**Episode 8
Quest (2)**
Du-ho examined the android laid out on the workbench.
From the outside, it looked human.
But—
Shrrk… shrrk—
As he carefully peeled back the synthetic skin, a dense mechanical structure was revealed underneath.
Zzzt!
His Parts Detection skill activated.
A holographic overlay appeared across the android’s body.
Red warnings flashed everywhere.
No. LBJ-06 – Waist connector: Critical damage
No. LS-23 – Left servo motor: Overheated (Replace)
No. SC-44 – Sensor cable: Severed (Replace)
“…This really is insane.”
Like a game interface.
Blink—normal vision.
Focus—diagnostic overlay.
‘This is a jackpot.’
But then—
“…This is worse than I thought.”
He sighed.
“Park Gyu-tae, you idiot…”
It was obvious.
After sending Du-ho away, Park had attempted a sloppy repair—
and made everything worse.
“Good thing I prepared.”
Du-ho opened the parts box he brought.
Carefully selected a compatible connector.
Not perfect—
but that didn’t matter.
“This is upcycling.”
He gathered mana at his fingertips.
Then—
Slowly reshaped the part.
Precision. Experience. Instinct.
[Proficiency increased]
“…Oh?”
“The more I use it, the better I get?”
A grin formed.
Soon—
The part was complete.
He picked up a rotary tool.
Whirr—
Engraved:
LDH
“…Done.”
Then—
[Level up!]
[Experience gained!]
Notifications kept pouring in.
‘Isto is going wild out there…’
“…He’s not overdoing it, right?”
Still—
Du-ho focused.
“Replace cables first…”
Click. Snap.
Perfect dismantling.
Perfect assembly.
Six years of experience.
“…He’s strange, but…”
“…I trust him.”
The android powered up.
Its pupils adjusted.
“…Working.”
Du-ho smirked.
“Park’s probably losing his mind right now.”
* * *
Meanwhile—
BOOM!
Isto’s fist tore through dozens of Ratkin.
Blood. Flesh.
Everywhere.
No need to hunt.
They were coming to him.
More charged.
Whirr—
A swing.
Bodies flew.
Dead before landing.
- Ten minutes already? Still easy.
Hundreds of corpses covered the forest.
Then—
One Ratkin fled.
Alive.
Isto watched it.
“…Interesting.”
- Let’s follow.
* * *
“Wait… what?”
Du-ho checked his status.
“…999 kills?!”
- Heading to the Queen.
“…Already?!”
- I am super intelligence.
Soon—
A cave.
Growls echoed.
Inside—
A King Ratkin was about to kill the fleeing one.
WHOOSH—CRACK!
A thrown stone exploded its head—
and pierced the King’s abdomen.
“…Close one.”
- That could’ve failed your quest.
More movement.
Six Kings.
Guarding—
A massive Queen.
“Six of them… not bad.”
Isto cracked its neck.
Ate a mana stone.
Energy surged.
“Let’s finish this.”
CLASH!
Axes struck—
missed.
BOOM!
One punch.
Explosion.
Five surrounded him.
Meaningless.
Whirr—
A single spin—
Bodies shredded.
Then—
The Queen.
Over 3 meters tall.
Feeding its offspring.
It screamed.
The cave trembled.
“…Strange.”
- If I kill it, shouldn’t the floor disappear?
Pause.
Then—
He picked up an axe.
THROW—CRASH!
The Queen’s head exploded.
Silence.
“…Nothing?”
Then—
- Ah. Du-ho’s quest isn’t complete yet.
* * *
Back in the Garage—
Du-ho finished repairs.
“Done.”
[Main Quest Complete]
- Du-ho, it’s done!
“…I survived…”
“Oh—hidden quest.”
He stepped outside.
And froze.
“…What the hell…”
Hundreds of corpses.
Everywhere.
“You did all this… alone?”
- I was snacking.
“…Good job.”
- Now, let’s find the alloy.
Du-ho frowned.
‘Where would amorphous alloy even be?’
Not natural.
Artificial.
“…Let’s try detection.”
- Agreed.
Zzzt—
Overlay activated.
He searched.
Nothing.
Time passed.
Frustration grew.
“…This won’t work.”
- Another method?
“…Maybe…”
Then—
[Fragment – Amorphous Alloy]
“…Huh?”
A signal.
Strong.
He ran.
- The cave.
“…Of course…”
Inside—
Carnage.
Bodies.
Weapons scattered.
“…That axe?”
He picked one up.
Smooth.
Iridescent surface.
“…No way.”
He infused mana.
HUMMMMM—
Blue light surged.
Perfect conductivity.
“…JACKPOT!!!”
Isto rushed over.
- We almost missed it!
“This… even a fragment is insanely valuable…”
“And this whole blade is made of it!”
And then—
Du-ho looked down.
Two more identical axes.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
