Park Geon-woong's face turned pale at my words.
He finally seemed to grasp the situation.
I smirked at his reaction, which was far too late.
"Why so surprised? You were trying to kill me. So what's the reason I can't kill you?"
"Uh... uh..."
"Is there some reason I don't know about? Spit it out. I'll listen."
Of course, no immediate answer came.
Park Geon-woong rolled his eyes, sweating profusely for a good while.
It took nearly a full minute before he finally forced his mouth open.
"M-Murderer."
"What?"
"I-If you kill me, you're a murderer! Killing a person!"
"But you were about to become one. Why can't I?"
At my retort, Park Geon-woong squeezed his eyes shut and stammered.
"H-Honestly... I was just gonna threaten you."
"..."
Wow. Truly astonishing.
Everything was shocking, but this guy's intelligence level was especially mind-blowing.
Did he seriously think such an excuse would fly?
"Energy Drain."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ All magic has been recharged.
Shwooo.
"Gurk!? Grkgh!"
As I drained his life force with Energy Drain, he convulsed like a man being strangled by a rope.
Interesting. So that's how it reacts on a person.
He writhed and shed tears, but I didn't stop the drain.
"Gack! Haaack!"
"You survived?"
I'd used Energy Drain intending to suck him dry to death, yet he clung on until the recharge finished.
This guy's lifeline was disgustingly tenacious.
I approached the half-dead bastard and whispered.
"Geon-woong-ah."
"S-Spare... me...!"
"Sure, I'll spare you."
Park Geon-woong's eyes, on the verge of death, snapped wide open.
Hope bloomed in pupils filled only with terror and despair.
"R-Really...?"
"Yeah, really."
"Uh-huhk!"
Tears poured from his eyes as if he'd been saved.
But it was too early to celebrate like that.
"Though I don't know if you've lived a good life up till now."
"Eh...?"
"I'm leaving now. Who should help you out? Who's gonna?"
With all his limbs broken, he couldn't do a thing alone.
Without someone else helping, he was doomed to die helplessly.
But was there anyone who'd help this guy now?
"Oh, right, there's one person. That uncle over there watching, ready to help you?"
"...!"
Pointing to the second floor, Park Geon-woong paled and gaped.
Inside the window, the man who'd just had his life threatened was staring this way.
"Lucky! My Geon-woong, now you have someone to help—no worries at all!"
"Eu, heuu!"
"Alright, I'm off! Get treated at uncle's house and see you later!"
"Euaaaah!"
I gave a light smile to the screaming monster and turned away.
Moments later, footsteps descended the stairs, followed by another voice.
-You fucking bastard! What? Gonna kill me!? Die yourself!
-M-Mercy! Mercy, ack!
Thud, thud, thud.
-Die! Just die! You murdering fuck!
-Spare meee! Please stooop!
Crack, crunch.
Sounds of breaking bones, tearing flesh, crushing skull.
The screams gradually faded until they stopped entirely.
I picked at my ear, glancing toward the convenience store where I'd once worked part-time.
Should've been nicer day-to-day, huh, Geon-woong?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
'Almost there.'
An unexpected incident had delayed me a bit longer than planned.
I eyed the remaining 100 meters or so and headed down the hiking trail.
Crossing the winding path, I lost my words at the sight before me.
"...This is kinda wild."
This hiking trail nearby was a spot I'd occasionally visited for walks.
I'd passed the quest location a few times before.
But the area below the trail I'd frequented had become an entirely different space.
"Like a slum from a medieval movie."
Wooden shacks that couldn't even be called well-built.
A crude road paved haphazardly with gravel.
And thick weeds sprouting around the houses.
It evoked images of a medieval peasant village I'd seen once.
The sudden village was weird enough, but something even stranger caught my eye.
'It's not like they built this—looks like they sliced out a chunk like cake.'
Felt like a game where they'd cut a jungle patch and pasted it in the middle of a desert.
The village clashed completely with the surrounding environment.
Just looking at the buildings showed they'd been constructed in a far more humid region than Korea.
The alien vibe was so strong I didn't even want to enter.
'But inventory as a reward? Weird atmosphere's no big deal.'
Ignoring the uneasy feeling, I stepped into the village.
The moment my foot touched the ground, a system message announced quest completion.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have completed the main quest 'Seek a Sanctuary'. As a quest reward, you have received a Small Inventory. The Inventory can be accessed via voice command, like the Status Window.
Finally. I immediately shouted the command right there.
"Inventory."
Fwoosh.
A window appeared before my eyes, slightly different from the Status Window.
A grid divided into ten slots, like a checkerboard.
I tried putting a baseball bat and a can of food into the window—my hand slipped through like liquid.
When I pulled my hand back, the bat and can had vanished from my grip.
'Can takes one slot, bat takes six.'
I nodded after checking the space they occupied in the Inventory.
This should let me store everything I'm carrying now.
I dumped my entire bag in, then closed the Inventory.
Once the reward was confirmed, the system promptly offered a new quest.
📜 NEW QUEST 📜
Acquire a Home
📍 Classification: Main Quest
⏰ Details: Even in a safe zone, no one can sleep outdoors forever. Choose an unoccupied building and claim it as your home.
🎁 Reward: Selected building and exclusive entry rights
"...Live in one of those shacks?"
Glancing around, dilapidated medieval huts filled my view.
These seemed worse than the basement of my 30-year-old villa.
It didn't sit right, making me squint, but soon some other houses caught my eye.
Amid countless shacks, a few buildings stood out in noticeably better condition.
'These are at least decent.'
If the others were medieval thatched huts doubling as barns, these were Roman-style houses.
I was about to enter one when—
"Freeze!"
"...?"
An out-of-place voice grabbed my ankle.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
'Beta Tester?'
I scanned the man who'd yelled at me from head to toe.
Shorts and a short-sleeved tee, pudgy belly, tattoos on his limbs.
No way he was an NPC—he was clearly a fellow Beta Tester.
"Freeze? You talking to me?"
"Who else, you?"
Why the sudden informal tone from this asshole?
Absurd, but I decided to sate my curiosity first.
"Why block me? I'm just here for the quest."
"That's why I'm blocking you."
"Pardon?"
"This house is taken. If you snag it first, I'm screwed."
The tattooed guy shrugged and jerked his chin at the rundown huts.
"Pick one over there. Don't eye these."
"...Taken? You mean someone's already claimed it?"
"Ugh, chatty fuck. Why? Curious?"
Grinning, the tattooed guy soon glared threateningly.
"My bros are coming to live here. So back off. Got it?"
"..."
That one line revealed his game.
"Bros" probably meant thugs like him, not real friends.
He'd secure the spot as a Beta Tester, then call in his gang to settle.
"Haha."
Ridiculous—laughter bubbled up again.
So they planned to monopolize the safe zone among themselves?
Impressive how boldly he admitted his greed.
His face twisted at my laugh.
"You little shit, you think I'm funny..."
"Black Missile."
Before he finished, I aimed at his head and cast.
Sparks flew from my fingertips as Black Missile shot toward him.
At minimum, concussion; worst case, instant death.
I didn't care which.
Boom.
"Huck!"
"...?"
But Black Missile exploded before hitting him.
Like it hit an invisible barrier.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Combat is prohibited within the safe zone. All physical and magical interference is nullified by the system. Please exit the safe zone for combat.
Oh, right. Safe zone.
Guess that's why it's called a safe zone.
"F-Fuck!"
The tattooed guy freaked at the explosion in front of him and plopped down.
No damage, but he'd gauged its power from the blast.
I aimed at the dazed fool again.
"Black Missile."
Boom.
"Uwaaah!"
"...Really doesn't work."
I tested once more, same result.
Black Missile blocked midway; Energy Drain wouldn't even activate.
A shame, but unavoidable.
At least I couldn't kill him, but he was secure too—call it even.
"You fucking shit! I'm gonna kill you!"
The tattooed guy pulled a baton from his inventory and threatened me.
I snorted at the pathetic bluff.
"Go ahead, kill me."
"W-What?"
"Try it. Take a swing."
"..."
Despite my taunt, he just blinked before biting his lip and backing off.
This bastard already knew attacks don't work in the safe zone.
"Pig's using its head like a fox. Pick one thing and stick to it."
"You fucking cunt! You wanna die? Think you can live here forever?"
So, threatening to kill me if I ever leave the safe zone?
Too hilarious for words.
"And you? Think you can live here forever?"
"Fuck, what bullshit!?"
"If you don't get it, fine."
Guys like Park Geon-woong and this one—if you don't spell it out, they don't comprehend.
Guess I'll have to explain kindly.
"Here's the deal: If we meet outside the safe zone, you run at me full speed to kill me. And I'll blast you with magic the second I see you. Fair, right?"
"Uh? Uh...?"
The tattooed guy tilted his head at my words, then his eyes widened.
He finally got it.
Looking at him, I recalled the question I'd had with Park Geon-woong.
'Why do these close-combat weapon idiots always wanna fight me?'
No armor, no shield, no helmet even.
Truly one of humanity's mysteries.
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