Chapter 71: Quest(s)

Chapter 68

Orion calmly read through the message before picking up one of the baked buns and taking a bite. He chewed slowly, then reached for the milk and gulped down a mouthful.

These were the same food items Nurse Iryn had brought earlier, before dropping the tray in her panic. Fortunately, not everything had ended up scattered across the floor, leaving him with something to eat while he examined the system’s explanation.

Unlike before, Orion was no longer freaking out over what the system could do. He had begun to accept it for what it actually was.

A freakish system.

There was no point pretending otherwise. Everything about the Origin System defied common sense, from the treasures stored within it to the abilities it had granted him, and if he was being honest, the more he learned about it, the more he suspected that its true capabilities were far beyond anything he had seen so far.

The good news was that, as its host, he would undoubtedly be influenced by it. If the system itself was freakish, then there was a good chance he would become equally freakish as he continued to grow stronger.

Orion smiled at the thought. That was certainly something worth looking forward to.

After finishing his bite, he shifted his attention toward the final available tab.

[Quests]

The moment he opened it, five separate quest categories appeared before him.

[1. Main Quest]

[2. Side Quest]

[3. Level-Up Quest]

[4. Origin Quest]

[5. Special Quest]

Orion examined the five categories, and information regarding each quest type flowed into his mind, allowing him to understand their functions and importance.

The first was the Main Quest.

As the name suggested, it was the most important quest category in the system. Main Quests were directly tied to his overall progression and would offer some of the best rewards available.

However, the rewards weren’t the only thing that made them important. Unlike certain other quests, Main Quests could come with serious penalties for failure, meaning they weren’t something he could afford to ignore carelessly.

Next came the Side Quests.

These could appear anytime and anywhere, often presenting him with opportunities to accomplish certain tasks and earn rewards along the way. Unlike Main Quests, however, Side Quests carried no penalties for failure.

He could complete them if he wanted to, and if he didn’t, there would be no serious consequences. That made them considerably less troublesome.

The third category was the Level-Up Quest.

This one was fairly straightforward. Whenever Orion crossed a major level threshold, he would receive quests associated with that milestone, and completing them would grant him the corresponding rewards.

Orion found the idea rather appealing. After all, he would already be working toward becoming stronger and advancing through the levels. If the system was willing to reward him for accomplishing things he wanted to do in the first place, then there was little reason to complain.

In a way, the Level-Up Quests could be considered a bonus. He would be making progress regardless, and the system would simply provide additional incentives along the way.

Not bad at all.

The fourth category was the Origin Quest.

This one was more closely related to his talent and its advancement. The quests would primarily revolve around Orion himself, his Summoner talent, and the development of the Origin System.

Considering that the Origin System was directly connected to his Reawakening, Orion suspected that these quests would play a particularly important role in determining how far he could go. He would need to pay close attention to them.

Finally, there were the Special Quests.

These were the tricky ones. Unlike the other categories, Special Quests could appear in practically any form or shape, and their conditions were far less predictable.

They could be easy or difficult, and they might come with restrictions, time limits, and penalties, or they might have none of those things. There was no telling what the system might ask him to do, how much time it would give him, or what would happen if he failed.

However, if there was one thing that made Special Quests particularly appealing, it was their rewards.

They could grant truly excellent and extraordinary prizes. And if the system’s habit of being absurdly generous was anything to go by, those rewards could be downright mind-boggling.

Orion wasn’t about to complain about that.

Of course, he would need to see what kinds of quests it offered him before deciding how much he could rely on them.

For now, he only had three quests available.

One Main Quest, one Origin Quest, and one Level-Up Quest.

Orion opened the Level-Up Quest first.

[Level-Up Quest]

Quest: Become an Elite-Level Warrior.

Objective: Reach Level 11.

Reward: Special Level 11 Package.

Time Limit: None.

Remark: The host has the best start in all of history. Do not waste it. Ascend faster than anyone else!

Orion stared at the remark before shaking his head slightly.

The system was as prideful as ever. It spoke as though it had personally arranged the greatest beginning in the history of the universe and expected him to be grateful for the privilege.

Well, he couldn’t exactly deny that his current circumstances were extraordinary. His talent had undergone a Reawakening, his attributes were absurdly high for his level, and he had obtained several treasures that could make countless powerful individuals lose their minds.

Still, the system didn’t need to keep reminding him of how special it thought he was.

Orion moved his gaze to the next quest.

[Origin Quest]

Quest: Obtain Your First Origin Summon.

Reward: Activate skills bound to the Summoner and their summons.

Time Limit: None.

Remark: A Summoner without a summon is nothing but trash. Nothing at all! So, as someone who is not just an ordinary Summoner but the Origin Summoner, move out there and obtain a worthy summon!

Orion shook his head subtly.

The system really knew how to insult someone while giving them a quest.

A Summoner without a summon was trash? Nothing at all?

He was beginning to suspect that the system had a rather strange personality.

Still, the quest itself was straightforward. He needed to obtain his first Origin Summon, and considering the Origin Transfer skill he had just discovered, he already had a general idea of how he might accomplish that.

He would need to find a suitable target, defeat it, and use Origin Transfer to send its corpse into the Origin. Of course, he still needed to test the skill and learn more about its conditions, but at least he had a direction.

Once he obtained his first Origin Summon, he would also unlock the skills bound to the Summoner and their summons. That was another reason to complete the quest as soon as possible.

Orion finished reading the details and moved on to the final quest.

The Main Quest.

The moment he opened it, his attention was immediately drawn to the objective.

[Main Quest]

Quest: Reach Level 100.

Time Limit: Five Years.

Reward: The seals restricting the host’s memories will begin to unravel, and the host’s Infinite Will will be partially unlocked.

Penalty: Failure to reach Level 100 within five years will result in the Origin choosing a new host. The host will return to being a weak G-Grade Summoner.

System Remark: The Origin is the strongest force in the universe. As the host of the Origin, you must prove yourself. What is Level 100 to you? You can reach it and surpass it! Prove that you are truly worthy. Reach Level 100, or even better, Level 500, within five years!

Orion read the quest, then went through it again, keeping his attention fixed on the words displayed before him.

For a moment, he didn’t react. Then his expression changed.

"..."

Five years?

Reach Level 100 in five years?

That part alone was already a serious challenge, but it wasn’t what nearly made him lose consciousness. No, it was the reward.

The seals restricting his memories would begin to unravel, and his Infinite Will would be partially unlocked.

Orion’s mind went blank for a brief moment.

His memories...

His Infinite Will...

Two of the biggest mysteries surrounding his current situation were directly connected to this quest. He still had no clear understanding of what had happened to him inside Dungeon X. His memories of the events leading to his Reawakening remained incomplete, and whenever he tried to recall certain details, he encountered gaps he couldn’t explain.

Now, the system was telling him that reaching Level 100 would begin to unravel those seals. And as if that wasn’t enough, it was also offering him the chance to partially unlock his Infinite Will.

The very Will that the system itself couldn’t properly measure.

The very Will that had been marked as infinite, yet remained locked away from him.

Orion’s breathing nearly stopped as he processed the implications. Then he noticed the penalty.

Failure to reach Level 100 within five years would cause the Origin to choose a new host, and he would return to being a weak G-Grade Summoner.

Orion felt as though someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water over his head.

Wait a minute.

The Origin would choose a new host?

And he would lose everything?!

All the powers he had gained, all the extraordinary treasures, all the progress he had made... Gone.

He would be thrown back to the very bottom, returning to the same weak G-Grade Summoner he had once been.

After everything he had gone through?

Absolutely not!

Orion’s eyes widened as he continued staring at the quest details. He had thought that his Reawakening would give him an opportunity to rise beyond the limitations imposed on him by his original talent, and it had.

But now, the system had placed a deadline over his head.

Five years.

Five years to reach Level 100.

And the system wasn’t even satisfied with that. It was encouraging him to reach Level 500 within the same period!

Was this thing insane?!

Orion’s vision seemed to darken for a moment, and he nearly blacked out.

For the first time since beginning to explore his newly awakened system, his extraordinary mental fortitude was pushed to its limits by something other than the sheer absurdity of his treasures. The Origin System had just given him an ultimatum that could determine his entire future.

Reach Level 100 within five years...

Or lose everything.

And judging by the way the system had worded its remark, it apparently considered Level 100 to be little more than a starting point.

Orion continued staring at the screen. His expression remained calm, but deep inside, his thoughts were anything but peaceful.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?