Chapter 62 – The Long Hunt
The forest swallowed sound.
Each step deeper felt heavier than the last, as if the trees themselves were watching, measuring them. The air grew thick with musk and damp earth, the ground uneven beneath Peterson's bare feet.
Then the chime hit.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
New Quest Acquired
Quest Name: A Hundred Beasts
Objective: Defeat 100 Gorilla-type Demon Beasts
Progress: 0 / 100
Rewards upon Completion:
• +1000 EXP
• New Skill Unlocked: Veve's Weapon Staff
Skill Description:
You may shift your staff into different weapon forms by spinning it once.
The weapon will transform into the form envisioned at the moment of rotation.
Peterson exhaled slowly.
"…A hundred," he muttered. "That's insane."
Naëlle glanced at him sideways. "Let me guess. The system's asking for something unreasonable again."
He smirked. "You have no idea."
They moved on.
It didn't take long.
The first gorillas emerged in pairs, then groups. Some were smaller, less aggressive. Others moved with purpose, eyes sharp, bodies tense.
Peterson focused.
Inspect.
The world subtly shifted.
Floating markers appeared over the beasts.
— No Horns
Rank: Unclassified
Threat: Minimal
— 1 Horn
Rank: E-Rank
Threat: Low
— 2 Horns
Rank: D-Rank
Threat: Low
Peterson swallowed. "Okay… I see it now."
Naëlle nodded once. "Good. I'll take the horned ones."
Before he could reply, she was already moving.
Peterson turned toward the nearest hornless gorilla.
"Guess you're mine."
The fight was messy, brutal, exhausting.
Punches. Kicks. Dodge rolls. Sweat stinging his eyes. Each gorilla went down slower than the last. His muscles screamed. His stamina burned fast. He got hit more than he liked, slammed into trees, thrown across dirt.
But he kept getting up.
[SYSTEM LOG]
Gorilla defeated (No Horn)
+10 EXP
Naëlle moved like a storm.
Horned gorillas fell around her with terrifying efficiency.
[SYSTEM LOG]
Gorilla defeated (1 Horn – E-Rank)
+30 EXP
More came.
Larger. Angrier.
[SYSTEM LOG]
Gorilla defeated (2 Horns – D-Rank)
+50 EXP
The forest floor eventually went silent.
Bodies lay scattered between broken trees and torn earth.
Peterson counted slowly.
"…Sixty."
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
Quest Progress: A Hundred Beasts
60 / 100 Gorillas Defeated
Peterson leaned forward, hands on his knees, breathing hard.
Naëlle wiped her brow, quieter than before.
"…We should stop," she said. "It's getting dark."
He didn't argue.
Night fell fast.
They found the cave by chance — a narrow crack in stone, barely visible unless you were looking for shelter. They crawled inside, emerging into a space just large enough to stand upright.
Human-sized.
Safe.
Peterson left briefly, gathering wood from nearby fallen branches, careful not to stray far. They got a fire going quickly, the warmth welcome against aching limbs.
As he sat down, something clicked.
"…Wait."
He reached inward.
Dimensional Storage.
A familiar tug answered.
Peterson's eyes widened as a folded blanket dropped into his hands.
Then snacks.
Packaged. Sealed. Intact.
"…They're still here," he whispered.
Naëlle smiled faintly. "Looks like you didn't lose everything."
They ate quietly, sharing warmth and silence.
Eventually, Naëlle lay down first.
Exhaustion took her almost instantly.
Peterson watched her for a moment, firelight dancing across her face.
Then he looked at his hands.
I'm too slow.
Too weak.
"…I need to step it up," he murmured.
He leaned back against the cave wall and spoke softly.
"System. Show me my full status."
STATUS WINDOW
Name: Peterson Joseph
Level: 5
EXP: 330 / 500
Unspent Stat Points: 20
Vitals
HP: 500 / 500
Stamina: 300 / 300
Magic: 350 / 350
Core Stats
Strength: 1
Endurance: 1
Agility: 1
Dexterity: 1
Charisma: 1
Luck: 7 / 10
Spiritual Affinity: Latent
Midnight King Meter
Resonance: 20% / 100%
(Passive growth active: +5% per hour)
Skills
Veve Transformation (Unstable)
Dimensional Storage
Inspect – Level 1
Quest Log
Completed Today:
• None
Active Quests:
• A Hundred Beasts — 60 / 100
Reward on Completion:
• +1000 EXP
• Veve's Weapon Staff
Stat Allocation Preview
Available Points: 20
If allocated to Strength:
• Strength: 1 → 21
• Massive increase in physical damage
• Faster enemy takedowns
• Improved impact efficiency
[SYSTEM NOTE – LEVEL SCALING UPDATED]
Level-up grants:
• +100 Max HP
• +50 Max Stamina
• +50 Max Magic
Peterson stared at the screen.
Then smiled.
"…Strength it is."
The fire crackled softly.
Outside the cave—
Something massive shifted in the darkness.
Watching.
End of Chapter 62