CHAPTER 76: CH 76: FIRST WORLD QUEST- PART 1

With the reveal of his weapon causing online chaos, Fenrir turned his focus back to what truly mattered—his work.

The internet could gossip and speculate all it wanted, but he had no time to entertain any of it.

He had made a promise to Rick about crafting a greatsword, and if there was one thing Fenrir never allowed himself to do, it was to break a promise.

He started by making a material list for the greatsword, but he quickly realized something frustrating—his current inventory space was too limited for what he needed.

Not only that, his forge was beginning to feel cramped and inefficient.

The sheer size and complexity of a high-grade greatsword meant more room, more storage, and better tools.

At that exact moment, the system pinged, and a bright message lit up his vision:

[Skill Upgrade

Beginner’s Forging → Advanced Forging Unlocked

New forge expansion blueprints unlocked.]

Fenrir raised an eyebrow.

"Finally."

He muttered.

He immediately turned to Grizze, the small imp who was now lounging on top of a barrel, lazily chewing on a glowing bolt of mana-infused metal like it was candy.

Grizze perked up the moment he sensed Fenrir’s eyes on him.

"We need to expand the forge. It’s getting too cramped in here. And the system just gave me new blueprints.""

Fenrir said.

Grizze shot up like an arrow.

"Really? About time. I’ve been hitting my wings on the walls for days. You want me to handle it?"

"Yeah. Use the layout from the system. Prioritize space for ore processing, weapon assembly, and temperature control. No more overheating half the room every time I smelt."

"On it, boss."

The imp cracked his knuckles and immediately got to work, summoning a dozen hamster-sized assistants to help carry tools and supplies.

With the forge expansion underway, Fenrir decided not to waste time.

He had one other major task in front of him: gathering materials for Rick’s greatsword.

And now that he had his newly crafted S-rank gun, it was the perfect opportunity to test it out in real combat.

He chose the A-class dungeon known as Mermaid’s Melody. Despite the name, the place was dry as a bone—no water in sight.

The name was a cruel misdirection.

The dungeon was infamous for its land-walking mermaids, terrifying creatures with humanoid upper bodies and razor-sharp teeth that could slice through reinforced armor.

Fast, cunning, and always in packs.

But that wasn’t the only reason Fenrir chose it.

He had combed through the system’s available quest lines and dungeon data, and in one obscure footnote, he had found something strange—an anomaly, a trace of "tower energy."

The same energy associated with the interdimensional Tower that had yet to appear in full. Most people wouldn’t even notice the clue. But Fenrir had his suspicions—and experience.

The Tower was coming, slowly, phasing into this world in fragments.

He didn’t know when it would fully manifest, but he did know that getting a head start on its quests could give him an immense advantage.

That made the Mermaid’s Melody dungeon a perfect opportunity: material collection and long-term quest progression in one trip.

He arrived at the dungeon entrance alone. A few hunters camping nearby looked up, recognizing him only as another soloist.

No one dared approach. Whether it was because of the lingering rumors of Mr. ’X’ or simply the aura he gave off, Fenrir didn’t care.

He passed through the gates with quiet steps, disappearing into the dungeon.

Inside, the air was dry and sharp, the ground littered with white coral fragments and bone.

Cracked statues of sirens stood half-buried in the sand, their mouths open in silent, eternal screams.

Fenrir activated his tracking skill and scanned the area. Movement flickered on the edges of his map.

A cluster of mermaids—at least six of them—crawling across the sand, jaws wide open, eyes glowing faintly.

Perfect.

He reached for his gun and immediately felt the difference from before. Light, responsive, and humming with contained power.

The grip molded to his hand as if it had always been his weapon. As the mermaids charged, Fenrir raised the gun and fired.

The first bullet curved midair, tracking the lead mermaid as she tried to sidestep. It hit her square between the eyes, and the system flared:

[Critical Hit! ]

Another mermaid leapt, claws extended, and Fenrir rolled to the side, taking another shot.

The bullet veered, locked, and pierced through her abdomen, followed by a burst of flame.

They tried to swarm him, but the gun’s tracking and absurd crit rate turned the battle into a one-sided hunt.

Within minutes, the bodies of burned and broken mermaids littered the field. Fenrir looted their scales, noting how pristine and mana-rich they were—ideal for Rick’s weapon.

More importantly, when the last one fell, the system chimed with something far more exciting.

[Tower Fragment Nearby]

[Initiate Side Quest: "Echoes of the Tower" — Y/N?]

Fenrir smirked.

"Always yes."

______

Fenrir moved deeper into the Mermaid’s Melody dungeon, following the glowing trail of clues the system projected for him.

The deeper he went, the quieter the area became, until all that remained was the sound of his boots pressing against dry coral and bone.

The eerie silence made every step feel like an intrusion.

Eventually, he reached the final den of the mermaids—a sunken chamber carved from white rock, its walls littered with crude paintings of monsters, spirals, and stars.

The air here pulsed with ancient mana.

Dozens of mermaids turned to look at him.

Their eyes locked onto his figure, unblinking. Long teeth glinted beneath tight lips. Yet none of them moved.

Not a single hiss or snarl. They simply observed, their gaze shifting from him to the weapon at his hip, then back again.

Fenrir didn’t raise his gun. He didn’t need to.

The system was protecting him, cloaking his presence in something older than fear— dominance.

It wasn’t the kind that made creatures flee. It was the kind that made them watch, unable to interfere. A barrier built not of force, but of recognition.

He stepped forward, careful, calm.

As he passed the crowd of still monsters, Fenrir muttered.

"This again, huh?"

A faint smile tugged at his lips—dry, humorless.

"Last time I walked through a monster nest like this, I was chasing a fragment too. Different world, different timeline... but this same feeling. Like they can smell it on me. The Tower’s scent."

The familiarity crawled under his skin, unsettling in a way nothing else could. He wasn’t sure what exactly he remembered—but he knew he had done this before.

That strange hush. That same tension. The feeling of walking a road everyone else had forgotten.

At the end of the cavern, bathed in soft blue light, was a pedestal. On it sat a small, stone tablet. Old. Dusty. Cracked. It pulsed faintly with energy.

He reached out and touched it.

The moment his fingers met the surface, the ground trembled beneath his feet. The mermaids didn’t move, even as cracks split the walls and loose debris rained from above.

[System Alert — GLOBAL ANNOUNCEMENT]

A deafening chime echoed through every dungeon, city, and outpost. All of humanity saw the same message at once:

[WORLD QUEST UNLOCKED]

Name: Echoes of the Tower

Description: The Tower, once sealed beyond reach, is awakening. Find the fragments. Unlock its paths. Return to the challenge that defies death and logic. The one who collects the most fragments shall receive the right to enter first.

Objective: Discover and claim the Tower Fragments scattered across the world.

Rewards: Unknown

Let the race begin.

Current progress ¼ fragments

Fenrir let out a slow breath and stared at the tablet as it slowly crumbled to dust under his hand. Above him, the blue light faded.

"Here we go again."

He muttered.