Chapter 54
by lionThe captain of the escorts wasn’t the only one surprised. The monster’s leader was also astonished by Jun-sang’s absurd strength. As nearly half of his monsters were instantly wiped out, the bulldog-headed monster with red fur could no longer stand it and charged at Jun-sang, swinging his large double-bladed axe.
“Hmm…”
Insight indicated this bulldog leader’s ability as green, but Jun-sang couldn’t take it lightly when he saw the huge double-bladed axe slicing through the air. He first dodged the diagonal cut of the double-bladed axe with a side step. Then, he immediately twisted his waist and delivered a short hook to the monster’s hand holding the axe.
CRACK!
At first glance, it seemed like a short, checking blow, but in reality, it was a powerful strike that put his body weight behind it, twisting his waist, and it instantly broke not only the monster’s hand but also the thick, sturdy wooden axe handle.
-KROAAAH!
The bulldog leader was terrified as his hand and axe handle instantly broke, and he scrambled backward. But Jun-sang had no intention of missing this rare opportunity. He swung his waist in a U-shape, compressing the remaining power of his punch into his muscles like a coiled spring, then caught up to the hurriedly retreating bulldog leader and landed a powerful liver blow on its torso.
-COUGH!
The bulldog leader felt a pain as if his internal organs were being torn apart, and he had the illusion of his vision turning white. Even in that state, he desperately retreated, trying to avoid Jun-sang’s fist, which was approaching with flashing blue eyes, but his muscles, stiffened by fear inducement, did not obey their owner’s commands. In that state, a dark combat boot landed on his knee, and his weakened leg folded, sending him tumbling to the ground.
As the bulldog leader fell, Jun-sang immediately mounted its body and rained a two-hit combo down on its large head.
THWACK! THWACK!
Two lightning-fast punches struck both temples, and the bulldog leader’s consciousness simply flew away. Jun-sang leaped slightly and brought his fist down as if demonstrating a breaking technique.
CRUNCH!
His fist, extending from behind his head and grazing his ear as it descended, utterly crushed the bulldog leader’s philtrum.
As the leader fell in an instant, the three monsters caught between the escorts and Jun-sang, who had been at a loss, screamed in desperation and charged at Jun-sang simultaneously.
“Tsk…”
Jun-sang lightly clicked his tongue and delivered a punch to each of those monsters. Eventually, having defeated all the monsters attacking from the front, Jun-sang slowly passed the carriage and moved to the rear.
“…”
Even though all the monsters in front had fallen, the escorts dared not even think of going to aid the battle in the rear. No matter how much this person had helped them, they couldn’t completely trust a complete stranger who had suddenly appeared. The escort captain looked at Jun-sang approaching the carriage and said, “S-stop.”
But Jun-sang didn’t stop.
“If you don’t stop…” the escort captain began again, but, “Then what?”
“…”
He had no choice but to shut his mouth at Jun-sang’s retort. Attacking first if he didn’t stop was the worst possible response. It would be different if he was confident of subduing him, but if not, it would only be like pulling a hair from a beast’s nose for no reason.
Eventually, the escort captain gave up on stopping Jun-sang and instead spread his hands, blocking the carriage entrance. And he was frustrated by the fact that this was the best he could do in the current situation.
“…”
Jun-sang ignored the escort captain’s actions and simply passed the carriage, joining the battle happening in the rear. The five monsters attacking the rear were locked in close combat with two escorts, but when they were suddenly ambushed by Jun-sang, they fell to the cold ground without much resistance.
After the battle ended, Jun-sang looked around and then returned to the fallen bulldog leader in front. Among the more than ten monsters, the bulldog leader was the only one with a seed. As soon as he retrieved the seed, the quest was finally updated.
Epic Quest – Dawn
2. It seems combat is occurring somewhere.
- Carefully approach and assess the situation. (Achieved!) -> Monsters are preparing a surprise attack. Stop the surprise attack. (Achieved!) -> Defeat the monsters surrounding the carriage. (Achieved!) -> Completed! Reward: A little experience -> Would you like to claim your rewards now? (Y/n) _ (Caution) Unclaimed rewards will be automatically deleted after 7 days.
“…”
Should he take comfort in the increased experience reward compared to before? He smacked his lips and claimed the rewards, and new quest information appeared in his left vision.
Epic Quest – Dawn
3. All stories begin with an encounter.
-> Talk to the mercenary captain. (Unachieved)
“…”
Jun-sang frowned slightly, then first searched the bodies of the bulldog monsters. After collecting the crude hand axes and the broken double-bladed axes, and putting three gold coins from the bulldog leader into his hand, Jun-sang finally approached the escorts, who were looking at him with uneasy eyes.
Then, the escort captain quickly stepped forward and spoke to Jun-sang. “Thank you for your help. How can we repay this kindness?”
Jun-sang replied, “Ask.”
“…”
Not only the escort captain, who heard that to his face, but also the escorts who were silently listening to their conversation and treating their wounds, were momentarily bewildered.
“Did you just… say what?”
“If you want to repay me, ask.”
“…”
The escort captain and the escorts had complicated thoughts. “If you want to repay me, ask?” Did he mean, if they wanted to repay him, they should ask for something? Or did he mean they should ask for a favor instead of repaying him?
In fact, there was no shortage of things to ask for. Since the two horses pulling the carriage had died in the sudden monster attack, it went without saying that this journey would be extremely difficult and arduous. In such a situation, the presence of someone with overwhelming power like Jun-sang was a more powerful aid than anything else in such turbulent times. However, entrusting their safety, and that of the person they were serving, to a complete stranger they had just met, who was clearly suspicious, was problematic in many ways. What if he used his overwhelming power to target them, and the person they were serving? From the escort captain’s perspective, it felt much safer to return to the previous village and find other means of transportation.
“I’m sorry, but…”
But just then, the carriage door opened, and two women emerged. One was a brown-haired woman of unknown age in a flowing, subtly purple dress, and the other was a slightly older, dull blonde middle-aged woman in a simple white dress.
“Ah, Young Lady!” The escort captain gasped and quickly rushed to the woman he called “Young Lady.” “Y-you can’t just come out like this…”
But the brown-haired woman smiled bitterly at the escort captain, who was fussing as if he would push her back into the carriage at any moment. “The horses are all dead anyway, so there’s no point in staying in the carriage.”
“That may be true, but…”
The brown-haired woman approached Jun-sang, who was staring blankly, and gracefully bowed, holding the hem of her dress with both hands. “It’s my first time meeting you. My name is Henes Brea.”
“…”
Jun-sang simply nodded his head in response to the woman, who had a cute, round face as if she hadn’t lost her baby fat yet. The escort captain and the middle-aged woman who followed frowned at Jun-sang’s demeanor, but Henes laughed brightly as if amused and spoke again.
“You’re very taciturn.”
To that, Jun-sang shook his head. “Not so.”
“Then?”
“I just don’t say unnecessary things.”
Then Henes replied with a smile, “Don’t people usually call that taciturn?”
“…”
Jun-sang didn’t answer. But again, Henes spoke with an expression that didn’t mind at all. “I overheard a bit of the conversation you had with our captain earlier.”
“…”
“You said ‘ask,’ didn’t you?”
Jun-sang nodded. Then Henes nodded back as if she understood and said to him, “Actually, we’re in a bit of a difficult situation. So I humbly ask for your help. Please help us safely reach our destination.”
As soon as her words ended, the quest information in his left vision updated.
Epic Quest – Dawn
3. All stories begin with an encounter.
-> Talk to the mercenary captain. (Achieved!) -> Safely escort Henes Brea to her destination. (Unachieved)
“…”
He could simply think of it as a kind of escort mission, but… looking at Henes’s attire, it wouldn’t be strange if it took months to complete this one quest. Naturally, Jun-sang had no intention of wasting so much time on a quest whose end was unknown.
Jun-sang quietly opened his mouth. “Wolfpack.”
Henes looked bewildered as Jun-sang, who hadn’t answered her and had been staring blankly into the air, suddenly muttered incomprehensible words. But that was only for a moment. As three gigantic wolves appeared around Jun-sang with a white light, not only she but also the people who had been watching with uneasy expressions were shocked.
“Gasp!”
“T-that’s!”
But Jun-sang ignored the people and abruptly picked up Henes, placing her on the back of the summoned Crimson Wolf.
“J-just a moment…” Henes, startled by Jun-sang suddenly picking her up, tried to shout, but then closed her mouth as she was seated on the Crimson Wolf’s back. It was because she was intimidated by the sight of the enormous wolf, which looked like it could bite and kill a girl her size in one gulp.
“Young Lady!”
“What is this…”
Seeing this, the middle-aged woman and the escort captain gasped and moved towards Henes. But at that very moment, another word escaped Jun-sang’s lips.
“Gentle Breeze, push them back.”
Then, the people moving towards Henes were pushed back by something soft and cushiony that enveloped their entire bodies. After all, the quest only stated to escort Henes Brea to her destination safely. In that case, there was no need to worry about the other troublesome people.
Jun-sang pushed the people back and then spoke again to Henes, who had a bewildered expression. “Do you know the way?”
“Huh? No, well… that is…” Henes was flustered and at a loss for words, but “Do you know or not?” Jun-sang asked, his eyes flashing, and she unconsciously startled and replied, “I-I know!”
“Which direction?”
“T-that way.”
Jun-sang nodded and said again, “Open Sprint.”
“Huh?” Henes wondered what he meant, but the next moment, Jun-sang immediately began to run with the wolves in the direction Henes pointed.
“Kyaah!”
Henes, suddenly riding on the back of a wolf that ran like the wind without a saddle, clung to its red fur, screaming a sound that was neither a scream nor a cheer.
“Ah, Young Lady!”
Seeing this, the people were greatly surprised and tried to somehow give chase, but Jun-sang and the wolves ran like the wind and instantly disappeared from their sight.
The escort captain immediately made a decision. “A-alright. You, you! I’ll give you money, go buy horses first!”
“Understood!”
“Nursemaid, wait in the carriage. You, and you too, guard the Nursemaid.”
“Yes!”
It was unclear when other monsters might appear, but with Henes having been “abducted” by an unknown man, what more was there to hesitate about?
“We’ll chase after the Young Lady first. I’ll leave markers, so get horses and follow quickly!”
“Understood!”
“Let’s go!”
Henes was completely disoriented as she was carried by the red-furred wolf, and it began to run like the wind. Of course, she had also learned horseback riding as part of her lady’s education, but the back of this red wolf was much lower than a horse’s, and its movements were far more dynamic. Having to endure solely with the strength of her arms and legs without a saddle, stirrups, or reins was nothing short of torture for Henes, who had grown up aiming to be a gentle lady of the house.
But even in this situation, she dared not complain. It was because Jun-sang was running beside her, keeping pace with the wolf in nothing but his bare body.
“Is this the right direction?”
“W-well…”
It was difficult to even look straight ahead due to the whipping wind. Seeing this, Jun-sang quietly said again, “Gentle Breeze, block it.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Henes realized that the wind that had been wildly swirling around her body had suddenly vanished. She raised her head again, wondering if they had stopped, but the red wolf she was riding was descending the mountain at a dizzying speed.
“T-this is…”
Only then did Henes realize that this man might be using magic.
“Is this the right direction?”
“Yes… it is.”
With the wind no longer assailing her face, Henes could look around with a little more stability. At first, she thought she was being abducted, but seeing his continuously questioning gaze, even with his indifferent expression, such suspicions gradually began to fade. Was it because she was in a completely unexpected situation? As her heart, which had been pounding with surprise and fear, calmed down, she unconsciously succumbed to the temptation of curiosity and began to sneak glances at the man running beside her like the wind.
Squinting, she first examined Jun-sang’s clothes. She hadn’t noticed amidst the violent movement, but upon closer inspection, the clothes this man was wearing were incredibly finely tailored. Not a single stitch was carelessly made on the collar, and not a single seam was broken. To be so delicately sewn yet able to withstand such intense movement without issue? This level of tailoring skill was not common. What on earth was this man’s true identity?
As Henes was having these thoughts, Jun-sang saw yellow exclamation marks appearing rapidly on the minimap in the upper right corner of his vision.
“…”
Not only were exclamation marks appearing, but the quest information was also being newly updated.
Epic Quest – Dawn
3. All stories begin with an encounter.
-> Talk to the mercenary captain. (Achieved!) -> Safely escort Henes Brea to her destination. (Unachieved)
(Sub) Siras’s Request
-> Conversation needed.
(Sub) Endel’s Request
-> Conversation needed.
(Sub) Bandes’s Request
-> Conversation needed.
(Sub) Koren’s Request
-> Conversation needed.
(Sub) Igel’s Request
-> Conversation needed.
Jun-sang abruptly stopped. As he stopped sprinting, the Crimson Wolf also stopped.
“Kyaa!”
Then, Henes, whose attention was engrossed in sneaking glances at Jun-sang, couldn’t withstand the sudden force of inertia and was flung through the air in a spectacular full circle, landing hard on the ground.
= Author’s Note =
One~ two, one-two-three four!
Hoi! Yo~~~~t Phone
Ha ha ha ha ha ha haiya
Ha ha ha ha ha ha Woo~
Come on, come on, come on,
What you’re about to see is
The rise and fall of ‘Drug Addicts’
The era is always advancing by leaps and bounds
Listen, old and young alike
At first glance, it’s poetic justice
Wiping out the bad guys
“But are you really going to endure with just drugs?”
Now, no matter what, there’s no reply
Ha ha ha ha ha ha haiya
Ha ha ha ha
Yo~~~~t Phone!
Appearing out of nowhere
Then vanishing to somewhere else, appearing and disappearing like a ghost
Waiting for continuous chapters feels like a thousand years in a day
Chasing after them, scrambling everywhere
The era is always changing endlessly
The human heart is complicated and bizarre
“But seriously, how does that drug taste?”
Now, no matter what he does, he’s a wreck
Ah, round and round to the night streets
He starts doing drugs without hesitation and continuously writes chapters
Drugs~
Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!
As if vividly bursting nosebleeds
Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!
With hair fluttering
The day before yesterday, yesterday, today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow
This continuous writing goes on
Take drugs, write continuously, take drugs in perfect order!
Tonight is endless hell!
Hoi! Yo~~~~t Phone!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha haiya
Ha ha ha ha ha ha Woo~
You know, you know, you know
Will peace ever come to this world?
Non-stop, endless arguments
Soldiers, a constant stream of customers
Crowded warlords vying for power
Heads or tails, sudden wealth
Coming to senses, desperate situation
“But that drug, how does it taste?”
Now it’s truly outlandish
Ah, reaching and reaching the night streets
He starts doing drugs without hesitation
Drugs~
Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!
As if vividly bursting nosebleeds
Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it, do it!
With hair fluttering
The day before yesterday, yesterday, today, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow
This continuous writing goes on
Take drugs, write continuously, take drugs wildly!
What day of the week is it tonight?
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday?
Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday?
Ha ha ha ha ha ha haiya
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
Hoi! Yo~~~~t Phone!