Terraforming - Hard Mode Quest

A long list scrolled up.

I fiddled with the filters to hunt for anything worthwhile.

"As expected... nothing worth buying with just 1,500 karma..."

The only things even remotely tempting were in the consumables section. But were they useful right now? Not really.

"Mostly food staples and daily necessities... no potions or anything."

The only fantasy item unavailable on Earth was 'height growth potion.' In other words, nothing urgent.

The [Skill Shop] and the [Miscellaneous] shop full of all sorts of items disappointed me more than expected—the quality was just too low.

"And the Function Shop has nothing available..."

I had a hunch what 'functions' meant. Back when I first entered this novel, there was an option to choose whether to enter as myself or as the protagonist or someone around them. A warning said it wasn't unlocked yet, forcing me into my real body, but I bet this Function Shop is where you buy and unlock that.

One more thing. Thanks to Baby Angel casually mentioning it on day one, I'd caught on to another function: 'Take your possessions with you when entering a novel or returning to reality.'

If I could unlock that, it'd be insanely useful. Obvious as day.

"Well... nothing immediately useful anyway..."

Fine by me. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hadn't expected much to begin with.

1,530 karma. That's what I had.

Baby Angel praised my quest-clearing speed, but it was just one day's worth. No way it was a huge amount.

Sure, by (former) Park Chanyoung's standards, it was nearly a month's haul... but

'That's because that bastard's a moron, not because I'm some genius.'

None of the quests so far were ones only I could clear. Even an average person, if they gritted their teeth and went all out, could rack up this much karma.

I never expected to snag useful skills or items easily with just one day's karma.

What I needed now was a goal. Decide what to buy once I had enough karma. That was priority one.

Blindly farming karma without a plan? That's moron behavior.

'Plus, a clear reward in sight really fires me up.'

I tweaked the shop filters more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠precisely. Removed the 'purchasable only' filter and set it to show items from 1,000 to 5,000 karma.

Whoosh!

"Whoa?!"

"Hard Mode Quests?"

A 5,000-karma function had appeared. Maybe because I'd been so curious about functions? My eyes locked right on it.

My instincts screamed: Unlock this function ASAP.

"So the reason failure penalties have been almost nonexistent... is because of Hard Mode Quests."

The only real 'failure penalty' was once: day one in the novel, when I gave my info to the Shelter leader, Doctor. That quest penalized rewinding to the start if I wasn't assigned to Combatant class.

"Every quest after had basically zero penalties..."

In other words, normal quest failure penalties were reserved for Hard Mode.

My brain spun at full speed. Not just gut feeling—I wanted to rationally judge its value.

The system's 'high rewards' likely meant karma, items, skills. More ways to farm karma? Always good.

"Especially since over time, 5,000 karma will be chump change..."

But thinking that simplistically makes you a sucker. Don't fall for system hype.

Quest failure penalties aren't just the window's text. There's the real-world consequences of attempting and failing.

Say a quest: [Kill an Orc], penalty 500 karma deduction. It's not just losing 500 karma. Failing means the orc kills you. Death, regression, reduced [Novel Complete] rewards. Plus pain and trauma.

"So the conclusion is..."

It's obvious. Unlock it fast. Especially while my real body's still weak.

Seems weird after listing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all the downsides? Not at all.

As my stats rise, quests won't be simple 'kill X' anymore. It'll be 'annex Y nation into your forces' or 'tame Z ferocious evil dragon perfectly.' Insane stuff.

Stronger you = fewer impossibles, so to balance difficulty, they'll pile on vomit-inducing conditions.

But right now? Tons of 'hard to achieve' but not life-threatening or disabling failures.

Real failure penalties are mild. That's reason enough to rush the unlock.

"Functions that boost karma income must be unlocked. The sooner, the better."

In resource-management games, ramping income early is key.

Sure, Hard Mode might be impossible, wasting 5,000 karma forever... but obsessing over edge cases paralyzes you.

Fearing blind murder keeps you from commuting? That's not even bar banter.

Goal set. Farm 5,000 karma ASAP.

The sun rose. Warm rays lit the misty riverside, and my vision went white.

Not from brightness—from exhaustion.

"Gaaahhh!!"

"Haha! Regeneration's the real deal! With that ability, your training motivation must be through the roof, eh? Way more fired up than yesterday!"

"Nngaaah!!"

"Good! Five more with that energy!"

"Grhh...!"

I'm trying to lose weight, so why the hell am I doing anaerobic strength training?

Blame Brack, who radically revised the schedule to 'maximize regeneration use.'

'Kill me... just kill me...'

Truth is, I agreed to add anaerobic. Not for 'useful trait use' like Brack thinks.

Anaerobic quests clear way faster than aerobic ones that drag on.

To hasten Hard Mode unlock and Reality Return quest. Dual goals. I wanted quests done quick. At least until dawn today.

"Nngh...! Dooone...!"

"One more! Just one! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠One more and five-minute break!"

"Fuuuuck...!"

I steeled myself, but doing it? Pure regret.

Aerobic's better. Anaerobic tears your limbs like ripping muscle—because it is.

Fitness buffs say aerobic's harder. Muscle pain gets tolerable; but lung-burning chest agony? Never.

Dizzy head, blurry vision... that panic-breathless hell? Hate it.

"Good! Five-minute break."

"Haaah..."

Splat!

Now aerobic feels easier. Trait keeps breathing steady, mind clear even winded.

But Natural Healing doesn't block muscle tears. Or the pain.

Plus intensity blew past my expectations.

Result? Quest clears insanely faster than yesterday.

"Don't puke up breakfast."

If not digestion-friendly porridge, I'd have hurled already.

Stomach churning, but I swallowed back the bile. Protein aside, this bloated body hungers constantly—minimize empty stomach time.

Huge gut means portion control even at meals. Buffet-style camp cafeteria? Temptation hell.

Brack handles diet now, thankfully.

"58 seconds... 59... Break over! Next drill!"

Dogshit. Five minutes that short?

One set done, sprawled half-dead. Cheek to dirt.

Grime in mouth, but no spit energy.

Yeah... after yesterday's insane grind, no stat up would be bullshit.

Motivation flickered back. Train hard, get stats? Efforts paid off—no betrayal.

But good news didn't stop.

I'd been numbly dismissing piled-up quest alerts and clears. Then this sharpened my fading mind.

"Finally!... Finaaaally!..."

Sun-dried fluffy blankets, steaming showers, smog-hazed skies danced in my head.

I'd poured every ounce of human strength, but unknown power surged.

"Grraaah!"

Forced my collapsed body up. Finish this, then rest. That ruled my head.

Legs/arms quivered like silenced phones, but I stood.

"What? You squeezed every drop, yet...? Mental strength alone?... Impres... impressive! Very impressive! ...Fine! Rest discipline matters, but that spirit—I can't hold back!"

"Swi... swimming... swim..."

"Hoho! Even picking your own drill? Full-body swim, in that state? No regrets?"

No energy to answer. Brain fixated on moving.

Zombie-shuffle to riverside.

Splash... splash...

Cold water climbed ankles to calves. Near-roll entry—chest-deep quick.

Ah... water's bliss. Near-150kg floats buoyant, burden slashed.

Brain thawed: 'Wait, couldn't I rest first, then swim? Quest ain't fleeing.'

Fuck! Even five minutes matters with Natural Healing—heals worlds in that time.

Why rush in? Am I this dumb?

Sudden injustice welled.

But self-inflicted—no complaints.

Self-blame for stupidity...

...Fuck! Still mad!

Exhausted mind dulled me! Leniency—rewind one minute!

"Uh... on second thought... rest first? Overtraining risks injury..."

"Don't quit pre-start! Recall that spirit! What drove your legs?!"

Brack, thinking sheer will raised me, whipped excitedly.

My goal: rest, then or now.

Oblivious Brack:

"In water? No breaks till set ends! Ready position!"

Eyes say no mercy.

'I'm the idiot... total idiot...'

Eye wetness? Spray from prep stance, surely.