Chapter 7: Super-obsessed mode ON

[Hidden Quest has arrived!]

A quest.

It gives rewards for solving it under specific conditions.

Like any other game system.

Seong-han Lee had received a few.

Monster subjugation.

Special training.

Even hunting lessons.

He had experienced them all.

But this was the first time he had seen something like this.

[Hidden Quest]

[The guardian of the great forest, ‘Miruginoth’, is a traitor abandoned by his own kind. Prove your qualification as a climber by defeating him. (0/1)]

[% Currently, this entity cannot be killed with your power. %]

[% Buy time until Mi-young Kang wakes up. %]

[Reward: 1 Trait Enhancement Ticket]

[Failure: Death]

“So that’s how it is.”

Seong-han Lee activated [Auto Combat].

He put his eye on the mechanical sight.

“Jin-young Kang! Please take care of the Major.”

“Okay!”

Jin-young Kang, who was crouching, quickly snatched her sister.

Then she used all her strength to roll to the side.

“Kaaaaah!”

The hatchling opened its maw.

[The guardian of the great forest, ‘Miruginoth’, recognizes the intruder.]

[It opens its mouth greedily.]

The spot where Mi-young Kang had just been.

Sharp claws struck down repeatedly.

The dirt covered with tarpaulin was violently thrown up.

“Are you alright?”

Jin-young Kang, who had rolled right in front of Seong-han Lee.

Her face was pale, as if she was under a lot of stress.

“…That was dangerous. This deadweight sister can’t do anything without me.”

“Any injuries?”

“No. Just my back is throbbing. My body is so weak. I wish my sister’s body was mine.”

Jin-young Kang answered coldly, frowning.

“I would have died if I got hit by that. My sister too, right?”

“Probably.”

Seong-han Lee affirmed in a stiff tone.

Encountering a hatchling?

It’s best to avoid it if possible.

Seong-han Lee glared at the hatchling’s wriggling wings.

“The hatchling is about to start its attack pattern. Let’s get ready.”

“Let me just get rid of this nuisance first. Ugh, she’s no help at all!”

Despite her grumbling.

Jin-young Kang carefully placed Mi-young Kang in a corner.

“Kaaaaah!”

[The guardian of the great forest, ‘Miruginoth’, recognizes the intruder.]

The hatchling’s [Shout] skill echoed all around.

Bluish slime oozed from its scales and mouth.

It was blood.

[The guardian of the great forest, ‘Miruginoth’, is affected by ‘Mana Contamination’.]

The contaminated serum was working.

Since its mana circuit was infected, it wouldn’t be able to use its specialty, magic, properly.

As long as there was even a 1% chance of winning, he couldn’t stop.

[‘Charm’ applied to Iron-blooded Empress, ‘Mi-young Kang’ is dispelled.]

[Due to the caster’s curse, she falls into a deep sleep.]

Mi-young Kang, who had been dozing in Jin-young Kang’s arms, slumped her head.

‘Here goes.’

Seong-han Lee saw an opening.

He quickly rushed at the hatchling.

He had to buy time.

“We have to buy time until the Major wakes up!”

“What?!”

“We can’t win on our own!”

“Behind you! Behind you!”

[The guardian of the great forest, ‘Miruginoth’, recognizes the intruder.]

The hatchling disappeared for a moment.

“Kaaaaah!”

It suddenly appeared behind Seong-han Lee.

Its wide-open red maw was visible.

Seong-han Lee clicked his tongue.

‘Blink.’

It was a high-level magic, teleportation.

It caught him off guard.

‘Dodge.’

Seong-han Lee twisted his upper body to the side to avoid the attack.

Then he deeply stabbed his dagger into its face.

“That’s a lot!”

Thick, murky blood gushed out.

It was overall bluish.

“Crazy. I-is that a human’s movement?”

Jin-young Kang muttered to herself when she saw it.

[Detected unidentified approach.]

[Activating ‘Mental Barrier’.]

Crackling!

Blue sparks flew around.

The hatchling, having canceled its polymorph, let out a low laugh, as if to create a sense of intimidation.

Its true form was revealed.

There were many small wounds.

Seong-han Lee accurately fired his rifle.

With [Auto Combat]’s correction, the bullets hit the same spot.

Because of the hatchling, Mi-young Kang and Jin-young Kang.

They both almost died.

If that happened?

The remaining awakened individuals would have to act longer, more frequently, and more dangerously to make up for the loss of manpower.

That’s the law.

Discharge, you say my discharge is getting further away?

What nonsense!

He could already see the bleak future.

Yeah, let’s think positively.

A dragon.

How many months will my discharge be shortened by?

“At least a year, at least a year!!”

Seong-han Lee started laughing as soon as he thought of the result.

Did you think about the discharge bar today?

Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes yes yes yes! Yes!! Yes!!!!

I will escape this hellhole no matter what!

To the land where freedom and democracy breathe!

Seong-han Lee quickly kicked off the wall and jumped!

He flew to the hatchling in an instant and slashed its wing with his sword.

Boom!

Elemental magic flew as the ground split.

They were huge rocks.

Instant death if crushed.

“gg.”

Seong-han Lee clicked his tongue.

Since they were nature-related skills, they were hard to destroy.

It’s better to just dodge.

He quickly rolled to the side.

“Kyaaaaaak!”

The hatchling, having failed its last resort.

It started to flee outside the tent, as if it had no chance of winning!

The tent flew into the air with a loud noise, and a humid wind blew in.

“Watch out over there!”

Jin-young Kang, who had just recovered from her injury, shouted.

He suddenly felt a chill.

Jin-young Kang, kneeling on one knee, was deploying a magic formula with both hands.

In fact, like a pattern.

Whoosh!

More magic circles appeared on the ground.

Chains flew at the hatchling, making a sharp whooshing sound.

The mana chains pierced the hatchling’s skin and bound it.

“Restrain!”

Following Jin-young Kang’s command, the chains pulled towards the ground.

As soon as it hit the ground, the hatchling vomited blue blood from its mouth.

Jin-young Kang caught her breath and infused it with mana.

Seong-han Lee narrowed his eyes.

Then a status window appeared.

《System: Information》

Jin-young Kang

□ Level: [Lv.??]

□ Traits

[Maximum Efficiency Magic Circuit (SSS)], [Mana Enhancement (S)], [Magic Knowledge: Expert (A)], [Dual Magic (A+)], [Mana Body (B)]

[-Locked]

“What do we do now?”

Seong-han Lee clicked his tongue at Jin-young Kang’s words.

“We just have to hold on.”

The sisters have crazy abilities.

This might be possible.

We can beat that bastard.

Seong-han Lee smiled wryly.

“Come on, you bastard.”

Hatchling.

Literally, the infant stage of a dragon.

Unlike the adult, it hasn’t accumulated experience.

Therefore, there is no transcendent power or knowledge.

But the species’ base stats are already insurmountable.

Their personalities are also so bad that most places are wiped out when they appear.

“This is damn hard.”

Seong-han Lee coughed up blood.

Due to the tower’s rules, he has to kill the hatchling.

That’s the only way to get out.

Seong-han Lee shouldered the rifle he had thrown.

He aimed at the hatchling with the scope.

“You overgrown chicken, just die already!”

The hatchling, despite being bound by chains, tried to charge.

“Wh-what strength?! Be careful!”

Jin-young Kang’s posture was disrupted, and the hatchling flew again.

It was already injured all over.

It was difficult to even scratch it with ordinary equipment.

Seong-han Lee calmly pulled the trigger.

“Not happening.”

Ratatat!

Full auto at point-blank range.

The magazine was empty in a few seconds.

Because of the dragon’s thick, evolved scales, the bullets just bounced off as if they had hit steel plates.

“Damn it.”

Whoosh!

The hatchling’s sharp claws slashed Seong-han Lee’s arm.

His left arm, which was blocking his face, flew into the air.

If he hadn’t blocked it, it would have been his head that was torn off.

There was no pain.

Seong-han Lee calmly thought in the slowed-down situation, like in slow motion.

But no answer came.

‘What should I do?’

What can I do to kill that thing and get out of here alive?

His judgment gradually slowed down, and he fell into thought.

No, Seong-han Lee stopped thinking.

‘We won. We won.’

Seong-han Lee, fallen on the ground.

Mi-young Kang knelt right beside him.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, Major.”

Mi-young Kang was leisurely walking forward.

A reddish energy emanated from her sword.

And a shockwave.

The hatchling was terrified.

“Die.”

One slash.

Despite such a simple movement, the place where the hatchling had been was instantly filled with blue blood and flesh.

Thud!!!

The sound of something collapsing followed. The ground of the great forest shook for a moment. As if there was an earthquake.

[You have completed the hidden quest.]

As the quest window appeared, the sisters ran towards him.

The fallen Seong-han Lee was covered in blood. At least seriously injured. The shadow of death loomed over Seong-han Lee.

“Soldier, soldier! Stay with me!”

“Seong-han, time.”

But even as he lost consciousness.

Seong-han Lee was smiling brightly.

[You have completed the hidden quest.]

[You have conquered the first floor of the Gray Tower.]

[Releasing system restrictions.]

[The favorability limit is now lifted.]

[Having exceeded a certain level of favorability, ‘Jin-young Kang’ awakens the ‘Stalker/Isolation’ trait.]

[Having exceeded a certain level of favorability, ‘Mi-young Kang’ acquires the ‘Obsession/Dependence’ trait.]

[Calculating rewards.]

“Oh, dear God.”

I’m screwed.

Seong-han Lee’s face turned pale.