Chapter 6:Evacuation
“System. Can we track the walrus-man''s progress in preparing the mine for demolition?”
System Message: Query accepted. User wishes to generate a quest?
“System: If that''s the best way to do so, sure.”
System Message: Acknowledged. Please use the interface below.
Quest Creation Interface:
Quest Type:_________________
Quest Objective(s): _________________
Failure Penalty (ies):_________________
Reward(s):_________________________________
Time Limit (if any): _______________________________
“Hmm. This looks rather simple. Why doesn''t everyone do this?”
Quest Creation Interface:
Quest Type: Custom, Mandatory.
Quest Objective(s): <u>Mine destruction by placing explosives at key points. Progress: 10/30</u>
Failure Penalty: <u>Death</u>
Rewards: <u>Freedom, restoration of status, restoration of name, restoration to perfect health, removal of all debuffs.</u>
Time Limit: <u>Quest must be completed before Duke Deokk''s troops arrive. If the mine is not destroyed by then, all explosives already in the mine will detonate and the mine will be destroyed by The System. Quest recipient will not survive.</u>
XP Cost to user, 5 levels. Create quest? Yes/No.
“And there''s the catch. The more difficult and/or rewarding the quest, the higher the cost to the issuer. System, please launch the quest.”
System Message: Quest created and launched. Nameless user, race [Walrus-shaped humanoid] in compliance. Polite tone and queries are appreciated. User Jade is now back at Level 1, stats unchanged, EXP to next level 0/100.
Meanwhile, in the mine...
Mandatory Quest: Custom. Destruction of the mine with explosives, progress 10/30. Check status screen for full details.
“DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!!! What cock did she suck to get the system to give me a mandatory quest?!”
You have killed [Giant Vampire Bat]. EXP placed in storage.
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DEATH!</u> I didn''t think The System was open to bribes... Wait. I''ve seen this type of quest before, back when I was dungeon crawling. Oh, no. OH! NO! OH HELL NO! The bitch is a gods-damned <u>dungeon boss!</u> And the Traveler she was talking to must be a fucking dungeon core! Alchemist my ass. That old bat has no idea what she dragged me into! None at all! Forget the damned duke! I''ve got to tell the king, if that blowhard will even believe me! Speaking of the duke, he''s got to be investigating the rest of my house by now. Hehehe. Good riddance to them! They never did appreciate me and give me the respect I deserve. Let''s get this damn explosives quest completed before she just decides to blow me to kingdom come! Just you wait, rabbit-eared bitch! I''ll make you pay for all this, a hundred fold!”
Back at the main entrance gate....
“Wish we had a map of the surroundings, so we can find a good place to lay low for a while. Staying on the road is suicide, even if we don''t run into the duke''s troops on the way...”
“Eh? That''s not necessary. [System Map] [Local Area].”
“The forest and the mountains have their pros and cons. The forest will be easier for our rag-tag group to go to and through, but the same can be said for the duke''s men, especially if they''re mounted. We''d never outrun them. We''d have to hide and wait until either they give up or they find us, and even with my ability to conjure things out of thin air, literally, I''m not liking our odds.”
“Hmm. And what about the mountains?”
“Sure, the duke''s men won''t be able to bring their mounts, unless said mounts can fly, but the very same reason will make our progress slow and uncertain, as our footing will be terrible, and there''s very little, if any, cover. And we certainly don''t have proper climbing gear. We''d have to hope we find a cave, ravine, or some other natural chokepoint where we can mitigate our lack of numbers, or better yet, hide out and lose our pursuers. Whatever the case, we need to choose fast, as our lead, and our odds, are shrinking by the moment.”
“In that case, I''m going with the mountains. I''d rather have a slim chance of outrunning those guys than none. Besides, with your [Analysis], if worst comes to worst, you can make your own cave system, right?”
“Oh. That''s a good point. Lead the way then, my Dear Dungeon Boss!”
“Watch your step everyone! We''re going into the mountains. Once we find a place to lie low, then we can finally rest and relax.”
<u>Dungeon Boss</u> sporting the appearance of a rabbit-ear beast-kin! You have to believe me!”-Baron Royce
<u>outright brags</u> about completing a quest to engage in an act of treason! What were you expecting as a reward? A night with a rabbit-ear beast-kin? Maybe the same one you''re fantasizing about?! I know all about your repulsive...proclivities!” says the duke with a contemptuous sneer “No. Don''t answer that! I don''t want to hear it!”
<u>that</u> request I will happily grant you. You''ll get your audience with him, <u>in chains</u> as you''re awaiting His Majesty''s judgment for what you''ve done! We''ve already sent agents to inspect your house''s holdings, and if we find even one more beast pretending to wear human skin like you, <u>not a single man, woman, or child will be allowed to live!</u>” As the baron is slapped into heavy chains and dragged over to be thrown into a cage in a covered wagon prepared for prisoner transport. “Oh. Don''t worry, we won''t let you die just yet. We are going to be questioning you very, very carefully, and we''re not going to use something as unreliable as a slave collar. We''ve got ''better'' ways.”
paradise compared to the alternative he''s now facing.