Chapter 22

“At least one person will get left out. And when that happens, I’ll swoop in.”

Who cared if they didn’t like him?

If they wanted the rewards, they’d have to work with him.

And if they refused?

Well, he wasn’t the only one on the bottom.

There were others who had been hesitant, who had waited too long.

They’d get desperate soon enough.

And when they did?

They’d have no choice but to work with him.

“I just have to wait for the right moment.”

Of course, there was also the possibility that he’d end up alone.

But he shoved that thought to the back of his mind.

He refused to even consider it.

He couldn’t afford to.

Not now.

Not when—

“Wait.”

“Uh… hey?”

“Someone’s leaving.”

The murmurs spread like wildfire.

All eyes turned toward the edge of the safe zone.

Someone had stepped out.

And it wasn’t just anyone.

It was him.

The guy who had blown up a goblin’s skull.

The guy who had obliterated Alex without breaking a sweat.

The Warlock.

The moment realization dawned, Derek’s face paled.

“Oh, fuck me.”

“Nathan, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s just a scratch.”

“But you’re bleeding…!”

“It’s nothing. I already put medicine on it. See? It stopped bleeding.”

From the window, Nathan stared outside, only half-listening to the voices behind him.

His parents hovered anxiously around his older brother, Logan, their concern unwavering.

It made him frown.

‘They’re making such a big deal out of nothing.’

The skeleton’s blade had barely grazed Logan, leaving only a shallow cut—less severe than the one Nathan had accidentally given himself while chopping vegetables not too long ago.

A minor wound. Nothing a bit of disinfectant couldn’t handle.

And yet, his parents refused to leave his brother’s side.

‘Would they worry this much if I got hurt?’

Suppressing his irritation, Nathan turned his attention back to the streets.

The goblins had vanished, their absence quickly filled by skeletons.

They were stronger than goblins, even though they were little more than moving piles of bones.

And their numbers—

Far greater than what the goblins had ever been.

“I should’ve left earlier.”

Had he acted when goblins were still the primary threat, he could have cleared a quest with ease.

No, he would have—if his family hadn’t stopped him.

His parents and brother had physically restrained him, forcing him to stay inside.

“Don’t say something so ridiculous! Do you have any idea what could happen if you go out there?!”
“Exactly! If you act rashly, you’ll just get yourself killed. This isn’t a movie!”

Their words had been filled with concern, but Nathan had felt nothing but frustration.

‘They think I want to play the hero? I was following the quest because it gave clear instructions. The system literally told us where the safe zone was.’

It wasn’t about playing the protagonist.

It was simple logic—if the quest mentioned a safe zone, it stood to reason that reaching it was a priority.

And yet, his family had dismissed it.

“A game? You really think this is like one of your video games?”
“What if this is just some kind of trap meant to lure kids like you into danger?”

No amount of reasoning had worked.

His parents already disapproved of games. His older brother, who spent his life buried in textbooks, wasn’t any better.

They didn’t understand.

And worse, they didn’t want to understand.

‘And because of that, we did nothing—and now we’re stuck here.’

With a sigh, Nathan opened his status window.

Something new had appeared under his stats.

《Curse: Sloth》

• Type: Persistent Curse
• Effect: Bestowed upon those who wait for others to act. Experience required for level-ups is doubled.
• Note: The curse will be lifted upon reaching one level-up.

A suffocating penalty.

If the system included leveling, then raising his stats and improving himself was possible.

But if his experience gain was permanently doubled…?

It didn’t matter how hard he worked—he’d always be far behind.

‘At least it disappears after one level-up. But if I keep hesitating, who knows what will happen next?’

A single lost quest and a minor curse might be the only consequence this time.

But what about later?

Would the system strip away his status window entirely?

The mere thought made his skin crawl.

There was a massive difference between falling behind and being permanently unable to grow.

‘The next time a quest appears, I won’t hesitate.’

Even if his family objected, he wouldn’t listen.

They didn’t understand the system—he did.

Rather than rely on their uninformed decisions, it was better to trust himself.

At that moment—

“…A person? Is that a person?”

From the window, a shadow moved.

The dim lighting made it difficult to see, but one thing was certain—

It wasn’t a skeleton.

Two figures emerged, heading toward the skeletal horde.

A reckless move. A death sentence.

Nathan’s heart pounded.

‘Should I warn them?’

If he opened the window and shouted, he might be able to.

But wouldn’t that just attract the skeletons to him instead?

Caught between action and inaction, Nathan hesitated.

Then—

“Black Missile! Black Missile! Black Missile!”

—BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

“…!?”

Black energy exploded, cutting through the air.

The skeletons collapsed instantly.

Eyes wide, Nathan watched as the creatures—monsters that had terrified him for so long—fell like nothing before the attack.

The man responsible continued his assault, his voice unwavering.

“Energy Drain.”

—SSHHHHH—

A faint, eerie glow rippled through the battlefield.

The fallen skeletons disintegrated.

“Whew. That should do it. Ethan, send the signal.”

“On it!”

At the mage’s command, the other figure finally moved.

A man, sword strapped to his waist.

Clearly, he wasn’t an ordinary civilian.

“Is anyone alive out there?! We’re from the safe zone! If you’re still out there, we’re here to help!”

The voice echoed across the empty streets.

“W-What…?”

“Nathan, what’s going on? Who are those people?”

“Uh…”

Caught off guard, Nathan fumbled for an answer.

Then—

A notification window reappeared before him.

《Guardian and Protected》

• Type: Main Quest
• Details: Due to inaction, you were exposed to external threats. However, an opportunity remains. If you cannot grow on your own, then survive by seeking the protection of the strong. Reach the safe zone with their help.
• Reward: Safe Zone Access Pass