Lazry leaned forward, eyes narrowing at the lines before him. The same text appeared again, bright and confident like a declaration of fate.
[ Ding!
[Congratulations… you did nothing today…
[ AFK System Activated!
[ The host will now grow endlessly without end…
[ Daily missions: Optional missions available with unique rewards too.
[ System: Any activity related to curse magic pauses the AFK system… ]
He blinked, re-reading the words several times, his lips twitching slightly. "Optional missions? Unique rewards?" he murmured. "Why would I even need missions if I can get stronger by doing nothing?"
The words optional and rewards tangled in his head. It sounded too easy, too strange, like a joke written by a cruel god.
Lazry rubbed his temples and leaned back against the couch. "Optional, huh? So… I can just ignore them? That's fine with me." But dry paper like curiosity inside him was easily burned through him faster than reason could smother it.
"Alright, let's see what this is all about," he muttered. He tapped the small glowing box labeled Daily Missions, and another screen expanded before him.
The title at the top read:
[ Beast Missions: Any missions can give the host a beast.
[ Please choose carefully. ]
Lazry's eyes widened. "Beast missions?" His voice quivered slightly with surprise. He hadn't even tamed a single curse beast yet.
Could this system actually grant him one? His pulse quickened as he scrolled down, and four options appeared in neat glowing text.
[ > Fire Beast Mission
[ > Water Beast Mission
[ > Flora Beast Mission
[ > Devouring Beast Mission ]
The system's words followed shortly after, its tone mechanical yet oddly commanding.
[ You can only take one mission this dark morning. The missions will vanish once sunlight touches the horizon. ]
Lazry gulped, glancing toward the window.
The sky was still dark like midnight, but dawn was lurking somewhere beyond the clouds. "One mission, huh…" he whispered. "Then I need to check fast."
He selected the Fire Beast Mission first, and another window burst open.
[ Fire Beast Mission:
[ First Level: Go to a Fire Wolf cage and do nothing for 5 seconds.
[ Reward: A normal Curse Ethereal Fire Wolf. ]
[ Second Level: Go to a Fire Wolf cage and do nothing for 10 seconds.
[ Reward: An elite Curse Ethereal Fire Wolf. ]
[ Third Level: Go to a Fire Wolf cage and do nothing for 15 seconds.
[ Reward: A rare Curse Ethereal Fire Wolf. ]
Lazry stared at the glowing text, completely dumbfounded. "Do… nothing?" he muttered in disbelief. "That's the mission? Go to a Fire Wolf cage and stand there?"
His face contorted as the absurdity sank in. "What the hell? Do nothing? More like die doing nothing!"
He knew those beasts well.
The Fire Wolves weren't normal ethereal creatures—they were monsters born from the curse residue of slain wolves his clan once tamed.
They burned endlessly, their flames feeding on hatred. Even seasoned Conjurers avoided their dens.
He immediately shook his head violently. "No way. I'm not going in there just to be roasted alive. I'm not insane."
Still, curiosity got the better of him again. He checked the next mission.
[ Water Beast Mission: ]
[ First Level: Stand beside a Lake Serpent's lair for 5 seconds without moving.
[ Reward: A normal Curse Ethereal Serpent. ]
[ Second Level: Stand beside the lair for 10 seconds without moving.
[ Reward: An elite Curse Ethereal Serpent. ]
[ Third Level: Stand beside the lair for 15 seconds without moving.
[ Reward: A rare Curse Ethereal Serpent. ]
Lazry's shoulders slumped. "So basically, same kind of suicide but in water this time," he muttered. He scrolled to the next.
[ Flora Beast Mission:
[ First Level: Enter the garden of a Withered Thorn Tree and stay still for 5 seconds.
[ Reward: A normal Curse Ethereal Vine Beast. ]
[ Second Level: Enter the garden and stay still for 10 seconds.
[ Reward: An elite Curse Ethereal Vine Beast. ]
[ Third Level: Enter the garden and stay still for 15 seconds.
[ Reward: A rare Curse Ethereal Vine Beast. ]
He dragged his hand down his face. "These missions are insane. How does doing nothing in front of death traps make any sense? Five to fifteen seconds of pure stupidity." He exhaled loudly, slumping back on his couch. "Nope. Not happening. I'll just stay right here and let the AFK system do its thing. I'll get stronger without risking my neck."
Still, the last mission—Devouring Beast Mission—stared back at him like a lure in the dark. He hesitated, then tapped it.
The box expanded slowly, glowing with a dark red hue.
[ Devouring Beast Mission:
[ Level One: Stay near a Devourer's nest for 5 seconds.
[ Reward: A low-tier Devouring Curse Beast. ]
[ Level Two: Stay near the nest for 10 seconds.
[ Reward: A mid-tier Devouring Curse Beast. ]
[ Level Three: Stay near the nest for 15 seconds.
[ Reward: A high-tier Devouring Curse Beast. ]
[ Level Four: Stay near the nest for 20 seconds.
[ Reward: An advanced Devouring Curse Beast. ]
[ Level Five: Stay near the nest for 25 seconds.
[ Reward: A devouring Legendary Curse Beast. ]
Lazry froze. "Legendary…?" The word lingered in the air like a spark about to ignite something deep inside him. His throat tightened.
The image of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox flashed before his eyes—the one he had summoned yesterday, the one ripped away from him before he could even touch its power.
A hollow ache burned through his chest. He clenched his fist. "A legendary beast…" he whispered. "Like her."
His eyes darkened, his jaw tightening as he thought of everything he'd lost. His mother's approval, his clan's respect, and the fox—his fox—taken from him without a shred of remorse.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed on the table. The sound startled him. He picked it up and frowned. An unknown number. "Who the hell…?"
He answered. "Hello?"
For a second, there was only static, then a faint chuckle could be heard from the other side, it was cold and twisted. "So it's true," a man's voice said mockingly. "Indeed, it's your number."
Lazry's stomach sank. That voice. Sound familiar to him.
"Who is this?" he asked, though his tone already trembled with recognition.
The voice laughed again, louder now, filled with venom. "You really don't remember me? Oh, Lazry, you really haven't changed. Always a fool. Always weak. Tell me, how does it feel? To lose everything? Your demon fox? Your pride? Even your mother's faith?"
Lazry's grip on the phone tightened. "You bastard," he hissed.
"Ah, so you do remember. Good. Then you'll understand why I should thank you." The man's voice turned sharper, cruel amusement coating every word. "Your Nine-Tailed Fox is mine now. And your mother… she was the one who approved it, remember? She wanted it that way. She believed you didn't deserve it. And she was right."
The world seemed to spin around Lazry. His heart pounded so hard it hurt. "You—shut up."
"Why? Am I wrong?" the man taunted. "She's basically saying you're unfit. That the beast would be wasted on you. You should've seen her face when she handed me the summoning token. That look of relief—oh, it was priceless."
"Stop talking." Lazry's voice cracked. His vision blurred from the rage swelling behind his eyes.
"I should thank you, really. Because of your failure, I now have a legendary beast at my command. You, on the other hand…" The man's tone shifted to a sneer. "You're just a pathetic little boy pretending to be a Conjurer."
Something inside Lazry snapped. He didn't wait for the man to finish. His hand crushed the phone against the edge of the table until it shattered into pieces, sparks and fragments scattering across the floor.
"You damn bastard," he spat through his teeth. His hands were trembling, his breath heavy, his entire body quivering with barely restrained fury.
"You'll pay for this. You'll pay for everything!"
He turned back to the glowing screen. The Devouring Beast Mission still hovered there, its red light reflecting in his eyes.
His chest rose and fell violently. The words "unknown legendary beast" pulsed like a heartbeat on the display.
"You took my fox…" he whispered, his tone trembling with anger. "You think I'll just sit here and do nothing?" He stared at the mission, his face shadowed with determination.
"You will pay for it," Lazry growled, his voice low but filled with resolve. "I'll take this mission. I'll take it, and I'll show you—" He paused and realized where he should put all his energy to all, "Not just you, my clan, and my very own mother!"