Chapter 33
2nd Floor Advancement Quest (4)
7.
“Inseob, what are you watching so intently?”
“Ah, Seongwoo-hyung’s advancement quest.”
“Right, he said today was the advancement quest, didn’t he? Second floor… so that’s the Dimensional Theater. What did he roll?”
“‘Red Riding Hood and the Cruel Wolf.’”
“Oh, I know that one. You’re supposed to run away from the lycanthrope with the invincibility buff, right? They call it an escort quest, but it’s basically an escape quest. Usually, if that one pops up, people just wait for the next chance, don’t they? It’s impossible to clear normally.”
“Hyung, you’ve become quite the expert now.”
“We’ve known each other how many years, you punk.”
Yoo Seongwoo’s most trusted junior, Inseob, was watching his real-time stream from the office.
Also there was Lee Kangwoo, his former manager and now the head of the MCN company managing him.
“Kangwoo-hyung, you know that red-hooded girl? Her name’s Ruby.”
“How do you know her name?”
“No idea. Hyung asked her, and she just answered right away.”
“Pretty sure she never answered when other streamers asked.”
“Exactly. She really feels like a real person.”
“That quest is seriously dangerous though… will he be okay?”
“Hmmm.”
Inseob tapped his fingers on the desk.
If it were someone else, maybe he’d worry. But for some reason, when it came to Seongwoo, he didn’t feel worried.
‘Didn’t he say he even killed gods in another world?’
They’d had drinks before, and he’d heard the stories of the last seven years.
That he’d been grinding it out in another world called Avalon before coming back.
It was hard to believe. Never mind other dimensions—fighting ridiculous enemies and coming back alive?
Any sane person wouldn’t believe it right away.
But it wasn’t unbelievable either.
‘He’s not someone who would lie to me.’
That’s the kind of man Yoo Seongwoo was.
He never bragged in private, and he always treated people sincerely.
Even during the rough times—when no matter how much he streamed, there were no viewers—he’d been solid.
Why would someone like that reappear after seven years just to tell lies?
Judging from the way he’s been moving so far, the odds were far higher that what he said was true.
And with that in mind…
“There’s nothing to worry about.”
He’d be fine.
From the start, trying to evaluate Seongwoo with common sense was pointless.
He’d already shattered every bit of existing Abyss common sense, hadn’t he?
“You really trust Seongwoo, huh?”
“You’ll see for yourself when we drink together later. He’s genuinely a good guy.”
“If you’re saying that, then he must be. You said he’s signing with our company, right?”
“He told me to bring the contract. Said he’ll just sign it.”
“And if he gets scammed?”
“He’s Jinseong-hyung’s brother. You think anyone could pull that off?”
“…Fair point. He’s also our legal advisor’s brother, huh.”
“And besides… nah, forget it.”
Honestly, with the way Seongwoo’s been lately, he’d probably turn even a scam contract into streaming content—and make it cathartic content at that.
‘The guy’s just insane about streaming.’
While Inseob’s thoughts wandered, the stream reached today’s critical moment.
Lycanthrope Silverfang.
The main reason people gave up on Red Riding Hood.
As an Abyss specialist, Inseob knew exactly how absurdly monstrous that werewolf was.
‘A monster absolutely impossible to hunt with a 2nd floor player’s specs.’
They say safety rules are written in blood.
The same went for Abyss strategies.
Every advancement quest strategy was built on data from countless deaths.
And according to those, “Red Riding Hood and the Cruel Wolf” was a quest you had to abandon.
The death rate was overwhelming. Most challengers died before they could even hit the forfeit button after encountering the werewolf.
「KWAUUUUUUUUH-!」
The chilling roar felt like it pierced through the phone screen.
The transformed lycanthrope shattered the house just with its bulk, growing to over three meters tall.
The moment its yellowed fangs were about to sink into Red Riding Hood—
「RUNNNN!」
「KYAAAAA!」
Seongwoo scooped the girl under his arm and bolted forward at breakneck speed.
So fast even the drone camera lost focus.
Fwoooooosh—!
The drone following him picked up deafening wind noise—proof of his insane speed.
But only for a moment.
“You think you can run?”
The werewolf roared and gave chase.
And in that instant, the once-peaceful forest twisted into a nightmare.
CRRRAACK—!
SHRIEEEEK—!
Trees possessed by spirits stretched their roots out, attacking Seongwoo and the girl. Giant insects with human faces swarmed in from all sides.
The forest’s malice was so strong it radiated through the screen.
Whoa;;;
Why’s it censored?
Human-faced bugs?? What the hell
This doesn’t look normal
Was this even designed to be beatable?
Anyone ever seen this before?
I’ve never seen a forest this twisted even in foreign player vids
The chat exploded in horror.
Inseob chewed his nails, reading it.
‘…What the hell is going on?’
As notorious as Red Riding Hood and the Cruel Wolf was, it had never been this dangerous.
Something was very, very wrong.
Whatever the cause…
‘Even for Seongwoo-hyung…’
Could he escape from an invincible werewolf and this grotesque forest?
Just as worry filled Inseob’s head—
「No choice, then.”
「O… Oppa?”
「We’re going with Plan B. Ruby, close your eyes.”
“What the hell’s he doing!”
“…Inseob. You think this is for real?”
“No way! That’s not how this quest works at all!”
Yoo Seongwoo’s madness had begun.
8.
Sometimes I think about it.
What is assassination?
It’s killing with no witnesses. A silent, unseen kill.
That’s the usual definition.
Here’s the problem: if you eliminate the witnesses as well, is that still assassination?
With no witnesses, it is assassination, isn’t it?
“Ruby, close your eyes.”
“O-Oppa…”
“It’ll be over soon.”
If that’s assassination, then escorting is a similar idea.
What is escorting?
Protecting someone from threats.
So wouldn’t eliminating those threats beforehand also count as escorting?
Kind of like how a healer who kills enemies to prevent anyone from bleeding is still healing.
By that logic, I’ll give Ruby perfect protection.
“Just in case… Barrier, barrier, barrier, barrier, barrier.”
[Unique Trait <Skill Archive – Velua> activates.]
[This skill is 2nd Circle magic from <Mad Tower Master – Velua>. It can be used.]
I layered five barriers over Ruby’s body.
BOOM—!
The roots and bugs couldn’t pierce them. Ten minutes of protection.
If we just ran five more minutes, we’d reach the goal. But in this cursed forest, the beast would probably catch us at least once.
Sure, if I carried Ruby at full speed we might make it, but even a little running already had her pale-faced.
She might faint. But fainting or not, if I just get her to the destination, the quest clears.
And yet… something in me screamed that wasn’t the right answer.
I don’t know why.
Just instinct. Which is convenient, since my instincts are literally a skill—meaning they’re reliable.
So the conclusion?
“Eliminating threats is also escorting.”
I’ll face the werewolf.
That’s it.
The ultimate “meteor-style” escort.
And if it fails? I grab Ruby and run again.
(The rest of the section continues with Seongwoo fighting Silverfang, discovering its “invincible” buff doesn’t cover the fangs, ripping its teeth out on-stream, and turning the impossible quest into his own brand of “content.”)
