Chapter 8

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 8

Chapter Title: New Quest (1)

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Seoul's heart, jammed with cars 365 days a year.

Even Seoul was quiet today.

It was a bit away from the area where the Dungeon Break had occurred, but it must have still cast a negative shadow over people's minds.

Everyone's probably huddled at home, glued to the news.

I glanced at my little sister in the passenger seat as I cruised freely through the empty streets.

She must be exhausted, but instead of sleeping, she was just fidgeting with her fingers.

"You're tired. Get some sleep. I'll wake you when we get there."

"Huh...? No, I'm fine."

She couldn't even look at me, probably embarrassed about what happened earlier.

Of course. Back then, emotions had overflowed, leading to an impulsive hug. But now, with reason kicking back in, it must feel mortifying.

We weren't kids anymore—we were full-grown adults who'd been roughhousing like rowdy pals, and now we'd embraced like that.

To anyone who didn't know the context, it could've sparked all sorts of weird misunderstandings.

'It'll blow over if I give it a little time.'

Figuring time would smooth out the awkwardness, I brushed it off without much fuss.

"Hoo..."

After finishing dinner and doing the dishes, I finally had some free time and headed back to my room.

After filling up the "I love you" quota 100 times in the Hunter Association parking lot, a bunch of status windows had popped up. But I'd been too distracted by my sister to check them then.

And after that, I'd been around family the whole time, with no chance to dig in properly.

Now that I had some alone time, I planned to examine everything thoroughly.

"Quest window."

"Family Shop."

As soon as I called out "Family Shop" like the status window instructed, flashy effects like a mobile game gacha screen burst into view, presenting my options.

There were only two choices on the gacha menu, and the absurdly high prices took my breath away.

After all that effort to complete the quest, the reward was just 100 points—and one standard draw would wipe it out.

If I got lucky and pulled something good, fine. But if it was junk? The letdown would be crushing.

"Hmm..."

I'd planned to spin the gacha right away once I had points, but the steep prices and the premium option made me hesitate.

In these gacha games, premiums always crushed the standard draws.

Sitting cross-legged on my bed, I agonized for a while before deciding on the standard draw button.

It was my first pull—I needed to see how the system worked, right?

It stung a bit, but 100 points weren't much. I hit the button, telling myself they didn't really exist anyway.

- Ta-da~!

The moment I pressed it, upbeat trumpet fanfare blared, and a gray roulette wheel appeared.

The wheel was divided into six sections, from A to F.

A was the tiniest slice; F took up the most space.

Those letters must indicate the draw's grade.

"Please, B..."

A-grade was best, but its sliver was unrealistically narrow.

B seemed plausible probability-wise, so I prayed desperately for a B reward.

- Rrrrr...

After a 3-second wait, the wheel started spinning.

The dizzying whirl.

It flew by fast at first, then gradually slowed.

Praying as fervently as I had for my awakening, the wheel finally stopped.

"Phew..."

I checked the result cautiously and let out a sigh of relief.

The needle straddled the C and D border—if it'd tipped just a hair more, it'd have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠been D.

"Thank you... thank you..."

C-grade was disappointing compared to my B hopes.

But since a bit worse luck would've landed D, I was relieved to dodge the worst.

A moment later, the status window returned.

"What?"

I was speechless at the status window.

Family Masseur?

I couldn't tell exactly what it did, but it didn't scream "useful" on the surface.

"Sigh... I don't know yet, though..."

The name deflated me, but still—unknown potential.

It could be a fist-fighting skill disguised as massage, right?

Clinging to faint hope, I muttered.

"Family Masseur."

I was stunned reading the skill description.

All stats up 20%?

Even top-tier A-grade shaman buffs only boosted stats by 10%. For a C-grade skill, this was insanely potent.

The family-only limit was a drawback, but the power made it acceptable.

"Not bad at all."

My mood, which had dipped moments ago, started lifting.

It wouldn't give me mana, so official hunter registration was still off the table.

But if it could empower my family, I was satisfied.

I checked the clock, then jumped out of bed.

Strike while the iron's hot—I'd test this new skill right away.

Approaching my big sisters out of the blue for a massage would be weird, so my test subject was obviously my little sister.

I left my room and headed straight to hers.

The door was firmly shut.

After today's ordeal, she might've crashed from exhaustion, but at dinner, she hadn't seemed that wiped out.

I could relieve her fatigue and test the skill in one go.

Staring at the door, shut tight like it wanted no visitors, I debated knocking.

'Eh, it's my little sister—what's the big deal?'

I opened it without hesitation.

Warm, stuffy air from inside enveloped me as the door swung open.

And my eyes met my sister's—she was wriggling under the covers.

Her face flushed, a bit sweaty, it turned tomato-red the instant she saw me and froze solid.

"..."

"..."

A thick, awkward silence hung between us.

No fool could miss what she'd been doing.

She'd been enjoying some solo time.

'Yeah, that happens.'

Catching my own blood relative mid-masturbation? Awkward as hell, suffocating even.

But it's natural—guys and girls alike relieve urges. To spare her feelings, I gave a gentle smile and stroked her snowy hair.

"I get it, sis. Big bro's not mad at all."

"Kyahaaah!"

"Sorry for interrupting. Carry on."

"..."

Out of consideration, I quietly closed the door and slipped out.

Heading back to my room, one thing to add popped into mind.

I flung the door open again.

She'd burrowed back under the covers, writhing to resume— and jolted again, hiding deeper.

She'd jumped right back in the second I left.

Her urges must be seriously pent up.

I felt bad interrupting again, but I had to say it.

"My dear little sister?"

"A-again...? Why are you back?!"

Her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠voice trembled, thick with shame and embarrassment.

"Don't overdo it—wear yourself out. And air out the room, okay?"

"Got it! Just go already!"

"Alright, sweet dreams."

I finished up and left for good, no more interruptions.

Moments later, anguished screams erupted from her room.