#007
[Fate Quest]
[How long are you going to stay cooped up! Let’s get out! Outside! If you go straight east, you’ll come to a place called Noblesse Apartment. Recruit a human named Gim Chihun as your comrade there! Depending on how you use him, he has a pretty good trait.]
[Time Limit: 180 minutes]
[Reward: Massive EXP]
[Failure: If you can’t even make the human I picked out into your comrade, you should get out and die, right?]
[Difficulty: D]
A Fate Quest of a type he’d never seen before.
It felt exactly like the parents of a chaebol family in a drama picking out a friend for their child to befriend.
Except for the part where he had to risk his life and go out personally onto a dangerous, thorny path.
“A better hideout? So suddenly?”
Naturally, Cha Suyeon asked, harboring doubts about the sudden decision.
“Yeah. The goblins around here have dwindled, and honestly, it’s uncomfortable for you to wash up and all that too, right?”
I Un’s lies had become natural before he knew it.
“That is true.”
“So I was thinking of trying an apartment, what do you think?”
“It was tiring standing night watch every time, so I think it sounds good.”
Cha Suyeon nodded, showing a positive reaction.
As she said, the two had taken turns keeping night watch and hunting every day.
They had no choice, because if they quietly moved the furniture blocking the entrance, goblins might get inside.
Because of that, the accumulated mental fatigue couldn’t be ignored.
“Then let’s quickly pack the remaining food and go.”
“Yeah.”
The two began packing food into the backpack Cha Suyeon had brought from the hospital when she had time.
“The bag absolutely must not get damaged. Just in case.”
Since he didn’t even know whether they could get more food outside, I Un gave Cha Suyeon a word of caution.
“I have a barrier, don’t I.”
With Cha Suyeon’s answer telling him not to worry, the two finished all preparations and headed outside.
“But where are we going? To my house? Or yours, oppa?”
“We’re going to Noblesse Apartment.”
“Why there?”
“I know someone there.”
“Who do you know?”
“A friend.”
“Is that friend still at the apartment? Are you sure?”
As if sensing something strange, Cha Suyeon kept grilling him persistently.
“Tell me the truth. The apartment isn’t the real goal, is it?”
Despite all the lies he’d built up, she was quick on the uptake.
‘It can’t be helped.’
And I Un didn’t deny her suspicion.
“That’s right. Actually, it’s for another reason.”
If the score needed to completely trust someone was 100, his current score for Cha Suyeon was 70.
He figured that hiding it further would be no help at all in developing their relationship.
“But I still can’t tell you the reason yet.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t trust you.”
I Un’s straightforward answer.
Cha Suyeon stared at I Un and closed her mouth for a moment, and I Un didn’t avoid her eyes either.
A short yet long moment passed.
“Sigh….”
The first to speak was Cha Suyeon, letting out a deep sigh.
“Now I’ll have to make you trust me, even if it’s out of sheer spite. Brace yourself.”
“Cheer up a little. We’re almost there.”
At her petulant words, I Un smiled slightly and responded jokingly.
“Goodness. Funny.”
Cha Suyeon also smiled back, seeming not to dislike it at all, and the conversation was temporarily concluded.
“Then shall we go now?”
“You know the way, right?”
“Everyone in this neighborhood knows Noblesse.”
A premium mixed-use apartment complex.
It was the most expensive apartment in the area, so there was no way he wouldn’t know it.
“Just follow carefully behind me.”
“Yes.”
The two moved stealthily using the terrain.
Fortunately, perhaps because they had kept hunting the goblins around the area, there were none forming large groups.
At most, maybe four or five?
They couldn’t even react properly to I Un’s surprise attacks and died helplessly.
That was only natural, since he had invested all his stats into Agility.
‘Since I couldn’t feel pain, I couldn’t tell if something was wrong with my body.’
Attacking was one thing, but it was a method chosen to let him dodge so he wouldn’t get stabbed by daggers too much in combat.
“By the way, Suyeon.”
“Yes?”
And he cautiously opened his mouth.
“Um… are your parents not around?”
“Only my father is.”
“Shouldn’t you go see him?”
He was an orphan so it was whatever for him, but Cha Suyeon had never once worried about her family.
He couldn’t help but ask, wondering if she was refraining because she was watching his reaction.
“What, me again? It’s fine. My father is.”
She immediately answered as if it was nothing worth thinking about.
“Why?”
“Because I have uncles.”
Uncles?
In that instant, he thought of the tattoo he’d seen on her.
“Could it be… some thug family…?”
“We’re gangsters!”
She, who hadn’t shown much reaction to anything else, shouted as if having a fit at the word ‘thug.’
“Anyway, you’re amazing.”
“What is? That I became a doctor from such a family?”
“Yeah.”
“Honestly, I hadn’t planned on it, but my uncles got stabbed by knives too often. So I became a doctor to operate on them.”
“Huh?”
It was a unique reason, but the conclusion was that she was an extremely outstanding talent.
“So that’s why you were so smooth during surgery?”
“Right. Well, I’d practiced an incredible amount at home.”
And everything he’d seen in her—the boldness, the audacity—was explained.
“Huh?”
While they were talking, I Un urgently grabbed Cha Suyeon’s hand and pulled her behind a car to hide.
About forty people entered his sight.
‘Idiots.’
Whether because they trusted their numbers, they were walking boldly down the main road.
But that was only because they didn’t know goblins.
They were hunters.
They wouldn’t just leave prey that was out in the open like that alone.
‘As expected.’
I Un’s prediction was correct.
After the people passed, several goblins were hiding and quietly following them.
‘Cunning bastards.’
It was clear the bastards were also gathering their numbers as they moved.
The moment they judged they could win, they would rush in like mad and slaughter the people.
‘We’ll have to leave after the goblins all pass by.’
Though I Un predicted all of this, he didn’t particularly want to step forward and share the danger.
Because he was an ordinarily selfish person.
‘Hm?’
Then a family hastily chasing after the passing group caught his eye.
‘Hyung Jae-min?’
It was none other than Jeong Jaemin, a colleague from Jeong-u.
He, with a desperate expression, was carrying about an eight-year-old daughter on his back and pulling his wife’s hand.
Perhaps his stamina was exhausted; he seemed to be barely keeping up with the group.
“Kuhk….”
But it seemed his mind was too hasty.
Thud!
Jeong Jaemin’s legs tangled and he fell to the ground.
Then the daughter on his back must have received a shock too.
‘Don’t. Little one.’
“Waaaaah!”
The child’s crying echoed.
‘Fuck.’
At the same time, six goblins revealed themselves.
“Kieek!”
“Kikikik!”
The bastards had clearly read the fear in the child’s crying and rushed out.
The fear of prey excited them even more.
Seeing that, I Un let out a deep sigh.
“Sigh….”
He was certainly a selfish man for whom his own survival was the top priority, but.
“You wait here.”
He couldn’t abandon Jeong Jaemin.
Because he was one of the few people who were his.
“Oppa!”
Cha Suyeon shouted in surprise at I Un, who suddenly dashed out, but he didn’t stop.
Dadadadak! Puwak!
Running at tremendous speed, he kicked the goblin at the front squarely in the face.
“Kirreuk!”
The goblin rolled aside and collapsed.
I Un immediately drew his dagger and used ‘Hoan’ on another bastard.
3-second paralysis.
This was the exact ability of Level 1 ‘Hoan.’
Puk!
Taking advantage of that opening, I Un’s dagger embedded itself in the goblin’s heart.
Shik! Shwik!
And then he lightly dodged the goblins’ daggers, kept pushing in, and took them down one by one.
Six goblins were dealt with in an instant without him taking a single wound.
The combat style I Un wanted was becoming perfect.
But it wasn’t over yet.
“Hyung Jae-min!”
“Assistant Manager I?”
I Un called out urgently and raised the wide-eyed Jeong Jaemin up.
“Greetings later—just run quickly. To those people from earlier. Give me the child.”
“Ah, I understand.”
For now, they had to join the group that went ahead so that goblins couldn’t easily attack.
I Un ran carrying the exhausted Jeong Jaemin’s child instead of him, and Cha Suyeon, who had been hiding, followed as well.
“Kieek!”
“Kiiiiiek!”
Goblins increasing in number were chasing after them.
But when they barely joined the tail end of the group, the bastards stopped chasing and disappeared.
Waiting for an opportunity.
“Hah… hah… Thank you, Assistant Manager I. I would’ve died without you.”
“Thank you, Assistant Manager I.”
“Thank you, mister.”
Receiving thanks from Jeong Jaemin and his family, I Un…
“Not at all. Is everyone alright?”
…looked at the group ahead.
‘As expected, no one is looking back.’
This was reality.
They must have known people were following behind, but they were too busy saving themselves.
Anyway, he turned his gaze back to Jeong Jaemin.
“But Hyung, why are you here? Your home isn’t in Cheonho-dong, is it?”
He was curious about the reason for leaving home to come out into the dangerous outside.
And with his daughter, at that.
“I came out because there was a place said to be safe. We were running out of food at home, and some apartment residents suggested we go take a look, just in time.”
“A safe place? Where?”
“It’s called Bibung Middle School. You just have to go thirty more minutes from here.”
If it was Bibung Middle School, it was where Gang Jinu had headed.
“How do you know it’s safe? Phones don’t work and there’s no communication at all.”
He was curious how Jeong Jaemin, who had been far away, had obtained that information.
He wondered if some communication network he didn’t know about had been established.
At I Un’s question, Jeong Jaemin took out a piece of paper from his chest.
“It’s this.”
Words written on an A4 sheet.
- Come to Bibung Middle School, the safest place in the Republic of Korea.
Currently about 200 people are residing there, and the level of our representative, Gang Jinu, is 10.
Words without a shred of evidence.
It was crude to the point of being absurdly crude.
“You came on that dangerous road believing this?”
“I had no choice. I had to grab at straws.”
Straws.
He could understand.
In a situation where nothing could be done, that paper must have approached like a ray of light.
On top of that, not alone but a group.
Because they were moving with them, it must have been easier to decide.
“And I saw.”
“Saw what?”
“The woman who brought this paper. She freely roamed between goblins.”
‘As expected of Gang Jinu. He’s smart.’
He had sent her on purpose to show evidence that he was properly using his skills.
‘Gim Suhui.’
Her trait was ‘Queen of Mist.’
Her skill was reduced monster recognition.
‘But is his level really 10?’
I Un himself was only Level 4 now.
It was an absurd leveling speed.
‘Is it because he hunted alone? Or maybe there’s something I don’t know.’
Lost in thought as information about Gang Jinu came out, I Un…
“Why don’t you come too, Assistant Manager I? From what I saw of your fighting just now, you could probably secure a spot.”
Jeong Jaemin woke him from his thoughts.
“No. We have somewhere to go.”
“With the lady beside you? Your lover? I’ve never heard of our Assistant Manager I having a lover in ten years?”
“Hahaha! Why would you say such a thing, Hyung! And she’s not my lover!”
“Really?”
When Jeong Jaemin glanced at Cha Suyeon, she waved her hands and answered.
“A comrade. A comrade.”
Though it was obvious, having her emphasize it twice didn’t feel very good.
‘Your trust score is 60.’
It was absolutely not because he was petty.
Anyway, they were heading in the opposite direction from Noblesse Apartment, which they needed to go to, so they had to turn back.
Because quest time was continuously ticking.
“Hyung Jae-min. Then we’ll get going, so please be careful.”
“Are you really not coming with us?”
“Yes. As you know, Hyung, if I don’t like those above me, I butt heads with them. It’ll only cause trouble.”
“That’s true. Now you’ve mellowed out, but at first I really thought some mad dog had come in. Hahaha!”
Jeong Jaemin’s expression had brightened considerably after joining the group, but honestly, I Un knew their situation wasn’t good.
Because the goblins would stick with them until the end to target them.
“Hyung. Would you perhaps follow us instead?”
So he extended his hand.
He had worked with him for ten years.
He was the one who had taught I Un the ropes as a senior when I Un first joined Jeong-u.
Also, he knew that if he gained an understanding of skills, he was someone who could pull his own weight.
“Hmm….”
Meanwhile, Jeong Jaemin worried over I Un’s offer.
The strength he had shown was certainly attractive.
‘If I were alone, I would have followed, but….’
His wife and daughter weighed on his mind.
Because they needed a stable environment.
“Sorry. It’s because I’m not alone.”
“I understand, Hyung.”
It was only a single offer.
He couldn’t force someone who refused to come.
Because he respected Jeong Jaemin’s choice.
And though it was annoying, he believed in Gang Jinu’s ability, so there wouldn’t be a big problem.
Of course, if they could arrive safely at Bibung Middle School.
“Instead, please be careful. Goblins are following behind.”
“Goblins, you say?”
“Yes. If they follow and gather enough numbers, they’ll attack. So either go as fast as possible or make your group larger.”
So he gave advice out of worry.
“Got it. And thank you once again.”
“It’s nothing, Hyung. I hope you arrive safely.”
Just as they were saying their goodbyes and about to part.
“Awooooo!”
“Wooooo!”
Wolf howls were heard from their left and right.
About twenty red wolves with cow-sized builds.
I Un quickly checked their information.
[Lv.3 Blood Wolf]
A new Level 3 monster.
He thought he could somehow deal with them using ‘Hoan,’ but there was one problem.
‘That one is bothersome.’
One that was twice the size of the other wolves.
The one with the silver mane looked different from ordinary monsters starting from its eyes.
Should he say it possessed an inexplicable presence?
[Lv.17 Wolf King]
‘Crazy….’
It was a whopping Level 17 monster.
“Wh-what!”
“They’re wolves?”
“Everyone prepare to fight!”
“We outnumber them!”
‘I wondered how they got here.’
People preparing to fight immediately upon seeing the monsters.
There were quite a few who could use skills, such as fists turning to steel or wings growing from their backs.
‘At this level, it’s doable.’
Certainly, the group’s strength was reassuring.
But unexpected uninvited guests appeared again.
“Kihk”
“Kiiiiik!”
“Kiiiiik!”
A horde of goblins revealing themselves from behind.
‘This isn’t good. Damn it.’
There were over forty of them.
I Un and the people were completely surrounded by monsters.
“Hyung Jae-min. Suyeon. Prepare to run with all your might. We can’t win this.”
The people who had been shouting to fight a moment ago also fell silent at the goblins’ intrusion and were only watching for an opportunity.
So they could flee at any moment.
Then a quest appeared before I Un’s eyes.
‘Hm? Don’t tell me you can do multiple quests at the same time?’
[Sponsored Quest!]
[A friend watching from the sidelines sponsored this? They said the Wolf King is a rare specimen and to try taming it once. They said it would be fun. For your information, that fellow has intelligence comparable to humans.]
[0/1]
[Time Limit: None]
[Reward: Since it’s a sponsorship, the reward is fixed. ‘Beast Master’s Discarded Necklace (A)’. It’s something my friend used and threw away, but it should be pretty good for you.]
[Failure: Since I didn’t give you this quest, you won’t die. There is no penalty whatsoever. But it’d be better to do it, right? If you want to keep receiving sponsorships, that is.]
[Difficulty: B]
Now after everything, he was going to end up raising a wolf too.