The rooftop of the apartment building was cold and quiet. The sky above was a dull gray, the sun hidden behind clouds as if even the world mourned her loss.
Min-Joon stood in the center, his mother's lifeless body laid carefully on a pile of broken furniture and splintered wood he had gathered. It wasn't perfect or close to the farewell his mother deserved, but it was the most Min-Joon could do.
Soo-Ah and Gina stood silently to the side, their heads bowed in respect. YuWon arrived a few minutes later, holding a small glass jar filled with a fiery liquid, and handed it to Min-Joon without a word.
Since simply lighting a fire would prove troublesome and the smell of burning flesh would attract the monsters, YuWon bought something from the store.
They had tried dissuading Min-Joon from a cremation, but he didn't listen. How could he when his mother always wanted to be cremated when she died?
He couldn't protect her, so fulfilling her wish was the last thing he could do.
Besides, it wasn't the time for logic or strategy. They had seen the grief in Min-Joon's eyes, and YuWon would not take this away from him.
"This is liquid fire," YuWon said. "It'll burn fast. We can be off before any monsters appear."
Min-Joon nodded, gripping the jar tightly.
YuWon turned his gaze to the makeshift pyre. Min-Joon unscrewed the jar's lid, the sharp scent of the liquid fire stinging his nose. He took a deep breath and poured the contents over his mother's body.
The liquid fire ignited upon contact, engulfing the pyre in bright blue flames. The heat was intense, forcing Min-Joon to step back, but his eyes never left the fire.
The flames roared, and with them came the unmistakable stench of burning flesh. It was a sickening smell that made most men turn away or lose their stomachs. But Min-Joon didn't flinch. His fists remained clenched by his sides as he gritted his teeth.
Everyone expected him to cry, but Min-Joon had already cried his heart out. There were no more tears left.
YuWon stood a few feet away, watching in silence. He didn't console Min-Joon or tell him it was going to be okay. They both knew it wouldn't be. When the flames died down, only then did Min-Joon turn to YuWon.
"...it's done. Let's go—"
"Take some skeletons and go back to the base," YuWon said, cutting him off. "You've been through a lot, so take some time off and heal."
However, Min-Joon shook his head.
It was because he rested and wasted time that his mother died. He won't rest again, not until all the monsters in the world were dead.
There was a fire in his eyes more intense than the liquid fire. However, it wasn't anger but something darker, something YuWon had felt before.
"Fine. Do what you want," YuWon sighed. "I won't stop you. But don't get yourself killed out there."
"I won't," Min-Joon nodded. "But I need to find my father and sister."
Without another word, Min-Joon turned and headed for the stairwell, his axe slung over his shoulder. He wasn't heading to the next quest like them, but YuWon hoped he wouldn't make any stupid decisions along the way.
Time Limit: None.
Penalty for failure: Overall stat decrease.
+++
"That's... not the quest I got."
As soon as he said that, YuWon could feel the eyes on him laughing. Since Sophia was on his side, she wouldn't intentionally change his quest from the others.
However, someone could have done it.
That damned bastard Lucifer!
YuWon should have expected it. Wounded pride was something Lucifer wouldn't let go of without avenging. Unable to target Sophia directly, he must have used his authority to manipulate his quest instead.
With a heavy sigh, YuWon resigned himself to the situation. The quest was beyond his control. Besides, he wouldn't even know anything about the quest till he reached the amusement park.
Yet, the thought of what lay ahead gnawed at him. If Lucifer had altered the quest once, there was no guarantee he wouldn't do it again and in time might even give him an impossible task to accomplish.
At that moment, YuWon wanted nothing more than to twist that bastard Lucifer's neck and carry it like an accessory.
Another thing troubling him was the punishment for failure.
Become Loki's doll... what does that even mean?
***
A few hours later...
"This has to be a joke," YuWon muttered.
Soo-Ah and even Gina stood frozen, too stunned to respond. The amusement park before them was unrecognizable, its atmosphere completely transformed. But it wasn't the decorations or the cheerful lights that left them speechless—it was the monsters.
What had once been fearsome creatures were now playing the roles of vendors and staff throughout the park. They danced to lively tunes, sang upbeat songs, and interacted with other awakeners as if they'd never been enemies.
There was no trace of the hostility they once exuded. Instead, it felt bizarrely natural, as though monsters and humans had coexisted for generations, seamlessly blending into daily life routines.
However, there was something strange. Every monster and Awakener had vacant, lifeless, white eyes.
"Dolls..."
YuWon realized what the punishment for failing the quest truly meant.