[Name: Luna Park
Title: (no title yet)
Level: 6
Current Quest (7/100): Defeat three Haunting Trees.
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Exclusive Ability: Magic Maniac
Skills:
1. Dagger Novice (Level 2)
2. Lightning Magic Novice (Level 3)
3. Spear Novice (Level 2)
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Endurance: 41
Strength: 21
Speed: 16
Dexterity: 43
Mana: 20
Intelligence: 57
Luck: 24]
"Looks like luck was on our side today!" Carl remarked, stretching his arms.
"Yeah, I'm just glad that we didn't encounter a group of Haunting Trees again." Nina remarked with a wry laugh.
The party, consisting of new Challengers, including Luna, was already returning from their latest quest. Before night fell, the potion maker managed to gather the ingredients they needed. The mission would be over once the potion maker left the hunting fields, and since the group led by Luna did not face any threats or irregularities, everyone was already letting down their guards, thinking that nothing would happen now.
The exit was in sight, and the whole party was unharmed, except for having a few light scratches and bruises. It was a total success this time. Luna, in particular, was happy about the result as it was also the first time that she cleared a mission without any help from Erik or Jay. She finally saw the result of her training and growth from living inside the tower, which was reflected in her status window, with her stats and skills having gone up just slightly.
Initially, escorting the potion maker had been Luna's quest, and she had no doubts that she would have had a much harder time doing that on her own, but with the help of her friends, it was a breeze. That, however, made her wonder if the quests were that easy to clear in parties, would there not be a lot more Conquerors?
If people grouped up, the tower's quests should be easy to handle, resulting in the rise of even more Conquerors. However, it appeared as if only a few Conquerors existed inside the tower. Were future quests designed to be nearly impossible to clear on one's own, and barely doable for parties? It was a question she had to save for later when she met Erik and Jay again.
"I wonder what they're doing right now...?" she muttered pensively, inaudible to the others who were rejoicing in their success.
Once she met up with them again, she would also bring up another topic: joining their party. It had been a while, but now Luna managed to catch up to them as she was also on her seventh quest now. Although she had fun and a good time with Nina and the others, she still sought to be in the same party as Erik and Jay. After all, it was the best way for her to become stronger. Also, even if they had a rocky start, had their differences, and did not see eye to eye a lot of times, they were still dear friends to her.
[Breaking news! The unknown creature was spotted on the roof of the Rookie Dorms. The police-]
Luna shifted her attention to the potion maker's phone. The potion maker just wanted to check something on their phone and accidentally tapped on the latest news, which was a live broadcast of a scene.
"That creature again?" Randy murmured, peeking at the phone as well.
"They talked about it this morning, too! Apparently, it attacked a young couple last night." Neil chimed in, breaking into a cold sweat.
While the others formed a circle around the shy potion maker, Luna just stared at their backs. Even without looking at the screen, she knew exactly what that creature was. Without saying a word, she took out her phone and started typing a message before the first raindrops landed on her screen.
[The police already stormed- Hm? What's going on? It appears like two men are trying to barge into the scene!]
The Rookie Dorms—the place where new people, like Luna, stayed until they were able to find another place—was barricaded by the Kilgen Police Force. Bystanders and news reporters were gathering at the scene, trying to get a view of the mysterious creature, which was on the building's roof.
"You two again?! How much longer do you intend to bother me?!" Scarlet Kilgen complained as she tried to send away Erik and Jay—the two men mentioned in the live broadcast.
"Our quest requires us to defeat it. Can you please let us handle it?" Erik asked, both polite and determined.
"And like I've said multiple times, we can't do that. You've seen the news this morning, too, didn't you? Now that innocent civilians are involved, the police can't afford to sit back and do nothing." Scarlet responded, sounding annoyed. Still, she understood where the two were coming from as she was once ascending the tower, too, but as a policewoman, she had to do her duties.
"Do you need money?" Jay said with a stern expression.
"Huh? You trying to bribe me? Do you know that the mere attempt can-"
However, before she could finish her sentence, the gasping crowd parted, opening a path for an individual who was walking toward Scarlet and the other two.
"Good evening, everyone."
It was Alice Kilgen. She greeted the three politely. Her expression had hardened, and her eyes showed everyone that she was not there to fool around. Even though she tended to drop her guard around Erik and Jay, as she did back then, Alice did not show that side today.
"M-Miss Alice..." Scarlet fumbled her words, shocked by the sudden appearance of a high-ranked family member. She reflexively made way for her and lowered her head, letting a few drops of sweat hit the concrete.
"Do you think you can defeat it in your current states?" Alice asked, her face directed at the roof. It was the same question she asked them during their first encounter with the mutation that was currently fighting off Scarlet's subordinates. Last time, Erik and Jay did not answer that question—be it because they missed their chance to open their mouths, or because they did not want to admit that they could not do it.
However, this time was different.
"We are!" Jay responded firmly, his gaze stern.
"Good to know." Alice murmured, flashing a grin for just a short moment before turning her head to Scarlet.
"Scarlet Kilgen, please let those two handle that monster. I'll take full responsibility if something happens."
"B-but Miss Alice! As the police, we can't-"
"The outcome won't change. If they fail to slay it, I will do it. That monster's fate is set, no matter what happens from now on." Alice cut off the nervous Scarlet.
Scarlet was pondering about what choice she should make—doing what she should do as a policewoman or listening to a higher-up. She was visibly torn about that decision as she was vehemently scratching her head.
"I understand..." she finally gave in, allowing Erik and Jay to slip through the barricade.
"I'm glad that you've made the correct decision!" Erik stated in a tone that sounded like he was mocking her.
"Shut up and go already!" Scarlet grumbled, following the two as she had to inform her colleagues who were ahead.
And while Erik and Scarlet were bickering with each other, Jay whispered a message to Alice, who nodded in accordance.
"I will make sure to deliver your message." Alice declared, smiling softly.
"Thanks, I owe you one!"
Following those words of gratitude, Jay and the others rushed inside the building, heading toward the rampaging mutation on the roof.
"What did you tell Alice?" Erik asked.
"Nothing special. I was just preparing our trump card." Jay chuckled, earning him a weird look from Erik.
"How can you guys be so calm...?" Scarlet sighed. Despite being in a hurry, the group was now casually chitchatting inside the building's elevator.
"It's not like panicking would make the elevator go faster." Erik retorted, shrugging his shoulders.
"You ought to relax in such situations, you know?" Jay added, grinning widely.
A vein was about to pop, but Scarlet managed to soothe her anger by taking one deep breath after another. Then, she took a glance at the young men, inspecting their equipment.
"You're telling me that you want to fight it with that equipment...?" she pointed out, baffled. While Jay only possessed armor and a weapon fitting for a newbie, Erik was fighting with almost no armor and a staff as his main weapon. From her perspective, they looked like two idiots heading to their early deaths.
But before the two could argue with her, the elevator stopped. They arrived on the highest story, with the stairs leading to the roof. The entrance to the roof was unguarded, most likely because everyone was called to fight the mutation that was causing a ruckus, which was heard since they had entered the building.
"We trust you to explain the situation to the others." Erik told Scarlet, smiling warmly at her.
"Focus on the enemy, instead of your surroundings, you fool." she replied, clicking her tongue.
Meanwhile, Jay was already locked in. His eyes were focused on the door, and every word and sound entered one ear and left the other. The left hand was on his sword's sheath, whereas the right hand emitted cold air, ready to use ice magic.
"Here we go then." Erik said, taking one last deep breath before he opened the door.
It was raining heavily now. The rain mixed with the blood of officers lying unconscious on the ground. The air was filled with battle cries and cries of despair. However, those cries were drowned out completely by the monster's roar.
The monster was nearly unfazed, despite dozens of people fighting against it. That being did not possess any eyes, but it still steered its attention to Erik and Jay, showing them an uncanny smirk, as if it was sneering at them.
"After all this time, we can finally advance."
Jay nodded as he and Erik drew their weapons. The other people on the roof instinctively stepped back, either forming a circle around them or heading toward Scarlet, who was at the entrance.
Scarlet sighed, unbothered by the rain falling on her.
"Let's see if my suspicions are right..."