira replied without flinching.
"Do-hyun. Even you can't expect us to follow this decision so easily. Moving without Kael's permission is out of the question."
Kawara shook his head at me as well.
Hmm. This isn't good....
Aside from the Naba tribe hunters who had followed Aishira, the other tribes' hunters on the ramparts nodded in agreement with Narand and Kawara.
The Naba tribe was assembled by Aishira from the start, likely gathered specifically to hunt the Spirit Devourer. The rest are the problem.
"Hmph...."
I let out a low breath, too quiet to be heard.
I need to remind them. The reason they have no choice but to hunt the dragon.
I was the only one who had read the countless ancient tomes hidden within the imperial reports. Secrets unknown even to the kingdom's scholars and the magic tower's mages. They were all etched perfectly in my mind.
Somewhere in there....
There had to be a way. I gazed at those preparing to leave.
"You'll regret this."
"...?"
A few heads turned toward my voice. But most were still emptying the altar offerings and packing their gear.
"Narand. You're not wrong. As always, begging that thing for our lives and offering up prey to fill its belly in exchange might be the right path. But is that truly the way of the Northern Plateau?"
"...."
In that moment, about half turned toward me. But my provocative words ignited fury in their eyes.
"Living as true hunters. That's not the Northerners I know."
"Watch your words. Even you can't justify being rude to the Northern tribes' warriors."
Kawara shouted urgently at my words.
The hunters begin to waver.
Some hunters feel hostility toward you.
Favorability may change.
Caution: Hunters' current reputation toward you is slightly hostile. If favorability turns hostile, NPCs may attack you.
"I'm not asking for justification."
Kawara fails to hide his bewilderment.
His status toward you may change based on your response.
If favorability drops, Affinity Lv2 effects will not apply.
Warnings of dropping reputation rang precariously. If the Kalun tribe's reputation shattered, the night hunt might become impossible—a dangerous situation. But I pressed on regardless.
"We need comrades to fight together."
What mattered now wasn't Kawara's bewilderment, but that every hunter about to leave had halted and turned to me at those words.
"This isn't just a Northern Plateau issue. The war called the Dragonkin War, between the empire and the dragons."
I began recounting the continent's secret history from the ancient tomes in the imperial reports.
"Seven dragons participated in that war. The empire succeeded in hunting only one."
The hunters begin to take interest.
Kawara's favorability remains unchanged, satisfied with your response.
"Afterward, the six remaining dragons each claimed lairs across the continent. One of them is the white dragon known as the Spirit Devourer, Lanselro."
"How do you know that name...."
Aishira stared at me in shock.
"Divine beasts are spirit-imbued creatures. Lanselro devoured all three of the Great Manifestations, sealing the continent's spirit powers within itself."
But instead of explaining to her, I continued.
"To you, I'm an outsider."
In Dimension World, players and NPCs were distinguished by setting: NPCs were native to this world, while players were outsiders who appeared with the light pillars called Parrel, a type of dimensional gate. That massive light still connected sky to earth, visible as a gigantic pillar from anywhere on the continent. Naturally, as the means for new users to log in by creating characters, the light pillars couldn't vanish.
"Hard to believe, but I know a way to hunt a dragon you don't."
"Lies...!!!"
The hunters cried out in surprise.
"It might not be entirely wrong. I've heard outsiders possess unknown abilities we don't know. Born from those sudden light pillars. Little is known about them, so it warrants checking."
Unlike the others, Aishira nodded as if accepting my words.
Sticking to the lore is good, but... outsiders don't know everything.
Only I among them knew this world's past and future.
I gave a wry smile at her reaction.
Or maybe she's scheming to use my outsider status to gather dragon hunt members.
If Aishira was thinking that way, it sent chills down my spine—how human-like, despite being a programmed NPC.
"What is that method...?"
The Ran-hu tribe hunter who had first stopped at my words finally spoke.
"Your name?"
"Tonpe of the Ran-hu tribe."
He introduced himself, his face still boyish compared to the other hunters.
His level is lower than his tribesmen who came with him. But speaking as representative means he's the highest in his tribe....
I eyed him closely. Barely level 40, like me—honestly insufficient for this place. He could even be a liability.
Not that I, at 35, can talk...
Still, my interest in him stemmed from one thing.
Heroic-grade NPC.
Surprisingly, even Aishira, who had troubled me during the Northern conquest, was merely Rare-grade, yet he was higher, Heroic.
Was there such a guy...?
He didn't exist in my memories.
NPC grades are determined by potential growth rate and skills. But even great potential is useless at low levels.
Heroic-grade was superior to Rare, but level 40 Tonpe couldn't beat level 83 Aishira.
Unknown. The Ran-hu tribe had already fallen and vanished by the time I set out to conquer the North.
"Tonpe. This isn't your place. We agreed at the tribal council to join the night hunt to meet the offering quota, but you who betrayed Gullak have no right to fight."
Oddly, Aishira rejected help from the very one who first showed goodwill.
Betrayed Gullak? What's that about?
The imperial tomes held countless hidden continental tales, but on Gullak, there was almost nothing.
Fighting God Gullak. And his secret sword, Chilya. Only that he was the sole one worthy of the title in continental history, and no swordsmanship had surpassed Chilya.
"Lady Aishira. We, the descendants, always regret what the Ran-hu tribe did to the North in the past. Yet as selected hunters for the night hunt, can't we help even a little?"
Tonpe spoke cautiously, as if minding her mood.
Hunting a dragon was a perilous gamble even staking one's life. But unlike others, he seemed to see it as an opportunity.
The Ran-hu tribe has a weak position in the North, likely tied to betraying Gullak.
I quickly read the mood. They clearly hoped to restore their standing through this chance.
"...Please."
Quest: Honor of the Ran-hu Tribe
📍 Difficulty: S-A Grade
🎁 Rewards: Ran-hu Tribe reputation + Perfect Trust
🎁 Rewards: Unknown
Tonpe, son of the Ran-hu chief bearing the stigma of betraying Gullak and next in line as chief, wishes to join the Spirit Devourer hunt. Help him succeed in the hunt.
Caution: Tonpe must survive. Even if the hunt succeeds, his death fails the quest.
Will you accept the quest?
A new quest appeared with Tonpe's words, just as expected. I checked its difficulty.
The dragon hunt itself is unknown difficulty, but this one specifies it. A-grade is tough but doable. Probably because killing the dragon succeeds the hunt even if he dies.
The monster-level difficulty was S-grade anyway. The hunt was hard; keeping him alive was separate.
"Kawara. Even the minor Northern tribe Ran-hu has declared their will to hunt the dragon."
"I know what you're getting at, but we must inform Kael first. Hunting a dragon... Even all Northern tribes charging in couldn't guarantee success."
"Understood."
I nodded slowly to him.
"I won't stop anyone who leaves. But the tribe that severs the dragon's head will claim all the North's honor."
"...."
"The Kalun tribe will miss that chance."
Kawara's eyes wavered.
My reason for pulling them into the dragon hunt wasn't just their superior hunter skills.
Conditions in Dimension World quests are never arbitrary. They're clues to clearing them.
I looked at Kawara.
Before the dragon hunt, the night hunt quest states Kalun tribe reputation drop prevents acceptance. Yet Aishira of Naba pushes for it, while opposing Kalun's rep is required. Why?
The answer was simple.
They're essential to completion. The Kalun tribe is mandatory for the dragon hunt.
Honestly, the Tonpe quest was a mere sub-quest. His survival was a bonus; Kalun's power was vital.
"Failure means scorn from all Northern tribes."
Kawara hesitated, looking at me.
"But success..."
I drove the wedge home.
"We'll be heroes."
I extended my hand to Kawara.
⊳ Kawara (NPC) has joined your raid party.
In that instant, Kawara grasped my hand with trembling eyes.