Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Sudden Quest Window
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Sudden quest window? What the hell?
The hunters panicked at this unprecedented situation, milling about in confusion.
"Bro, bro, did you get a quest too?"
"What's going on? This isn't a game."
"Should we cancel the raid and bail?"
I overheard the Taesan Guild members huddled together a short distance away.
But their leader, who should have been guiding and calming them, Kwak Ho-young, said nothing.
He still hadn't recovered from the shock of this unexpected quest.
Kang Han, on the other hand, was different.
"...A quest is basically a mission, right?"
True to his military background, he took the quest window at face value and quickly regained his composure.
"I'll talk to the Taesan Guild leader about whether to continue the raid. Wait here."
"Yes, sir. Be careful."
With their guild leader steady, the Justice Guild members followed suit.
They were surprised, sure, but no one was panicking.
"So basically, we have to clear all the trash mobs to unlock the boss room?"
"This 'qualification' thing is nagging at me."
"Has this happened overseas too?"
They even seemed relaxed as they shared their thoughts.
I was the only one nervously chewing my lip.
'The gates are starting to change.'
This time it was just a quest window, but from here on, they'd evolve in even more diverse ways.
I knew their final evolution form, so I tried to reassure myself but couldn't tear my eyes from the quest window.
'It's okay. There's still plenty of time.'
The [Sejong Curtain] was only just past its early stages.
No need to freak out over a mere quest window.
That thought calmed my racing heart bit by bit.
And with a clearer head, I realized.
'So that's why Taesan half-collapsed.'
The reason for Taesan's downfall, barely mentioned in the book, was probably this quest.
Just imagine: greedy Taesan entering alone. How many would have survived to knock on the boss room door after clearing every monster inside?
The answer was obvious.
Then Kang Han returned and announced.
"We're heading out of the gate to report this to the Association."
The guild members—all except me—nodded in unison.
They figured Association backup was the safe play.
But I let out a small sigh.
'Won't work.'
And sure enough.
"The door—the door's blocked!"
A Taesan Guild member who'd rushed back through the gate first shouted in alarm.
I clicked my tongue at the predictable sight.
If they could freely come and go, Taesan wouldn't have suffered so much inside the [Sejong Curtain].
"Argh, damn it! Why's it the sealing type?!"
Kwak Ho-young pounded on the gate, now a solid wall, in frustration.
And the more their leader lost it, the more the Taesan members spiraled into panic.
How the hell did they manage their image with such trash mentality?
Finally, Kang Han stepped up to Kwak Ho-young.
"Guild Leader Kwak, your members are watching."
"...Hoo."
Snapping back to his senses, Kwak Ho-young put his hands on his hips and snapped at innocent Kang Han.
"So what do you suggest?"
"The exit's sealed, and we've all got quests. Only one way out."
"You mean push forward?"
"Does Taesan plan to forfeit?"
Kwak Ho-young's eyebrow twitched at "forfeit."
His pride was still alive, huh.
"...Not a chance."
"Then regroup and start the raid."
Kang Han spoke calmly and firmly, then stepped toward the camera broadcasting everything live.
"Justice Guild and Taesan Guild will continue the raid. Association, please prepare emergency treatment for any injuries post-raid."
So reliable, Kang Han.
His protagonist vibe washed away the last of my anxiety.
Yeah, okay.
The textbook gate strategy—blitz to the boss—was just a little tweaked.
I tied my hair back tightly with the strap on my wrist and rolled my stiff shoulders.
'Time to run.'
"Is that... fire-resistant gear?"
"Gotta be, or that design is unforgivable."
Lee Yu-chan responded to my mutter as Taesan pulled bulky clothes from their sub-spaces.
"No, but seriously, that's overkill."
Thick fluorescent orange overalls?
I appraised the hideous outfit just in case.
...Good thing it's actually fire-resistant.
As we watched Taesan gear up before the raid, one mocked us for standing idle.
"No fire gear for Justice Guild?"
"It's only gonna get hotter. You'll burn."
They'd been a mess moments ago.
Acting just like their leader.
No wonder clear water needs a clear source.
"Even a healer should suit up."
"Too pricey to prep?"
These punks.
Stay quiet, and we'd look like a broke guild without gear.
I stepped forward, casually unbuttoning my Justice Guild uniform.
"Fire-resistant? Already wearing it."
Argh, the real tragedy is not showing them this info window.
"That's... fire-resistant?"
"Uniform with fire resistance?"
"Didn't they say Justice was trash?"
Taesan's shocked murmurs were music to my ears.
"...All set? Let's map first."
Kwak Ho-young eyed our uniforms sourly and approached.
He pulled out a blank paper and spread it on the ground.
Moments later, a map of the dungeon from our entry point began to draw itself.
And that's when the mood turned weird.
"Uh, uh...?"
"Two paths?"
The finished map showed two perfectly split paths leading to the distant boss room.
We'd have to split into two groups for the set goal.
In other words.
'Speed run.'
A race to clear monsters fastest and reach the boss room.
And Kwak Ho-young didn't disappoint.
He snatched the map from the floor.
"Easier if Taesan and Justice split up, right?"
Well, yeah.
Not like equal numbers entered as allies.
Justice had six combatants, excluding hidden Seong Yo-na and non-fighter Im Cheong-su.
Taesan brought twelve.
Double our hunters already.
Proposing to split immediately? That shamelessness was the real skill.
"We'll take left."
With that, the waddling Taesan crew in their thick suits vanished down the left path.
Now only Justice remained in the gate clearing.
In the stunned silence, I spoke clearly for the camera mic.
"Wow, they just took the map."
Loud enough for viewers to know: "They snatched the only map!"
"Hmm. Shall we head out too?"
Han Ji-seong scratched his eye.
But I shook my head.
"Hold up, oppa."
Let this slide, and folks would think Justice was trash like they said.
I pulled an emergency item from my sub-space.
"Sis, you brought a mapping item?"
Lee Yu-eul brightened.
She'd been uneasy wandering mapless.
"Backup plan."
"Nayeo-ju always has a plan!"
Jang Su-ho grabbed my arms excitedly.
Of course.
Nayeo-ju plans everything.
...But it stung.
This was pricey; I'd been saving it.
Vowing to crush Taesan for this expense, I activated the mapping item.
Taesan, down the left path, was struggling.
"Damn, can't get close!"
"Ow! Sparks! Watch out!"
Just as Yoo Jin-rok advised when they first bid on the flame dungeon.
Flame dungeon monsters were a bad matchup for melee-heavy Taesan.
"Kuuuurrrng!"
Taesan's frontliners retreated without landing hits, emboldening the red wolf to howl triumphantly.
D-grade known, but flame-wrapped and agile.
Excluding leader Kwak Ho-young and vice Kim Han-kwon, mostly B and C-grades couldn't close in.
"What are you doing? Use items!"
Kwak Ho-young yelled from the rear, conserving stamina for boss.
But no one rushed to use their rationed three items each.
Finally, the rookie, pressured by seniors, tossed a grenade-like item from sub-space.
Kaboom!
Ice magic burst from it.
"Fuck yeah! It's frozen!"
"Kill before it thaws!"
Only then did Taesan rush the wolf, feet iced to the ground.
Watching from behind, Kwak Ho-young consoled himself.
'This difficulty won't be easy for Justice either.'
Painful wasting expensive Sama Guild items, but worth it to reach boss first.
"Kyaaang!"
Kwak Ho-young grinned confidently at the flame wolf's death cry.
Same time, right path.
Justice faced two flame wolves simultaneously, mid-battle.
Jang Su-ho parried a wolf's attack with his new shield's weight, muttering unwittingly.
"What? Why is this... so easy?"