Chapter 32
2nd Floor Promotion Quest (3)
5.
In the 2nd Floor Promotion Quest, <Dimensional Theater>, several famous fairy tales make an appearance.
For example, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White, and so on.
Anyone who read a bit of fairy tales as a child would probably recognize them. In this quest, these well-known stories are reinterpreted and presented as dungeons.
But as is often the case with such quests, not all dungeons have the same difficulty. Some are easy, some are extremely difficult. Each dungeon has different objectives and unique mechanics.
From this perspective, the fairy tale I drew is said to be the absolute worst of the worst.
“Little Red Riding Hood and the Cruel Wolf?”
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This one’s really brutal.
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Your luck has to be unbelievably bad.
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Compared to other fairy tales, the chance of getting this one is low anyway.
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According to guides from YouTubers, if you get this one, just give up and try again in a week.
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Look closely—anything unlucky will happen to you here.
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You’re basically covering extreme misfortune with skill lol.
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Life is precious, so shouldn’t you just quit?
Everyone’s probably read this as a child. A story about the most beautiful girl in the world going to her grandmother’s house in the forest.
In short: the wolf pretends to be the girl, eats the grandmother, puts on her clothes, then tricks the girl and eats her too—a rather gruesome story.
Of course, the ending changes depending on the version. Sometimes the grandmother and girl are eaten and that’s the end, other times a passing hunter rescues them.
I’m not sure which version this dungeon follows.
[Promotion Quest <Dimensional Theater – Little Red Riding Hood and the Cruel Wolf> begins.]
[Quest Objective: Escort Little Red Riding Hood and ensure she does not die under any circumstances.]
[This quest is an escort mission. If the target dies, the quest automatically fails.]
[Warning! The <Wolf> in this dungeon is extremely ‘powerful.’ Do not even think of confronting it!]
With numerous messages popping up, the scenery around me instantly changed, and I found myself in a dense forest.
Ah, an escort quest.
Until now, most quests were about destroying or killing things. This one feels… different, fitting for a promotion quest.
But isn’t this the kind of quest you can clear just by keeping the escort alive?
“Is this difficult?”
When I asked that quietly, the chat exploded.
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It’s the hardest, yes.
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You should just give up if you get this one.
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It’s inherently unfair. You’ll see when you meet the wolf.
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You can’t protect Little Red Riding Hood alone. The wolf isn’t just any wolf.
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It’s a lycanthrope and invincible.
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How did people even beat this before? I can’t remember.
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Last time a streamer with speed traits got this quest, they just tried to proceed and got ripped apart by the wolf.
[<Abyss Encyclopedia> has donated 10,000 Won.]
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The wolf in this quest takes no damage. Meteo, we recommend giving up. It’s fast, and if you let your guard down, not only Little Red Riding Hood but even the player could die.
Have viewers ever collectively worried about me this much during a broadcast?
Apparently, this is worse than the previous “Troll’s Gorge” war-like situation.
Look—though their words are harsh, they’re genuinely worried.
Overhyping is one thing, but this seems like it will be really hard to clear.
“Has anyone cleared this recently?”
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Probably LeBron, a 7th-floor American player, cleared it three years ago.
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His trait is stealth, and he can hide his presence as well as others.
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Among assassination-type players, he’s the second best in the world.
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Without that level of stealth, clearing is impossible.
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Damage-based rush strategies won’t work either. The wolf takes no damage.
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Yeah, it’s t-tough.
The chat is basically telling me to give up.
The same guys who usually troll mercilessly are actually thinking about my safety.
“But if I give up, I have to wait a week, right?”
Promotion quest penalty: giving up is possible, but you must wait 148 hours in real time before trying again.
I need to get to the 3rd floor quickly to start the raid.
“Let’s just do it.”
I’m the type who has to experience something to know its taste. The intense opposition from everyone only fuels my resolve.
As soon as I declared I would proceed, the chat went wild, but I chuckled and walked forward.
“How do I even proceed with this quest…”
Just as I began scanning the forest,
Flash!
A bright light shot out in front of me, revealing a small, adorable girl wearing a red cape.
She carried a basket that emitted a sweet aroma.
It’s my first time encountering a harmless entity in the Abyss. She really looks human.
“Ah, hello.”
The Red Riding Hood girl greeted me cautiously.
“Hi. Are you the hunter of the forest?”
In the fairy tale, she usually meets the wolf before reaching her grandmother. Maybe this quest reinterpreted it?
While I pondered my reply, a message appeared:
[You are the hunter maintaining the order of the forest. The forest is very dangerous. Escort the girl to <Grandmother’s House>.]
[The more the girl trusts you, the better the quest reward. Fulfill your role diligently.]
Ah, that’s the concept.
Apparently, something will happen when we reach the cabin. I closed the message window and smiled gently at the girl.
“So, what are you doing alone in the forest?”
“Grandma lives across the forest! My mom told me to bring her walnut pie and butter, so I’m on my way.”
“That’s a pretty cape.”
“Thank you. Grandma made this cape too.”
I guess I am weak against kids. Even though it’s just a quest, I feel attached.
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Sweet Theo…
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Why are you harsh to us but so warm with kids?
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Thought I came to the wrong stream.
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We should just give up now.
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The interaction with Little Red Riding Hood is kind of refreshing.
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She’s cute.
Let’s ignore us foolish adults for a moment.
“I’m Theo. What’s your name?”
“I’m Ruby.”
“There are dangerous animals in this forest. Can I escort you to your grandmother’s house?”
In the original fairy tale, the wolf would have said something similar… but this innocent girl nodded brightly.
“Grandma lives in the village near the windmill! I was scared already… thank you for helping, oppa!”
“…Oppa?”
“Yes!”
Oppa.
Ruby… I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.
“Trust only me.”
“Thank you!”
“Alright.”
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Only trust Kingppa;;;;
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I wish I had a little sister like that.
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Never heard that name before.
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The name’s cute.
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Sometimes videos of this quest show her ending badly.
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Honestly, I hope there’s a happy ending once.
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That American player ended up carrying her while unconscious.
Now I have a reason to complete this quest.
6.
The forest was brutal.
Wolves howling in every direction, traces of what seemed like bear droppings.
This wasn’t a place one could traverse alone.
Subtle dark magic suggested monsters were also present.
“Theo oppa, let’s eat pie together at grandma’s! My mom’s walnut pie is really tasty!”
“Is that okay?”
“Yes! Grandma said hunters are scary, but you don’t seem scary at all.”
Maybe my first impression was good, because Ruby chattered cutely the whole way.
The chat seems to be feeling the same warmth.
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Ruby, run! That guy next to you is crazyㅠㅠ
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Do we really need to empathize with an NPC?
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Yeah, it’s worth it.
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Why?
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She’s cute.
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Agreed.
I’ve never seen the chat this clean before. Note to self: cute children calm even the most vicious viewers.
“Other hunters carry bows. You don’t have one?”
“I do, but I left it at home.”
“Oh. Then how do you hunt animals?”
“With my bare hands.”
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
It’s a warm response in the cold Abyss!
Apparently, these beings are called NPCs by the viewers.
“Ruby, you seem familiar with the forest. Aren’t you scared?”
“I can find my way to grandma’s with my eyes closed. But… it’s a bit scary.”
“Why?”
“Sometimes I have nightmares. Being eaten by wolves in the forest… that kind of nightmare.”
Ruby carefully stepped as she spoke.
“But even after nightmares, I still go to grandma’s house.”
“Since when have you been having nightmares?”
Ruby tilted her head, answering in a puzzled voice:
“I don’t really know!”
“I hope you won’t have nightmares anymore.”
“Me too! But I don’t think I will today! Because you’re going with me!”
“That’s a relief.”
Walking and talking with Ruby, we soon saw a house in the forest.
A wooden house, modest and suitable for an elderly person.
Herbs grew in front of it, and a wooden tub filled with water was nearby.
“We’re here! That’s the house!”
Ruby ran with excitement. I exhaled quietly and followed her.
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Something big’s coming;;
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Be careful.
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Main quest starts now.
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Run while you still can!
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I can’t watch this todayㅠㅠ
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She always finds a spot where she can die.
As we approached, the chat sped up. Despite viewers’ concern, Ruby knocked on the door.
Knock knock knock.
“Grandma! I’m here!”
Her cheerful voice echoed, but there was no response inside.
Knock knock knock.
“Grandma?”
Only then did a rough voice answer from inside:
“Who’s there?”
“It’s Ruby! Your granddaughter! Mom told me to bring walnut pie and butter!”
“I see.”
That couldn’t be the grandmother’s voice. I quietly approached Ruby.
“Grandma’s voice usually this husky?”
“Hmm. Maybe she has a cold?”
A rough voice returned from inside:
“Ruby, who came with you?”
“Theo oppa! Theo oppa is a hunter! It’s dangerous for me to go alone, so he’s escorting me. Can we eat the walnut pie together?”
“That’s right. It’s dangerous for you alone. You’re a good person. I’m sick, but if you pull the wedge on the door, the wooden latch will open.”
The quest hasn’t progressed yet. We need to enter the house to start it properly.
Ruby carefully removed the wedge and opened the latch. Smiling brightly, she stepped inside.
Inside was a foul, animal-like stench—definitely not human.
“…Grandma?”
Instead of a grandmother, inside the house was:
“Kuhahaha. The granddaughter really came? Young humans are tender and tasty. The other human… a bit tough, but still looks tasty. Krrr.”
A massive lycanthrope with silver fur drooled and waited.
The moment its yellow eyes met mine, a new message popped up:
[<Escort Quest> begins!]
[Protect <Red Riding Hood Ruby> from <Lycanthrope Silver Fang Lv.170>!]
[Reach the initial entry point with the escort to complete this quest.]
[From now on, the forest becomes lethally dangerous!]
Raaaaarrrr!
The terrifying roar of the lycanthrope shook the entire forest.
