The Evil Curse
[Evil Curse]
📍 Eliminate the goblins using evil curses and uncover their purpose.
🎁 Rewards: Vary based on results
Success Conditions:
1. Goblin Shamans defeated: 0 / 5
2. Goblin Champion defeated: 0 / 1
3. Secure evidence of curse: 0 / 1
4. Confirm goblins' purpose: 0 / 1
"A Main Scenario Quest."
Main Scenario Quests! Unlike regular quests, these brought changes to the continent on a scale surpassing even world events, depending on how they were cleared.
As such, even ordinary starting quests couldn't be picked up without reaching level 100 or higher and fulfilling special conditions—and one of the prime examples was the very quest Vulcan himself had cleared long ago as the first to do so.
Now, massive guilds controlled the quest starting points to monopolize the leadership of these Main Scenario Quests and the rewards earned along the way.
To think it'd pop up here of all places...
That was why gaining entry to a Main Scenario Quest had remained a nagging concern for Vulcan, even after acquiring his Legendary class and the hope of becoming far stronger than before.
Without tackling a Main Scenario Quest, you couldn't become a top ranker—the rewards from them were simply that outrageous.
If I play this right, I can screw over everyone else.
Knowing its true value, Vulcan's eyes sparkled.
He already knew there were multiple starting points for Main Scenario Quests, so he didn't doubt its legitimacy.
Instead, his mind raced, pondering how to exploit it and guessing at the storyline it would follow.
Main Scenario Quests varied in process and outcome depending on the starting point—a fact confirmed by the previous chapter clear.
Someone had reached the end of a Main Scenario Quest, completing Episode 1, which actually harmed those pursuing different routes.
At the same time, it opened new routes for Main Scenario Quests, but those aligned with the opposing faction suffered massive reputation drops—or worse, ended up hunted by city guards.
Some even retired outright because of it.
It was a graver issue than it seemed.
Recovering lost reputation delayed their reentry into the Main Scenario Quest flow, widening the gap with the frontrunners.
If they'd already snagged some cheat-level items from quest rewards, it might offset the damage—but getting hit before that? Total disaster.
On the flip side, those who opened new Main Scenario Quest routes early rose as new powerhouses, hyped for the next chapter clear.
But the second chapter showed no signs of completion yet.
The leaders were hiding their progress, but rumors suggested they were stuck, wasting time at some checkpoint.
That created an opportunity to catch up.
It was winner-takes-all, yet anyone could be overtaken, which was why the big guilds colluded to block new routes and prevent others from accepting quests whenever one opened.
High risk, high return. Whoever clears first could crash and burn, but since it's a different route, no interference. Might even make catching up easier.
Of course, with his level reset, he was basically a noob—but Vulcan was confident.
Even in Chapter 1, there had been tons of sticking points on the way to the final linked quest. If you couldn't blitz the last ones, a latecomer could steal the chapter clear—that dominant opinion alone showed his chances overflowed.
And I've got this.
Plus, Vulcan had a trump card.
Dragon Eye.
His level, info, and backing were pathetic compared to other Main Scenario Quest runners, but with this cheat skill piercing every quest detail? Game changer.
Support troops will arrive in 10 minutes.
Join the support troops and eliminate the evil goblins.
Thanks to that, Vulcan burned with motivation.
The quest updated, announcing support from Regon Village in 10 minutes—but he had no intention of waiting.
- Heading out right now?
"Of course. No reason to share the loot."
- Fair enough. No need to borrow hands for trash mobs like that.
As Tud said, even if they all swarmed, they weren't Vulcan's match.
Mind-controlled monsters and goblins went without saying—the shamans couldn't even deal damage, so the Goblin Champion was the only real concern.
And even that? Questionable if it could land a solid hit against Vulcan's overwhelming gear power.
- Not just wiping them out?
"Yeah. Could sweep 'em easy, but killing everything won't cut it."
No charging in head-on.
A simple massacre quest? Piece of cake.
But this one's success conditions were multifaceted: shamans and champion kills, plus curse evidence and uncovering their purpose.
A Main Scenario Quest demanded perfection, so Vulcan drew on his experience to plot his route.
"They might destroy evidence, so reverse order. Cornered weaklings will hide or burn stuff the second they spot us."
- Plausible. Or just erase 'em all first.
Gloria Saga's monster AI was top-notch.
Basic mobs were dumb, but key ones and NPCs thought like humans—sharp as hell.
Hence Vulcan's worry about evidence tampering.
He could predict their moves when Regon guards arrived, so securing proof came first.
Sure, Tud's grumble had merit—just blitzing might work—but not for him right now.
Power gained, but no arrogance. He activated Dragon Eye to scout targets.
Probably something in the Goblin Champion's lair.
Disappointingly, no 'evidence' pinged.
It pierced anything, but without clues? Tough.
So he locked onto the Goblin Champion first.
Shamans might have stuff, but hierarchy put the champion higher—likely in its lair or on its person.
Swift infiltration followed.
10-minute timer meant grabbing evidence and curse traces within that, champion and shamans as bonuses.
100+ trash mobs? XP stung, but he could spare it—focus on the meat.
"Kreek? Krreek!"
Small village—detection came quick.
But Vulcan beelined for his target.
The Goblin Champion's longsword in hand boosted Agility by 50; stubby-legged goblins couldn't keep up.
No swings needed—it did its job.
0 Damage Received
Poison stings instead of steps? No dice.
Border goblins outclassed beginner village ones, but gaps remained.
Vulcan ignored attacks, storming the champion's lair.
Gold light!
"Kreet!"
The Goblin Champion charged, body slam loaded with Bash skill.
Zero threat to Vulcan.
Just a grin at the yellow glow on its chest.
Rare item inside.
Thud.
Confirming Bash effect, Vulcan stomped hard.
Champion packed punch for its size, but Vulcan trusted his Strength.
Clang!!
Foot dug in, left-hand longsword blocked it.
Releasing curse on target.
Enhancement curses shattered.
Champion staggered, Vulcan's follow-up sliced its neck.
Seamless, like one motion.
"One-shot, damn."
He'd prepped for more—the border Goblin Champion demanded it—but all-in Strength and mastery skill boosted damage to instant kill.
A yellow-glowing item dropped.
"Jackpot, loot!"
Rare-grade item.
Dragon Eye's glow signaled item grade inside monsters, apparently.
Not bound, right?
Quick check.
◈ A ritual flute crafted for a special purpose.
◈ Plays curse effects when blown in a specific melody.
"Shit, figures."
Quest item, obviously.
Even if not for controlling Pain Eaters, same deal.
No proper sheet music attached—and who'd buy that crap anyway?
Rare grade, but junk. Vulcan's excitement deflated.
"Anything else?"
Quick scan—nothing.
Lair was spartan: bed, table, done.
Acquired unknown document.
Partially completed quest success conditions.
"Huh?"
Grabbed table papers just in case—and spotted the anomaly.
The 'goblins' purpose' from the quest, tucked in there.
"...It translates?"
He half-expected it.
Common in these quests: orders, ledgers.
But goblin script, unmistakably—until focus made it blur into human language.
Dragon Eye's doing, no doubt.
Should build a shrine to this thing.
No time—pocketed it after skimming, glanced at Tud.
Dragon Eye alone proved the Legendary class's worth.
- Snap out of it. How long you gonna space out before we bail?
Smack!
Vulcan blinked, took the hit, refocused.
"8 minutes left... I'll wrap in 5!"
He vented on the swarming goblins and shamans.